Praise The Devil in Jerusalem "Readers of Gillian Flynn's Dark Places and Emma Donoghue's Room will be drawn to this terrifying and compelling novel." -- Booklist (Starred Review) "A captivating intense read . The piercing, heartbreaking story will not be forgotten quickly by the reader." -- Jerusalem Post "Ragen writes a cautionary tale about charismatic leaders who seemingly have the innate ability to convince their followers to abandon rational thought.a mystery, with alternating chapters weaving current events together with flashbacks to show what brought the characters to this point." -- RT "This novel is well-written and suspenseful, yet exceedingly difficult to read." -- San Diego Jewish Review "Sharply written, educational, hard to put down and well worth reading." --ATL Jewish Times *Jewish Book Council Recommended Read " The Devil in Jerusalem brings intrigue, intensity and betrayal into Ragen's portrait of how predators can turn people seeking holiness into tragic victims.
" -- Oregon Jewish Life *Named Best Book of the Season by Jewish Telegraph Agency Praise for The Sisters Weiss "Readers familiar with Yiddish will love the wry idiom ("What else do you want already?"), but the intense personal drama will reach a wide audience across ethnicity. Returning to her community after 40 years, Rose finds that nothing has changed--neither the prejudice nor the caring love, "if you are one of them." The oppressive traditions seem both ludicrous and cruel, yet freedom can bring its own brutality and messes. The political-activist husband fights for equality--except for his wife . The secrets hold you to the very end , when the sisters confront the universal question: Whose memory is true to what really happened?"-- Booklist (starred review) "Of the complexities embraced in this intergenerational drama, some are harsh and difficult to relate to, while others are universal. The book is unflinching and surprisingly suspenseful ."-- Kirkus "A riveting novel.Ragen is an accomplished story teller.
" --the Jewish Book Council "Like Chaim Potok, Ragen focuses on faith, family, and the desire for artistic freedom as she builds a bridge between past and present. Her clear prose allows her characters to leap from the pages and readers to sympathize with them and completely understand their motivations. By delving into the religious (Hasidic) community she exposes the sisters' struggles between their faith and longing for the freedom to express themselves as women. This is a story many women of different faiths can connect with as they struggle to find their personal heaven." -- RT Book Reviews "The dichotomy between filial and religious duty and the desire for independence, freedom and self-expression may be a familiar theme, but Naomi Ragen's treatment of this subject is exceptional. In this novel, Ragen delves into the hidden world of ultra-Orthodox Judaism and its restrictions on women's freedom. Ragen is a skillful storyteller who draws in the readers with her beautiful and evocative prose. Regardless of your religious affiliation, this is an utterly riveting book that should be on everyone's 'to read' list this fall season.
" --The Historical Novel Society.