De nederzetting is het verhaal van een illegale, of op zijn best semi-legale, Joodse nederzetting op een heuvel die deels in een Israëlisch natuurgebied en deels in Palestijnse gebieden is gelegen. Het is tegelijkertijd de geschiedenis van twee Israëlische broers, Ronni en Gaby Cooper, die al op jonge leeftijd hun ouders kwijtraakten bij een bomaanslag, opgroeiden op een kibboets en die maar met moeite hun draai kunnen vinden in de wereld, ook al is dat om verschillende redenen. Hoewel de broers in de illegale nederzetting belanden en dit dus ook het verband is tussen de twee verhaallijnen, is de zwakte van dit boek juist ook het feit dat er eigenlijk twee boeken in één gepropt zijn.

Enerzijds is er het wat absurdistische verhaal van de nederzetting, ontstaan als geitenboerderij en langzaamaan uitgedijd tot een volledig dorp met speeltuin en synagoge. Door slim gebruik te maken van politieke belangen en onduidelijke of soms zelfs tegenstrijdige regelgeving kan de illegale nederzetting steeds blijven bestaan, ook al is er al vaak tot ontruiming besloten. In de nederzetting wonen heel diverse karakters, immer zwangere vrouwen, een tiener die op second life stiekem bomaanslagen pleegt, een Ethiopische soldaat, een hysterische vrouw en een hysterische hond, een gevluchte zakenman, een verraadster en nog vele anderen. Die mengeling van een beetje gekke karakters en de Israëlische bureaucratie maakt het een bij vlagen hilarisch boek met een wat luchtige toon.

Anderzijds is er dus de geschiedenis van de twee broers. Gaby, die maar moeilijk kan aarden in het groepsleven van de kibboets, die zijn frustraties afreageert met geweld, wiens huwelijk en vaderschap mislukken en die zijn heil zoekt in het orthodoxe jodendom. En Ronni, die een groot zakelijk instinct heeft, succesvolle bars opent in Tel Aviv, beurshandelaar wordt in New York en vervolgens berooid terug naar Israel komt en onderduikt bij zijn broer. In de delen over de broers is de toon van het boek heel anders, melodramatischer, serieuzer ook.

Het lijken wel twee boeken in één en als ik Gavron's redacteur was geweest had ik hem aangeraden die twee uit elkaar te trekken of anders in elk geval de rol van de broers in de nederzetting te vergroten. Want juist doordat zij daar maar passanten, bijfiguren zijn, hangen de twee delen maar heel losjes aan elkaar en wordt het verhaal in zijn geheel nogal onevenwichtig en veel te lang.

Interessant om een boek uit Israel te lezen en ook met zo een setting, dat soort boeken kom ik weinig tegen, dus daarom alsnog 3 sterren. Hadden er meer kunnen zijn als het verhaal van de broers eruit geknipt was en andere karakters juist wat meer naar voren waren gehaald. ( )

My favorite part of this book was the understated humor highlighting the contradictions in the way the government treated the settlement. Unfortunately, this ended up being small part of the story. Instead, the majority of the story focused on Gabi, his brother Roni, and their history which was often pretty messed up. I definitely didn't go into this expecting an issue book. I didn't expect something especially gritty. As a result, I was unpleasantly surprised by how much violence there was in this book, including some bad things happening to animals. I realize sometimes that sort of thing can add to the story, but in this case, I felt it was unnecessary.

I was curious about Gabi and Roni's history, but definitely not as hooked as I've been by other dual narrative past/present stories. I also wasn't especially engaged in finding out what happened to the settlement. As a result, the plot felt slow. The characters didn't pull me in either. The author did an impressive job making some really terrible characters sympathetic, but it wasn't enough. Gabi came across as an unrepentant psychopath who experienced very little character growth. The ending wrapped up rapidly and unbelievably neatly. I loved learning a bit more about Israel from and Israeli author, but the book still fell flat for me.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey. ( )

My favorite part of this book was the understated humor highlighting the contradictions in the way the government treated the settlement. Unfortunately, this ended up being small part of the story. Instead, the majority of the story focused on Gabi, his brother Roni, and their history which was often pretty messed up. I definitely didn't go into this expecting an issue book. I didn't expect something especially gritty. As a result, I was unpleasantly surprised by how much violence there was in this book, including some bad things happening to animals. I realize sometimes that sort of thing can add to the story, but in this case, I felt it was unnecessary.

I was curious about Gabi and Roni's history, but definitely not as hooked as I've been by other dual narrative past/present stories. I also wasn't especially engaged in finding out what happened to the settlement. As a result, the plot felt slow. The characters didn't pull me in either. The author did an impressive job making some really terrible characters sympathetic, but it wasn't enough. Gabi came across as an unrepentant psychopath who experienced very little character growth. The ending wrapped up rapidly and unbelievably neatly. I loved learning a bit more about Israel from and Israeli author, but the book still fell flat for me.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey. ( )

My favorite part of this book was the understated humor highlighting the contradictions in the way the government treated the settlement. Unfortunately, this ended up being small part of the story. Instead, the majority of the story focused on Gabi, his brother Roni, and their history which was often pretty messed up. I definitely didn't go into this expecting an issue book. I didn't expect something especially gritty. As a result, I was unpleasantly surprised by how much violence there was in this book, including some bad things happening to animals. I realize sometimes that sort of thing can add to the story, but in this case, I felt it was unnecessary.

I was curious about Gabi and Roni's history, but definitely not as hooked as I've been by other dual narrative past/present stories. I also wasn't especially engaged in finding out what happened to the settlement. As a result, the plot felt slow. The characters didn't pull me in either. The author did an impressive job making some really terrible characters sympathetic, but it wasn't enough. Gabi came across as an unrepentant psychopath who experienced very little character growth. The ending wrapped up rapidly and unbelievably neatly. I loved learning a bit more about Israel from and Israeli author, but the book still fell flat for me.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey. ( )

My favorite part of this book was the understated humor highlighting the contradictions in the way the government treated the settlement. Unfortunately, this ended up being small part of the story. Instead, the majority of the story focused on Gabi, his brother Roni, and their history which was often pretty messed up. I definitely didn't go into this expecting an issue book. I didn't expect something especially gritty. As a result, I was unpleasantly surprised by how much violence there was in this book, including some bad things happening to animals. I realize sometimes that sort of thing can add to the story, but in this case, I felt it was unnecessary.

I was curious about Gabi and Roni's history, but definitely not as hooked as I've been by other dual narrative past/present stories. I also wasn't especially engaged in finding out what happened to the settlement. As a result, the plot felt slow. The characters didn't pull me in either. The author did an impressive job making some really terrible characters sympathetic, but it wasn't enough. Gabi came across as an unrepentant psychopath who experienced very little character growth. The ending wrapped up rapidly and unbelievably neatly. I loved learning a bit more about Israel from and Israeli author, but the book still fell flat for me.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey. ( )