After Moses: A Novel

By Karen Mockler

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1931561370
• ISBN13: 9781931561372
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Macadam Cage Pub
• Length: 379 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 1.3" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

A Superb & Deeply Moving Novel About Making Choices.

I was deeply moved by "After Moses: A Novel," about three eccentric siblings and their off-beat parents, set in a small southern Ohio town. Riveted to the page, it didn't take me longer than 24 hours to reach the book's conclusion. At the end, I wasn't sure that the members of the Tumarkin family are that much stranger, or more neurotic, than anyone else. Their ideals, however, and their deeply held convictions on personal freedom, creativity, honesty, spontaneity, child rearing, and the deep abiding love and respect they have for each other, are 'weirdnesses' one should aspire to. Shoe (Susan) Tumarkin's murder is the catalyst which brings the novel's primary characters together. Shoe was the oldest of three siblings, the one who chose to live life on the edge. She was tough because she made herself so. "To combat the shackles of safety she confronted fear." If she thought a particular situation held possibilities of humiliation, loneliness, pain or pleasure, she would seek it out, just to overcome the inherent danger. Conquering her fears did not feel like recklessness to her. She was able to overcome her fight or flight instincts - not altogether a good thing, certainly not for Shoe. She leaves behind a five year-old son, Moses, an intelligent, loving, observant boy who finds joy in life. It seems as if all the good traits of his relatives, combine to make this one small child. Moses might be the novel's strongest character. Ida is a talented artist, gifted, and in many ways the total opposite of her older sister. While Shoe moved where the wind took her, Ida has never left home. At 34 she has never held a regular job, never traveled except to a national park with her family on vacation. Nor has she had a boyfriend or romantic relationship. Her mind is where her adventures take place, and she enacts rich fantasies closer to home, by herself or with loved ones. "Her real life sprung from her imagination, like a strange and peerless flower fed on nothing more than rarified air." Not comfortable with most people, Ida goes in disguise whenever she is called upon to make public appearances. Her paintings sometimes save people, sometimes bring them together, and sometime play a special role in a novel, like this one. Johnny, the youngest, is very like his two sisters, yet like no other. He is stubborn and won't be led, as was Shoe. He prefers to be alone, as does Ida. And many of his jobs allow him to be in the wilderness, on his own. Johnny is fiercely loyal and has good insight, especially into the characters of family members. And he is protective of those he loves. Shoe leaves a will, unusual for someone in their thirties. Her $85,000. insurance policy goes to Moses, along with most of the paintings Ida has given her. Three of the canvases go to Emily, her best friend. Johnny is bequeathed all her ski equipment, camping and climbing gear, and topo maps. Ida is to be Moses' guardian - the boy and his aunt adore one another. Moses' fath

Absolutely compelling!

I was given this book at Christmas. For two days I proceeded to ignore my children and parents, reading curled up on the couch, on a lawn chair at the beach, and guiltily into the night! The witty dialogue and appealing characters reminded me of Barbara Kingsolver, inviting me into the book right away. But I was unprepared for the haunting and unforgettable characters, the vignettes painted so vividly (like the Easter vigil), the narrative that builds steam like a freight train. At times I felt prickles on my neck as I began to see what was unfolding under the surface of the narrative. What a fascinating world Mockler creates, at once uncannily familiar (aren't these my own friends?) and endlessly fascinating, seen through Mockler's keenly observant eyes. Mockler paints her quirky and real characters so vividly, and then page by page delivers to us the uncanny privilege of peering into their very soul. Shoe's unexpected and transcendent last hours will always be with me. Mockler is a tender, brave, honest, and magical writer. I can see why Barnes and Noble included her in their Discover New Writers' Series. Having had the distinct pleasure of discovering her, I can hardly wait to see what she does next! Bravo, Ms. Mockler!

This a great book!

An honest, clear novel about siblings and families in a small Ohio town. The choices that they confront are not unusual, and they handle them the way I hope I would. I felt I knew the characters in the first 50 pages. I was surprised when I found a character wishing aloud the same cheap plot twist I'd been anticipating. The character was embarrassed to confess this wish, and it illuminated that this would have been the easy and uncomplicated way out of what had become a fairly complicated story. The author used no such cheap devices. As the book progressed, I wasn't sure what I wanted for the characters, and I was forced to let Ms. Mockler tell me the ending herself. A wholly engaging read.