Synopses & Reviews
Shifra Horn's beautifully imagined novel tells the story of five generations of women in one family against the backdrop of one hundred years in Jerusalem.The story begins with the birth of the family's first boy to Amal, the last generation. Her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother are overjoyed, because the birth of a healthy boy means that the curse against the women of the family has been broken. They tell Amal the story of those "foremothers": Mazal, the orphan, whose ill-fated marriage initiates the curse; her daughter Sara, whose golden hair is a symbol for her power to heal; Sara's daughter Pnina-Mazal, the unwanted child whose talent for knowing others' thoughts brings both joy and sorrow; and her daughter Geula, Amal's mother, whose sharp intellect is her gift and her burden.
Review
"A magnificent book... A joy to read,
Four Mothers is an unforgettable literary experience that should not be missed." --Naomi Ragen, author of
The Ghost of Hannah Mendes "A lively, reader-friendly tale effectively flavored with atmospheric detail and fascinating chunks of Israeli folklore and myth."--Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Shifra Horn lives in Jerusalem, where
Four Mothers was a national bestseller.