Rated of 5
by Alex Z. (Savannah, GA) Novel or lecture?
The author’s technique of using modern conversational English for his 16th century dialog works pretty well. The historical detail is interesting and well-researched. But unless the reader has a particular interest in minute details of Jewish culture and history, it gets old after the first hundred pages. The plot, such as it is, takes second place to the detailed information about Jewish religion and custom. The main character is a sort of Talmudic superhero who has apparently memorized every scrap of Hebrew writing from the beginning of time to the mid 1500's. He’s the Bruce Lee of religious debate. He knows more, and quotes more scripture than all the rabbis put together. Every conversation seems to be a kind of poetry slam of battling quotations of ancient Jewish scholars. Certainly there’s a lot of interesting and clever stuff here, and I enjoyed it because I do have an interest in the subject matter. But the plot is really just a vehicle (and a slow one) for all the cultural and historical detail. It seems to me that the tail is wagging the dog here.
Rated of 5
by Lea Ann M. (Seattle, WA) The Fifth Servant
As I read the description of this book on BookBrowse, I was intrigued and once chosen to receive an advance copy eager to read it.
I am sorry to say that I was disappointed in this book. Rather than being the mystery it was advertised to be, it read more like a text book.
First was the liberal use of Yiddish vocabulary. Yes, there is a 6 page glossary at the end of the book, but stopping to flip pages back and forth upsets the reading rhythm.
Second, was the long time between the murder and it's solving. What comes between is more of a cultural, history lesson re the animosity between the Ghetto Jews and the community Christians.
Thus, this book might better have been described as historical fiction than mystery. The reader would then have more realistic expectations of what he/she would be picking up to read.
Rated of 5
by Denice B. (Fort Bragg, CA) The Fifth Servant
What a disappointment! Although obviously very well researched, the story didn't flow. The story and plot (what was it??) were confusing, and, though I'm fascinated by language, the insertions of several foreign tongues was tedious rather than illuminating. It was a chore to read, and I found myself rereading too many passages.
Rated of 5
by Carrie L. (Albany, NY) A good read that requires concentration
This book is incredibly rich and dense. I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience, but I found myself taking notes and reading slowly. The time and place were foreign to me, so readers familiar with 1592 Prague may have an easier go. I highly recommend it for literary mystery fans and ambitious, serious readers.
Rated of 5
by Caryl L. (Williamsburg, VA) The fifth servant
This book was very difficult to read as it is written for a specific audience. As advertised, I was looking forward to a history of the period and the Inquisition. The story line also sounded interesting. These two themes are very thin. The book is actually about rabbinical teachings, quotes from the Talmud Torah and other readings. For those interested in this area and its teachings, it may be an interesting book. I cannot recommend for general audiences.
Rated of 5
by Liz G.G. (South Pasadena, CA) Disappointing The Fifth Servant was a real disappointment. I really wanted to like this book. I have visited Prague and found it a beautiful and interesting city. I was looking forward to learning more about its complex history. Instead this novel was more like a lecture on comparative religion with a confusing murder mystery. The book is well researched and contains all sorts of historical information about medical practices, torture used during the inquisition and prejudices the Christians of that period had about Jews. Unfortunately these little scenes were sort of dropped into the story line with out a clear link to the plot. Likewise, the marital problems of the protagonist included to give the character some back story could have been omitted entirely. The glossary with this edition only included about a third of the expressions and terms used in the story. Some were explained in context others were not. I had the feeling that the author began with a collection of historical events and settings about this period and then tried to weave a murder mystery into the text.
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of 5
by Alex Z. (Savannah, GA) 
of 5
by Denice B. (Fort Bragg, CA) 
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by Carrie L. (Albany, NY) 
