THE SISTERS WEISS by
Naomi Ragen
Rose and Pearl grow up in an ultra-orthodox home in New York
with a Rabbi father and ultra-observant mother. Theirs is a loving but strict
family, requiring absolute obedience from the girls and their older siblings. When
sheltered and naive Rose (the older of the two) becomes friendly with a new
girl whose family is newly observant and extremely permissive, she sees a world
beyond her closed society. Sent away
from home into an even more strict and confining school, Rose rebels and
commits a sin her family considers unforgivable. Pearl, who adores her older sister, is left
behind to deal with a fractured family and her own perceived guilt. The remainder
of the novel covers the career and family of Rose and the eventual re-involvement
of Pearl’s conservative religious beliefs in her life.
I found the first three fourths of this novel very
informative concerning the ultra-orthodox life style. The characters were fully
developed and consistent. The writing
was clear and presented the various viewpoints with insight and sympathy. The situations were transparently presented and
led to the final plot conflict.
Unfortunately the final section of the novel seemed hurried, the
characters lost their consistency of thought and action, and the ending was
contrived and disappointing.
There is much here that book groups will find worthy of
discussion, despite the novel’s limitation.
The family situation, the effect of religious faith on family life,
sibling relationships, guilt, forgiveness, redemption, choice of career, women’s
choice’s, family dynamics, unplanned pregnancies, and education are all worthy
topics.
3 of 5 stars
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