The Others
by Sarah Blau
(translated by Daniella Zamir)
___________________________________________
The Others of the novel’s title are four female friends at an Israeli college. They bond over a common intent not to have any children, in defiance of societal norms. Two decades or so later, the members of “the Others” have drifted apart. Sheila Heller, the narrator, works at the Bible Museum, giving lectures to visiting groups and classes. Dina Kaminer, the self-appointed leader of the group, is a Bible scholar who, pilfering an idea from Sheila, has become famous (or notorious) for a controversial study about the childless women of the Bible. Ronit has left biblical studies behind and is now a relatively well-known actress. The fourth member of the “Others” was Naama, once the closest of Sheila’s friends before she committed suicide a few years after college.
Death revisits the Others when Dina becomes the victim of a murder most gruesome – she is found tied to a chair, with a baby doll glued to her hands and the word “mother” inscribed on her forehead. It seems to be the work of a deranged killer, meaning that the feisty Sheila might soon become both suspect and victim…
Sarah Blau’s book was a
bestseller in Israel and is now being published in English as part of the Pushkin
Vertigo series. A college background, ritual murders, buried secrets… I’m
quite surprised that the marketing for the book has not invoked the seemingly
inevitable comparison to Donna Tartt’s The Secret History. Some similarities (including the feminist
theological strands of the novel) also reminded me of Rachel Mann’s The Gospel of Eve, which I greatly enjoyed last year. Ultimately, however, Blau’s
novel has a quite different feel to it.
Despite the more shocking and violent aspects of the novel, what gives this
novel its distinctive character is Sheila’s wisecracking narrative voice, well-captured
in Daniella Zamir’s translation. A sort of Israeli feminist version of Bridget
Jones, her humorous asides are endearing and hilarious. But
the jokes and the thrill of the mystery should not mislead the reader – the
novel raises some earnest philosophical and theological questions about femininity
and motherhood.
No comments:
Post a Comment