Book Report #152 - People of the Book

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

I almost didn't make it through the first chapter because I didn't think a novel about a book conservationist would be interesting enough. I'm glad I hung in there.

This is the story of the Haggadah, a Jewish text used at families' Seder celebrations. This particular Haggadah is a gorgeous illustrated little book that survived over 500 years in tumultuous conditions. The story begins in 1996 in war-torn Sarajevo where Australian book conservationist Hanna is assessing the Haggadah that just turned up. People thought it had to have been lost over all those years, so there's quite a bit of excitement.

The novel switches back and forth between Hanna and the adventures the Haggadah has been through, eventually explaining how it was created. Hanna's personal story with her mother is gripping, and time traveling to places like Venice and Seville is fun, even while the story is a serious drama.

When I finished the book, I felt like I'd learned a lot about European history, even though the book was clearly historical fiction. It was inspired by a true story, and Brooks makes sure to explain what's true and what's not in the afterword.

General consensus: Well-written historical fiction. Impressive scope.