Personal
thoughts: I hadn’t heard much of anything about this novel prior to picking
it up, but as a Portland, Oregon native I wanted to give it a try. Fortunately
it is one of those gems that somehow always seem to get lost in the sea of
young adult literature. Obviously, I really liked this novel pretty much from
start to finish. It is well-written and not overly wordy or dramatic. Miriam is
really likable and I found myself cheering her on as she struggled to stand up
for herself against her misogynistic father. I also loved reading about
turn-of-the-century Portland and learned a lot about the women’s suffrage
movement and the Daughters of Zelophehad. I think that Blue Thread could easily have a place in the classroom, especially
as a novel that enhances education about a certain time in history, or simply
as a good book for both teens and adults to enjoy.
Plot
summary: Being a well-to-do girl in 1912 Portland, Oregon doesn’t give sixteen-year-old
Miriam Josefsohn the freedom to choose what kind of life she leads. Her strict
German-born father insists that Miriam be a proper young lady, which means that
she will never be able to work a job, cannot get involved in politics like the
women’s suffrage movement, and needs to focus on what’s important: getting
married to a wealthy Jewish man. The problem is that Miriam wants nothing to do
with marriage, and wishes she could become a businesswoman and suffragette.
Everything changes, however, when Miriam meets Serakh, a girl her age with
bronze skin and a long white braid who asks her about a prayer shawl with a
single blue thread. Miriam has never seen such a prayer shawl, but is shocked a
few days later when her uncle gives her a family heirloom he has been keeping
for her: her great-grandmother’s prayer shawl with a single blue thread. When
Serakh returns, she informs Miriam that the shawl has the power to transport
Miriam thousands of years in the past to the time of the Daughters of
Zelophehad: five sisters in biblical times who sought the right to inherit
their father’s lands. Miriam learns that the daughters need her help in their
struggle for justice, and that their plight might influence her own generations
later.
Review: History
author Ruth Tenzer Feldman demonstrates her prowess at creating enjoyable,
thoughtful works of fiction with Blue
Thread. Combining historical fiction, fantasy, and Jewish fiction, Feldman
weaves a tale that both educates and entertains readers who are interested in
experiencing something less fluffy and melodramatic as other novels for teens.
The most successful part of Blue Thread
is, without-a-doubt, the protagonist, Miriam. The character is well-written to
the point that by the end of the novel, the reader feels like she is a
long-lost friend. Although she lives 100 years ago, modern teens will find much
to identify with in Miriam’s struggle to prove to her parents that she is
capable and independent. Miriam evolves throughout the story, learning from her
travels to the past, and ending her journey on a very exciting note. The time
travel aspect of the novel is interesting and adds a level of fantasy to the
book, but more important is Miriam’s efforts to champion women’s rights in
general. The author does an excellent job of intertwining the fantasy and
historical fiction components of the story, but the novel is primarily a
coming-of-age story about a really likable and admirable young woman.
Genre: Historical Fiction/Fantasy
Reading
level: Grade 7+
Similar
titles: Cleopatra’s
Moon by Vicky Alvear, The Red
Tent by Anita Diamant, Darker Still:
A Novel of Magic Most Foul by Leanna Renee Hieber.
Themes: Women’s suffrage movement, Portland, Oregon,
father/daughter relationships, time travel, Judaism, the Bible.
Awards/Reviews:
Positive reviews from authors Karen Cushman,
Anne Osterlund Swan, Janice Dilg and David Michael Slater.
Series
Information: N/A
Discussion
questions:
-
Why do you think Miriam’s father was so
strict? Do you think that his beliefs were normal for the time period?- Explain why Miriam’s father was so opposed to her having the prayer shawl. Did his attitude change in the novel?
- What was the significance of Baloo in the events of the story?
- How did Miriam help Tirtzah and her sisters fight for justice? How did they help her?
- If you lived in 1912, do you think you would have been like Miriam and fought for women’s right to vote? Why or why not?
- Describe how Miriam is similar to a sixteen-year-old girl in 2012. How is she different?
