Valuable insights into the roots of the Arab/Israeli conflict, 19 Apr 2007
Richard Zimler takes leave from his wonderful Kabbalistic fiction in The Search for Sana, and leads us into a living embodiment of the Middle East conflict in this story about two women, one Palestinian, one Israeli. Sana and Helena were brought up together as neighbours and close friends, and kept in touch all their lives. Zimler recounts a meeting with Sana, which leads him on a quest to uncover the life histories of the two women, and on the way exploring the tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, and the terrible conflicts which tear families and friends apart and lead to major acts of carnage, whether sponsored by the state or by "terrorists".

The book takes the form of a personal investigation by Zimler into a death and the reasons for it, and we follow him through a winding quest, meeting a wide range of people along the way in many different locations. Evidence is uncovered bit by bit, and as the story unfolds we find ourselves drawn into a place where nothing is as it seems, and the denouement is a shocking interpretation of the attack on New York's Twin Towers.

Zimler shows his customary desire to understand motives and to get beneath the skin of alienated and disaffected people - for peace and reconciliation can only be achieved through understanding, as has been demonstrated in South Africa, Rwanda and Northern Ireland. This book shows that the roots of atrocities can usually be traced back to acts of acts of smaller-scale injustice. So often, a personal story is more effective than a political diatribe and this book has the potential to enlighten anyone who has a knee-jerk reaction to the Arab/Israeli conflict.

fact and fiction, 25 Oct 2006
Richard Zimler's, The Search for Sana, is a most extraordinary book. Part fact, part fiction, it's difficult at times to unravel which is which. The two main characters around which Zimler's plot revolves, are symbolic of the conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians. He uses them to explore the issues on both sides. For anyone who has any connection with the issues involved, this could make an uncomfortable and controversial read.
The only part of the book which seemed somewhat far-fetched was the final tie-in with 9/11 at the very end of the postscript. The rest is all too believable.

Valuable insights into the roots of the Arab/Israeli conflict, 19 Apr 2007
Richard Zimler takes leave from his wonderful Kabbalistic fiction in The Search for Sana, and leads us into a living embodiment of the Middle East conflict in this story about two women, one Palestinian, one Israeli. Sana and Helena were brought up together as neighbours and close friends, and kept in touch all their lives. Zimler recounts a meeting with Sana, which leads him on a quest to uncover the life histories of the two women, and on the way exploring the tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, and the terrible conflicts which tear families and friends apart and lead to major acts of carnage, whether sponsored by the state or by "terrorists".

The book takes the form of a personal investigation by Zimler into a death and the reasons for it, and we follow him through a winding quest, meeting a wide range of people along the way in many different locations. Evidence is uncovered bit by bit, and as the story unfolds we find ourselves drawn into a place where nothing is as it seems, and the denouement is a shocking interpretation of the attack on New York's Twin Towers.

Zimler shows his customary desire to understand motives and to get beneath the skin of alienated and disaffected people - for peace and reconciliation can only be achieved through understanding, as has been demonstrated in South Africa, Rwanda and Northern Ireland. This book shows that the roots of atrocities can usually be traced back to acts of acts of smaller-scale injustice. So often, a personal story is more effective than a political diatribe and this book has the potential to enlighten anyone who has a knee-jerk reaction to the Arab/Israeli conflict.

fact and fiction, 25 Oct 2006
Richard Zimler's, The Search for Sana, is a most extraordinary book. Part fact, part fiction, it's difficult at times to unravel which is which. The two main characters around which Zimler's plot revolves, are symbolic of the conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians. He uses them to explore the issues on both sides. For anyone who has any connection with the issues involved, this could make an uncomfortable and controversial read.
The only part of the book which seemed somewhat far-fetched was the final tie-in with 9/11 at the very end of the postscript. The rest is all too believable.

disappointing, 22 May 2004
The story has an interesting premise but it travels too far and wide without a coherent reason. I felt there were just too many themes that never properly linked up. Characters are unevenly developed as others are unconvincing. I had lots of unanswered questions and felt the book needed a few more drafts(!Where was your editor??) then it might be a better book. It has potential but it didn't catch my fancy.

