Great mainstream media review for RACHEL

Wow! I just got my first ever RASHI’S DAUGHTERS book review in mainstream media, [i.e. a non-Jewish newspaper], today in the Glendale News Press. I actually lived in Glendale for almost 40 years, moving just last year to West Los Angeles. So the News Press did good for a hometown girl with a real review, containing both praise and criticism [thankfully more of the former]. You can tell that the reviewer actually read RACHEL, as opposed to merely reworking the back cover copy.

Here are some of the highlights:
“RASHI’S DAUGHTERS: BOOK III - RACHEL sets the scene with such vivid imagery and detail, and one cannot help but feel like they are a part of the culture. Anton craftily weaves a bantering subtext of the world outside Rashi’s Jewish community that flows through the story, and the reader not only gets a sense of the complex nuances of societal hierarchy, but also senses the impending doom as the pilgrims for Christianity begin to extol their ‘virtues’ onto nonbelievers throughout Europe and the Byzantine Empire.

“The author’s moving segment of familial sacrifice by [Rhineland Jews] as they face a barrage of homicidal pilgrims is one of the most emotional, heart-wrenching passages a reader will ever come across.

“The portrayal of characters stepping outside their more traditional roles are also a welcome aspect of this novel, such as Eliezer’s study of astronomy and the proactive role of women within the family business and religious study. Additionally, the romantic relationship between Rachel and Eliezer is a timeless story of love and heartbreak, and the many facets of the strains of distance on a marriage. These aspects make for an entertaining and riveting read for any fan of the genre.”

To read the entire review, including the reviewer’s complaints, go to http://glendalenewspress.com/articles/2009/08/08/features/gnp-daughter080809.txt