About:
Nine Tenth of the Law by Claudia Hagadus Long follows two sisters, reformed Jews, hunting down an artifact stolen by the Nazis during World War II. Ms. Long is a writer and lawyer from California, this is her fifth novel.
- 232 pages
- Publisher : Kasva Press
- Language : English
- ISBN-10 : 1948403161
My rating for Nine Tenth of the Law – 5
Buy Nine Tenth of the Law from Amazon.com*
More Books by Claudia Hagadus Long*
Thoughts:
This book takes a modern approach to tell a historical story. I enjoyed Nine Tenth of the Law by Claudia Hagadus Long very much. It was a fast read, interesting subject, as well as a unique, creative way for flashbacks.
The book juggles the narrative between a historical mystery, murder, art theft, coupled with sibling rivalry. One of the most interesting aspects, for me, was the topic of inherited trauma. I haven’t read much about the topic, and the bit I did was disappointing. However, I think the author did a good job presenting the subject.
The book shows the struggle of getting stolen family heirlooms back. There are many issues, of course, from provenance, to identification, to proof, and many more. Not to mention that the more valuable the artifact is, it certainly changes the equation, indeed not always for the better. There are mentions of The Monuments Men, which many are familiar with.
The author does a fine job telling two parallel stories. One of Aurora escaping from the Nazis, the other of her daughters attempting to get the Hanukkiah back.
I also enjoyed the first-person narration, which gives the story a sense of energy and emergency. The book, while certainly dealing with serious issues, comes across as light hearted, with poignant and clever observations.
One of the aspects I enjoyed, is that food has a starring role in the book, as it does at the home of any Jewish family. There are many aspects which one can enjoy while reading this book, humor, a bit of mystery, and family relationships.
Synopsis:
During World War II, 1939, a young woman, Aurora, has been deemed too pretty to kill by the Nazis. Furthermore the Nazis rob the family of their prized possessions, including a beautiful Hanukkiah.
Decades later, Aurora’s daughters, Zara and Lilly, see the Hanukkiah in a New York Museum. In their attempt to investigate it, they discover a nefarious art theft ring.
Buy Nine Tenth of the Law from Amazon.com*
More Books by Claudia Hagadus Long*
Zohar — Man of la Book
Disclaimer: I got this book for free.
*Amazon links point to an affiliate account, the money is usually spent on books
One Comment
I loved this book – it’s profound , witty and relatable .