Book review: Papa's Promise

I finished a book called Papa's Promise.
I'm not used to reading historical fiction, so this book was a little different from other books I've read.
I was satisfied at the end of the story, because it isn't so simple but it isn't confusing or hard either.

The characters were believable throughout the whole story, except for when mama forgot to take her pouch out of her clothes before hanging them to dry because she was so serious and cautious and unforgetful about everything.

I definitely got pictures in my head as I read.  Some pictures I remember are:  Mama, Sarah, and Esther boarding the boat to America, Sarah getting a chalk mark and getting double checked by another doctor; lots of Jell-o, Esther's friends, Esther jump roping with Gisela, and Mama, Sarah, and Esther finally getting to see Papa and stay with him in America forever.  But really, the whole story was a flowing picture as I read.

I did learn some interesting things.  I learned that when the Russians decided to travel to America it wasn't at all a so-called "easy" process.  I mean, they had to ride by horse wagon and then stop at a place, then keep going, stop again, encounter soldiers, get on a  train, get inspected by doctors, get on a boat, get inspected again by doctors, stay on Ellis Island for awhile, and finally get to America.  Huge and extremely hard process!

The whole story moved at a good pace except for when Papa was in America for two years while the rest of his family was in Russia.  Nothing really happens in those two years until they leave.

When Esther told her cousin Karina and her friend Baka that she and Mama and Sarah were traveling to America to live with her papa, I was thinking, "Why would you do that, Esther!?".

The main reason why I like this book is because Papa kept his promise, even though it was a long time til he could truly fulfill it.  I also liked it because I think I can relate to Esther because I'm a big sister, too, and I do almost all the work while my little sister lounges around.  Mama was a really strong woman because she kept note of everything, she was careful, and she planned far ahead.

I would recommend this book because it tells you a lot about Hebrew/Russian history, and also because it is a good book, and who doesn't love a good book?