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Content snapshot
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Violence
A lot
Historical sequences include the Holocaust, the Spanish Inquisition, and the Bosnian War, depicted with authenticity and violence; persecution and killing are present throughout
Language
Barely any
Mild language; the prose is literary and restrained
Sexual Content
Some
Adult sexual relationships are present in the contemporary storyline; not explicit
Substance Use
Barely any
Minimal
Emotional Intensity
A lot
Historical trauma across centuries; the weight of genocide, persecution, and survival; emotionally demanding
What this book is about
When rare book conservator Hanna Heath is asked to analyze the legendary Sarajevo Haggadah—a Jewish illuminated manuscript that somehow survived the Spanish Inquisition, Nazi-occupied Sarajevo, and the Bosnian War—she reconstructs its journey through history. Geraldine Brooks's novel alternates between Hanna's present-day investigation and vividly rendered historical sequences depicting each of the Haggadah's near-destructions.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Holocaust and Inquisition violence depicted with historical authenticity
Intense historical trauma woven throughout
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