Hanna Heath, a young Australian book conservationist is summoned to Sarajevo in order to preserve the Sarajevo Haggadah, a Jewish prayer book about passover. Hanna gets to work and finds clues as to the hands it once passed through; a bit of butterfly, a stain. This books tells a story both in the present and the past. I was much more interested in the past story as it covered various Jewish persecutions and the stories seem to come to life. The present story was a little contrived and not quite as believable, starting with Hanna being such a great restorer at such a young age. The past travels through Bosnia where a Muslim hid the book to preserve it, Austria-Hungary, Italy and Spain where this illuminated manuscript was first created and saved when the Jews were expelled, I also liked to read the story on the conservation efforts. All in all an interesting read!

I enjoyed this book and found it was like a series of short stories within the main story. Each individual that came in contact with a very old Hebrew Haggadah had their own compelling tale to tell over the centuries. It was a very interesting read from start to finish.

3.25 stars Hanna is a book conservationist and is called in when a book that is hundreds of years old has survived the war in Sarajevo in 1996. It was thought the book was long-destroyed. As Hanna studies the book, there are “flashbacks” explaining where the book has been and what happened to it, and who had a part in creating it. I was much more interested in Hanna’s story and what was going on with her, then in the flashbacks of the book. The flashbacks initially, to me, made the book feel like a bunch of short stories, tied together by the book, but short stories, nonetheless. I’m not a big fan of short stories, as I feel like, just as I’m starting to know the characters and what’s going on, it’s finished. Later in the book, the flashbacks felt like an interruption of Hanna’s story, which is what I was more interested in.

Excellent emotional story lines, though a little slow in some spots.

I picked up this book because it had gotten so many good reviews and was a little apprehensive because of all the hype that it would let me down, but it honestly didn't disappoint. I love how Brooks has woven several different times together to create a history that we can only guess at and follow the Sarajevo Haggadah through time and its journey with many different people. It's amazing to think that so much can be learned from simple items that travel with an item such as a seed, and though this work is complete fiction, you see just how much can be gleaned by researchers and how much is guessed at. Truly a great read!

Wonderful...amazing...a step back in time. So much tragedy in this book, so much pain for so many of the characters. I loved following the creation of the Sarajevo Haggadah backwards into time...even though the Haggadah exists, the story that Brooks weaves is pure fiction. But if you close your eyes, it's all reality as you're reading. Hard to put this one down!!

Geraldine Brooks’ novel People of the Book is an amazing, well-crafted story about such eternal themes as betrayal, persecution, temptation and weakness as well as faith, hope, redemption and love. Book restoration is Australian Dr. Hanna Heath’s life to the exclusion of all else, and she has been given an opportunity to work on the Sarajevo Haggadah, an illuminated Jewish manuscript, supposedly the only of its kind in the world…most Jewish texts only containing words. As Hanna works to restore the Haggadah in Sarajevo, she discovers minute artifacts within the pages…an insect wing, a wine stain, salt crystals and a white hair, each with its own history to reveal. Hanna travels to colleagues in different places around the world, using their expertise to help her discern the artifacts origins, and as she follows their trail not only is she forced to confront the truth of who she is and where she came from, but her own faith in herself. I thought the story was a wonderfully unique and inspiring concept for a book. The book flows back and forth through history, between Hanna in Sarajevo in Spring of 1996 and different periods in history relating to each artifact. We are shown the life of the Haggadah…and its endurance through time. While the main themes are the persecution and sacrifice of Jews, this story is not confined to Judaism but to each person’s religion or faith, whatever it may or may not be. At times the stories of the lives relating to the artifacts are wrenching, making the story feel all the more meaningful and real. People of the Book imparts an appreciation for learning, teaching and knowledge. Brooks goes into much detail about the technical aspects of book restoration and illumination, as well as providing discourse on differing views in religion. I have always found overly descriptive and overly detailed (other examples being Congo by Michael Crichton and Contact by Carl Sagan) books very appealing, although I know a lot of people do not like so much detail. People of the Book is very nicely balanced between storyline and detailed descriptions. I highly recommend People of the Book to anyone and everyone. It’s a piercing story that will long leave an impact on you. I am almost reluctant to suggest other recommended reading because I don’t think there are many similar high quality novels out there and if there is I have not yet read them. If you appreciate fiction moving back and forth through time, as well as the endurance of belief and faith in the face of persecution, I would suggest Labyrinth by Kate Mosse and The Book of Love by Kathleen McGowan.