Group Read: All Other Nights

This is the thread for the May group read of All Other Nights by Dara Horn. All are welcome to join!

Thanks for setting this up Christina! When are you going to start on it?

Not sure, Victoria...normally I'd want to start at the beginning of May, but I am still in the middle of the John Adams group read, which looks like it will last until the middle of the month. I'm guessing I'll be able to start around the second week in May -- but I can be flexible! What about you?

The library is holding a copy of Her Fearful Symmetry for me, so the middle of the month for All Other Nights sounds perfect to me!

Sounds good to me! :)

Victoria -- any more thoughts on when you'd like to start? I don't have a particularly strong preference, but I'm ready when you are.

Hi Christina! We can start today if you want...

Works for me! :) I might not actually get to it until tomorrow, though (need to finish up another book first!). Do you want to set up some sort of schedule or just go for it?

I'd say just go for it!

Works for me! :) I'm excited to start this book!

Well, I didn't get started yesterday. 10-hour work day, just completely crazy. So I got on the treadmill with it this afternoon and chapter one just blew me away. We are in for a treat, Christina!!

I haven't started it either...*blush*. But I'm very excited now! :)

Are you finished it yet, Victoria? I have this feeling you've already finished it! :) I am nearly halfway done; I'm one chapter into Part 5, "The Witch of Holly Springs." But I'd be happy to discuss anything up to that point!

How did you know? Yes, I devoured it and am completely finished. I can wait until you're done. I don't want to give anything away by mistake. Are you enjoying it? I loved it.

I'm enjoying some things about it, but I also have some reservations...I'm hoping my opinion improves as I get farther along! Right now I like the book, but I'm not in love with it.

Looks like I will finish by tomorrow evening at the latest...sorry I'm making you wait so long to discuss it!

No problem at all!

Haha, never mind, I finished it this evening! So, what did you think?

I really liked it and I was sad to see the end of it. The first couple of chapters really got me hooked.
I had never given much thought to the "slavery" link between Jews and African-Americans before. Very interesting.
I loved Jacob. Even thought I'm not Jewish, I identified with him in several places. I don't know if Horn did it intentionally but I think it's neat that his name is Jacob and the Jacob of the bible was a deceiver as well.
I wasn't impressed with the Levy family at all. I didn't like any of the sisters. I never once felt anything for Jeanie.
I wished there was more of the Lincoln-assassination element included in the plot. That was part of what attracted me to the story.

How do you feel about it now that you've finished?

Like you, I didn't like any of the Levy sisters; in fact, they really bugged me, and that was part of the reason I was less than enthusiastic about the book initially. They were just too outrageous! I wanted to smack Rose and her silly palindromes & anagrams (although it was fun to decipher them, I'll admit)!

I'm undecided about Jacob. He seemed to be a weak person, especially in the beginning of the book, but I was more impressed with him towards the end. The Biblical significance of the name actually hadn't occurred to me, which makes me feel a bit silly now. :)

What I liked most was the interesting Civil-War-related facts I learned, such as the fact that the Confederate Secretary of State was Jewish! The parts about the war were more interesting to me than the parts about Jacob's personal struggles.

I absolutely loved the title of this book, which is what really drew me to it in the first place. I found it interesting that, while the question "Why is this night different from all other nights?" is quoted several times in the novel, none of the characters ever supplies the answer. I think the absence of an answer in the novel invites an ironic look at the answer provided by the Passover ritual. I also found it interesting that the phrase "all other nights" crops up in a speech of Judah Benjamin's: "What you allow to happen one ngiht will happen on all other nights as well. The person you are tonight is the person you will always be." Essentially, Benjamin is saying that this night is NOT different from all other nights! I'm still thinking through the implications, but I absolutely love the fact that Horn gave us a title to think about!

Overall, I liked the book, enjoying it more and more as it went on. I think it was more successful as a novel of the Civil War than as a story about individual characters like Jacob and Jeannie.

I loved the palindromes but the anagrams irked me. I've never been good at them.

Yes, I'm still digesting all of it as well. You know it's a good one when you still think about it after you've finished the book.

Thanks for reading with me Christina, I enjoyed it! Have you read Independence by Kate Kasserman?

I finally got the book from the library but have 3 to go before I can begin so I will just peek in as I can. It sounds really good although some of the reviewers panned it. I am looking forward to reading All Other Nights.
Haven't had time to even start John Adams; I am very far behind in my G/Rs. I guess that's what I get for trying to do all of them this year. I have yet to finish Moby Dick, which is huge for me as I have tried many times & never finished it, but I will this time. I am probably 5/8 through the book. I also have yet to read (& this is just to catch up) Soldier's Pay, an Atwood, Woman in White, The Dwarf, The Emperor's Tomb & like I said John Adams, which I am hot to read.
I am also trying to read through Angela Thirkell this year so I have 2 of those awaiting me from the library & must not get them back late.
Well, happy reading one & all.
belva

@21 :: I enjoyed doing this read with you too! It was a good pick, and I think it would be an excellent book club read as well. I've never heard of the Kassserman book -- I'll have to check it out!

@22 :: Wow, you've been really ambitious with the group reads! Good luck with all of them -- I look forward to reading your thoughts on All Other Nights, and John Adams too! :)

I am just about finished with All Other Nights and for me it is just okay enough to hold my interest. Not great but not awful either. I do like the main character, however there is a bit much flipping & flopping about for me. But it is in another time & place so perhaps that is why I am having a little trouble with that plus it's war-time.
I would read another of hers though...........at least I think I would.