Song of Miriam

Song of Miriam Pearl Wolf Hilliard Harris Publishers ISBN 1-59133-025-4 Russia, 1787-1850 On the eve of Catherine the Great's departure from St. Petersburg to Kiev, Prince Potemkin holds a formal ball in her honor. An grand event has been set, rich with sumptious food and costly drink. The ball, given in name of the beloved czarina , holds Russian nobility in attendance. In the midst of all this, a virtually unknown young woman captures the attention of the royal czar himself. Introduced to Prince Potemkin at the ball, the mysterious lady sets tongues wagging as to whom she may be. Sixteen year old Miriam Zeklinski is indeed an unknown. Freshly married to Dov Zeklinski, the dark eyed Jewish beauty dreams of wedded bliss and a child. Her husband Dov has far greater plans. Cold hearted yet brilliant, Dov sets to raise his humble family out of obscurity in Russian society. As time goes by, Dov becomes increasingly distant, crude , and neglectful towards his new bride. Miriam is forced to abandon her dreams and make the best of an unhappy marriage. While Dov abandons her for months at a time, Miriam is left alone in their grand home, holding parties for Russian society that Dov so earnestly hopes to impress. In the midst of it all, Miriam must also deal with a growing prejudice towards their faith, which in time escalates to life threatening proportions. The story unfolds and Miriam, no longer a newlywed, has come to terms with her marriage and social tension. Dov obtains fantastic business success, while angering more than his share of associates. He has built a lavish lifestyle, complete with a mansion, jewels and almost anything that Miriam could possibly desire. Miriam however longs for harmony in their marriage and holds on to the false hope that Dov will love her once again. Childless, she becomes increasingly melancholy and slowly gives up her dream of happiness. While Dov is too busy to lavish Miriam with the attention she deserves, plenty of other men would eagerly trade places with him. Count Alexei Razovsky encounters Miriam and the two give in to temptation and start a love affair. No affair is without consequences and soon the lovers are threatened by palace members and Dov's business enemies alike. Miriam's life is soon at stake, a high price to pay for her religious heritage. The song of Miriam is an eloquently written story about the rise and fall of a Jewish woman set to take her place in Russian society. The tale of strength and determination is vividly portrayed page after page. Miriam's devotion to her Jewish heroism is unwavering under the bitter prejudice that threatens to destroy her very being. Pearl Wolf has penned a gem of a story in Song of Miriam. Her first historical novel set the pace for many, many more! Ms. Wolf spends her time living in New York City and South Hampton, enjoying her children and family. She has received numerous honors, including bein

AMAZING, you can't put this book down!! An excellant tale of love, devotion and loss in a sweeping tale across the wide expance of Russia in the eighteenth century. Miriam triumphs in spite of an uncaring husband, a climate of anti-Semitism, palace intrigue and redemption.

I found this book very enjoyable. It was a good combination of history, intrigue and romance. I recommend it to all my friends.

I really enjoy historical sagas that span generations and Song of Miriam does not disappoint. With a backdrop of colorful Russian and Jewish history and customs, the central character is someone who comes to life. A fun story with some interesting twists!

What a great book. Full of history and romance!Give this one top billing on your reading list!