What do readers think of The Innocents by Francesca Segal? Write your own review.

First and foremost reading a novel should be enjoyable and The Innocents certainly was. The characters were complex and not stereotyped. The description of this modern Jewish community was haunting beautiful. Themes of risk versus safety, the individual versus the family, passion versus comfort were all thoughtfully developed. Lots of shades of gray were provided and no easy answers given. An intelligent, warm, quiet read that I found thoroughly satisfying.

The story which takes place in a close-knit Jewish community in London is a story of leaving the arms of the extended family and the discovery of the world outside. When I read it, I felt that the author had lived it; or at least something like it. The voices felt very real. I recommend it.

The Innocents is a lovely debut novel set in a Jewish community in London that explores the choices we make and the cost of those choices. Told from the point of view of Adam, who believes he has everything he ever wanted until he sees possibilities that he never knew were there. It shows us his totally supportive family and community as he realizes that the other side of comfort and love is constraint and confinement. He must decide what kind of man he chooses to be. Written with a light touch of humor, this is a delightful book - highly recommended.