G252 E-Reading Book Review of The Debt of Tamar by Nicole Dweck
Author: Nicole Dweck
ISBN: 9780615583617
Publisher: Devon House Press
Type of book: Judaism, hiding religion, Spain, Ottoman empire, reincarnation, parallels, 1940s-1950s, Israel, art, betrayal, discovery of religion, timeless love, Holocaust, 1500s, 1900s, Present Day
Year it was published: 2013
Summary:
During the second half of the 16th century, a wealthy widow by the name of Doña Antonia Nissim is arrested and charged with being a secret Jew. The punishment? Death by burning. Enter Suleiman the Magnificent, an Ottoman "Schindler," and the most celebrated sultan in all of Turkish history. With the help of the Sultan, the widow and her children manage their escape to Istanbul. Life is seemingly idyllic for the family in their new home, that is, until the Sultan's son meets and falls in love with Tamar, Doña Antonia's beautiful and free-spirited granddaughter. A quiet love affair ensues until one day, the girl vanishes.
Over four centuries later, thirty-two year old Selim Osman, a playboy prince with a thriving real estate empire, is suddenly diagnosed with a life-theatening condition. Abandoning the mother of his unborn child, he vanishes from Istanbul without an explanation. In a Manhattan hospital, he meets Hannah, a talented artist and the daughter of a French Holocaust survivor. As their story intertwines with that of their ancestors, readers are taken back to Nazi-occupied Paris, and to a seaside village in the Holy Land where a world of secrets is illuminated.
Theirs is a love that has been dormant for centuries, spanning continents, generations, oceans, and religions. Bound by a debt that has lingered through time, they must right the wrongs of the past if they're ever to break the shackles of their future.
Characters:
The important characters would include Jose, Tamar, Murat III, Suleiman, David and Hannah. Each one is different although there is a strong resemblance between those from 1500s to those in modern times. Jose is determined and is described as zealous once he goes to Ottoman Empire. He is also unforgiving and is someone who is angry towards life. Tamar is Jose's beautiful and charming daughter who also happens to be intelligent. Unlike her father, she doesn't care much for her roots. Murat III is Sultan's grandson and falls in love with Tamar and does whatever he can to try to be with her. If I may say so, he reminds me of Kaoru from The Tale of Genji. Suleiman is the last descendant who is carrying a heavy secret and who seems to resist trying to establish relationships. David is Hannah's father and due to unforeseen events he loses his adopted family. Hannah is his daughter, a giving person and a talented artist. Unfortunately I didn't get to know Hannah a great deal.
Theme:
Love lasts forever.
Plot:
The book is written in third person narrative primarily from Tamar's father, then Murat III, Hannah's father, Suleiman, Ayda and finally Hannah herself. The first few parts take place in 1500s, in Spain then the move to Ottoman Empire and afterwards to Turkey. I really liked learning about the wealthy community in modern day Turkey as well as being treated to fascinating mix of smells and sights. What I had trouble connecting with as well as understanding is Ayuda. Her character seemed inconsistent with what I was introduced to.
(From the given kit)
Nicole Dweck is a writer whose work has appeared in newspapers and magazines across the country.
As a descendant of Sephardic (Spanish) refugees who escaped the Inquisition and settled on Ottoman territory, Dweck has always been interested in Sephardic history and the plight of refugees during the Spanish Inquisition. The Debt of Tamar, her debut novel, was a two-time finalist in the UK’s Cinnamon Press Novel Award Competition. It has also received an honorable award mention in the category of Mainstream/Literary Fiction from Writers Digest and was the highest rated book for two weeks running on the Harper Collin’s “Authonomy” website. It has claimed a #1 Bestseller spot in the Amazon Kindle Middle East Fiction category, a #1 Bestseller spot in Amazon Kindle Jewish Fiction category, and has been included as one of the “Hot 100″ Kindle bestsellers in the category of Historical Fiction.
Dweck holds a BA in Journalism and a Masters Degree in Global Studies with a focus on Middle East Affairs (NYU) . Her non-fiction articles have appeared in several magazines and newspapers including The New York Observer and Haute Living Magazine.
She lives in New York City with her husband and son.
For more information visit Nicole’s website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Honestly speaking, if I could split the book apart, I'd give the 1500s part 5 stars, while the second part would get two stars from me. Personally I felt transported and amazed when I read the 1500s part. The world was very vivid as well as speechless and beautiful. There is a bit of a dreamy fantasy as well as gritty reality mix. I loved the characters and really felt torn when it came to Tamar's father and his decision, as well as the love that Tamar and Murat III had between them. I was really hooked. However, the second part, in particular after WWII when Hannah enters the picture was way too rushed in my opinion. I felt that the chemistry tended to lack between them and a lot of threads aren't tied up as neatly as I wished. I also felt frustrated that a certain element wasn't resolved how I wanted it to be. I kind of got an impression that the curse would be broken one way, but I had trouble understanding how it was broken. There is a parallel between the 1500s as well as 1900s and its a very obvious parallel.
Quick Notes: This is for Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours.
Virtual Book Tour Schedule
Monday, March 3
Review at The Written World
Review at The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader
Review & Giveaway at Historical Tapestry
Review at The Written World
Review at The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader
Review & Giveaway at Historical Tapestry
Friday, March 28
Review at The True Book Addict
Review & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
Interview at Kincavel Korner
Review at The True Book Addict
Review & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
Interview at Kincavel Korner
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)
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