Lead Review (plus author talks about Jerusalem and Jaffa)

• Book: Raising Sparks
• Location: Israel
• Author: Ariel Kahn

Review Author: tripfiction

“gone off the path”

First of all, the cover has to get a mention! Simple and eye catching. Enough said.

Raising Sparks opens in the Charedi world of the Sabbatto family living in Jerusalem, who are bound by the traditional values of their ultra Orthodox faith. Malka is one of three daughters, who is a spirited young teenage woman who yearns for a freedom that she cannot find within her community. Her father is a supremely religious man, who, going against religious tradition, is very inclusive of Malka in his reading and teaching, although it is not usual practise to extend deep religious learning to a female. But one day he stops. He then reveals a secret to Malka that undermines the ethos of his position and religion and puts her world into a spin.

Kabbalah is an esoteric, mystical tradition that evolved within Judaism. It now has a more New Age feel, it has been a popular choice amongst celebrities, and allegiance to this ‘faith’ is symbolised by a simple red band, worn on the wrist, a sign of the holy fellowship. And it is to this community that Malka is serendipitously drawn; she sets off on her travels in search of spiritual richness. She has indeed “gone of the path“.

Moshe has arrived in Israel from Russia and finds the ways of his adoptive society quite alienating in some ways. Yet he is an intelligent young man and he finds himself studying religion amongst the best… until things turn sour. He is already on the edge of the community when he steps out of line to spend just a few unchaperoned hours with Malka. Once she is on her spiritual path, he must decide where his own destiny lies.

This is a beautifully written novel that initiates the reader into a virtually closed world. And a world of different cultures struggling to co-exist. The novel is not a judgement of lifestyle but a rich exploration of character and destiny that allows the reader to be involved in a world beyond normal experience. It won’t be a novel for everyone, but will be a good choice for someone who is looking for a deeper understanding of religion and culture.

HERE our blog you can also catch the author’s #TalkingLocationWith… feature, where he offers top tips for Jerusalem and Jaffa, he says: “teaser trailer for two cities I love”

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