Review by JamesB0913 -- Hidden: Nistar by Batya Casper
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JamesB0913
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- Latest Review: Hidden: Nistar by Batya Casper
Review by JamesB0913 -- Hidden: Nistar by Batya Casper
[Following is a volunteer review of "Hidden: Nistar" by Batya Casper.]
I've just finished reading Hidden: Nistar by Batya Casper. The book tells the story of a young girl, Tikvah, and life with her family as a young girl in a 1960's village of Jerusalem. The book alternates between perspectives and storylines, but is dominantly told from the point of view of the matriarch, Tikvah's grandmother Pnina. Weaving a story that reaches from 1930's Palestine into their present day in Israeli Jerusalem, the author reveals a mystery about Tikvah which has shaped her entire world and the world of her family, though she knew almost nothing about it.
I rate this book a 3 out of 4 stars because while the story was fascinating and the journey intense and enjoyable, the author tends to use run-on, comma-filled sentences that can sometimes distract from the flow of the reading.
The most enjoyable thing about this book is the combination of historical based fiction writing mixed with a thriller novel complete with an M. Night Shyamalan twist (nothing supernatural, simply a ground-shaking surprise you may not see coming). Casper never relents throughout each page as she alternates between times and sometimes narrators to build a world inside of the real-life conflict of mid-20th century Israel and Palestine. The mystery surrounding Tikvah is almost consumed by the story until, with excellent timing, Casper brings it around - almost through the back door - to hit you like a ton of bricks. Also, an honorable mention to the interweaving of the historical context without any direct reference to specifically named wars, allowing this to feel more like a thrilling novel and less like your average historical fiction book.
The area where there could be much improvement is the management of commas and run-on sentences. The author sometimes seems to get a bit carried away with interjections which can cause difficulty in maintaining the flow of the story. There were examples of this issue, it seemed, on nearly every page.
I believe this book would appeal greatly to anyone who enjoys historical fiction but who also craves a bit more excitement and mystery in their stories. Besides the historical fiction crowd I believe this book would be a great read for any person who enjoys an interesting, multi-faceted story which in the end comes together to reveal a deep and impactful mystery. I would not recommend this book for children or for young teens as the context of the story may be inappropriate or simply too complex to understand.
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Hidden: Nistar
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
I've just finished reading Hidden: Nistar by Batya Casper. The book tells the story of a young girl, Tikvah, and life with her family as a young girl in a 1960's village of Jerusalem. The book alternates between perspectives and storylines, but is dominantly told from the point of view of the matriarch, Tikvah's grandmother Pnina. Weaving a story that reaches from 1930's Palestine into their present day in Israeli Jerusalem, the author reveals a mystery about Tikvah which has shaped her entire world and the world of her family, though she knew almost nothing about it.
I rate this book a 3 out of 4 stars because while the story was fascinating and the journey intense and enjoyable, the author tends to use run-on, comma-filled sentences that can sometimes distract from the flow of the reading.
The most enjoyable thing about this book is the combination of historical based fiction writing mixed with a thriller novel complete with an M. Night Shyamalan twist (nothing supernatural, simply a ground-shaking surprise you may not see coming). Casper never relents throughout each page as she alternates between times and sometimes narrators to build a world inside of the real-life conflict of mid-20th century Israel and Palestine. The mystery surrounding Tikvah is almost consumed by the story until, with excellent timing, Casper brings it around - almost through the back door - to hit you like a ton of bricks. Also, an honorable mention to the interweaving of the historical context without any direct reference to specifically named wars, allowing this to feel more like a thrilling novel and less like your average historical fiction book.
The area where there could be much improvement is the management of commas and run-on sentences. The author sometimes seems to get a bit carried away with interjections which can cause difficulty in maintaining the flow of the story. There were examples of this issue, it seemed, on nearly every page.
I believe this book would appeal greatly to anyone who enjoys historical fiction but who also craves a bit more excitement and mystery in their stories. Besides the historical fiction crowd I believe this book would be a great read for any person who enjoys an interesting, multi-faceted story which in the end comes together to reveal a deep and impactful mystery. I would not recommend this book for children or for young teens as the context of the story may be inappropriate or simply too complex to understand.
******
Hidden: Nistar
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Hidden: Nistar by Batya Casper
