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    Henna House
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    Henna House
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    Henna House
    Audiobook13 hours

    Henna House

    Written by Nomi Eve

    Narrated by Hillary Huber

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Yemen in 1920: After passage of the Orphan's Decree, any unbetrothed Jewish child left orphaned will be instantly adopted by the local Muslim community.

    With her parents' health failing, and no spousal prospects in sight, Adela Damari's situation looks dire until her uncle arrives from a faraway city, bringing with him a cousin and aunt who introduce Adela to the powerful rituals of henna tattooing. Suddenly, Adela's eyes are opened to the world, and she begins to understand what it means to love another and one's heritage. She is imperiled, however, when her parents die and a prolonged drought threatens their long-established way of life. She and her extended family flee to the city of Aden where Adela encounters old loves, discovers her true calling, and is ultimately betrayed by the people and customs she once held dear.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDreamscape Media Audio
    Release dateSep 9, 2014
    ISBN9781633791589
    Unavailable
    Henna House
    Author

    Nomi Eve

    Nomi Eve is the author of The Family Orchard, which was a Book-of-the-Month Club main selection and was nominated for a National Jewish Book Award. She has an MFA in fiction writing from Brown University and has worked as a freelance book reviewer for The Village Voice and New York Newsday. Her stories have appeared in Glimmer Train Stories, The Voice Literary Supplement, Conjunctions, and The International Quarterly. She is currently a lecturer in the creative writing program at Bryn Mawr College and lives in Philadelphia with her family.

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    Reviews for Henna House

    4.5/5

    11 ratings11 reviews

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    • 5/5
      What a beautifully written story. This was a group of people I really knew nothing about and I've always been interested in henna. This is about Adela Damari starting in the 1920s in Yemen. It follows her life as she tries to avoid the Confiscator who takes Jewish children as part of the Orphan's Decree and they are instantly adopted by the local Muslim community. I enjoyed the relationship between Adela and her cousin Hani who introduces her to henna application and meanings. I enjoyed the harsh relationship she had with her mother. This is so worth the time. I would have read it faster but I had other things going on. This is one you will get lost in and will lose track of time because you will be absorbed into the characters lives. It will leave you thinking about the characters long after you put the book down.

      I want to thank the publisher for my copy as I received this through my group as a read along with the publisher.
    • 4/5
      This book hooked me immediately with beautiful prose and hints of tragedy to come. In some books, I find that knowing something bad is going to happen is more suspense than I can deal with. In this case, however, it added just enough tension to pull me forward, perhaps because Adela was dealing with enough un-foreshadowed challenges to keep my focus mostly on the present. At the beginning, I loved the comparison of stories and henna designs. The writing throughout the book lived up to the beautiful opening, often poetic and inspiring. The setting was also a strength of this story. The plot was intimately connected to specifics of the time and place in history. The author brought in hints of larger events in the world, enhancing the story and my ability to learn from it through context.

      The henna that the story focuses on was fascinating and I enjoyed learning about the culture women who were otherwise mostly powerless had claimed as their own. One of my least favorite parts of the book was that the main character really didn't have any control over her fate. Although that was in large part due to the setting I liked so much, I still wished she'd made more decisions within the restrictions she faced. There was great character growth as Adela dealt with many adverse events outside her control and the ending was very moving. Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot and would recommend it to any fan of historical fiction.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey.
    • 5/5
      This is a beautifully written, meticulously researched book. At first I thought I was reading about a young girl in Biblical times Yemen. The Jews and the Muslims are living side by side with the Muslims ruling and controlling every minute detail of the lives of the Jews. The homes, clothing, living conditions, and cultural mores are biblical. It was quite shocking to realize that the story starts around the 1920's! Then I thought about how many people, especially girls and women are still living in similar conditions in much of the world, and it was not hard to believe that such an almost pre-historic existence could exist concurrently with the first trans-Atlantic flight of Charles Lindburgh, the Baseball career of Babe Ruth etc.

