Edeet Ravel dispels some myths — particularly the myth of Tzahal, the Israeli army — but she does so with finesse and intelligence, and with boundless love for the country and the marvellous Hebrew language.

- Le Monde, Paris

Ravel is unflinching in her exploration of the moral and emotional conflicts of her characters and of the country in which they live, but the light she shines is as compassionate as it is clear-eyed, illuminating each character's full humanity and revealing the beating heart of the state of Israel as well as its wounded spirit… her seemingly simple and direct sentences often resonate with myriad meanings, possibilities and ironies… The etymological forays provide fascinating, insightful glimpses into the development of the Israeli psyche… This is a brave and beautiful book. It is a heartbreaking book. It could have been called Ten Thousand Dreams, or Ten Thousand Hopes, but Ten Thousand Lovers is best, for this book is at heart a love story. Read it for that, for the pure pleasure of it. But read it also to understand why love -- even transcendent love -- is sometimes not enough.

- Nancy Richler, Globe & Mail, Toronto

Edeet Ravel’s debut novel, Ten Thousand Lovers, is a stunning book, a must-read for anyone who likes a love story and who cares about justice, humanity, and the state of the world.

- Quill And Quire, Montreal

Ten Thousand Lovers weaves a beguiling spell that is equal parts darkness and light...[Ravel's] prose rings with such verisimilitude that even Israel's strongest defenders will be disturbed by its details... The amazing thing is, even if you are some distance away along the spectrum, it doesn't seem to matter. Like a self-enclosed world, her book is a thing of integrity, true to itself and so deeply felt that it somehow manages to bridge the gap.

- Forward, New York

In her lyrically tough-minded first novel, Edeet Ravel reminds us again of the limitations of nonfiction. No matter how many books and articles about, say, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict you may read, you cannot know it from the inside out… Unless, of course, you have the good fortune to stumble upon a fiction with the deceptive depth and complexity of Ten Thousand Lovers.

- Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale

The strength of [Ami and Lily's] affair is deeply moving... Lily's narrative alternates bewteen memoir and linguistic meditations on ancient and modern Hebrew. It is in these passages, conveyed in a quiet and almost lyrical voice, that the full tragic dimension of Israel's character emerges."

- New York Times

Determined to avoid stereotype, Edeet Ravel succeeds in sketching the intriguing portrait of a skillful interrogator… The beauty of the conversations is that while [Ami and Lily] are in bed, in the living room, on hikes, at parties or sharing a joint, hovering over them is the hideous specter of torture… Ravel’s strength lies not only in fantasizing about the beauties of Israel, but in allowing the menacing and the terrible to become part of her portrait of Israeli life. This is a wonderful book, compelling not only for its literary merit but because it expands our grasp of what 'Israeli' means."

- Haaretz, Israel

This is a powerful, provocative and poignant debut novel. A love story haunted by the endless tragedy of day-to-day living in the world’s most intractable trouble spot.

- Canberra Times, Australia

A shrewd and compassionate storyteller.

- Sunday Herald, U.K.

Ravel weaves a rich tapestry of love… her knowledge of history and language infuses the book with veracity and vividness.

- The Chronicle Herald, Halifax

A small gem of a novel

- Hamilton Jewish News, Ontario

I was hooked…well-written and gripping.

- Jewish Voice and Herald, Rhode Island

An entrancing tale of love, language and politics.

- Times Colonist, British Columbia

Compelling, emotionally searing…Lovers is a terribly sad story, a story about loss of innocence, of idealism gone awry, of battered psyches, of hope turned to despair. It is not so much an indictment of Israel as it is a search for the question (from Twelfth Night), ‘What country, friends, is this?’

- Ottawa Jewish Bulletin

Ten Thousand Lovers captures the beauty of the vagaries of contemporary life in Israel. It portrays, in poignant fashion, the impact of the never-ending cycle of violence on the psyche of the average Israeli citizen... the novel is a mirror into the soul of modern day Israel.

- Jewish Book World

Passionate and troubling...Highly recommended for libraries and discussion groups.

- Library Journal

The textured personal story rises above its political context like a melody soaring beyond the steady rhythm pulsing below it.

- Book List

I read far into the night, the graphic descriptions surrounding life in Israel where love is ravishing, beautiful, but politically not easy to cling onto. This book is most atmospheric, resounding and a compulsive piece of writing. A book I will cherish forever.

- Bangor Chronicle, North Wales