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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This one's for the book clubs,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Ladies Auxiliary: A Novel (Hardcover)
I LOVE this book. My book club read it and we had a great discussion. I could identify with all the characters. They are all amazingly well-developed and each one is unique and comes to life. The plot -- a convert moves into a close and insular world -- was fun and filled with suspense. I read it in one sitting because I couldn't want to put it down, (even though my husband kept asking me when I was going to be done reading!)What made it even more interesting was that I have a friend who lives in the Memphis Orthodox Jewish community, where the novel is set, and she said it's exactly like the way Tovah portrays it in the book. Apparently, the people my friend knows there think they can figure out who all the ladies are. Maybe, but I think I know them too in my own community in New Jersey.
44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Life among Southern Jews,
This review is from: The Ladies Auxiliary (Ballantine Reader's Circle) (Paperback)
This was truly a memorable read made all the more so since a few weeks after reading this book, I listened to the author speak about this book in person.Like the characters from The Ladies Auxiliaryairy, Tova Mirvis was raised in the Orthodox community of Memphis, Tennessee. And like some of the younger characters from this book, the reader wonders how much Ms. Mirvis questions the way she was raised among Orthodox Jews and their strict compliance to their religion. The Ladies Auxiliary opens as the women of a suburban Memphis community prepare for the Sabbath or Shabbat, the holiest of days among Jews the world over. Into their midst, arrives Batsheva, a new neighbor. For this is no ordinary new arrival, but the young widow of a former resident of the communtity who comes with a daughter. As if that doesn't set them apart enough, Batsheva is also a convert. Almost from the beginning Batsheva seems different than the other women. It is almost as if she forgets everything they hold in high regard. How can a young woman question what the Laws of Moses and study of Torah (which only the men can do)has taught these women? Batsheva sets herself apart from the religious women and this community in the manner of her dress, compliance to certain household traditions and her attitude towards the other women. But worst of all, Bartsheva goes so far as to question rituals in the synagogue and a woman's right to participate in services. What Batsheva fails to realize is that in her own way she's having an effect on some of the congregation particularly the young Orthodox women she teaches. More importantly, the Rabbis son home from his Rabbinical studies for the summer, spends way too much time talking to Batsheva. Its only a matter of time before he also begins to question these religious ways, his interest in becoming a Rabbi and his ability to faithfully lead a congregation. And what the ladies of the auxiliary gradually suspected about Batsheva is happening before their eyes. Not only is Batsheva questioning their ways but somehow beginning to change their children and even themselves. And they cannot allow this to continue. Finally, how Batsheva with her visions of growth and change, and the ladies auxiliary with their time honored traditions will finally come to terms with each other is the stunning climax of this book. This is the first book by an author who certainly knows her material first hand and gives life to her characters. The ladies of this community are microcosms of many women each of us may know. They interfere, they're concerned, they tell tales, they mean well while they hurt other women, they want to eat foods which their religion forbids, they're funny, overwhelmed by their husbands and children, witty and humorous, repressed and sometimes sad. You can laugh at them, nod you're head in agreement with them or astonishment at their views, you may even know them or you may even be them. But you will never forget them or Batsheva. For it is the ladies of the auxiliary and Batsheva who form the very fabric and importance of this book. And the real strength of Tova Mirvis' book is in her portrayal of Batsheva, a wowan who forces the women and men of this community to hold up a mirror to themselves and question what they truly believe is important to them. In the tradition of The Chosen and The Promise by Chaim Potok, Tova Mirvis allows her readers to enter the world of Orthodox Jews living and worshipping in a Southern communtiy. And it is a world we know much better after reading The Ladies Auxilary. Nwo I look forward to reading more titles by her in the future. Shalom!
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Ladies Auxilliary, a Timeless Tale,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Ladies Auxiliary: A Novel (Hardcover)
This tale plunges the reader into the midst of a contemporary Orthodox Jewish community as it reacts to the presence of a young widowed convert and her daughter. Batsheva brings a refreshing enthusiastic approach to her chosen religion that acts as a catalyst in the community. Some find her differences dangerous, others are inspired by her actions. Written to reflect the women's view, the story is narrated in a communal voice. Yet each of the many characters is revealed by her own personal truth as she measures herself and her feelings against Batsheva's actions and opinions; the women in the Auxiallary, the high school girls, and finally the rabbi's son. Although it may appear orthodoxy is being challenged by change and modernity, the message gently reminds us that human beings even in orthodoxy must consult their hearts and minds to live a meaningful life. Ultimately both sides are given a sympathetic hearing. Along with a good story, the author paints an affectionate view of holidays and Jewish life.
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