Don’t Ask by Gina Roitman, 275 pages, MiroLand/Guernica
Hannah Baran lived a comfortable life growing up in Montreal in the 1950s and 1960s among other immigrants in Outremont and Côte des Neiges, but something set her family apart – her father, Barak, and mother Rokhl were World War II and Holocaust survivors.
Although the fictional Hannah, like the author Gina Roitman, was born in a displaced person setting in post-war Germany, there was one thing her mother makes clear in the first chapter of this engaging and multi-layered novel: Never, ever travel to Germany.
As it turns out, Hannah, a divorced, middle-aged executive in a real-estate firm, is being dispatched to visit an investor in Germany to discover why he wants to buy a plot of undeveloped land the firm owns northwest of Montreal and what he may be offering to pay for it.
The trip means that Hannah must set aside her mother’s wishes and when Rokhl learns the trip she is devastated.
The reader then begins to learn the harrowing history of how Rokhl managed to endure the death camp experience at Auschwitz-Birkenau and how the twisted challenge of remembering and forgetting and living with the pain of victimhood and survivor guilt affected her psyche. We also discover how Barak’s escape to join the Soviet Red Army and fighting to defeat The Beast affected his.
Rokhl’s trauma prevented her talking about it but voluminous notes that she left emerge in the novel’s narrative.
The trip to Germany is twinned with the contrasting threads of emerging conflict over the possible land deal and the unexpected blossoming of love that brightens Hannah’s life.
These threads link Hannah’s life to the past, yet history is ever present when it comes to her mission – no spoilers here –and the reader will learn about old and perceived debts and whether and how they are resolved.
The various layers provided by these elements interconnect in the beautifully written narrative. Much of Hannah’s thoughts are revealed in conversation that her best and loyal friend, Marilyn. And the narrative is laced with Yiddish words and phrases, so common among Jewish families with parents from central and eastern Europe. (A glossary is provided.)
This is a work of fiction, but the scenes from Hannah’s youth in Montreal evoke an intimacy that indicate autobiographical elements. In Germany, Hannah visits the town of Passau where she was born. This happens to be where Roitman was born, the focus of her superb documentary My Mother, the Nazi midwife, and Me. The book is prefaced with the statement that names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
This novel is a today story, an engaging read that brings the past into contemporary focus. Roitman finds a way to link the lingering memory of genocidal crime and cruelty that was the Holocaust with rarely discussed acts of compassion and bravery, and the possibility of recovery and rebirth through intimacy and love, if not forgiveness. Still, the past cannot be erased, and as Rokhl says to her beloved daughter – “It is your story, too.”
I loved you better than you would ever be able to express here. The picture is beautiful, and your wording is elegant; nonetheless, you read it in a short amount of time. I believe that you ought to give it another shot in the near future. If you make sure that this trek is safe, I will most likely try to do that again and again.
I have read some excellent stuff here Definitely value bookmarking for revisiting I wonder how much effort you put to make the sort of excellent informative website
Thanks I have just been looking for information about this subject for a long time and yours is the best Ive discovered till now However what in regards to the bottom line Are you certain in regards to the supply
I have been browsing online more than three hours today yet I never found any interesting article like yours It is pretty worth enough for me In my view if all website owners and bloggers made good content as you did the internet will be a lot more useful than ever before
I have read some excellent stuff here Definitely value bookmarking for revisiting I wonder how much effort you put to make the sort of excellent informative website
This stage is fabulous. The magnificent information uncovers the publisher’s excitement. I’m shocked and envision additional such extraordinary presents.
Thanks I have just been looking for information about this subject for a long time and yours is the best Ive discovered till now However what in regards to the bottom line Are you certain in regards to the supply
Nice blog here Also your site loads up very fast What host are you using Can I get your affiliate link to your host I wish my site loaded up as quickly as yours lol
Attractive section of content I just stumbled upon your blog and in accession capital to assert that I get actually enjoyed account your blog posts Anyway I will be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement you access consistently fast
I am not sure where youre getting your info but good topic I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more Thanks for magnificent info I was looking for this information for my mission
Wow wonderful blog layout How long have you been blogging for you make blogging look easy The overall look of your site is great as well as the content
What i dont understood is in reality how youre now not really a lot more smartlyfavored than you might be now Youre very intelligent You understand therefore significantly in terms of this topic produced me personally believe it from a lot of numerous angles Its like women and men are not interested except it is one thing to accomplish with Woman gaga Your own stuffs outstanding Always care for it up
I do believe all the ideas youve presented for your post They are really convincing and will certainly work Nonetheless the posts are too short for novices May just you please lengthen them a little from subsequent time Thanks for the post
I loved as much as youll receive carried out right here The sketch is attractive your authored material stylish nonetheless you command get bought an nervousness over that you wish be delivering the following unwell unquestionably come more formerly again as exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this hike
Normally I do not read article on blogs however I would like to say that this writeup very forced me to try and do so Your writing style has been amazed me Thanks quite great post
Hey there You have done a fantastic job I will certainly digg it and personally recommend to my friends Im confident theyll be benefited from this site
Thanks I have just been looking for information about this subject for a long time and yours is the best Ive discovered till now However what in regards to the bottom line Are you certain in regards to the supply
Hi my loved one I wish to say that this post is amazing nice written and include approximately all vital infos Id like to peer more posts like this
Fantastic site A lot of helpful info here Im sending it to some buddies ans additionally sharing in delicious And naturally thanks on your sweat
I just could not depart your web site prior to suggesting that I really loved the usual info an individual supply in your visitors Is gonna be back regularly to check up on new posts
Wow amazing blog layout How long have you been blogging for you made blogging look easy The overall look of your web site is magnificent as well as the content
Obrigado, estou procurando informações sobre esse tópico há algum tempo e a sua é a melhor que descobri até agora. Mas e em relação aos resultados financeiros? Você tem certeza sobre o fornecimento
Your blog is a treasure trove of valuable insights and thought-provoking commentary. Your dedication to your craft is evident in every word you write. Keep up the fantastic work!
My brother suggested I might like this website He was totally right This post actually made my day You cannt imagine just how much time I had spent for this information Thanks
Excelente blog aqui Além disso, seu site carrega muito rápido Qual host você está usando Posso obter seu link de afiliado para seu host? Desejo que meu site carregue tão rápido quanto o seu haha
I do not even know how I ended up here but I thought this post was great I do not know who you are but certainly youre going to a famous blogger if you are not already Cheers
Your blog is a breath of fresh air in the often mundane world of online content. Your unique perspective and engaging writing style never fail to leave a lasting impression. Thank you for sharing your insights with us.
The degree to which I appreciate your creations is equal to your own sentiment. Your sketch is tasteful, and the authored material is stylish. Yet, you seem uneasy about the prospect of embarking on something that may cause unease. I agree that you’ll be able to address this matter efficiently.
olá, gosto muito da sua escrita, tanto que mantemos uma correspondência extra sobre sua postagem na AOL. Preciso de um especialista neste espaço para desvendar meu problema. Talvez seja você. Estou ansioso para vê-lo
helloI really like your writing so a lot share we keep up a correspondence extra approximately your post on AOL I need an expert in this house to unravel my problem May be that is you Taking a look ahead to see you