I received a copy of Wherever You Go by Joan Leegant from the author for review.
About the Book:
I don’t usually use pre-written summaries, but in this case, the blurb on the back of the book is pretty much what I’d planned to write myself. If you’re extremely spoiler-sensitive, just skip to “My Thoughts” and you’ll get a general sense of the book without specifics!
“Yona Stern has traveled to Jerusalem from New York to make amends with her sister, a stoic mother of five dedicated to the hardline West Bank settlement cause. Mark Greenglass, a gifted Talmud teacher and a former drug dealer saved by religion, has lost his passion and wonders if he’s done with God. Enter Aaron Blinder, an unstable college dropout with a history of failure who finds a home on the radical fringe of Israeli society…Wherever You Go tells the story of three Americans in Israel and the attractions — and dangers — of Jewish religious and political extremism.”
My Thoughts:
As often happens with books that are frequently reviewed over a short period of time, I had read a lot about Wherever You Go before I actually read the novel myself. I knew it told three interwoven stories, that the writing was lovely, and that it explored Jewish faith and politics, but that’s all I knew going in.
The writing is, indeed, lovely. Leegant writes easily yet with a sense of tension and movement behind her lines. She does not allow herself to get stuck on a particular sentence format but skillfully mixes long and short, semicolon-ed and colon-ed, fragmented and complete, so that the novel has a very dynamic, real feel to it. For instance, in just a few carefully chosen sentences on the first page, Leegant effectively evokes an airport arrivals terminal:
“The metallic clanging. The loudspeakers blaring in five languages. The luggage carousel coughed up its half-digested suitcases.
“Yona Stern dragged her valises onto a cart and wheeled it to the line for Passport Control, her brain on automatic after the twelve-hour flight and the surreal change in time — it was still yesterday at home — threading her way through a sea of Hasidim in inky black hats, as if a flock of crows had swooped down and settled on everyone’s heads.”
The dialogue, too, comes across as very realistic, the sort of conversations you can imagine actual people having. The writing is not the focus, yet it is executed in a way that enhances the meat of the novel, evoking precise scenes and building up a nearly tangible atmosphere around the story as it unfolds.
The three stories are interwoven well. Leegant spends enough time with each character for the reader to get a sense of who each is and how s/he has come to be the way s/he is. The main characters are remarkably developed considering that the novel, only just over 250 pages long, also advances three complex story lines and creates a rich setting unfamiliar to many readers.
I had hoped to learn a bit about the situation in Israel, which I did. I had worried this particular theme would be inaccessible to someone without much foreknowledge, but I did not find that to be the case at all. Leegant touches on many facets of an impossibly complex situation and ties each back to its place within the whole. While readers looking for a deeper analysis may be left wanting, those wishing to explore the topic through fiction will most likely be satisfied, as I was.
I can’t put my finger on precisely why, but as I reached the end of the novel, I realized it hadn’t had the emotional impact I’d been anticipating. One story ended perfectly, I thought, but I wanted another to go further. The third, I felt, ended at an awkward point and left me wishing I knew either more or less. Readers who know how attached I get to endings will realize that the fact that this slightly off conclusion didn’t turn me against the book means there was plenty in Wherever You Go to make up for it!
Overall, I enjoyed Wherever You Go by Joan Leegant. Anyone who enjoys well-written fiction about contemporary issues will most likely enjoy it as well, and I think it would make an great book group selection.
Those are my thoughts. Check out Wherever You Go by Joan Leegant on Goodreads or LibraryThing, or read a plethora of other bloggers’ reviews! The author also wrote a guest post focusing on her inspiration for Wherever You Go for In The Next Room that I found very interesting.
© 2011, Erin Reads. All rights reserved.
I am going to be reading this one soon, and am rather excited as the reviews have been really positive. It’s interesting to hear the way you describe her writing style, and that is also something that I am looking forward to. Glad to hear that you really enjoyed this book. I am hoping that I feel the same!
zibilee recently posted Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck — 112 pgs
I hope you like this one! I think you will. There are a lot of great elements to it. Plus, as you said, there are so many positive reviews! I’ll look forward to hearing what you thought.
I loved this book! So glad that Ms. Leegant was so generous with review copies. If you’re interested, you can read my review here.
Julie @ Read Handed recently posted Lend Me a Tenor
She was very generous, wasn’t she? It’s fun seeing everyone’s take on this one! Thanks for alerting me to your review. I’ll check it out.
This is a new one for me, but the writing sounds so beautiful I might pick it up. Thanks for the review, Erin
Stephanie @ Read in a Single Sitting recently posted Bookish news and publishing tidbits 14 October 2011
If you do, I hope you enjoy it!
I liked the way you described the author’s writing. I’m unable to describe the writing this way but I know exactly what you mean. The author is new to me but, with such beautiful writing, I’ll probably give her a try.
Margot recently posted Wondrous Words #132
I hope the writing comes across as nicely for you as it did for me. It’s understated, not flashy, but very effective, I thought.
I felt much the same way. The writing is terrific and, as you point out, very realistic. But there was something off for me, too, although I got that throughout the book. Had a hard time putting my finger on exactly what it was but I’d certainly read more of Leegant.
Lisa recently posted Table of Contents by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp
I’d read more by Leegant, too. I’m glad someone else felt something was off. I wish I could figure out just what it was!
Reading it now and was waiting to pop over and check out your review until I was a bit further in- wonderful review, I completely agree about the depth and richness of the characters & the setting. Very engrossing read. Curious about your thoughts on the endings and can’t wait now to see how it wraps up!
Jennifer, bookspersonally recently posted Red Hook Road, Ayelet Waldman
I’ll be curious to see how you like the book when you’ve finished! Happy reading!
I have been seeing this book around the blogsphere lately and it does sound worthwhile. I will have to see if the library has it.
Kailana recently posted ‘The Two Towers’ Read-Along – Part 1
If you end up reading it, I hope you enjoy it!
I’ve been on the fence with this one. I haven’t read a lot of fiction that takes place in Israel so that intrigues me.
stacybuckeye recently posted Sundays with Gage- When Organic Matters
That part was definitely one of the novel’s stronger points, at least in my opinion. Leegant incorporated a lot of elements of present-day Israel very smoothly.
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