FOLLOW US ON...

CANDLELIGHTING

THE JEWISH VIEW

HOLIDAYS

JUDAISM 101

FEATURED JOBS
Post Your Resume

Set initially in World War II Vienna, then in Dorset, England, “The House of Tyneford,” by Natasha Soloman is an engaging story of 19-year-old Elise Landau, sent by her parents, Anna, a renowned opera singer, and Julian, a celebrated novelist, to England to escape the Nazi’s invasion of Austria. Elise goes to Tyneford, a small seaside village where she is hired as a servant at the country home of wealthy, aristocratic Christopher Rivers. Elise’s sister Margot and her husband emigrate to the United States, and her parents await visas so that they, too, can escape to the U.S. They promise Elise that they will send for her as soon as they arrive there.

Elise’s adjustment to life at Tyneford is difficult. As a child of the bourgeoisie, she is not accustomed to being treated like a servant; she lacks the skills to perform household duties. Her difficulty with the English language and the rigidity of Tyneford’s other servants, combined with her worries about her family, make adjustment even harder. The arrival of Kit, Mr. Rivers’ handsome, charismatic son, soon alters Elise’s feelings about Tyneford. She begins to form strong attachments to Kit and his father, to the quietly beautiful village and many of the people there. Still, Elise hopes that her parents will obtain visas and her family will soon reunite.

The descriptions of the Dorset landscape are vivid and romantic. The characters are well drawn and the story is compelling. The surprise ending speaks to the complicated nature of relationships, and the unexpected detours that people make, especially in tumultuous times.

“This Beautiful Life” is a tragic tale of a teen’s impulsive action, a simple touch of a key in today’s technological world, can have major implications for a family.

The Bergamots have recently moved to the Upper West Side of Manhattan from upstate New York when husband Richard lands a job at a prestigious university. They enter an exclusive upper-class world; Coco, 6, and Jake, 15, are enrolled in an elite private school. Wife Liz is planning to take Coco to a birthday part at the Plaza Hotel. That same evening, Jake expects to attend a party in Riverdale.

When the initial party falls through, Jake and his friends find themselves at the home of 13-year-old Daisy Cavanaugh. There is plenty of booze, no supervision, and Jake “hooks-up” with Daisy. The following morning, Jake discovers a sexually explicit video Daisy made of herself sent to his email. Not knowing how to deal with it, he instinctively forwards it to a friend; soon the video goes viral.

The consequences of this seemingly small indiscretion are monumental and tragic. Jake, who could be anyone’s teenage son, suddenly faces disciplinary action by his school. Richard, moving up in his career and on the cusp of a major coup at the university, is deemed a public relations liability. The Bergamot marriage begins to fall apart.

Capturing each character’s motivations and feelings in a sensitive manner, the story touches a nerve in anyone who has teenage children — children who often don’t realize the consequences of their actions. It’s also a cautionary tale on how technology has transformed the outcome of these actions.

Previous Book Reviews