Book Review: “The Third Daughter”

Sisterhood hosts bi-monthly book reviews throughout the year that are open to the public. January’s book review will be led by our congregant, Susana Paoloski.

Please Note: This book review will be held by Zoom, and the information to access will be emailed ahead of time to those who register.

A summary of our January book selection can be found below:

The late 1800’s find fourteen- year – old Batya in the Russian countryside, fleeing endless programs with her family. Desperate , her father leaps at the opportunity to marry her to a worldly, wealthy stranger who promises that Batya will have an easy life in America.

Batya’s new “husband” does indeed bring her to America: Buenos Aires, a vibrant growing city. But instead of becoming a wife, Batya is one of thousands of women tricked and sold to a brothel. As the years pass, Batya holds on to one dream: to buy herself out of prostitution and bring her family to America. When she gets a dangerous but possibly life-saving opportunity to help bring down the criminal network that has enslaved so many young women, she agrees to help. But will saving herself mean abandoning her family to the anti-Semitism that plagues Russia?

A powerful story of finding strength in the face of danger and hope in the face of despair. The Third Daughter brings to life a dark period of Jewish history and gives a voice to victims whose truth deserves to finally be told.
The historical events in the novel actually took place between 1892 and 1910; however, the pimps’ union, Zwi Migdal, operated with impunity for seventy years.

To help us plan for our book reviews and to receive communications about future book reviews, we ask that you kindly RSVP by Wednesday, January 12, by completing the form online, or by contacting the Sisterhood at sishood@emanuelhouston.org or 713.529.5771, ext. 233.