Alderman Naomi: Neposluh

Naomi Alderman: Disobedience

Naomi Alderman's first novel, "Disobedience", was included in the Orange Prize for Fiction list immediately after its publication and won the Orange Award for New Writers in 2006.

Naomi Alderman is like her main character - an Englishwoman of Jewish origin with a longer stay in New York. The spaces of these cultures represent the stage for the novel "Disobedience" - the traditionally closed environment of the London Jewish community is opposed to the more liberal spirit that blows from the other side of the Atlantic.

When her father, a highly respected rabbi in the Jewish community of North London, dies, the disobedient Ronit must - after years of voluntary absence - return, if only for a short time, to the environment from which she escaped. Returning to a familiar space means at the same time returning to the past: former friends and former lovers welcome her in this community, and although time has changed them, their shared past still connects them. The planned short-term stay in order to perform the burial rites and take over the father's personal belongings thus turns into a journey through time, into clearing up personal relationships and finally confronting oneself.

"In 'Disobedience', Alderman tries to reconcile Judaism, the emancipation of women and lesbianism (the Torah does not mention lesbianism; the rabbis forbid it; but the Torah only writes about men who lie with other men!) The idea seems crazy, but it is not uninteresting: traditional and The author considers herself a practical believer. She does not use a car, a telephone, or an e-mail. She is critical of her religion. But she also finds support in tradition: "I cannot be an Orthodox woman, nor have I ever been." Jurak)

As much as the action takes place in serious and tragic circumstances, the main character's ironic attitude and sense of humor come to the fore. Ronit is sharp and witty, fast and uncompromising, and so is the novel as a whole.

Naomi Alderman is the author of the novels "The Liar's Gospel" and "Disobedience" ("Neposluh", Algoritam, 2007), the latter of which won the Orange Award for young writers, was published in a dozen languages, and a film adaptation is being prepared with Rachel Weisz in the lead role. She was included in the list of the best young British novelists of the literary magazine Granta, and was chosen by Margaret Atwood to participate in the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts program for encouraging young artists. She is the co-author and head writer of the highly successful smartphone audio app, "Zombies, Run!" He regularly writes for The Guardian and presents scientific topics on BBC Radio 4. He lives in London.