Miller, Risa. Welcome to Heavenly Heights; a novel of Israel today.MILLER, Risa. Welcome to Heavenly heav·en·ly adj. 1. Sublime; delightful; enchanting. 2. Of or relating to the firmament; celestial: the sun, the moon, and other heavenly bodies. 3. Heights; a novel of Israel today. St. Martin's St. Martin's or St. Martins may refer to:
This debut novel tells the story of an American Jewish family--Mike and Tova and their children Esther OIL Yoni yoni In Hinduism, a representation of the female sexual organ and feminine generative power, the symbol of the goddess Shakti (see shakti). The yoni is often associated with the phallic linga, the symbol of the god Shiva. (3) and Avi (an infant)--who leave Baltimore to go "home" to Israel. "Number 4," the apartment building where they reside in Heavenly Heights on the violent West Bank, becomes the eye through which the reader views the family's experiences. Tova, the main character, is hesitant hes·i·tant adj. Inclined or tending to hesitate. hes  i·tant·ly adv. , reluctant to uproot her family for unfamiliar territory, and takes her cues from those around her, mainly her husband. Observant ob·ser·vant adj. 1. Quick to perceive or apprehend; alert: an observant traveler. See Synonyms at careful. 2. of others, Tova is keenly aware of the effect the move has on her family, particularly Esther. Ironically, she is not so in tune with her own feelings, and it is only when she returns to the US that she realizes the impact Heavenly Heights has had on her, and the strength of the relationships she has forged there. Miller takes some time to engage the reader in her characters, using historical flashbacks to provide insight into their current situations. Non-Jewish readers may have some difficulty with references to Jewish customs and the prevalent use of Hebrew. While Miller doesn't delve much into the politics behind the Israeli-Palestine conflict, she gives the reader a feel for the dangers of daily life in Jerusalem, where war rages everywhere and death lurks around every corner. Such timely subject matter should be of interest to older YAs and adult readers alike. Kristen LeBlanc Ivory ivory, type of dentin present only in the tusks of the elephant. Ivory historically has been obtained mainly from Africa, where elephant tusks are larger than they are in Asia, the second major source, and much dead ivory was taken from remains of extinct mammoths , Baltimore, MD |
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