Review by Vallen Kale -- Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch
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Vallen Kale
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- Latest Review: "Keys to Tetouan" by Mois Benarroch
Review by Vallen Kale -- Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch
[Following is a volunteer review of "Keys to Tetouan" by Mois Benarroch.]
2 out of 4 stars
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Keys to Tetouan is the second installment of the Tetouan Trilogy written by Mois Benarroch. The novel follows Gates to Tangier and precedes Lucena, continuing the story of the Benzimra family.
What does it mean to be in exile? Is the place one can call ‘home’ is wherever the heart is? These are the questions that the Benzimra family and other Sephardi Jews have been grappling with for generations. The city of Tetouan is their home, but they have chosen to step out into the world in search of places where they can truly fit in. Despite the wonders of Madrid, Paris, London, and New York, the Benzimras find themselves under social and racial scrutiny. Even the Promised Land of Israel does not seem so promising anymore. While many of them are trying to cope with this sense of displacement, there are some who have heard the call of their ancestral home of Tetouan. Against their better judgment and traditional beliefs, these Benzimras are determined to find out why they are so drawn to the place that had driven them out from the beginning.
Of all the books I have reviewed so far, Keys to Tetouan is arguably the most painful work I have ever read. While that may be a negative thing to say about this book, it is actually my compliment to it. Keys to Tetouan is an epitome of a good story-telling, and a good story-telling is an epitome of emotional expression, including pain. Although this book is the second installment in a trilogy, it has given me the impression of being a standalone novel.
One of the things that have struck me the most is, as I have mentioned previously, the author’s ability to translate the characters’ emotional experiences for the readers. They are very relatable and authentic. Another aspect that is worth mentioning is its narrative style. As with his previous work, Raquel Says (Something Entirely Unexpected), Benarroch has made the overall narrative a stream of consciousness, reflecting the characters’ state of being so clear and on point. The best thing about this, in my opinion, is the way he uses the stream of consciousness to tell the story or historical facts. He has turned the hard-to-follow narrative into the oral tradition in the oldest sense: the passing on of information directly and verbally. This makes it feels like the characters in the novel are real and that they were really there when significant events of the past occurred.
While this stream of consciousness serves its purpose well in telling the story, it can also be very confusing at some points. It jumbles all around and is quite chaotic. What is more important is the fact that there are lots of grammatical errors and misspellings. They can frustrate the readers and might take away their reading appetite. However, my advice for readers who are going to pick up this book is this: be patient and read it through. All of these will make sense once you finished the story.
As far as the themes are concerned, Benarroch has provided a very close view of racial discrimination and identity through the conflicts between the Ashkenazim and the Sephardi Jews. Here, he shows us how it feels like to be alienated as well as the sense of insecurity of having a certain heritage or having come from a certain place. It is genuinely painful. Still, I personally believe that pain is an excellent teacher and that readers shall get more than just a sense of satisfaction (or unsatisfactory) from this book.
I would like to rate Keys to Tetouan a rate of 2 out of 4 stars. It is a good sequel to the previous chapter and a great book in itself. For me, I really enjoyed exploring the past and the complexity of the struggles the Jewish folks have been going through for centuries. This book is an ideal choice to serve as a factor for raising awareness on the importance of this painful struggle. Still, I also realize the strong possibility that, due to its narrative form, a lot of readers may not share the same sentiment as I have. Regardless, I would recommend future readers to give this book a chance and try to complete it. Perhaps you might receive unforeseen benefits from it.
******
Keys to Tetouan
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Like Vallen Kale's review? Post a comment saying so!
2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Keys to Tetouan is the second installment of the Tetouan Trilogy written by Mois Benarroch. The novel follows Gates to Tangier and precedes Lucena, continuing the story of the Benzimra family.
What does it mean to be in exile? Is the place one can call ‘home’ is wherever the heart is? These are the questions that the Benzimra family and other Sephardi Jews have been grappling with for generations. The city of Tetouan is their home, but they have chosen to step out into the world in search of places where they can truly fit in. Despite the wonders of Madrid, Paris, London, and New York, the Benzimras find themselves under social and racial scrutiny. Even the Promised Land of Israel does not seem so promising anymore. While many of them are trying to cope with this sense of displacement, there are some who have heard the call of their ancestral home of Tetouan. Against their better judgment and traditional beliefs, these Benzimras are determined to find out why they are so drawn to the place that had driven them out from the beginning.
Of all the books I have reviewed so far, Keys to Tetouan is arguably the most painful work I have ever read. While that may be a negative thing to say about this book, it is actually my compliment to it. Keys to Tetouan is an epitome of a good story-telling, and a good story-telling is an epitome of emotional expression, including pain. Although this book is the second installment in a trilogy, it has given me the impression of being a standalone novel.
One of the things that have struck me the most is, as I have mentioned previously, the author’s ability to translate the characters’ emotional experiences for the readers. They are very relatable and authentic. Another aspect that is worth mentioning is its narrative style. As with his previous work, Raquel Says (Something Entirely Unexpected), Benarroch has made the overall narrative a stream of consciousness, reflecting the characters’ state of being so clear and on point. The best thing about this, in my opinion, is the way he uses the stream of consciousness to tell the story or historical facts. He has turned the hard-to-follow narrative into the oral tradition in the oldest sense: the passing on of information directly and verbally. This makes it feels like the characters in the novel are real and that they were really there when significant events of the past occurred.
While this stream of consciousness serves its purpose well in telling the story, it can also be very confusing at some points. It jumbles all around and is quite chaotic. What is more important is the fact that there are lots of grammatical errors and misspellings. They can frustrate the readers and might take away their reading appetite. However, my advice for readers who are going to pick up this book is this: be patient and read it through. All of these will make sense once you finished the story.
As far as the themes are concerned, Benarroch has provided a very close view of racial discrimination and identity through the conflicts between the Ashkenazim and the Sephardi Jews. Here, he shows us how it feels like to be alienated as well as the sense of insecurity of having a certain heritage or having come from a certain place. It is genuinely painful. Still, I personally believe that pain is an excellent teacher and that readers shall get more than just a sense of satisfaction (or unsatisfactory) from this book.
I would like to rate Keys to Tetouan a rate of 2 out of 4 stars. It is a good sequel to the previous chapter and a great book in itself. For me, I really enjoyed exploring the past and the complexity of the struggles the Jewish folks have been going through for centuries. This book is an ideal choice to serve as a factor for raising awareness on the importance of this painful struggle. Still, I also realize the strong possibility that, due to its narrative form, a lot of readers may not share the same sentiment as I have. Regardless, I would recommend future readers to give this book a chance and try to complete it. Perhaps you might receive unforeseen benefits from it.
******
Keys to Tetouan
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Like Vallen Kale's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: "Keys to Tetouan" by Mois Benarroch
