by Deborah Rogers –
Songs for the Broken Hearted by Ayelet Tsabari was a strong finish to our reading year. Weaving together two storylines, from the 1950s and the 1990s, the story explores the struggle experienced by marginalized people the world over to find their place and a sense of belonging.
Zohara’s parents immigrated to Israel from Yemen, bringing with them traditions and customs that were very different from the Ashkenazi Jews who had come from across Europe when the country was first founded. Their story, and particularly the story of her mother, is explored through the eyes of an adult Zohara as she tackles the grief of her mother’s death and a deep sense of displacement arriving back in Israel after studying in the United States.
Tsabari’s characters are authentic and complex, and our readers especially enjoyed the way that Zohara was presented – as prickly and flawed – and her pain acknowledged. The story provides insight into the point of view of Arab Jewish women in Israel. For most of our group the novel also served as a history lesson, introducing ideas we hadn’t been aware of.
The geo-political situation in Israel is so complex, but the narrative sensitively directed the reader towards significant events, as they touched the lives of her characters, providing insight and perspective.
The songs of the title are recordings of her mother that Zohara discovers. The tradition of storytelling through song is at the heart of the book. It led to a fascinating discussion for our group about music as a means of connection. The novel is rich and textured and provided us with a window into a world that is dominated not just by religious differences but cultural ones too. Much of its power was in seeing how the individuals manage to navigate and thrive within that complex world.
As in past years, we took a few minutes at our meeting to review all the titles we have read over the year. There were some stand-out hits, but for the readers present Songs for the Broken Hearted ranked as the favourite.
As well as the end of the year, we have also reached the end of our Seaside Magazine Book Club. Over the past eight years we’ve read 90 books together, hosted three authors for Q & As; we’ve weathered a pandemic and social distancing rules; a renovation of the library and necessary move to different venues; and we’ve seen members come and go. Through it all there has been a wonderful sense of community in our book club. Members have brought their varied life experiences and viewpoints and offered insights and perspectives that always enhance the books we’ve read.
I am grateful to everyone who has been involved over the years – you have all added something to the meetings. Special and sincere thanks go to the Sidney North/Saanich Library for accommodating us and providing the Book Club Sets of books. And to Virginia MacLeod, my co-host, for all her hard work, but also for her enthusiasm, willingness to be adaptable, and for pushing me to read outside my comfort zone and, by extension, encouraging the whole Book Club (240 subscribers at its largest!). I look forward to seeing new literary content in Seaside Magazine next year; thank you for all your support.
