The God's of Raquel

"The Gods of Raquel" is a novel by Moacyr Scliar, the great Jewish writer from Brazil. The book has been translated from Portuguese into a very readable English by Eloah P. Giacomelli. This novel tells the life story of Raquel Szenes, a girl who is born into a Hungarian Jewish family that has emigrated to Brazil in search of a better life.Scliar narrates both the events of Raquel's life, as well as the inner world of her troubled dreams and fantasies. Many of Raquel's inner and outer struggles involve coming to terms with her Jewish identity. Early in the book, she deals with the complexity of dealing with being a Jewish student at a Catholic school. As she matures into a young woman, we accompany her on her quest for love, friendship, and sexual fulfillment. "The Gods of Raquel" is not Scliar's best work, but it is still a fascinating and valuable glimpse into Brazilian Jewish life.