The Hilltop

August 18, 2014
This memorable novel by Gavron (Almost Dead) follows the fate of a small, not-quite-legitimate Israeli settlement in the West Bank and its denizens. Othniel Assis and a few associates founded Ma’aleh Hermesh C in the recent past, both despite and with the aid of various Israeli bureaucracies. While the primary story line charts the course of the settlers’ fight against the inevitable barrage of eviction notices and subsequent reversals, Gavron moves beyond simple political farce by weaving together the stories, both simple and complex, of individual characters. He particularly focuses on the kibbutznik brothers, the spiritual Gavriel Nehushtan and businessman Roni Kupper, who arrive at Ma’aleh Hermesh C at different times and in different circumstances. “Longing is the engine of the world,” one character says. Indeed, Gavron’s novel is marked by its great depth of feeling and its disparate themes, which are united by the longing of its characters.

October 15, 2014

Behind the headlines in the turbulent Middle East are ordinary people living their lives, raising families, and struggling to get ahead. Israeli author Gavron focuses on such individuals in a West Bank settlement. The novel begins when Othniel Assis stakes a claim on a remote patch of land and starts growing vegetables. Soon he is joined by others, among them brothers Gabi and Roni, whose personal histories are an important focus of the novel. The community continues to grow, babies are born, the years go by, but the settlement's status as an illegal entity lacking the necessary permits continues to endanger its existence. At some point, a high-ranking minister declares that they must evacuate, an order residents ignore as they have all previous orders. Then the army arrives and precipitates the final conflict. VERDICT Gavron expertly works with a large cast of characters to create a resonant portrayal of life at the center of one of the world's main trouble spots. His depiction of the community's religious practices and the reasonably sympathetic portrayal of the neighboring Arab village and their age-old lifestyle and customs are particularly effective. Despite the highly charged political and cultural arenas in which it is set, this novel, an award winner in Israel, is very funny and entertaining.--James Coan, SUNY at Oneonta Lib.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 15, 2014
Israeli settler Othniel just wants to grow some arugula, some tomatoes, and keep a goat. He wanders out of his settlement onto a hilltop overlooking the Judean desert and a Palestinian village and comes upon the ideal plot of land. Soon he's the unofficial leader of an illegal little settlement contending with a monstrous web of red tape. Israeli novelist Gavron (Almost Dead, 2010) populates this outlaw outpost with transfixing characters, focusing most on two kibbutz-raised brothers. Gabi came to the hilltop as a reborn intent on living simply and honestly with God. Roni is a fugitive from a misadventure in America. Both are risk-takers, but Roni, who quickly negotiates a deal to sell Palestinian olive oil, is calculating, while emotional Gabi is a victim of his demonically vengeful anger. As Gavron slowly reveals their rollercoaster pasts, life on the hilltop grows evermore imperiled as the rogue settlers finally provoke the wrath of the epically ambivalent authorities by triggering an international incident. This many-storied, funny, shrewd, and tender satire dives into the heart of Israel, a land of trauma and zeal, fierce opinions and endless deliberation. From failed marriages to governmental dysfunction to the tragic Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Gavron's spirited desert saga embraces the absurd and the profound and advocates for compassion and forgiveness, even joy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)