The River Midnight

Susan Merskey is freelance writer in London, Ontario.

Lilian Nattel’s first novel describes a Jewish world long since
vanished and the men and women who were part of it. The time is the
1890s. The place is Blazka, a shtetl (Jewish village) in Poland.

Misha, a midwife with an independent spirit, holds everyone’s
secrets, including her own, close to her heart. She and her three
friends grew up together; their paths diverged, but they are drawn
together again. Hanna-Leah remains married to the impotent Herschel.
Faygela has a perfect marriage, but her daughter Ruth is a rebel who is
in prison for her actions. Zion-Sara died in New York and her orphaned
children have returned to Blazka. The story of day-to-day life in the
village is interspersed with flashbacks, reminding us of both historical
events and the wild youths of Misha and her three friends. Each chapter
ends with a “fast forward,” bringing us closer and closer to the
present.

The author, who has researched her period and characters very
carefully, seamlessly interweaves fact with fiction. In an endnote, she
tells how her search for Misha helped her learn more about her own
vanished family. Her fast-paced and well-written novel will appeal most
to readers interested in shtetl life, particularly as it relates to
women’s issues. Suggestions for further reading and a glossary of
Yiddish terms are included.