Jacob's Folly

I adored this creative, page-turning and moving story of a dead French Jewish peddler come back to life as a fly in modern day Long Island and the influence he has on inveterate goody-two-shoes Les and struggling Orthodox Jew Masha. This book deserves to be a big hit with lots of readers.
http://www.bostonbibliophile.com/2013/02/review-jacobs-folly-by-rebecca-miller.h...

There is no earthly reason why this novel works as well as it does, except for the fact that Rebecca Miller is a great writer and really knows how to tell a tale. A Jewish peddler in 18th Paris who, under unusual circumstances, comes to 21st century New York and encounters a volunteer fireman and an ultra-Orthodox wouman with dreams of becoming an actress, thinking he can determine their fate. Marvelous book.

If I could, I would give it another half star.

This is one of those books whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The author has taken the "a fly on the wall" POV to a new level by making the narrator of the story literally into a fly. But not just an ordinary fly - one who was once a man 300 years before! As ridiculous as this may sound, it is a conceit that actually works.

You can read my full review here...

(My thanks to the Cannongate Books for sending a review copy via Curious Book Fans.)

Ms. Miller has control of the written word. Thoroughly enjoyed it!