A Tale of Goodness, Betrayal, Compassion and Faith, 12 May 2004
This is a long book at over 600 pages of small print, but I devoured it in a little over two days. I even got up to continue reading it in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep, I needed to know where it was taking me.
It's sometimes strange being given a novel as a gift, but the friends who gave this to me got it just right even though we haven't known each other long. It was favourably reviewed in the 'Algarve Resident' so they purchased it at the Griffin Bookshop in Almancil,Portugal, which serves the English-speaking community of the Algarve so well.
The connection with Portugal is that the book starts in Oporto in 1800. Napoleon is marching across Europe and the Jews of Portugal, although 'hidden' and baptised, are suffering the threat of a renewed Inquisition. Although some of the consequences of this are frightening and unjust, John, the hero of the tale is from a loving and open minded background, which somehow tempers the violence and injustice. I identified with John strongly, being both Jewish and having a Scottish father myself, and I spend a few months a year in Portugal. My family might also have welcomed an African stranger into their family as did John's.
The story proceeds from here into areas of mysticism and connections with nature, folk medicine and the Earth. Into this are interwoven tales of love and desire, of loss and tragedy and an epic search over Continents. I cried when I finished reading the book, not because it was sad, but it had touched my emotions so many times I couldn't bear the ending of it. It is now out on loan to special friends who will appreciate it.... but I shall want it back soon to re-read and return to the adventure. I'm sure I shall cry again!

A good paced, absorbing novel., 05 May 2004
For someone who enjoys a good mind absorbing novel, this is a great one to try, that is a bit different from other novels. It charts the developing friendship between a young lad and his family with a freed slave who is also a 'healer'. Then, without spoiling the plot, something happens that tears the friendship apart. Join the lad as he journeys from childhood with his tragic friends, through adulthood where he discovers what happened in his family's past, and then as he searches in America for his long lost friend.

Pretty much 'un-put-downable'!

Valuable insights into the roots of the Arab/Israeli conflict, 19 Apr 2007
Richard Zimler takes leave from his wonderful Kabbalistic fiction in The Search for Sana, and leads us into a living embodiment of the Middle East conflict in this story about two women, one Palestinian, one Israeli. Sana and Helena were brought up together as neighbours and close friends, and kept in touch all their lives. Zimler recounts a meeting with Sana, which leads him on a quest to uncover the life histories of the two women, and on the way exploring the tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, and the terrible conflicts which tear families and friends apart and lead to major acts of carnage, whether sponsored by the state or by "terrorists".

The book takes the form of a personal investigation by Zimler into a death and the reasons for it, and we follow him through a winding quest, meeting a wide range of people along the way in many different locations. Evidence is uncovered bit by bit, and as the story unfolds we find ourselves drawn into a place where nothing is as it seems, and the denouement is a shocking interpretation of the attack on New York's Twin Towers.

Zimler shows his customary desire to understand motives and to get beneath the skin of alienated and disaffected people - for peace and reconciliation can only be achieved through understanding, as has been demonstrated in South Africa, Rwanda and Northern Ireland. This book shows that the roots of atrocities can usually be traced back to acts of acts of smaller-scale injustice. So often, a personal story is more effective than a political diatribe and this book has the potential to enlighten anyone who has a knee-jerk reaction to the Arab/Israeli conflict.

fact and fiction, 25 Oct 2006
Richard Zimler's, The Search for Sana, is a most extraordinary book. Part fact, part fiction, it's difficult at times to unravel which is which. The two main characters around which Zimler's plot revolves, are symbolic of the conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians. He uses them to explore the issues on both sides. For anyone who has any connection with the issues involved, this could make an uncomfortable and controversial read.
The only part of the book which seemed somewhat far-fetched was the final tie-in with 9/11 at the very end of the postscript. The rest is all too believable.

disappointing, 22 May 2004
The story has an interesting premise but it travels too far and wide without a coherent reason. I felt there were just too many themes that never properly linked up. Characters are unevenly developed as others are unconvincing. I had lots of unanswered questions and felt the book needed a few more drafts(!Where was your editor??) then it might be a better book. It has potential but it didn't catch my fancy.

A Tale of Goodness, Betrayal, Compassion and Faith, 12 May 2004
This is a long book at over 600 pages of small print, but I devoured it in a little over two days. I even got up to continue reading it in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep, I needed to know where it was taking me.
It's sometimes strange being given a novel as a gift, but the friends who gave this to me got it just right even though we haven't known each other long. It was favourably reviewed in the 'Algarve Resident' so they purchased it at the Griffin Bookshop in Almancil,Portugal, which serves the English-speaking community of the Algarve so well.
The connection with Portugal is that the book starts in Oporto in 1800. Napoleon is marching across Europe and the Jews of Portugal, although 'hidden' and baptised, are suffering the threat of a renewed Inquisition. Although some of the consequences of this are frightening and unjust, John, the hero of the tale is from a loving and open minded background, which somehow tempers the violence and injustice. I identified with John strongly, being both Jewish and having a Scottish father myself, and I spend a few months a year in Portugal. My family might also have welcomed an African stranger into their family as did John's.
The story proceeds from here into areas of mysticism and connections with nature, folk medicine and the Earth. Into this are interwoven tales of love and desire, of loss and tragedy and an epic search over Continents. I cried when I finished reading the book, not because it was sad, but it had touched my emotions so many times I couldn't bear the ending of it. It is now out on loan to special friends who will appreciate it.... but I shall want it back soon to re-read and return to the adventure. I'm sure I shall cry again!

