First I read Dara Horn's The World to Come and could not put it down. I jumped right into her new book, A Guide to the Perplexed, and read it straight through the night. Since I love historical fiction, I looked forward to reading All Other Nights. Maybe I needed a break from Horn's books because I could not finish it. However, because I really enjoy Dara Horn's writing and because I read so many positive reviews, I will probably try to read this book again in a few months. I hope to update my review in a positive way at that time. Had this book been written by anyone other than Dara Horn, I would have enjoyed it more. This is the third book of hers I've read--in a row. Based on the previous two, I expected something more intellectually challenging and almost mystical. This was a darned good piece of historical fiction, however. It is a genre I avoid because I'm fussy about history. I'll take mine straight, thank you, right from the non-fic shelves after checking the credentials of the writer. Dara Horn is the exception to my rule. She's as meticulous as she can be about history and historical personages (in all 3 books). To my great joy she included an author's note at the end that left me feeling good about the history she used and her sources. Not surprising because under this excellent novelist is a Jewish scholar. She has a PhD in comparative literature from Harvard and, if I remember correctly is fluent in Hebrew and Yiddish. I'll happily read anything she puts out, knowing that whatever I learn will be accurate and she'll give me a great story.
What do You think about All Other Nights (2009)?
An easy, enjoyable historical fiction read. Filled my Civil War niche for the year.
—Lol
This is the second timeI have tried to read it and stopped. Too depressing.
—JessicaDHo
