Customer Reviews

The Genizah at the House of Shepher: A Novel

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Genizah At The House Of Shepherd is a sweeping novel that follows the return of an English biblical scholar to her grandparents' home in Jerusalem. Immersed in a simmering family feud concerning the so-called "Shepher Codex", she discovers the history of her family, from the great-grandfather who traveled to Babylon in search of the ten lost tribes, to her grandfather's Zionist ideals that caused conflict with his religion, to the tragic love affair of her parents and her own sad past. As much a parable of the transformations in Jerusalem over a hundred and thirty years as it is the story of one woman's struggle for identity and search for answers, The Genizah At The House Of Shepherd is a deeply enthralling narrative of epic spiritual proportions.

Don't read the plot summary that's included on this site. Those few paragraphs convey nothing about the actual experience of reading this book -- and an experience it is. Tamar Yellin wields language with virtuoso skill to construct a world that I didn't want to leave.

I started reading this book because a friend of mine forced me to sit and listen as she read the first five chapters aloud. The reading was slow -- we were forced to repeat many sentences in sheer wonderment. ("The line of tension between choice and chance is the thread by which the miracle of existence hangs." Personal favorite.) That sort of rhetorical power is set against a Jerusalem that's described in incredible and loving detail.

If you read this, you will get something out of it.

I travelled through time and found a long lost treasure and a long lost love along with the main character, Shulamit. Famiy, belonging, and the struggle for identity are universal themes that make this a book for all countries. I don't want to spoil a thing, you must pick up this book and travel to a different time. I promise this will enchant the discriminating reader.

I loved this book. I read it nearly a year ago but decided to write a review because I can still, even now, see the pictures in my head that were evoked by the beautiful writing.

I was also reminded of it when I saw that it won the Rohr prize. The judges included a professor, a novelist a Harvard fellow and an editorial director so I guess they know what's what.

Reminded me a little of Isabelle Allende's style but it is stands out on its own and is well worth a read.

Excellent book- a real page turner that succesfully allows the reader to ride the waves between the past and present of this fascinating family.

This book is a wonderful achievement, covering many generations and several continents. The author rises to the considerable challenge of keeping her locales and characters distinct and authentic. As with other "family sagas" it takes some effort on the reader's part to keep up. I look forward to more books from Tamar Yellin. Highly recommended.

This was one of those serendipitous grabs as I wandered through my local bookstore. In retrospect, I am surprised I wasn't put off by the plot summary or the jacket blurbs. I am not Jewish, and although I can see that this book might especially resonate with someone who is, it was irrelevant. I can't remember a first novel that earned such careful reading. There is great wisdom in this little book, wonderfully drawn characters, and superb, well-crafted writing. Very unusual - it is a page-turner, and the plot is secondary to the way the story is told. Highly recommended.

What a boring book. The story goes back and forth between the present and people from the past - the great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and a few others - but at the end of the day, none of these people are at all interesting. Regarding the codex supposedly at the center of the book, there is nothing but a few paragraphs that address this . . . its meaning and significance. The book should more properly be called the meanderings of a 40-something woman frustrated with just about everything in her life.

my husband read this book and lovd it. he read large portions to me because I couldn't begin to get thru it given the size of the type font. I'm not ready for books on tape. there's something about holding a real book. with all of us boomers well into bifocals, when they work, could weget publishers to go right into large print versions for the books they believe will be winners?

This was not a good book. I found it difficut to stay focused. It did not hold my interest.