OVERVIEW
This is my second book by Lynda, and somehow, with the pandemic ending, I missed reading it!
This is the most beautiful and lovely book. It was what my heart needed, with the current chaos in the country. I loved it!
As someone who is married to an ABC (American Born Chinese), it was surprising to discover so many similarities with match-making in the two cultures. The ABC in the United States does not have an equivalent to a shadchan (male matchmaker) or a shadchanteh (female matchmaker). Interestingly, my Chinese-born in-laws had an arranged marriage, as did some of my husband's Chinese-born cousins.
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
Lynda writes so well that it is almost as if you are IN the story! She adds gorgeous descriptive details, sprinkles Yiddish throughout, and shares Jewish traditions, which I love!
Character development: 5.0 stars
The two main characters are Sara (a first-generation immigrant from Kalarash and a matchmaker) and Abby (Sara's granddaughter and a divorce attorney). They are at the polar opposites of marriage!
The secondary characters are all of the matches that Sara has made over her eighty years of matchmaking.
The tertiary characters are Sara and Abby's family and friends, the Lower East Side Jewish community, and Abby's boss and clients.
The character development was excellent, especially as Sara had to fight to be a female matchmaker and Abby learned to be herself in her career. It was done so very well!
Storyline: 5.0 stars
There are two storylines, but they do intersect. The first storyline is Sara's, 1910-1994, and the second is Abby's, 1994-1995, with flashbacks in both.
The main location was New York City.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
This was a beautiful education about the intricacies of Jewish culture. It was a fantastic learning experience!
Book cover: 5.0 stars
So pretty!
Book title: 5.0 stars
Perfect.
Highly recommend
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow: ebook
The Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman
320 pages
St. Martin's Press
Release date: 9/20/2022
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL)
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Alcohol, death of a parent, grief, infidelity, misogyny, anti-semitism, domestic violence, pregnancy.
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
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