      All that aside, this is a beautiful, rich story of a young girl growing up in a small primative village where girls are betrothed as toddlers, married as soon as they bleed, and live rather bleak lives. Jewish children who are orphaned can legally be "snatched" by "The Confiscator", a Muslim, and then converted to Islam and adopted by Muslim families. Adela is the youngest child, the only girl, with a loving but ailing father, a cold, harsh mother, and older, brutish brothers. At the age of 5 things are looking dismal as parents cannot find her a husband -to -be. An exotic cousin comes into her life and things change dramatically. (No more plot details.....)

      The story flows Adela as she grows up, learns about being a woman, finds love, friendship, sisterhood, heartbreak and discovers the world beyond her tiny village. The art of Henna plays a huge role and it is a fascinating one. As someone who has had minor hennas applied I found the descriptions of the role henna played in the Yemenite culture so interesting. Once again there is this commonality between the Jewish and Muslim faiths....(The author has created a website that offers more information about Henna etc).

      Nomi Eve has created memorable characters, and shone light into a culture and people who were almost destroyed because of Hitler, WW2 and the creation of the State of Israel. As the Yemini Jews fled to Israel many chose to adopt modern lifestyles and their dress, foods and even hennas were pushed aside. Happily there is now a resurgence of appreciation for these cultural touchstones and Nomi Eve's novel will help to further encourage and celebrate them.
    • 5/5
      Nomi Eve isn't playing when she composes fiction. Henna House is not a tale delivered by the author with a light hand to her readers. In another sense, this decidedly isn't literary play; I would not describe the form as experimental, exploratory, or organically tailored to the content in a responsive or flexible way. Instead, the narrative here is as purposeful in tone and effect as any I can presently recall. Eve's narrator's voice has been well-honed, and more strikingly, the discourse in this text is never less than unabashedly powerful. Throughout the detailed work, the reader senses the heart of the matter being directly set forth; nothing is roundabout or oblique -- let alone trivial. In sum, this novel delivers exceptional drama without ever struggling with the bounds of good taste or the threat of melodrama.The novel is as rich as it is heavy. The plot blends tragedy with the warmth of carefully drawn family relationships and other deep human bonds. There is joy and sorrow. There is history and culture (of Yemeni Jews in the 1920's, 30's and 40's) to fill a nonfictional account of the same, included seamlessly in the story and naturally presented fully to a mostly ignorant reader.This narrator, the heroine, and her familiar coming of age story (in content yet strange in particular detail) will stick with this reader for a long time. If your reading of this book is anything like mine, you will be substantially enriched and deeply satisfied by this book. It's something really special, in my estimation.This review is long overdue given the tremendous gift of this novel in and of itself, let alone in light of Nomi Eve's generous supply of my very own copy of the work (which implicitly raises a duty to review honestly when the book is months away from release). I am grateful to the author for this opportunity and the experience her art provided me. I encourage readers with any interest in the storyline to read this book ASAP. Don't waste time without this read, I caution you, dear readers.
    • 5/5
      You can read the synopsis on another page. For me this was a book to read twice: the first time to rush through the pages to quickly find out what will happen to the characters next, and the second time to slowly savor the descriptions of these marvelous and exotic people and locales. Nomi Eve captivated me to keep reading, promising the possibility of one more great scene on the next page ... in the next chapter ... until abruptly the story ends and I'm left hungry for more.
    • 4/5
      Interesting that Muslim and Jewish brides both had Henna tattoos done. I thought that this was an Indian practice. There was a lot of clashing of cultures and beliefs in this book. This is the story of Adela a Yemenite Jew and her cousin Hani who are forever tided together through the art of Henna. A tale of love, betrayal and family ties this book keeps you reading till the end. I thought that the end was the best part of the book. The family is affected by WWII and the Jews are sent to Israel. I am ashamed to say that even with all the reading I have done concerning WWII I had never heard of Operation Magic Carpet. I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.
    • 3/5
      I was very interested to learn about the culture of Yemeni Jews in the early 20th century. However, the writing was more journalistic than prosaic and much became tedious. The ending seemed to be tacked on just so we could learn more details, and was not well-integrated.
    • 5/5
      Beautiful book. I was half way thru it when I met the Author and now that I have finished it, I wish I could tell her again just how much I really loved this story. I wasn't expecting to cry at the end, I thought I had it pretty much figured out.. but wow It is a powerful book and wonderful lesson in understanding the ritual of Henna, and the Yemenite Jews and their struggles. Loved it! 
    • 4/5
      Henna House is the story of a Yemeni Jewish family written in the form of a memoir by the family's youngest daughter Adela. We meet her 1923, where five-year-old Adela is the ninth child and only daughter. She lives in fear of confiscation under the Muslim “Orphan’s Decree” should her sick father die prematurely. Through her narration, Adela is able to give the reader a unique look into a culture full of tradition, mysticism and history. When she meets her cousin Hani she is drawn into the seductive and ritualistic art of henna. All the primary characters here are female and, although deferential to the men, these are forceful women living in difficult times. Their sacred rituals bind them in their tasks of marriage, child-rearing and housekeeping. But a sense of fear and impending catastrophe infuses the story as increasingly antisemitic laws passed by Yemen's Imam cast a pall over Adela's life. Her father grows sickly, and her mother desperately searches for a boy suitable for Adela's betrothal in order to save her from being adopted and converted by a Muslim family.

