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.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
READ THIS BOOK!:
I LOVED this book. I picked it up at the airport before a long flight because...wait for it...I liked the cover. I was transported. It is unlike any book I have ever read, and I've read a few. It was spare and neat, and yet at the same time, beautifully and heartbreakingly descriptive. I loved that every time you thought you had it figured out, and knew what was going to happen next, you were surprised. It was a revelation!
I wanted to like this story but couldn't.:
I started out liking the story of poor immigrant Lillian Leyb who beats out her friend for a seamstress job at the theater. She does what she must do to survive in a new country living in poverty. As it went on though, it became more and more unbelievable. This book is written in a very unusual style for historical fiction. I think that may have been the reason I found the story disjointed and difficult to follow. There are plenty of robust and colorful characters to hold your interest. But their... more info
Pleasure to read:
I read this book in a day and a half. Ms. Bloom's writing style is very good and she is excellent at creating memorable images. The book is also fairly well researched and tells a lot of history without lecturing. The main character is a very likeable Jewish girl (not Russian for G-d's sakes! Wake up reviewers: lovely Russians hacked to death her entire family). Thanks to Lilian's adventures, the reader gets to see the country in the 1920s through her eyes: all the way from Manhattan to Alaska. Besides... more info
Excellent Book:
This was an excellent book It was discussed at our Book Discussion Group. Everyone praised the author.
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