International Bestseller Winner of the International Literature Prize Finalist for the Man Booker International Prize A New York Times Editors’ Choice “[A] magnificent novel . . . Oz pitches the book’s heartbreak and humanism perfectly from first page to last.” — New York Times Book Review “Scintillating . . . An old-fashioned novel of ideas that is strikingly and compellingly modern.” … old-fashioned novel of ideas that is strikingly and compellingly modern.” — Observer
Jerusalem, 1959. Shmuel Ash, a biblical scholar, is adrift in his young life when he finds work as a caregiver for a brilliant but cantankerous old man named Gershom Wald. There is, however, a third, mysterious presence in his new home. Atalia Abravanel, the daughter of a deceased Zionist leader, a beautiful woman in her forties, entrances young Shmuel even as she keeps him at a distance. Piece by piece, the old Jerusalem stone house, haunted by tragic history and now home to the three misfits and their intricate relationship, reveals its secrets.
At once an exquisite love story and a coming-of-age novel, an allegory for the state of Israel and for the biblical tale from which it draws its title, Judas is Amos Oz’s most powerful novel in decades.
“Oz has written one of the most triumphant novels of his career.” — Forward
“A [big] beautiful novel . . . Funny, wise, and provoking.” — Times (UK)
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Wonderful.
Winter 1959 in Jerusalem. Young Schmuel Asch is not well. His girlfriend has left him and his father can’t finance his studies any longer. And yet his diploma thesis about Jesus from the Jews’ point of view would be very valuable. His proposition that Judas Iscariot was by not a traitor at all but, rather, Jesus’ most loyal admirer – actually the first and last true Christian – is revolutionary. But Schmuel is despairing. He loses sight of his goal and has no strength to go on. Consequently, he comes over primarily as an antihero.
The advertisement in the Mensa promises him an unprecedented solution: a job as a partner of an elderly paralytic, which includes accommodation and a small wage. He moves in right away and spends every evening conversing with the educated, bedridden Gerschom Wald, who is interested in both philosophical and political discussions.
Atalja Abrabanel also lives in the same house. Schmuel falls in love with her and the relationship becomes complicated; this theme runs through the whole book – not always convincingly.
It turns out that Atalja’s father Shealtiel Abrabanel – in earlier years an active Zionist and comrade-in-arms of Ben Gurion – was absolutely opposed to the founding of a state of Israel. Together with his many Arab friends, he imagined a peaceful, mixed society, without a traditional form of government, after the British handed over the mandate for Palestine to the United Nations. This idea did not go down well with his friends in the Jewish Agency, and soon he was expelled from all political bodies and regarded as a traitor to his people.
After his daughter married Wald’s son Micha, he invited his father-in-law to live with them, although, unlike himself, Gerschom was impressed by David Ben-Gurion’s courage, perseverance and statesmanship.
On November 29, 1947, the state was founded and war broke out. During the first clashes Micha died a horrible death. Gershom was inconsolable and lost all hope of peace with the Arabs. Over time, the two men were no longer able to talk to one another peacefully and Shealtiel withdrew into the closed world of his room, always convinced that the founding of the state had been a hopeless mistake and that Israel would sooner or later be destroyed by the overwhelming power of the Arabs.
Now and then we hear Schmuel’s thoughts about Jesus, whom he sees as a good but weak and indecisive revolutionary among many other miracle-working insurgents, and about Judas, who motivated Jesus and his followers to rebel against their Roman masters. Everything goes wrong. Jesus is crucified and does not come down from the cross. Thus Judas – just like Shealtiel Abrabanel – is mistakenly regarded by most people – especially by Christians over all centuries – as a traitor, indeed as the archetype of the evil Jew who murders God again and again.
The reader learns much both about the dramatic events in the years after the founding of the state of Israel and about the centuries of tension between Jews and Christians in connection with Jesus’ crucifixion. Amos Oz adopts a peculiar writing style. Emotional and philosophical thoughts are intermingled with everyday occurrences; certain sequences are deliberately repeated verbatim; and all the way we are faced with Schmuel’s aimless indecision.
A very strong section can be found in chapter 47, where we are transported to the time of Jesus’ crucifixion and experience the whole tragedy very vividly through Judas’ eyes – until he hangs himself.
Subliminally, the book compares Judas Iscariot and Shealtiel Abrabanel – both misunderstood, unsuccessful idealists who are scorned as traitors.
I find the end of the book weak. But, of course, an antihero rarely stands out as a determined winner.
Really thought provoking.
Provocative and thought-inspiring on a number of major questions, both on Judas and on contemporary Israel. Definitely worth reading. 4 1/2 stars. Characters are rather peculiar and not fully drawn. Some stylistic features, particularly repetitions, were a bit offputting.