Trees Cry for Rain: A Novel

Dr. Jeri Fink
Dailey Swan Publishing (2011)
ISBN 9780982976920
Reviewed by Joseph Yurt for Reader Views (10/11)

 

On the back cover of Dr. Jeri Fink’s new book, “Trees Cry for Rain,” the publishers notes ominously proclaim “Something unthinkable is about to happen.” And as a result of the author’s imagination and creativity, it does. The richness and flavor of Dr. Fink’s book is provided by three key ingredients: a thoroughly researched and vivid account of the Spanish Inquisition of Jews hundreds of years ago; an insightful social commentary on the current diversity of life in New York City; and, the Jewish concept of gigul, reincarnation of souls. Simply stated, gigul is a belief that each person is responsible for their actions. If they do not rectify their bad mistakes and misdeeds in one life, they will reincarnate to complete rectification in the next life. It is the concept of gigul that strongly binds together the historical drama and the author’s modern day Manhattan story.

But, while the concept of gigul is the tie that binds, “Trees Cry for Rain” is not, in my mind, a book about time travel or reincarnation. For me, these were simply intriguing literary devices that were important to the book’s architecture and to its effectiveness in engaging and holding the reader’s interest. On the surface this book follows a Jewish family living in Spain in the 1400s who must feign their conversion to Christianity in order to survive the Inquisition. Ultimately, they are betrayed. Both parents die gruesome deaths in the torture dungeons; their three daughters escape. On a parallel track, a modern day story unfolds in a Manhattan park. On one particular day, three unrelated women find themselves in that park. And in that park, the past and present collide. Any further explanation would most surely diffuse the book’s intrigue. 

As compelling as “Trees Cry for Rain” is on the surface, it is the stories that lie beneath that are the most relevant, perhaps because their message is timeless:  the more things change, the more they stay the same. Their stories are universal: the incredible power of love and family; the continuing relevance of religions on our world cultures; and the incomprehensible ability of humans to inflict extreme horror and cruelty upon each other. Upon reflecting on the books title, it occurred to me that perhaps the author was likening us to the trees and that what we cry for is grace.

“Trees Cry for Rain,” by Dr. Jeri Fink, is a most notable piece of  fiction writing, in a word, “thoroughly” - a thoroughly researched, engaging story, populated by a thoroughly developed cast of central and supporting characters, all working together in concert to compel the reader to thoroughly embrace the book. Readers who enjoy history painstakingly and vividly brought to life and storytelling uniquely wrought, will find “Trees Cry for Rain” hard to stop reading as soon as they start.   

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