On the HahaFiction shelf
House Arrest
An embezzlement accusation threatens Elisheva Fogel’s standing at the Jerusalem think tank she runs. Her three grown children have to decide what to believe about their mother while old resentments and anxiety about the family’s reputation crowd into the argument.
From the publisher’s blurb
“it’s not just a renowned matriarch who comes under the microscope”Read the full description at New Vessel Press publisher description
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What makes it funny?
The Fogels’ good opinion of themselves is part of the joke. Even their restrained taste can become a display of superiority: Barak pictures neighboring houses judging his parents’ home, then finds its furnishings just as intent on making a statement.
The comedy at work
Yedlin gives social vanity an architectural form. Houses seem to sneer and possessions perform modesty, making the family’s efforts to appear principled look increasingly elaborate.
Try this if…
For readers drawn to family arguments, class-conscious satire and people finding flattering explanations for their own behavior.
Good to know
The English translation is by Shira Atik and Evan Fallenberg. Financial corruption and the strain it puts on family loyalties drive the story.
A few distinguishing details
- A respected Jerusalem matriarch under financial scrutiny
- Sibling grievances sharpened by a public scandal
- Family status reflected in houses and furnishings
More funny family comedy
Sources & further reading
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