Product Description

Bits and Ash were children when the kidnapping of their younger sister, Alena—an incident for which Ash blames himself—caused an irreparable family rift. Thirteen years later, Ash is living as an Orthodox Jew in Israel, cutting himself off from his mother, Ellie, and his wild-child sister, Bits. But soon he may have to face them again; Alena's remains have finally been uncovered. Now Bits is traveling across the world in a bold and desperate attempt to bring her brother home and salvage what's left of their family.

Sharp and captivating, Who by Fire deftly explores what happens when people try to rescue one another.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #255368 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-23
• Released on: 2008-09-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780061572937
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
In her affecting debut, Spechler raises the question of whether, in rescuing others, we risk ruining ourselves. Thirteen years after the abduction of youngest child Alena at the age of six, the remaining members of the Kellerman family are still deeply damaged by their shared loss. The irresponsible oldest daughter, Bits, seeks out random sexual encounters with near strangers to fill the voids in her life. Son Ash, meanwhile, dabbles in a variety of compulsive behaviors before settling on Orthodox Judaism, cutting himself off from the rest of the family and moving to Jerusalem. The mother, Ellie, enlists the help of a charismatic stranger to help save Ash from what she views as a cult, and when Alena's remains are discovered, Bits determines to bring Ash home for their sister's long-overdue memorial service. Told in alternating chapters by Bits, Ellie and Ash, the narrative is notable in large part for how little these family members actually interact with one another despite the drama that confronts them all. Though the ending is overly tidy, Spechler's debut raises provocative questions about religion, violence and the resilience of families and individuals. (Oct.)
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From Booklist
Bits and Ash Kellerman’s family unraveled when their younger sister, Alena, was kidnapped and never found. Their father took off with a younger woman, and their mother has never recovered from the trauma. Bits, a teacher, loses herself in promiscuous sex. Ash, who blames himself for the kidnapping, runs off to Israel and joins an Orthodox yeshiva. This pushes their mother over the edge, and she insists that Bits go to Israel to convince Ash to come home. Bits refuses, but when Alena’s remains are recovered, her mother is insistent that the family be together for the funeral. Bits’ adventures as she attempts to bring her brother home and deal with the ensuing family crisis provide this above-average debut novel with plenty of dramatic tension. Add this one to recommended lists of dysfunctional families in fiction. --Barbara Bibel

Review
"Impossible to put down, Who By Fire is a remarkable tale about fear and forgiveness and the bonds that hold a family together even as its members are falling apart. It’s a beautiful novel." -- Aryn Kyle, bestselling author of THE GOD OF ANIMALS

"In her affecting debut, Spechler raises the question of whether, in rescuing others, we risk ruining ourselves....Spechler’s debut raises provacative questions about religion, violence, and the resilience of families and individuals." -- Publishers Weekly

"This book got hold of me and wouldn’t let me go, and it’s haunted me ever since I finished. I cannot wait for whatever’s next from Diana Spechler." -- Katrina Kittle, author of THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS

"Told with grace, humor, and astonishing candor, this is a novel that will break your heart. To call it an extraordinary debut doesn’t do it justice. This is an extraordinary novel, period." -- Cristina Henriquez, author of COME TOGETHER, FALL APART

Customer Reviews

Great Family Story
OK, full disclosure: I took a class with Diana Spechler over the summer - so I can recommend both her novel and her classes! Obviously, I approached the book with heightened expectations, so I was pleased that by the end of the third chapter I was invested in the characters and interested in seeing where the plot would take me. The characters are believable, and the dialogue is natural, and sometimes painfully real. (I think I'd give the book five stars for the interactions between Bits and Wade alone...) Spechler is especially good at revealing characters slowly, so that by the end of the book, when the reader has seen several of the characters through 3 different pairs of eyes, they have a very different opinion of them than they started with. She does this organically, so it never feels like she's forcing a revelation on the reader, or twisting her characters to make them fit the plot. She did a great job depicting the yeshiva boys - their religious fervor is treated seriously, without ever making them seem like clichés or straw men. I did feel that the chapters were a little too short - I wanted to spend more time on each chapter, and I wanted to spend more time with each character, particularly Bits' mother. But really my biggest critique would be that I wanted it to be longer - the mark of a truly involving book!

My new favorite book!
Wow! Diana Spechler gives us the world's most disfunctional family yet succeeds in letting them enter our hearts. I found myself hating and rooting for each character at the same time. The chapters are short and make for an easy read. The story is so gripping, the book becomes impossible to put down. I came to quite a dilemna about half way through the book. On one hand, I wanted to race through to see what happened to the three main characters, but I couldn't bare the thought of finishing Who By Fire. A very satisfying ending makes this book one that I am planning on recommending to everyone I know. And I am looking forward to buying copies of this book for everyone on my Holiday Gift Giving list.

Amazing Read!!
These characters are the most compelling literary figures I've encountered in years! At once genuine, they are noneless flawed yet struggle within themselves to be better. Despite their shortcomings and blunders, they manage to find those rare moments of grace that make them beautiful and wonderfully human. I could not put this book down, and I highly recommend it as the perfect choice for a book discussion group, as there's no shortage of themes to discuss!