A good paced, absorbing novel., 05 May 2004
For someone who enjoys a good mind absorbing novel, this is a great one to try, that is a bit different from other novels. It charts the developing friendship between a young lad and his family with a freed slave who is also a 'healer'. Then, without spoiling the plot, something happens that tears the friendship apart. Join the lad as he journeys from childhood with his tragic friends, through adulthood where he discovers what happened in his family's past, and then as he searches in America for his long lost friend.

Pretty much 'un-put-downable'!

The longer you stay with Sophie and Isaac the better!!!!, 13 Jan 2008
I picked up "The seventh gate" because I read the "Last Kaballist of Lisbon" and really liked it. But I am a lisboner married to a Jewish American, so the last Kaballalist of Lisbon was always going to be special. And I just wasn't prepared for what I got from The Seventh gate, a novel set in 1930s about a young woman's life in Berlin. This book gives you a little bit of everything: mystery, romance (sensual and bare), in depth character development and historic perspective. But I have to say, it was the two main characters, Sophie and Isaac, that I fell in love with. Their love and tragedy, their honesty, their beauty. The book evoked strong feelings in me, and in some parts, it was hard to read for the pain that it describes (and in that sense it reminded me of the "Kite runner"). But the author cleverly and elegantly jumps from those moments to other more light and uplifting ones, making it one of those books that you just don't want to end. The longer you stay with Sophie and Isaac the better, despite their tragic lives...

A very human book, 04 Apr 2007
Although the story takes place in a period and place filled with some of the most momentous events of modern history, Zimler remains in perfect control of his plot and characters, avoiding the temptation to tell the broad story, and favouring a very human exploration. For all its literary characteristics, I found myself reading at a page-turning pace, drawn on by the suspense of the situation and the need to know how fate and the Nazis will treat a remarkable range of characters. The story of Isaac and Sophie (Sophele) is a love story of such depth and understanding that it acquires the status of something quite without match in fiction. Vera, the dwarves, the blind cellist, the Jewish characters all lead us through a time of danger, when all their lives are at daily risk. Their sufferings are seen through the eyes of Sophie, an Aryan 'normal' girl and woman who takes as many risks as anyone in her defiance of Nazi values and cruelty. Zimler's reconstruction of Berlin in this period is remarkable for its detail, above all for the setting it provides for his characters, who move in a very real universe that acquires the features of a madhouse. Unforgettable.

A vivid and engrossing novel set in 1930s Berlin, 15 Feb 2007
This is the first book I have read by Richard Zimler and I am very impressed. I have read many books about Germany in the 1930s, both fiction and non-fiction, but none quite capture the dilemmas faced by ordinary Germans as the Nazi party came to power, as this book does.

The book centres around Sophie, an adolescent girl living in Berlin, with a Communist father and an overbearing mother, and a seemingly autistic brother. The cast of characters is huge, including Isaac Zarco, a Jewish expert on the Kabbalah, and a number of circus performers, some of whom have disabilities or deformities which only the circus seemed to find a place for. Sophie gets drawn into this circle of people who would later suffer at the hands of the Nazis, at the same time as her own parents get drawn into the Nazi party. Sophie herself finds herself living a double life, continuing to help and see her new friends, while being compelled by her mother to join the League of German Maidens, the female wing of the Hitler Youth movement. To make life even more complicated, she is love with a young Nazi, despite hating the ideas he stands for.

The book is structured around the Seven Gates of the Kabbalah, and each section seems to reveal new dilemmas and new horrors as the Nazi party rises to power. Obviously the backcloth of the story is Jewish persecution, but we are also confronted with the effects of the Nazi's horrific policies towards disabled people. The fictional setting allows Zimler to show what those policies meant in human terms, particularly the impact on families and friends of those whose bodies carried signs of "inferior" physical conditions.

Sophie is a convincing character, full of contradictions, and with a mind of her own which is usually at odds with her parents views and those of her German friends. Through reading this book I have understood much better how the German people went along with the reign of Nazi terror. For most Germans the choice was between adopting the Nazi line or making a stand which would undoubtedly have had dire consequences for your own and your family's lives. Zimler shows us clearly that one act of compromise leads to another, and that to fail to make a stand at the start led inevitably to the horrors to come.

Another main character in the book is Berlin itself. Zimler seems to be intimately acquainted with the city and his descriptions (and detailed map) are a notable feature of the book. Similarly, the many small illustrations of characters in the book are a delight. Indeed, the book is beautifully designed and is a delight to handle and read.

This is a magnificent book, reminding me slightly of Gunter Grass's The Tin Drum - equally disturbing and quite as challenging.