The Slave

I found The Slave to be very interesting and quite addicting. I thought it was amazing how Jacob could spend five years away from other Jews and still have that strong of a faith. I was happy when I read he was going back for Wanda. She was my favorite character and I was so upset when he left her to go back home. I found it ingenious of Sarah to come up with the idea of being a mute. I never would have thought of the language being such an issue. But I would assume it would be similar to a foreigner learning English and speaking with a thick accent. She was very smart and dedicated to it. I have no idea how on earth she could have stayed mute for that long. I go crazy if I am in a museum and cannot talk for a couple of hours, let alone a few years. I also thought it was amazing how in labor she did not speak. She only screamed and groaned. How could a woman do that? She never spoke until she found it was too late. She was going to die. This part REALLY disappointed me. She was my favorite character and now she is dead? To me it seemed like the story died with her. It seemed as if Jacob too died with her. He wondered around for several years, but never truly got on with his life. I thought this was so sweet how he came back to die with her. I thought it was a little cheesy how Sarah's body just happened to be right next to Jacob's when they were buried and how her body wasn't decomposed enough so you could tell it was her. That seemed a little too cheesy for me. I love a happy ending, but at least make it realistic. 

One part of the slave that really bugged me was how the Jews were SO against Jews marrying a gentile. I would think that the Jews would be happy to know they have one more person on their side. I would have thought they would be excited to teach Sarah the ways of their religion. They would be happy to know they have one more person to carry on their traditions in their religion. Maybe this is the Christian faith I am thinking of, but I am still confused.