The Liberated Bride by A.B. Yehoshua

"Yochanan Rivlin is the "Rabbit" Angstrom of Near Eastern Studies at Haifa University. A passionate but flawed man, unable to let go of things. Especially why his sons marriage dissolved after only a year, with no explanation. He goes off in search of answers and stumbles into one misadventure after another. Yehoshu caught me with Ofer and Galya's story but the subplot of Samaer's term paper and Rivlin's job as a professor was boring enough to almost DNF this one a couple of times."

⭐⭐⭐

Pros: Honestly, I was as curious to find out why Ofer's wedding ended as Rivlin was. Yehoshua managed to hook me with the letter from Ofer to Galya, just as I was thinking of DNFing it cause it might be boring, he threw that at me and it worked/Hagit was a good but never heeded voice of reason.

Cons: Rivlin is a very selfish man, very similar to "Rabbit" Harry Angstrom from the series by John Updike/He's a bit of a blithering idiot who gets what he deserves. He was quite exasperating 🙄.

Full Review

Yochanan Rivlin is a Jewish Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Haifa University in Jerusalem. He's reluctantly agreed to go to the wedding of a student of his, Samaer. His wife, Hagit, is charismatic and personable, unlike him, who basically sulks in a corner all night. And it's because Weddings are a reminder of that one Wedding that failed and he has no idea why.

His Son, Ofer, married a beautiful and vibrant girl, Galya and after a year, they divorced. No reason, no explanation, no nothing. They just went their separate ways, and, of course, Rivlin just can't leave well enough alone. When he learns of the untimely death of Galya's father, he finds a reason to call on the family, to give his condolences to his ex daughter-in-law and perhaps find answers.

His wife tells him not to do it, that he's opening up old wounds and should just let sleeping dogs lie but he, of course, can't. When he calls on the family, he manages to speak with his ex daughter-in-law, Galya. a main player in the puzzle that Rivlin's desperate to solve.

When questioned about he and Ofer's failed marriage, Galys is closed off and defensive. Rivlin is left with no answers but with his curiosity piqued and as Hagit warned, old wounds torn open, he goes off in search of answers.

Yehoshua hooks you with Ofer's condolence letter to Galya, that Rivlin demands his son write.

Unfortunately, the subplot of Samaer's term paper, Rivlin's friendship with her cousin, Rashid, his work as a professor, lectures on the identity of the Arab population in Algeria, that was boring enough to almost DNF this one a few times. It managed to balance itself out, but just barely. I just didn't find the academic subject all that interesting 🤷🏻‍♀️.

Comments

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