• Henna House

  • By: Nomi Eve
  • Narrated by: Hillary Huber
  • Length: 13 hrs and 48 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (186 ratings)

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Henna House  By  cover art

Henna House

By: Nomi Eve
Narrated by: Hillary Huber
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Publisher's summary

Yemen in 1920: After passage of the Orphan's Decree, any unbetrothed Jewish child left orphaned will be instantly adopted by the local Muslim community. With her parents' health failing, and no spousal prospects in sight, Adela Damari's situation looks dire until her uncle arrives from a faraway city, bringing with him a cousin and aunt who introduce Adela to the powerful rituals of henna tattooing. Suddenly, Adela's eyes are opened to the world, and she begins to understand what it means to love another and one's heritage. She is imperiled, however, when her parents die and a prolonged drought threatens their long-established way of life. She and her extended family flee to the city of Aden where Adela encounters old loves, discovers her true calling, and is ultimately betrayed by the people and customs she once held dear.

©2014 Nomi Eve (P)2014 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Critic reviews

"...the novel is a welcome glimpse into this historical moment and little-known culture. (Booklist)
"A captivating and evocative novel, at once intensely intimate and sweeping in scope. Nomi Eve is a wonderful writer - compassionate, intelligent, assured - and her deeply felt, richly imagined book will stay with me for a long time." (Molly Antopol, author of The UnAmericans)
"This was a book I had to read twice: the first time to rush through quickly to find out what will ultimately happen to the characters, and the second time to slowly savor the descriptions of these marvelous, exotic people and locales. Nomi Eve captivated me." (Maggie Anton, author of Rashi's Daughters and Rav Hisda's Daughter)

What listeners say about Henna House

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

historical fiction, read like an autobiography.

easy to listen to, you may find yourself lose track of time and be late to work.
however, I am frustrated at the end. I cannot say why without spoilers.
if the story is complete fiction, why leave it feeling so melancholy. if you like listening to beautiful but sad songs, then you will probably like this book.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting but not great.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

It took me a while to get through this book. I read & listened to several other books while working on this one. I would get bored and so go to another but then come back to see what happened to certain characters.

Would you recommend Henna House to your friends? Why or why not?

Best thing about this book was the information about Yemenite Jewish culture. I really didn't know much about this interesting culture/sect of Jews. It was very interesting to learn about their ways and about henna. For that reason I would recommend the book - but the plot & characters are not fascinating or entrancing. But I did finish the book and was satisfied with how it all wrapped up.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Narrator was okay.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Heartwarming Story

What made the experience of listening to Henna House the most enjoyable?

I really enjoyed learning about the customs and traditions of the Yemen people.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Of course, Adela. Her character was ethereal and pragmatic which was interesting. She perfumed her speech and her henna story.

What about Hillary Huber’s performance did you like?

I think she captured the character well.

Who was the most memorable character of Henna House and why?

I love the gathering of the woman. It reminded me of "The Red Tent". The same kind of camaraderie and love amongst the woman. It was beautiful.

Any additional comments?

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves history and tradition. It is a book about women for women or for men who want to know more about women. It is of a time long gone, but also of a time we should hold dear and maybe start again. It was beautiful.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Read this one- skip audible

OK story. Unfortunately, others of this genre are superior. Interesting Yemen historical perspective.
Slow start. Narrator speaks so slowly you have to go to 1.25 or you might fall asleep. At that speed, she's good.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Terrific saga

Compelling story takes reader to a different world peopled with fascinating characters. Not for the prissy or faint of heart but a rewarding tale.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Hannah House - good book, good performance, important story

I enjoyed listening to Henna House. I knew nothing about the story of Yemeni Jews, their daily life In the early 20th century and the political climate that resulted in their traveling to Israel after the war. The story was intriguing in large part because I am so unfamiliar with the history and customs of Yemeni Jews. By the time I was 2/3 done I was so intrigued by the art of Henna I imagined my legs and arms being adorned, and I may in fact get my first tenant application to Summer. The fact that Henna was a strictly female culture was also intriguing. Although things seem to wrap up too quickly at the end, I enjoyed every chapter and the excellent recording. I would recommend this book highly.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Learned a lot

This book is about Jews in Yemen. It follows the life of one woman from the early 20th century until after WWII and gives a deep look at her life as a subjugated woman in an Arabic society. Her daily life is portrayed in detail because that was the essence of a woman's life.The connection to henna was a strong part of the culture and further helps to define the superstitions and beliefs of the day.
I highly recommend this book because it is engaging and because you will learn a lot about people in a different part of the world.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

What an incredible story

Beautifully written! This is a story that will stay with me for a very longtime!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fabulous Book!!

Couldn’t put it down. Amazing story intertwined by history and culture. Great insight to a culture.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing story

I have listened to this book several times. It is enchanting, inspiring, and enthralling all at once.

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