The Book Of Uriel | By Elysse Hoffman

by · October 22, 2021

 

 

 

Book Review | Historical Fiction | TheWriteReads BlogTour
The Book of Uriel
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Published: January 26th, 2021
In the fires of World War II, a child must save his people from darkness… Ten-year-old Uriel has always been an outcast. Born mute in a Jewish village known for its choir, he escapes into old stories of his people, stories of angels and monsters. But when the fires of the Holocaust consume his village, he learns that the stories he writes in his golden notebook are terrifyingly real. In the aftermath of the attack, Uriel is taken in by Uwe, a kind-hearted linguist forced to work for the commander of the local Nazi Police, the affably brutal Major Brandt. Uwe wants to keep Uriel safe, but Uriel can’t stay hidden. The angels of his tales have come to him with a dire message: Michael, guardian angel of the Jewish people, is missing. Without their angel, the Jewish people are doomed, and Michael’s angelic brethren cannot search for him in the lands corrupted by Nazi evil. With the lives of millions at stake, Uriel must find Michael and free him from the clutches of the Angel of Death...even if that means putting Uwe in mortal danger. The Book of Uriel is a heartbreaking blend of historical fiction and Jewish folklore that will enthrall fans of The Book Thief and The World That We Knew.

 

 

My thoughts 

 

 

 

 

 

Narrative and Plot  

 

 

 

The Book Of Uriel follows the two main characters Uriel and Uwe. The story takes place during the WW II and doesn’t shy away from the horrible history. The story had an even pace for the most part, always keeping the readers on edge except for in the middle when it got a little bit all over the place. However by the end it was all brought together and tied up nicely.

The plot is strong with a lot going on. The stories within the stories lend a deeper meaning and gave us better context to Uriel and how he perceived the world.

 

 

 

 

Characters and Conflicts  

 

 

 

 

The character development in the book had been extraordinary. Uriel’s journey from being a mute boy full of fear to an adventure of lifetime is the main context. However the golden notebook was an equally important presence. Uwe is perhaps the most appealing character for me in the entire book. It is established right from the beginning that he is a righteous man. However, it takes the entire story to show just how righteous he really is.

About the conflict, I am not exactly familiar with Jewish folklore , however within the context of the story I was intrigued to see how the events of the book turned out to be. Although at times I felt like it would have made me more involved with the story if I had a cursory understanding of the Jewish belief or the culture. Despite that, I was able to connect to the story on a human level. When the WW II happened, India too had an uprising and freedom movement of its own. That’s the history I grew up with. So I could relate to the idea of wanting to fight back for the wrongs that are being done to your own people or being oppressed. Just wanted to make it clear, where I am coming from.

 

Conclusion 

 

 

 

The Book Of Uriel is an engaging and heartwarming tale of innocence and unbreakable spirit of a young mind. It shines light on the importance of never losing the humanity in us, something which is quite relevant even today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I received an eBook from @TheWriteReads in exchange for an honest review as part of the BlogTour.

 

 

 

 

 

Get your book here : Amazon_IN Amazon_US Book Depository

 

 

 

 

 

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3 Responses

  1. Ellie Rayner says:
    October 25, 2021 at 11:41 pm

    Beautiful review Rejitha!

  1. Bookbugworld's October Wrap Up | 2021 - Bookbugworld
    November 7, 2021

    […] I read this historical fiction, set in the World War 2 backdrop, as part of TheWriteReads blog tour. It did pull me in with an impossible yet compelling storyline. There was a lot to unpack in this mystical novel. There was a little bit issue of uneven pacing in the middle. Other than that, I really had a great time reading this book and rated it a 4/5. You can read my non-spoiler review of the book here.  […]