Just Revenge

Just Revenge is a suspenseful legal thriller by Alan Dershowitz.  The novel takes an emotional look at the feelings survivors of the Holocaust have related to the perpetrators of that horror, and asks a very difficult question: Are survivors of the Holocaust entitled to revenge on the people who killed their families so long ago?

This is the second novel of Mr. Dershowitz's with Abe Ringel as the main character.  However, you don't need to have read the first to read this one.  In this novel, Max Menuchen, a friend and fellow scholar of Abe's discovers that the man responsible for killing his entire family is still alive and is living very close by.  This man has had a full life, with children and now grandchildren.  An opportunity Max's family never got.  This enrages Max.  At first he tries to enact some semblance of revenge on this man legally, but when the legal channels fail him, Max has to decide if he needs to take things into his own hands.  Abe is left with defending Max's actions in the court of law.

Not really being an "eye for an eye" kind of gal, it was hard for me to get behind Max on his crusade for justice.  However, this novel really made the reader think.  It asked hard questions, and delivered difficult answers.  It was a fast, page turner, that was written well.  While not a fan of Mr. Dershowitz particularly, I have to give credit to his abilities as a writer.  This novel was a thriller that had me on the edge of my seat and at the same time, made me philosophical.  Quite an interesting pair.  Not wanting to give anything away, I will say that there will be those unsatisfied with the ending.  I believe that the ending did serve up the only justice possible, and left the reader with maybe a little hope.  I would highly recommend this one.

Happy Reading!