It' s a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Wolf Hunt by Ayelet Gundar- Goshen, translated by Sondra Silverstone.
About the Author
Ayelet Gundar-Goshen was born in Israel in 1982 and holds an MA in Clinical Psychology from Tel Aviv University. Her film scripts have won prizes at international festivals, including the Berlin Today Award and the New York City Short Film Festival Award. Her debut novel, One Night, Markovitch, won the Sapir Prize in 2013 for best debut and is being translated into five languages.
The Wolf Hunt by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen was translated by Sondra Silverston.
About the book
Ayelet Gundar-Goshen, the award-winning author of Waking Lions and Liar, returns with a powerfully compelling novel about a mother who begins to suspect her teenage son of committing a terrible crime
Lilach seems to have it all: a beautiful home in the heart of Silicon Valley, a community of other Israeli immigrants, a happy marriage and a close relationship with her teenage son, Adam. But when aa local synagogue is brutally attacked, her shy, reclusive son is compelled to join a self-defence class taught by a former Israeli Special Forces officer. Then a Black teenager dies at a house party, and rumours begin to circulate that Adam and his new friends might have been involved.
As scrutiny begins to invade Lilach's peaceful home, and her family's stability is threatened, will are her own fears be the greatest danger of all?
.jpg)
Review
Excellent read, and it's layered in such a way that no matter which corner you turn there will always be a problem, societal expectation or nuanced interaction waiting to be unpicked.
Adam is an introvert who keeps to himself, something his parents are keen to mend, hence forcing him to attend a party for his fellow students. Little do they all know that a death at said party will be the beginning of an invasive search for answers about the death of a young man, and whether Adam has anything to do with it.
I admired the way the author went about creating the scenario between Adam and Jamal. Both young boys who carry the weight of generational trauma on their shoulders, which is so deeply entrenched it's difficult to see them in opposite roles in this case. I think that was done intentionally to draw attention to the fact that white washed world pits the minorities, the oppressed and the targeted against each other. In fact the underlying reminder between the two would be antisemitism and propaganda that grows like a toxic fungi between the two groups they come from.
Then there is the question of radicalisation and the realisation that it isn't just a problem in certain cultures or religions - it is a tactic and method of manipulation that is used to recruit the young, the vulnerable and the lost, regardless of race, culture and faith.
The question of the past worn as an identity that automatically weaves itself into an invisible shield against the hatred, the hunt and the centuries old scapegoating of certain cultures and people of specific faith. In the end it always appears to be an us and them situation, ergo a self-fulfilling prophecy with a very real journey.
It's a fantastic piece of literary fiction, which simultaneously manages to be a political, societal and personal exploration of identity, self and just how well we know those around us. I really enjoyed the read, perhaps more so because the author didn't feel the need to give us all the answers. Why? Because deep down we already know the answers, right?
Buy The Wolf Hunt at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Pushkin Press; pub date 31 Aug. 2023. Buy at Amazon com. Buy via Pushkin Press.
No comments:
Post a Comment