An interesting and meditative format, but more of a collection of midrashes, than a novel. Potter Engel begins to tell story of Ruth, a girl raised in a difficult, quasi-psychotic, Dutch Calvinist home. As the story progresses, much like the story of Lot's Wife, it starts to disappear and reemerge, periodically, in transfigured ways. This is by design and well executed, but made it harder to care about the characters' success.

Treating themes of the problem of consciousness, embodiment, gender, sexuality, motherhood with erudite sensitivity, Potter Engel allows us consider why Irit or T'shukah looked back, what she saw and understand why her name was erased from memory.

I enjoyed the book. Admittedly, I am a sucker for anything theological, philosophical and feminine. ( )