Review of Houses of Detention

[Bertha Jackson]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Houses of Detention" by Jean Ende.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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How does a young girl from a prominent and respected family end up in the Hillsdale Treatment Center for Girls? Rebecca is an intelligent teenage girl who attends the prestigious Bronx High School of Science. She lives in a nice neighborhood near her grandmothers, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Sometimes, she gets home late and does not do her chores or clean her bedroom, but these actions are not punishable crimes for which authorities would arrest her. Read Houses of Detention by Jean Ende to learn about the Rosen family's background and how their experiences in Poland affected them and their children in America.

Jean Ende did a fantastic job showing the strength of the female characters who had responsibility for their households and children while their husbands worked outside the home. On page 153, one female character stated, "Goldilocks managed to eat the porridge, grab a nap, and still escape the bears." This statement demonstrates this character's strength and determination in her situation. Bubbe (Grandmother) Golda Rosen was one of my favorite characters, as she always had homemade rock candy available for her grandchildren to add sweetness to their lives. It was humorous when Helen justified eating a Tropical Fruit Bonanza (a banana split) because the fruit was healthy and a source of fiber. The many characters were easy to keep straight with the author's descriptions of their personalities and physical features, such as their body shape or hairstyles. The importance of family taking care of family, parenting issues, and living life to the fullest are just a few examples of the life lessons you will encounter in this book.

I appreciated the glossary of Yiddish words at the end of the book, but there was no glossary of the Hebrew words. Another negative aspect of this book was that the page listing the contents was at the very end instead of the front of the book, and only four of the chapter titles were provided.

Due to the significance of the Hebrew words in the storyline at a candle lighting, I deducted one star from my rating due to the lack of translation. Besides the negative aspects I discussed previously, this book was enjoyable with its well-written and engaging plot. I found no other reason to deduct any more stars. Therefore, my rating for this professionally edited book is 4 out of 5 stars.

I recommend this book to mature readers who are interested in the Holocaust and its impact on the survivors who immigrated to America for a better life. The non-borderline profanity in this book makes it unsuitable for younger or sensitive readers. Also, I will alert readers that Judaism, the Torah, and the belief in God play a significant role in this book. This religious content may be offensive to some readers.

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Houses of Detention
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[Arshadq]

I always love reading about war survivors, as my family were one (they fought against the Russians in Afghanistan). Going through something like the Holocaust is very haunting, and no one should experience that. I think I would enjoy reading this book, the many aspects you mentioned have captured my interest! Thanks for the review