Day After Night

Anita Diamant's newest book, Day After Night, kind of let me down.  I just didn't think that it was nearly as well written as The Red Tent, although I have to admit that it has been quite a while since I read The Red Tent.  But I was very impressed with it and it stuck with me for a long time.  I don't think that Day After Night will, but since I just finished it last night, I don't know that for sure.

The premise of the book is a story of four women who meet at Atlit, a detention camp for European Jews coming to Israel after the war (WWII).  Apparently, those coming into Israel after the war were placed there for however long it took to find a kibbutz for their home.  I had never heard of such a camp, so that was quite interesting.  The women make the point of discussing how they were put into these camps surrounded by barbwire fences, just like the death camps that most of them had survived.  Naturally, many of those entering the detainment camps became very upset and frightened when they saw the barbwire fences.  They had great difficulty understanding that now they were safe in such a place.

Each of the four women have different stories on how they survived the war years.  They try to find ways to spend their time in the camp while waiting for their home assignment.  They become friends and make plans for their futures together. 

I didn't feel like the characters were very well-developed.  I don't feel like I know who each of the women were, before and after the war.

I did like the way the book ended, however.  The Epilogue was good.

All in all, I would rate the book as fair.  Not great, but an ok read.