WINNER OF A NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD A USA TODAY BESTSELLER “A gifted writer, astonishingly adept at nuance, narration, and the politics of passion.”—Toni Morrison Set in London of the 1660s and of the early twenty-first century, The Weight of Ink is the interwoven tale of two women of remarkable intellect: Ester Velasquez, an emigrant from Amsterdam who is permitted to scribe for a blind … who is permitted to scribe for a blind rabbi, just before the plague hits the city; and Helen Watt, an ailing historian with a love of Jewish history.
When Helen is summoned by a former student to view a cache of newly discovered seventeenth-century Jewish documents, she enlists the help of Aaron Levy, an American graduate student as impatient as he is charming, and embarks on one last project: to determine the identity of the documents’ scribe, the elusive “Aleph.”
Electrifying and ambitious, The Weight of Ink is about women separated by centuries—and the choices and sacrifices they must make in order to reconcile the life of the heart and mind.
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wonderfully written and full of historical context
I learned details of Jewish history in London around 1665 as well as about the plague and Great Fire in London. I also liked the modern day piecing together of the history from letters. It was a very good mystery that included captivating, unusual characters.
Well-researched and imaginative, with beautiful prose that enfolds you in its weight, as you read about the ties that bind people across centuries, religions, and genders. The characters are splendid, and the book will leave you with many questions to ponder.
This book is set in two eras – around the time of the Great Plague and contemporary – everything about the time of the Great Plague – with an inspiring heroine with a thirst for knowledge and a brilliance – is wonderful – the contemporary part is very good, weakened only by a dumb, contrived loved interest. It is well worth reading
I loved this book! As an historical fiction fan, this had an amazing twist – flipping back and forth from plague ridden London to present day London!
Just a great book. A little hard to get into to begin with but once you’re there is sped by. Great mix of philosophy, religion and adventure. On my top 10 for this year.
This is a book highly acclaimed and I was excited to read it. By page 100 I almost turned back as it seemed laborious to read ~ I pursued the end and it became delightful at 60%. However, the details once again became laborious. I saw it to the end, but it seemed like a slog through the weeds to get to the resolution. The premise was outstanding. A female scribe to a rabbi in the 1600’s, however, the telling of the tale required a great deal of fortitude.
wonderfully written and fascinating
Wonderful beautiful writing. The story of two women, one in the 1600’s, the other present day. Some of the things they dealt with were the same when the packaging was removed. This book held my interest all the way through to the very end. It’s long and not easy reading, but so worth the journey.
The descriptive prose immerses the reader in the historic house. Realistic examples of research are a treat.
too long and tedious
excellent book depicts a tragic tragic period in world history not written about a whole lot. It was factinating and I truly enjoyed
I liked this book. The characters were well developed and a little quirky . I liked the history, the cultural and religious nature of the book.
Compelling. Until the very end.
Great picture of life in England during the days of the plague with wonderful characters
This was a fascinating story spanning two different centuries and peopled with characters so well drawn that the reader feels like a part of their lives. Though lengthy, the novel drew me in and kept me coming back to learn more about the fascinating people.
Superb writing! Loved the historical information interwoven with an intriguing story!
The synopsis attracted me because I appreciate history, preservation, and research, but was unfamiliar with the process of interpreting historic documents, while imagining the lives surrounding a newly discovered collection. I have viewed and held Judaic artifacts in a museum of a restored Jewish neighborhood in Germany; so I respect and marvel at a more recent history of Jews. “The Weight of Ink” takes the reader into a world centuries before the modern world and creates fascinating characters, historical events and lives at different social and economic levels. I was intrigued about the history of Jews living in London and Amsterdam, the wrangling of power in academic circles, and the uncertainty of a young man finding his way in the world. I was ready for the mystery to be wrapped up, then disliked when it was. Perhaps the author will follow with a second novel as full of life as this one.
This is one of the best novels I have ever read. I am no fan of historical fiction but this book sucks you in almost immediately. The feminist in me was cheering at the end. The characters are believable, imperfect and at times tragic yet you end up feeling glorious at their triumphs and growth.
A fascinating account how documents discovered in a stairwell in a home near London impact the lives of two historians and illuminate the life of a remarkable Jewish woman in 17th century London. The writing is superb. Luckily, I had my Kindle allowing me to call up the dictionary every so often to explain the meaning of words. While I don’t have any problem with endings that don’t tie everything up in a neat bow, I found the double nonendings in this book wanting.
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Peter Bernhardt, Author: The Stasi File, 2011 ABNA Quarter Finalist; Kiss of the Shaman’s Daughter [sequel]; Red Romeo;
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