Rated of 5
by Lynn R. (Wautoma, WI) The Innocents
I enjoyed reading about different Jewish traditions and the different perspective of these traditions from the old and young. I really felt that the characters in the book were weak, I couldn't get an image in my mind of who they were and what they looked like. I feel this book could be good for book clubs that enjoy reading about different cultures and traditions. This was a book I could put down and then later have a hard time picking up.
Rated of 5
by Angelina A. (New York, NY) A nice twist on a classic
I am always cautious when reading a book that is a reworking of a classic. I always worry it will ruin the original but this book has so many merits. It doesn't stay glued to the original; it finds its own path in a very interesting cultural unit that I enjoyed reading and getting to know. I highly recommend it.
Rated of 5
by Jane D. (Boulder, CO) Innocents and innocence
I was mesmerized by this book. I always like getting to know a different world, and in this case it was the Jewish community in London. It does exactly what I love about good literature—shows the universal human condition and emotions in a setting and culture different from my own. It also touches on current financial issues. A very enjoyable read. I didn't want it to end.
Rated of 5
by Celia A. (Takoma Park, MD) OK but not great
I was intrigued by the premise--retelling the story of Age of Innocence in a modern setting. Even though we have such a fascination with scandal, it seemed like it would be a stretch to make such a scenario seem believable in the 21st century, but Francesca Segal seems to have pulled it off. Despite a turn toward melodrama at the end, the situation seems realistic enough. I don't know enough about the London Jewish community to know whether the portrayal is an accurate one. As Adam struggles with his feelings toward his fiancee and her cousin, I wanted to smack him and tell him to get over it. Despite that or maybe even because of it, I found that I didn't really care whom he chose, because I didn't particularly like Rachel or Ellie. The book was a relatively quick read, and it was OK but not great.
Rated of 5
by Shirley D. (Amherst, MA) The Innocents
The Innocents shows meticulous research, and good grammar (always a sticking point for me). The second element I look for – strong vocabulary and interesting characters. While I thought The Innocents beautifully written, for me at least one character has to be one I can “know” and care about. I must hear him or her speaking to me from the pages and make me a little anxious to discover the how and when and why of that character’s life. Then I can’t stop turning page after page! I did not find that character here. I look forward to Segals’s next book and finding a "live" character and all that will make me love it.
Rated of 5
by Elizabeth K. (Glenshaw, PA) The Innocents
Reading this introduced me to many Jewish customs and gave me a new knowledge of the special holidays celebrated. The story itself is one told many times; wanting what we can't have. Marketed as a recasting of Edith Wharton's, The Age of Innocence, it is a pleasant read that would appeal to women of all ages.
Fearless, gripping, at once darkly funny and tender, spanning three continents and numerous lives, Americanah is a richly told story set in today's globalized world.
The story of an American family, middle class in middle America, ordinary in every way but one. But that exception is the beating heart of this extraordinary novel.
First time novelist Vaddey Ratner captured my heart and senses in this novel based on her childhood in Cambodia. Her story transcends any news story...
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From the first page, I was drawn in by the lyrical writing of the author and mesmerized as the narrator, eight year old Raami, remembered the years...
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Trite but true, all good things must come to an end. I so wanted to keep reading the wonderful prose, the settings that let one think they are part...
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Kenn Nesbitt is new Children's Poet Laureate(Jun 12 2013) Kenn Nesbitt has been named the new Children's Poet Laureate: Consultant in Children's Poetry to the Poetry Foundation, which noted that the two-year position...
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of 5
by Lynn R. (Wautoma, WI) 
of 5
by Angelina A. (New York, NY) 
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by Jane D. (Boulder, CO) 
