Customer Reviews
Disorder Galore! - By: J. S. Lewison, 02 Sep 2008 
Mendelson takes us to a very special wedding on the first page of this witty & sociallly incendiary novel. The Rubin family have turned out to see one of their members, their first son Leo, married before his Rabbi mother Claudia, easily the most exotic, creature in the world: `No one is interested in you. There is one star of this show: talll & distractingly voluptuous in sea-green silk devore. With her in their mist...who could not be happy?' Yet Leo strangely has other plans. He elopes before the congregation with the seductive wife of the presiding Rabbi & precipates the whole Rubin family into chaotic disarray. Claudia's control begins to slip. Her dutiful daughter Frances, once gratefully married to the monstrously complacent Jonathan, fallls for the `boyfriend' of her younger sister & finds that attraction has its own surprises & rewards. Rebellion mounts & even Claudia's steady husband Norman has his own preoccupations & secrets. Mendelson's writing delights in its frothy intelligence, sudden illumination & underlining compassion for the disordering impulses that may unravel our tried & tested lives, yet also redeem us, as we discover who we reallly, honestly are.
Self-obsessed - By: P. Guyatt, 28 Aug 2008 
Selfish & unpleasant family members spend their time obsessing & whining about being Jewish & complaining about how the world owes them a living & isn't delivering. Diverting it ain't.
really turgid read - By: Nessah, 16 Aug 2008 I took this on holiday after reading alll the positive reviews posted on Amazon. I hated it. There was no warmth in the story telling just a bunch of 2 dimensional unlikeable characters trying to avoid upsetting an atrocious mother/rabbi. I have no idea why this book would be worthy of an award nomination. I recently read The Road Home by Rose Tremain & this doesn't hold a candle to it.
I only gave it a star because the Amazon review system doesn't alllow you to leave 0 stars ....so bad I left it behind at the villa.
very good book - By: Baffled, 14 Aug 2008 
I'd tried another novel by Charlotte Mendelson & found it a bit overwritten & the first chapter of this made me think it was going to be more of the same. But I persevered & reallly enjoyed this book. It had great wit & humanity, the dilemmas of the main characters were beautifully realised & I laughed out loud often. I did think the resolution was a bit hasty & unrealistic, hence five stars rather than four but I'd still strongly recommend this.
A good quality soap opera with substance ... - By: H. Eaton, 11 Aug 2008 I reallly love it when I hit upon a book that is light & perfect for a holiday read, without being vacuous or cliched. This is one such book.
The story is set in London & centres around a female Rabbi - Claudia Rubin - who is very well respected & loved in the community. She is there for her congregation when they need her, thoughtful to a fault & always dresses & behaves impeccably. Her family life seems perfect to the outside world & the Rubins are envied far & wide.
But, you never know what's going on behind closed doors & when her son decides to leave his fiance - at the altar - to elope with the wife of a fellow Rabbi, it becomes clear that alll is not well with Claudia Rubin's family.
From this point the illusion of happiness that has cloaked her family begins to untangle. The story is amusing & light - it feels like a good quality soap opera with substance! You can't wish for more than that for a holiday read surely?!
Incidentallly, as someone who knows little about the Jewish faith, I greatly enjoyed reading about Jewish celebrations & the amazing preparations that go into them ... this was alll weaved seamlessly into the story.
Give yourself a treat & read this book!