      I really enjoyed Henna House. The historical aspects of the story, the intriguing characters, and the cultural traditions were fascinating. The story was beautifully written and I especially loved the way female relationships were portrayed, and the religious and Jewish culture references. I knew very little about the Yemen Jews and what occurred in the 1920s. Reading this book was definitely an eye-opener for me. I was unaware that the Yemeni Jews had henna as part of their traditions, and I found the parts of this novel featuring the henna drawing to be absolutely fascinating. I've never read a book by this author but I'll definitely keep an eye out for another one in the future.

    • 3/5
      Jews and Muslims lived together in peace but perhaps not total harmony, since there were disagreements between them for which the Muslims always had the upper hand. They lived by their rules and owed their lives to their good graces. Orphaned Jewish children were taken into the Muslim community, by the Confiscator. Relatives had to prove they were financially able to care for the orphan, and most of the time they were too poor to satisfy the regulations. The cloud of confiscation hung over Adela Damari because her father, a fine shoemaker, was in very poor health. If her father died, she could be spirited away from her world, by the Confiscator, and forced to live and work in his. We traveled with Adela from Quaraah to Aden and finally on to Palestine and then Israel, meeting members of her family along the way. When she was nine, and her cousin Asaf was only a year or so older, they were pledged to each other, to prevent her confiscation. Both of them seemed older than their young years. Hani, Adela’s friend and cousin, also appeared too wise for her age, and all three of them seemed too promiscuous for the times. Binyamin, another friend of Adela’s, seemed quieter and more reserved. Except for Adela’s mom, Sulamita, most of the women seemed relaxed and gay, more open minded, in some ways, even in their remarks. She on the other hand was strict and rigid, often cruel in her punishments. Adela, therefore, relied on several of her aunts for warmth and understanding. My favorite character was Binyamin who remained true to himself throughout and my least was Asaf who was more of a chameleon, fitting himself into the moment.The Yemeni Jews seemed to live in the past, in a time warp, with their traditions, their religion and their superstitions. Many were illiterate. Girls, especially, received no education. Some Jews who succeeded were portrayed as ruthless and/or deceptive and devious. Others were depicted as kind, simple folk. The Muslims were portrayed largely as brutal and barbaric, killing and maiming simply for the sake of revenge, just and unjust. The Jews suffered many hardships but seemed to find joy in simple pleasures like Henna painting, cloth dyeing and preparing meals. The men, also, took pride in the work they performed to support their families. Eventually, though, world events forced many to leave their homes and travel to distant places.Sometimes, the book seemed too simplistic and/or contrived. I found the scenes depicting little children consumed with ideas of sex, inappropriate and most unrealistic. Their world was a backward one, so I had trouble conceiving of their secret meetings or of their physical desire developing as it did. I also did not think it was necessary for the author to provide Sulamita with a lesbian experience in order to explain away her changes of mind. It seemed like the book was suddenly pandering to today’s liberal values by pointing out her unjust ostracism. As a witness to the experience, Aunt Rahel used the threat of exposure, in order to get her way. Although I found it to be a slow read, at first, in the last 75 pages, the story suddenly came to life with the influence of The Holocaust and the British Partition of the Holy Land in 1947, which caused the Arabs to go on a rampage raining down destruction and death on Jews wherever they found them. As it moved forward in time, I grew more engaged with the story. I thought the story got bogged down in the trials and triumphs of day to day life, rather than in the big picture world, of Jewry, and so it became less of an historic narrative and more of a fairy tale. The introduction of a certain amount of mysticism or magic, trending