review :: People of the Book

People of the Book

Geraldine Brooks

What I enjoy most about this book is the journey the reader takes, following the story of the Sarajevo Haggadah backwards, centuries in time, to its strange origin.

Throughout the novel, we see the haggadah come to life through the eyes of Hanna (the present-day protagonist). However, the reader is privy to its birth and development--steps of history on which Hanna can only speculate and guess.

By the end of the novel, only the reader knows the true and full story of the Sarajevo Haggadah. I found myself wanting to tell Hanna. I wished that I could step into the pages of the book and say, "I know what happened! Let me fill you in." Brooks created a character that I cared about and felt connected to.

I give this book four stars. The writing style was not necessarily my favorite, but the story and characters were brilliant. This is a novel I would recommend, especially to anyone who enjoys history.

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People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks

Summary: An intricate, ambitious novel that traces the journey of a rare illuminated Hebrew manuscript from convivencia Spain to the ruins of Sarajevo, from the Silver Age of Venice to the sunburned rock faces of northern Australia.

Inspired by the true story of a mysterious codex known as the Sarajevo Haggadah, People of the Book is a sweeping adventure through five centuries of history. From its creation in Muslim-ruled, medieval Spain, the illuminated manuscript makes a series of perilous journeys: through Inquisition-era Venice, fin-de-siecle Vienna, and the Nazi sacking of Sarajevo.
(Summary from http://www.geraldinebrooks.com/people.html)

I heard Geraldine speak at Warwick's a couple of months ago, and have been wanting to read People of the Book ever since. Geraldine's quiet passion for this story was quite alluring. And it's a book...about a book!