It is 1945 and the war has just ended. Those released from the concentration camps must now decide what the remainder of their lives, devoid of loved ones and homes, will be. This is the story of some of those displaced women who opt to go to Israel, which is being governed by the British. They find themselves in another camp, and although this one is not the cruel and deadly ilk of the ones they have already known, it is still ringed with barbed wire and it still feels like a prison.

The story centers on four of the women and explores their backstories as well as their experiences in adjusting to a new life in Zion. It is the best Diamant I have found since falling in love with The Red Tent, which I count as her signature work. I did feel involved with each of the women, mourn their losses, and care about their futures. It was a quick read with a satisfying ending. What you want most for these women is a chance to live a life of happiness that will negate some of the pain and horror that they have experienced in their young lives. The first step for them is being able to connect with one another and those connections are believable in Diamant’s hands.

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adult fiction; historical drama. Seemed to be well written; just wasn't the type of story I wanted to hear at the time. ( )

What I loved most about this book was the way the characters were introduced and then slowly how their lives were revealed glimpse by glimpse, much in the same way that we actually come to know people in real life. The story is sad and yet harbours faint hope. ( )

Interesting historical novel about what happened to the lucky few who survived the Holocaust and managed to smuggle themselves to "Palestine". Under British control the refugees were, again, held in internment camps albeit under more humane conditions. The continuing anti-semitism of the Brits is explored, as is the difficulty many had readapting to a semblance of life. An afterward makes the delineation between true history and fiction somewhat confusing. The story is interesting, the writing is very basic and flat. ( )

Very interesting. ( )