Desperate Deceptions (by Naomi Hirsch)

Tova

Sun, Feb 06 2011, 7:13 pm

Anyone read it yet? LOL

Wow, powerful book. Lots happening and a LOT of dysfunction. One of which is alcoholism (this is not a spoil; the front cover has a picture of a spilled glass of wine). It was interesting/surprising to me the detail the book gave regarding Alcoholics Anonymous.

Book is both a prequel and sequel to Innocent Deceptions (as well as runs concurrently). You really have to have read that book to get the full picture of how everything fits together, but she did a great job of connecting all the characters. Anything that was hinted to in I.D. in terms of people's backgrounds you find in detail in D.D.

Overall interesting read (although now I need to read a nice cozy everything-ends-well family novel to balance this out!).

OOTBubby

Sun, Feb 06 2011, 7:21 pm

I read it over Shabbos and I agree with Tova. I didn't initially get the references to some of the characters from I.D. and once I did I went back to see if I'd missed any. Tova, did you pick up who Yankel's chavrusa's family was in relation to I.D. character's? However, one book is not at all dependent upon the other -- just nice to see how it is connected.

happyone

Sun, Feb 06 2011, 7:32 pm

Great read. WAY TOO MUCH DYSFUNCTION in one book. I felt like she tried getting too much mental illness packed into one book. Like others have said, she did an amazing job tying it all together.

OOTBubby

Sun, Feb 06 2011, 7:38 pm

happyone wrote:

Great read. WAY TOO MUCH DYSFUNCTION in one book. I felt like she tried getting too much mental illness packed into one book. Like others have said, she did an amazing job tying it all together.

Agreed, but the first book was even worse -- there every character was mentally ill -- here only most are!

Tova

Sun, Feb 06 2011, 7:57 pm

OOTBubby wrote:

I think I have to look back at that part.

We went OOT to my in-laws for Shabbos - so I started the book on the way there (they are 3.5 hours away) on Friday afternoon. On Shabbos itself I put it down to read my MIL's copy of Mountain Climbers 2 which I didn't read yet, and then I picked up the book again on the way home Motzei (reading by flashlight embarrassed

). Then I stayed up from 'til after 2:00 am to finish embarrassed

so I appreciated all the connections but didn't focus on getting it all right in my mind.

It was really hard to put down!

OOTBubby

Sun, Feb 06 2011, 8:00 pm

I was actually left hanging on one point -- I wonder if anyone else understood it. What was the story with Yoav's wife and the weird things she was doing (the phone calls about apple pie, etc.)? Was there an ending to that thread any place?

Tova

Sun, Feb 06 2011, 8:01 pm

Regarding I.D. (less characters; a bit easier to keep straight in your mind) my mother was against it because she thought it would make people even more paranoid about shidduchim and checking out, etc. than they already are.

Bottom line - do these books about mental health issues bring more overall more good (because things are more in the open, etc.) or harm (because they are presented in this scary fashion). I don't know... I wonder if the author has any professional background in mental health.

Tova

Sun, Feb 06 2011, 10:02 pm

Sure - thing is my married sister put dibs on D.D. and it may need to run through my family (mother, other sisters) before I lend it out. I can lend you I.D. right away, though, and you can start on that. I know you read fairly fast and if D.D. will drey around a while between the sisters I can probrably "sneak" it into you first... let me send over I.D. to you IY"H this week and you'll let me know when you are done!

OOTBubby

Mon, Feb 07 2011, 9:04 am

OOTBubby wrote:

Someone I know was also bothered by this point and she emailed the author and received this response:
"...The sub-plot with Yoav and Lara was purposely left unanswered. The mystery will be im yirtzeh Hashem, solved in my third book, which is currently a work-in-progress. The third book will tie together my first book, Innocent Deceptions, and Desperate Deceptions..."

realeez

Tue, Feb 08 2011, 8:16 pm

Really powerful book! I also read it on Shabbos and it was probably the most serious/heavy Jewish book I've read - even more so than Innocent Deceptions.

I was wondering with Yoav and Lara if Lara kept having hallucinations reliving her parents death - like when her face paled and she ran out with the baby leaving a note and Yoav was all frustrated with when will this stop...

(Don't want to spoil anything but...

Hidden:

qtpie

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 8:07 pm

OK, I just finished so now I can add my two cents ...

Over-all good read, but in my opinion WAY too much going on. I read it over 3 consecutive days and had a little trouble keeping tabs on who was who...imagine had I read over a few shabbosos...

I felt like it was a Jewish/Kosher version of a soap opera. In secular soap opera's, everyone is killing e/o or stealing the other person's girl/boy friend...so here everyone had major off the derech issues and shalom bayis problems.

My favorite part was the very beginning with the father Raphael at the Holocaust and then how he functions with his new family...thought that part was well written.

imokay

Thu, Feb 10 2011, 8:22 pm

well I'll be the dissenting opinion.
I did not like it. I felt like there wasn't a story line to it- it was more of a reporting of events. there wasn't a protagonist or characters that I was rooting for/ against.
but then again, I did not like the first book that much either....

jys

Sun, Feb 13 2011, 10:48 pm

When I bought it I did not know there was a first book to it. Is there a point for me to read Innocent Deceptions now that I read the second book first?If not does anyone recommend any good novels I need to get a new book before Shobbos?

OOTBubby wrote:

I was thinking that also... Maybe in her next book we will find out LOL

Tova

Sun, Feb 13 2011, 11:40 pm

IMO, it IS worth it to read Innocent Deceptions, especially if you liked Desperate Deceptions (maybe post your location and someone may have it for you to borrow?). I'd also love to know what good new books are out there, but bli neder I'm not going to let myself buy new books until Pesach!

OOTBubby

Mon, Feb 14 2011, 8:53 am

jys wrote:

OOTBubby wrote:

I was thinking that also... Maybe in her next book we will find out LOL

Did you see what I wrote above:
Someone I know was also bothered by this point and she emailed the author and received this response:
"...The sub-plot with Yoav and Lara was purposely left unanswered. The mystery will be im yirtzeh Hashem, solved in my third book, which is currently a work-in-progress. The third book will tie together my first book, Innocent Deceptions, and Desperate Deceptions..."

PinkFridge

Mon, Feb 14 2011, 9:18 am

OOTBubby wrote:

jys wrote:

OOTBubby wrote:

I was thinking that also... Maybe in her next book we will find out LOL

...in a book to be called Desperately Innocent Deceptions."

jys

Mon, Feb 14 2011, 4:01 pm

OOTBubby wrote:

jys wrote:

OOTBubby wrote:

I was thinking that also... Maybe in her next book we will find out LOL

No I am sorry I did not see your post!