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There are currently 22 member reviews
for The Tenth Song
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Kathryn K. (Oceanside, CA)
A Light read? Maybe not!
"The Tenth Song" by Naomi Ragen Is a story about how a Jewish family deals with a crisis of significant magnitude. On the surface, the book was okay. The plot was interesting and believable - and there was enough pathos to hold my interest. I had to find out how it all came out, but it seemed to be, what I call, a "light" read. What surprised me was where the book took me! The depth that developed as the story progressed caught me off guard and I found Ragen's perspective of even more interest. She conveyed great deal of wisdom and insight into interpersonal dynamics and the strength of spirituality in one's life.
It turned out to be a thought provoking and insightful read. There is within this story a message of hope, revealing the resilience of the human spirit when facing adversity. It is the first of Ragen's books I have read – it won’t be the last!
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Beverly J. (Huntersville, NC)
What Would You Do?
I actually rated this book at 3.5
I was drawn into this story from the beginning, and it had me thinking what would I do if this happened to me, to my family or someone I know, if one day without warning they or I were suddenly considered aiding terrorist.
The story centers around Abigail and her daughter, Kayla and their reaction to the situation and how they come to learn who they are and what is happiness to each of them.
The language was beautiful and the storyline was well paced. I especially enjoyed the location description of the desert commune.
Enjoyable read of family obligation and tradition as it plays against individual needs that will generate many wonderful book club discussions on the choices made by each of the book characters.
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Carol Rosen (Pompton Lakes, NJ)
Major Topic in a Minor Key
The Tenth Song grabbed my interest at the start, began to build toward the middle, only to leave me feeling let down well before the end.
The seemingly perfect life of an upper class Jewish family suddenly turns a dark corner to bring about an examination of what is most important in life.
The story presents an age old question about material worth and social status within the context of a modern day set of circumstances.
Fast paced theme with potential turned way too slow for my taste due to superficial characters, and no sense of wonder for what was going to happen next.
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Christine B. (St Paul, MN)
unfinished song
This book is based on the premise that we all have a "tenth song" to discover and sing. The characters in the book are unfinished and "need to go to who you were meant to be". This spiritual journey was portrayed beautifully but the underlying story was too predictable. All the relationships seemed rushed and too neatly tied together at the end. I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it but would not highly tout it either.
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Darlene C. (Woodstock, il)
A simplistic journey
This book about an American Jewish family's reaction to a major family crisis begins strongly. The premise provides a base for the two main characters, mother and daughter, to explore and struggle with their view of themselves, each other, their religion and the world in general. Unfortunately, as the story proceeded, I found the insights and "enlightenment" of the characters predictable and simplistic. I wanted to like these women but was left feeling they remained self centered and self absorbed which does not seem to be the author's intent. The resolution of the crisis was a bit too pat - too easy, as was the resolution of the personal crises. It is an easy read but not one I would recommend to my book club. I may ask my friend who is Jewish to read it - I would be interested in her reaction to how Jewish women are portrayed - it seemed quite stereotypical to me.
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Debra F. (Alton Bay, NH)
Just okay for me...
This story is about a Jewish family in the "middle" of a financial scam to fund terrorism. The scandal brings out the "true" colors of the the family members; Shoshana, Josh, and Kayla and their significant others. Abigail, the wife, notices her friends vanishing, her rabbi turning his back and her daughter Kayla runs off to the Israeli desert leaving behind her family and her fiance. Self-discovery, a little romance, and a pleasant surprise at the end kept me reading, but somehow the whole thing didn't quite work for me.
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Patricia L. (Seward, AK)
Tedious Tenth Song
The Tenth Song by Naomi Ragen is a mediocre and predictable story about a rich New York Jewish family in turmoil. The father is accused of laundering money that eventually funds terrorist activities in the Mideast. The young daughter renounces her potential career as a profitable lawyer and wife of a rising star councilor as the mother wrings her hands and wrinkles her brow over public perception and the meaning of life. Melodrama and some romance ensue and as expected all end up finding some redemption in Jerusalem. Story, plot and setting are very genre specific and not unique enough for readers looking for substance.