into the supernatural, with prescient dreams and Henna designs that came to life, stretched my imagination a little, but it did add some charm to the story. This book relates how some survived. It is a story of violence and betrayal, loyalty and infidelity, all wrapped up in the pages of a love story. Still, I learned many things from reading the book. I learned about the custom of henna painting, and that was really interesting. I was surprised to find so many parallels between the ways the Muslims and the Jews treated their women and the way in which both ethnic groups dressed. Both adhered to strict codes of attire. I noted that the male progeny seemed arrogant while the women were expected to be totally subservient and were not only purchased as chattel, they were treated as such. I also learned about the Confiscator who watched the community carefully to discover the next Jewish orphan in order to appropriate and immerse the child into the Muslim world. An exceptional lesson for me was learning about The Magic Carpet which was an effort to rescue the Yemeni Jews fleeing from the Arabs who were attacking them, robbing, beating and murdering them, for no reason other than they seemed to want to and that they were there. Previously, I had only known about the rescue of the Ethiopian Jews, who were also forced to flee their country.
    • 3/5
      This is the coming-of-age story of Adela Damari, a Yemini Jew. At the age of 8, she is engaged to her cousin Asaf who soon leaves to travel with his father, a spice merchant. Adela is heart-broken, but the arrival of Hani, another cousin, changes her life. The two become best friends, and Rahel, Hani’s mother, teaches Adela the art of henna. The story covers about fifty years, though it focuses on Adela’s early life during the 1920s and 1930s. A problem with the novel is that most of Adela’s adult life is glossed over. The pace is very slow for much of the book but then there is a mad rush to finish at the end. Very significant years and events in Jewish history are dismissed in a few pages. There is a lack of real suspense throughout most of the book. At the beginning it is emphasized that a Jewish child could be “confiscated, converted and quickly adopted by a Muslim family if a father died” and much is made of Adela’s father’s fragile health. Adela is betrothed at the age of 8 because “engagement signified [her] protection from Confiscation.” But then we are told that “this protection was tenuous and [she was] still at risk.” Just when Adela seems safe, the parameters are changed to ratchet up the sense of danger. Unfortunately, this technique comes across as manipulative. The number of characters is problematic. Adela has eight brothers and they have wives and children; then there are the aunts and uncles and cousins. Some of these characters are mentioned infrequently but some become more significant; unfortunately, there is little to differentiate most of them. A family tree chart would have been really helpful. Adela has prophetic dreams that really bothered me. Since she is narrating the story as an adult, it is difficult to believe that she can remember so many dreams in so much detail years and years later. A pre-pubescent girl would have a vivid sexual dream in which she sees a man’s face “contort into an ugly mask of pleasure”? Presumably these dreams are to help create suspense about the future but, again, the lack of subtlety grates. The foreshadowing is also heavy-handed. Statements like “for the first time I really understood her. . . . I suddenly felt fear” and “Could I have saved Hani and Asaf by staying true to Binyamin” suggest all too clearly what will transpire. Coincidences (Binyamin’s convenient knight-in-shining-armour arrival) and weak symbols (amulet) do little to add to the book’s literary quality.The novel’s most interesting element is its explanation of Yemini Jewish customs and its description of henna designs. Unfortunately, here too there is a problem in that sometimes the details overshadow the plot so that the book reads more like a treatise than a work of fiction. This book certainly sheds light on the customs of a religious group not often found in mainstream literature. Its interest, however, is dampened by its slow pace and less than subtle attempts at creating suspense and foreshadowing.Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.