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  • The Weight of Ink

  • Written by: Rachel Kadish
  • Narrated by: Corrie James
  • Length: 23 hrs and 19 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (165 ratings)

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The Weight of Ink cover art

The Weight of Ink

Written by: Rachel Kadish
Narrated by: Corrie James
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Publisher's Summary

Set in the London of the 1660s and of the early 21st century, The Weight of Ink is the interwoven tale of two women of remarkable intellect: Ester Velasquez, an emigrant from Amsterdam who is permitted to scribe for a blind rabbi, just before the plague hits the city, and Helen Watt, an ailing historian with a love of Jewish history. As the novel opens, Helen has been summoned by a former student to view a cache of 17th-century Jewish documents newly discovered in his home during a renovation. Enlisting the help of Aaron Levy, an American graduate student as impatient as he is charming, and in a race with another fast-moving team of historians, Helen embarks on one last project: to determine the identity of the documents' scribe, the elusive "Aleph". Electrifying and ambitious, sweeping in scope and intimate in tone, The Weight of Ink is a sophisticated work of historical fiction about women separated by centuries, and the choices and sacrifices they must make in order reconcile the life of the heart and mind.

©2017 Rachel Kadish (P)2017 HighBridge, a Division of Recorded Books

What listeners say about The Weight of Ink

Average Customer Ratings
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Beautiful

This was a beautifully written and beautifully read story. I highly recommend it. I miss it already.

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Exquisite

Excellent story and recording. Life changing and fully engaging. Strongly recommend. Really enjoyed every moment of the recording

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Fascinating

Fascinating story. I found the American accent somewhat difficult to listen to (sounded quite contrived) but the majority of the narration was enjoyable and smooth.

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Brilliant

I think about this book and what I learnt about European Jews everyday. Fascinating story.

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engaging historical novel

The time period and Jewish history in Amsterdam and London is the background to a thoroughly engaging story presented by an extent reader.

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Amazing!

Kadish is an amazing writer. Her extensive research is apparent, and really gives the reader an amazing look into the Jewish conscious.

The reading is also well done. The listener can easily understand, and James distinguishes between characters well.

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Memorable

The beautiful writing of this book lingers long after the final page. Kadish’s observations and turns of phrase add richness to the intertwined stories of Esther and Helen. I enjoyed the narration, even though it took a bit to accept the male, American accent. In the end, the story captured me so much that the accent didn’t matter and I actually grew to appreciate the reader and how consistently and distinctly she performed each character’s voice.

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Enthralled

Beautiful writing, captivating story and extremely talented narrator. This is the best book I’ve listened to in years. I’m ready to hear it again.

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  • E.
  • 2017-11-04

Bad American accent

As much as I loved this story, I kept getting pulled up short by the American accent that the narrator used for one of the characters. Not only does it frequently slip into English sounding vowels, but it bears no resemblance to any dialect in American spoken English. Her narration is sensitive and generally accomplished otherwise.

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3 people found this helpful

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The weight of ink - profound statement

Fabulous book- inspiring imagery and vivid portrayal of Jewish life in medieval London. loved it!

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1 person found this helpful