They appeal the decision to the Grand Rabbi of Denmark, who upholds the marriage request. Rachel didn’t follow any rules, but “knew what she wanted” The family, devout Jews, fl THE MARRIAGE OF OPPOSITES. The first half of the novel focuses on Rachel, and the second half recounts Camille’s struggles to gain acceptance as an artist. Her mother is strict and dutiful, knowing that both reality … The Marriage of Opposites is a lush interpretation of the life of Rachel Pomié, who became the mother of Camille Pissaro, one of history's legendary artists. “A work of art” (Dallas Morning News), The Marriage of Opposites showcases the beloved, bestselling Alice Hoffman at the height of her considerable powers. In a first-person account, Rachel relays her life on the small island of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands during the 19th century. She falls in love with Frederic Pissarro, eight years younger than Rachel and a relative... Get The Marriage of Opposites from Amazon.com. Rachel Pizzarro, the central character in Marriage, is a young girl who had been born in 1795 on the island of St. Thomas and as the story begins, agrees to an arranged marriage with an older widower who has children, the union intended to improve her father’s business. The Marriage of Opposites Summary & Study Guide includes comprehensive information and analysis to Rachel Pomie is one of the main characters and part-time narrator of the novel “The Marriage of Opposites” by Alice Hoffman. Her self-determination and desire to make the best of things is apparent throughout the novel: she commits to her arranged marriage, she raises her children and step-children with a deep love, and she takes being ostracized from the congregation with a grain of salt. Building on the triumphs of The Dovekeepers and The Museum of Extraordinary Things, set in a world of almost unimaginable beauty, The Marriage of Opposites showcases the beloved, best-selling Alice Hoffman at the height of her considerable powers. “Her lush, seductive prose, and heart-pounding subject…make this latest skinny-dip in enchanted realism…the Platonic ideal of the beach read” (Slate.com). Rachel's mother, a pillar of their small refugee community of Jews who escaped the Inquisition, has never forgiven her daughter for being a difficult girl who refuses to live by the rules. I didn't like Camille's mother Rachel - who the book centres around. Why or why not? When Isaac dies, Rachel realizes she is free to do as she wishes, but is grounded by the reality of responsibility for the company and her children. To help the family business, Rachel must enter into an arranged marriage … The Marriage of Opposites . But Rachel's life is not her own. Isaac’s nephew, Frederic, arrives from Paris to handle the company. Only when falling in love with her grandchildren does Rachel finally consent to the marriage. This book may be unable to order. Rachel Pomie is one of the main characters and part-time narrator of the novel “The Marriage of Opposites” by Alice Hoffman. Hard to Find. Isaac is kind and gentle, the marriage is good, and Rachel bears Isaac children. I enjoyed … It was fascinating to learn of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews who fled from those countries to St. Thomas, then owned by the Dutch, where religious freedom was a right. Once forgotten to history, the marriage of Rachel and Frédérick is a story that is as unforgettable as it is remarkable. Camille quickly falls in love with Julie, a young Catholic farm girl his mother has taken on as a maid. “The Marriage of Opposites” by Alice Hoffman is the story of Rachel, the mother of Camille Pissarro, an Impressionism/Post-Impressionism painter. 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