The topic and style of writing of this book were truly so deep and intense.

It had such a captivating allure that it was extremely hard to put it down once I started reading.

I found myself completely immersed in its pages, unable to tear myself away.

However, after finishing this remarkable book, it took me some time to be able to shift my focus and read another one.

The impact it had on me was profound, and it left me in a state of contemplation for a while.

Nonetheless, I must say that it was an excellent read.

It challenged my thoughts, expanded my perspective, and provided a truly enriching literary experience.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a deep and engaging read that will stay with them long after they have turned the final page.

What a terrific ending!

The characters in this story are truly great. Each one has a unique personality and backstory that makes them come alive on the page.

The rich history that is woven into the narrative adds depth and authenticity to the story. It makes you feel like you are a part of that world, experiencing all of the heart wrenching struggles along with the characters.

While the story may have been a little slow in some parts, it was well worth the wait. The overall experience was a fantastic read that kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story with great characters, a rich history, and plenty of drama.

This novel hit surprisingly close to home, but perhaps it should not be a surprise.

Despite the fact that the novel talks about experiences that are far removed from my own background, the emotional terrain it explores and its examination of the burdens passed down through generations are aspects that I can truly understand all too well. The main character is a recognizably Nathanish one.

It is remarkable how the author writes about people who are very much like himself. In fact, it's probably not an exaggeration to say that the author was writing about a great deal of his own personal history, or at least that of people he knew, while crafting this novel about the repercussions of one's actions or inactions. The way the past burdens us all in a way that potentially brings humanity together is a powerful theme.

For someone as dedicated as the author in preserving historical memory, grappling with the question of memory loss due to illness is undoubtedly immensely difficult. It is one of the greatest losses a person can suffer in their existence.

The novel itself is fairly complicated, skipping back and forth in time. It mainly focuses on three generations of a Jewish family. Malkiel is a journalist in a serious but unmarried relationship with another journalist, much to the dissatisfaction of his father, Elhanan, who wishes he would settle down.

Realizing he is losing his memory to a rare and incurable disease, Elhanan sends Malkiel back to the area in Hungary where he was born to deal with a tragic event in his life. Through flashbacks, we learn that Elhanan missed the opportunity to help bury his father, also named Malkiel, who sacrificed himself during the liquidation of the local ghetto in World War II.

We also discover Elhanan's life as a partisan, his marriage to a passionate woman who died giving birth to Malkiel while he was a prisoner of the Jordanians after the failed defense of the Old City of Jerusalem in 1948. By the end of the story, we find out that Elhanan has been haunted by a rape committed by a fellow partisan against the brutalized wife of a local anti-Semite, and the woman is still haunted by the incident decades later.

Admittedly, this is not the kind of novel that everyone will appreciate. Its context is deeply rooted in the Jewish life of Europe, Israel, and the United States, and those not part of that life may find the world a bit unfamiliar.

The book is also centered around the problem of historical memory, the losses endured by European Jewry, and the desires of families for sons to marry, have children, and carry on the family name.

If Elhanan appears to be a passive figure due to his experiences and losses throughout the story, Malkiel struggles with the burden placed on him by his father and grandfather, as well as the loss of his mother, for which he may feel some degree of guilt given the circumstances.

And yet, as long as we live and breathe, there is hope that we can make peace with others and with our own pasts.