After Anatevka

Continuing the story of Fiddler on the Roof, which was based off of the stories of Sholem Aleichem, Silber focuses her novel on one of the children of Tevye and Golde—their second daughter, Hodel. Silber’s admirable continuation imagines Hodel’s life in two post-Fiddler periods: Hodel’s courtship with and engagement to the scholarly Perchik, and her attempts years later to reunite with him after he is sent to a forced labor camp. Silber, an actress who played both Hodel and Tzeitzel in productions of the musical, imbues the book with obvious fondness for and understanding of the characters. Life in Imperial Russia around the turn of the century is not romanticized: Hodel faces trauma after trauma, including lengthy time in jail, but never stops fighting to find her beloved. Silber’s novel stumbles in moments of transition between the time periods, but the moving story and attention to detail will make this an enjoyable trip for any fan of Fiddler on the Roof. Agent: Joelle Delbourgo, Joelle Delbourgo Associates. (July)