The debut book of the Israeli writer Maria Evdaeva is a surprisingly capacious, dynamic narrative about the history of an Israeli family. The story begins on the deck of the ship Exodus, carrying refugees from Eastern Europe to Palestine from German atrocities under the shells of British guns, and continues in subsequent generations born and grew up on the sun-burnt and blood- and sweat-soaked land of Israel. This is a genuine family saga in which the reader will find love conflicts, political battles, and echoes of the tragedy of the Holocaust... Written in excellent Russian, Maria Evdaeva’s novel will delight connoisseurs of good prose and for those who are interested in the history of Israel.