Customer Reviews

The Enemy Has a Face

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This gripping story is the account of the Hofman family recently moved from Israel to Los Angeles. Their seventeen year old son Adam was in high school and fourteen year old daughter Netta in middle school. Adam quickly found friends and began enjoying the new school while Netta did not really feel at home. The family was panic stricken when Adam failed to come home one night. The story from there on is a description of the search for the missing Adam. Because of the bitter feeling between people in Israel and those in Palestine, the Hofmans were sure that Adam was the victim of Palestinian Terrorists. Netta took some risks in her effort to find out her brother's fate and who was responsible. In the process she learned to value people as individuals rather than as part of a group. This timely well-written story of a family in grief is especially important now in the present world situation. The book is directed to ages 12 and up but is also excellent for adults because it helps them see the struggle through the eyes of a young person experiencing the emotional impact of the crisis situation in Israel.

Gloria Miklowitz tackles the prickly subject of the Arab-Israeli conflict in this new novel for young adults. She sets her story in Los Angeles where 14 year old Netta Hofman wakes up one morning to find that her older brother, Adam, did not come home the night before. Three months earlier, the family had moved from Israel to LA and they are baffled by Adam's disappearance. They assume it may have something to do with Palestinian terrorism since Netta's father's work is related to the defense industry. During the course of the investigation into Adam's disappearance, Netta reluctantly befriends a Palestinian boy in her school, learns about the murky cyber-world of Palestinian chat rooms, and finds out information about her brother that surprises her. This short novel retains its suspense until the final pages, when we finally find out what happened to Adam.

The author of this book is clearly trying her best to balance both sides of the Middle East conflict. However, using a 14-year-old girl's view to explore the issue of Palestinian-Israeli relationships is only partially successful. Both sides are represented to the reader, but Miklowitz wisely keeps politics from overwhelming the storyline. The book works better as a young adult mystery.

A few highly unlikely scenarios in this book do detract from the storyline, however. From discovering Adam's computer password on the third guess to making her way around the city on public transportation, things come a bit too easily to the young Netta. One must also conclude that her spoken and written English is perfect, even though her family arrived in Los Angeles only three months earlier. Also, it is unlikely that this clever young teen would chose to keep some of her discoveries about her brother a secret from her parents during such tragic circumstances.

However, if these flaws can be set aside, the novel does attempt to show how young people in a political conflict can often be much better than adults at examining their prejudices. The growing and tenuous relationship between Netta and Laith, the Palestinian boy, is plausible and realistic. Miklowitz has captured the flavor of the middle school world well. The characters here are appealing and could even merit a longer book so their true depth could be discovered. The subject matter, however, is suspenseful and ultimately sad, so this book is recommended for 5th grade and up.
Reviewed by Lisa Silverman

This title was declared a 2003 Notable Book by the Association of Jewish Libraries! Almost 200 children's books of Judaic content were reviewed during the year to find the best of the bunch. Find out more at www.jewishlibraries.org.

This book had a slow plot. There were also a couple of instances where the bad language was unnecessary. A sense of sadness permeated the book throughout. There was a good lesson in the book because two people who thought they were enemies found out that they could be good friends.

On the very first page we are introduced to Netta and the issue at had. Netta's brother Adam is missing and she is scared for his life. With a critique on the relationships built upon by the constant rivalries and violence in the Middle East. Netta and her family, worry and wonder if the Palestinians' hate will follow them into America. Living in Israel the Hofman family feared the threat of the Palestinian terrorists. After three months in the United States, Adam Hofman is missing and his little sister, Netta, is left to put together the pieces. Adam and Netta had always been close, they had no secrets, or so Netta thought. With a Palestine vs. Israel debate group at school and Adam's mysterious online friends, Netta, can't help but think that something bad has happened to Adam.

The author, Gloria Miklowitz, did a great job jumping right in to the story drawing the reader in to catch the audience's attention. Then she goes on to explain the story and what lies around the issue. I enjoyed the stories fast pace and exciting events, since the story is from a child's perspective I felt all the emotions felt were accurate. Although they may not be accurate for other Israeli's'. I enjoyed Gloria Miklowitz's effort to bring in both sides of the Middle East conflict, as a result the reader isn't provoked to think badly about either side of the conflict but instead to hate the conflict itself. Throughout the story she gives significant background, and develops Netta's character very well even though all the other character's are left behind.

Her story was interesting and explained feelings, from a child's perspective, of the Middle East Conflict. Although I would have liked a little more fact, so the reader could have learned more. This proceed to teach that the impressions we have of people are often brought on by how we grow up, just like Netta and her impressions of the Palestinians. Even though those impressions can be misleading. The fact that the story taught a lesson through the characters was great. I suggest the book to anyone wanting a quick read with a little Middle Eastern conflict taste.

This book was a good book. I wish it was a tiny bit better. I think it was a tiny bit weird and the story is confusing. It is sad in the end.