Songs for the Brokenhearted
| Modern Age |
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 Songs for the Brokenhearted
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World History > Modern Age > Jewish History A young Yemeni Israeli woman learns of her mother’s secret romance in a dramatic journey through lost family stories, revealing the unbreakable bond between a mother and a daughter—the debut novel of an award-winning literary voice.
“A gorgeous, gripping novel filled with unforgettable characters.”—Elizabeth Graver, author of Kantika
1950. Thousands of Yemeni Jews have immigrated to the newly founded Israel in search of a better life. In an overcrowded immigrant camp in Rosh Ha’ayin, Yaqub, a shy young man, happens upon Saida, a beautiful girl singing by the river. In the midst of chaos and uncertainty, they fall in love. But they weren’t supposed to; Saida is married and has a child, and a married woman has no place befriending another man.
1995. Thirty-something Zohara, Saida’s daughter, has been living in New York City—a city that feels much less complicated than Israel, where she grew up wishing that her skin was lighter, that her illiterate mother’s Yemeni music was quieter, and that the father who always favored her was alive. She hasn’t looked back since leaving home, rarely in touch with her mother or sister, Lizzie, and missing out on her nephew Yoni’s childhood. But when Lizzie calls to tell her their mother has died, she gets on a plane to Israel with no return ticket.
Soon Zohara finds herself on an unexpected path that leads to shocking truths about her family—including dangers that lurk for impressionable young men and secrets that force her to question everything she thought she knew about her parents, her heritage, and her own future.
Emily's Review
I love a good family saga, especially if it involves someone uncovering a secret past that forces them to reassess everything they thought they knew.
Zohara's mother has died, and she is returning home to Israel to mourn. But cleaning her home, she uncovers some hidden letters and a story that causes her to realize she never really knew her mother.
This is a story about love, family, and the effects of assimilation. I have never read anything from a Mizrahi perspective, and it was very enlightening. I love a story with multiple timelines, so I thought the back-and-forth between 1950 and 1995 was very well done. I might have liked a bit more of the 1950 plot, but I still really liked what I did get. I also loved the emphasis on songs and singing. Now, I want to go listen to some traditional Yemeni music and read some poetry.
I thought this was a well-done generational story, and I found the perspective of Yemeni Jews on what it was/is like for them to live in Israel very interesting. I think we Ashkenazi Jews like to envision Israel being a sort of Jewish utopia where everyone gets along, and we are all equal. I think stories like this one are so important to read.
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