Away
A Novel
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3.8 • 32 Ratings
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- $4.99
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
Panoramic in scope, Away is the epic and intimate story of young Lillian Leyb, a dangerous innocent, an accidental heroine. When her family is destroyed in a Russian pogrom, Lillian comes to America alone, determined to make her way in a new land. When word comes that her daughter, Sophie, might still be alive, Lillian embarks on an odyssey that takes her from the world of the Yiddish theater on New York’s Lower East Side, to Seattle’s Jazz District, and up to Alaska, along the fabled Telegraph Trail toward Siberia. All of the qualities readers love in Amy Bloom’s work–her humor and wit, her elegant and irreverent language, her unflinching understanding of passion and the human heart–come together in the embrace of this brilliant novel, which is at once heartbreaking, romantic, and completely unforgettable.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Life is no party for Lillian Leyb, the 22-year-old Jewish immigrant protagonist of Bloom's outstanding fifth novel: her husband and parents were killed in a Russian pogrom, and the same violent episode separated her from her three-year-old daughter, Sophie. Arriving in New York in 1924, Lillian dreams of Sophie, and after five weeks in America, barely speaking English, she outmaneuvers a line of applicants for a seamstress job at the Goldfadn Yiddish Theatre, where she becomes the mistress of both handsome lead actor Meyer Burstein and his very connected father, Reuben. Her only friend in New York, tailor/actor/playwright Yaakov Shimmelman, gives her a thesaurus and coaches her on American culture. In a last, loving, gesture after receiving word that Sophie is living in Siberia, Yaakov secures Lillian passage out of New York to begin her quest to find Sophie. The journey through Chicago by train, into Seattle's African-American underworld and across the Alaskan wilderness elevates Bloom's novel from familiar immigrant chronicle to sweeping saga of endurance and rebirth. Encompassing prison, prostitution and poetry, Yiddish humor and Yukon settings, Bloom's tale offers linguistic twists, startling imagery, sharp wit and a compelling vision of the past. Bloom has created an extraordinary range of characters, settings and emotions. Absolutely stunning.
Customer Reviews
Poignant
“Away” by Amy Bloom is a poignant and sweeping novel that follows Lillian Leyb, a young woman who flees to America after her family is decimated in a Russian pogrom. The narrative is both epic and intimate, charting Lillian’s journey across the United States as she searches for her daughter, Sophie, whom she believes may still be alive. Bloom’s writing is lauded for its humor, wit, and emotional depth, capturing the essence of human resilience and passion. The novel’s vivid portrayal of early 20th-century immigrant life and its rich character development make it an unforgettable read.
One of the best
I'm an avid reader and this book is possibly one of the best books I've ever read. I know I say that about a lot of books but this one.... I just didn't want it to end. I can't wait to start another Amy Bloom story... They make me just melt into the story...I've been recommending this book to all my friends who belong to book clubs. I'm going to wait a year and read it again to get a new perspective.