All the Rivers: A Novel, by Dorit Rabinyan, was banned in Israeli schools because of its subject matter. A young female Israeli has a love affair with a young Palestinian man in New York City. This theme would seem to fall immediately into a formula, something we all expect. The author largely avoids this, although there are pitfalls. Expected things occur; it is difficult for this kind of subject matter not to roll into ruts in the road. So, by the end, you want a conclusion. The novel runs too long; the author could have cut 50 to 75 pages and the story would not have suffered. When it ends, it is a relief.
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