What do readers think of The Devil in Jerusalem by Naomi Ragen? Write your own review.

I was very interested in reading this book since I am of the Jewish faith.I learned a lot of things that I hadn't known but in all honestly I found the book to be somewhat shocking and frightening.I have read many of Naomi Ragan's books and enjoyed them but not this one.

A quote by Sholmie about the university study of Judaism, sums up my feeling about the primary characters in this book. Daniella & Sholmie seem real and interesting in the beginning of this book. But their transitions from eager, devout, independent figures to cowed, timid, cultish figures who would allow great harm done to their children was not convincing to me. The end became a didactic on the evils of a cultic Judaism with a laundry list of abuses heaped on innocent children. It was obvious Ms Ragen had thoroughly researched this odious subject, and knew it well. The problem for me was that I could muster no sympathy here for the characters of Daniella. and Sholmie. This was surprising to me, as I had really enjoyed, and felt empathy for the characters in Ms Ragen's book, "The Sisters Weiss".

The Devil in Jerusalem is the gruesome story of Daniella Goodman, who feels worthless thanks to her mother's harsh criticism, and husband Shlomie, son of decent blue-collar parents, feckless dilettante scholar, who doesn't understand much about life except how to make babies and study obscure Jewish kabbalah.

Daniella is smitten at first sight by handsome Shlomie, wants to follow him to Israel, loves the idea of motherhood but is out of her depth with seven young children, and only sporadic help from her husband. Their naivete makes them easy prey for a manipulative, cult master.

As it stands, the book is just a revolting, sadistic fiction. Apparently, the events were well publicized in the Israeli press, but not until the Acknowledgements is the factual basis of this book made clear. Had the author begun with this information in a Prologue, the novel might have had some merit, rather than pages of gratuitous cruelty.

How a writer had the strength and the will to formulate such a horrific theme is beyond me. We all know of fanatic Jews but to actually sit and write what she has done is something I am not able grasp.