The main plot of the novel covers the years between 1904 and 1981, with events like World War II, the Holocaust, and the creation of Israel informing its socio-political context. Antisemitism plays a major part in Esther’s life, since her young parents migrated to the US to escape the rising tide of Judenhass (hatred of Jewish people) in Austria. Esther’s father died on the ship, while her mother was bludgeoned to death after her arrival in Portland, possibly in an antisemitic incident. Thus orphaned, Esther wants to connect with her Jewish heritage in a bid to know herself.

As she grows up, Zionism—the political philosophy that advocates for the Jewish state of Israel—becomes a mainstay of Esther’s life. Through claiming Israel, Esther wants to reclaim her own self and place in the world. Esther moves to Jerusalem after raising Honor, and it is suggested she plays an active role in the founding of the state of Israel, possibly becoming involved with the Mossad and the IDF.

The novel’s portrayal of Jewishness, antisemitism, and Zionism have drawn mixed critical reviews. For instance, the novel rightly criticizes antisemitism, but tends to limit the portrayal of Jewish people to outsiders or a victimized minority, as noted by PJ Grisar in the left-leaning progressive Jewish publication, The Forward (Grisar, PJ. “John Irving Always Felt Like an Outsider—Is That All He Thinks There Is to Jewishness?” The Forward, 3 Nov. 2025).

Similarly, reviews have questioned the relatively uncritical portrayal of Zionism. Although Esther—whose destiny has been shaped by the horrifying effects of antisemitism—sees Zionism as a just cause, the Israeli establishment’s evolving definition of Zionism has led to the displacement and marginalization of the Palestinian people. Calling for a renewed definition of Zionism, some commentators suggest that the idea should balances the needs of all the communities of Israel and Palestine. (Mort, Jo-Ann. “Zionism Can—and Must—Be About Liberation of Jews and Palestinians.” The Guardian, 29 Apr. 2024).

Zionism, especially after the formation of Israel, has also been criticized for its colonial, expansionist, and Eurocentric worldview. The novel does touch on these aspects of Zionism, such as when Esther notes in a letter home that the newest Israeli settlements in Palestine seem to be violating the Geneva Convention; however, this view is not developed significantly. Grisar also notes that while Jimmy becomes sympathetic to the Palestinians during his time in Jerusalem, the narrative deliberately collapses that sympathy in a final twist that reveals that Jimmy’s Palestinian companions harbor hatred against the Israelis (Grisar, 2025).