The Wayward Moon By Janice Weizman

Reviewed by Barbara Abraham

Having been approached to review The Wayward Moon, the first novel by writer Janice Weizman, I felt both curiosity and anticipation. And having been unable to put it down till I had finished the unwinding of a fascinating tale, it is my pleasure to recommend it to you. our readers.

Janice Weizman joins the ranks of authors resident in Israel whose outstanding efforts in their mother-tongue bring them to the fore of the literary world. Janice grew up in Toronto, Canada, and her childhood was enhanced with Zionistic values. At the age of 19 she came on a one-year program at the Hebrew University and then decided to stay on and study Social Work. Janice always wanted to write fiction, but it was a course she took at the Open University entitled The History of Islam, that inspired her to visualize the background for a novel set in the 9^th century Middle East. During her research of the period, the story of Rahel, a young Jewish woman from the Babylonian town of Sura, came slowly to life in her imagination. The Wayward Moon is an informative and fascinating tale that unravels in a richly descriptive manner.

The novel opens in the year 851. After Rahel’s father is viciously murdered, Rahel knifes the assailant and then disguises herself and flees. She takes to the byways of Babylonia, tasting life within Islamic and Christian communities. Though Rahel’s travels enable her to gain life experience and knowledge, what she senses she wants most is to find a place for herself within a Jewish community. The colorful settings of the places to which events take her, as well as the beliefs and attitudes of the people she meets, demonstrate the depth of research that Janice has done.

The story unfolds through Rahel’s experiences, as well as her inner thoughts, hopes and fears which are shared with the reader. One cannot but admire and sympathize with some of her decisions, while doubting others, but the main question is – “What will happen next?” and so the pages are turned. Lessons of life tasted by the women of those times as well as their hopes and beliefs are brought to the fore through the experiences that she goes through in order to find the path that she must take.   

The novel has won two gold medals for historical fiction and after finishing the book the reader will understand why.

Awards:
✡ 2013 Gold Medalist in IPPY Awards for Historical Fiction
✡ 2013 Gold Medalist in Midwest Book Awards for Historical Fiction
✡ Nominated for the 2013 ALA Sophie Brody Award

Janice also initiated the literary journal Ilanot in 2009 which has developed into The Ilanot Review and publishes the work of Anglo-Israeli writers and poets in English as well as world-wide submissions on chosen themes. See her website: www.janiceweizman.com.

Janice is interested in speaking to book clubs as well as to ESRA groups.