The Books of JacobThe Books of Jacob
Score Modern
What it's about
In the mid-18th century, as new ideas and unrest sweep Europe, a young Jew of mysterious origins, Jacob Frank, arrives in a Polish village. Changing his name and persona and seemingly visited by ecstatic visions, he gathers an increasingly fervent following, and becomes one of history's strangest messiahs.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the International Booker Prize. It's Olga Tokarczuk's magnum opus.
You'll love it if you liked
Flights
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead
The Name of the RoseGood to know
It's nearly 1,000 pages and best read slowly.
By the numbers
- Readers44 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics27 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller26 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz26 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #96 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #983 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1820 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Olga Tokarczuk
FlightsDrive Your Plow Over the Bones of the DeadIf you like this, read next
The Book Thief
The Help
Pachinko
Shuggie Bain
Half of a Yellow Sun
My Brilliant FriendExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Books of Jacob worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the International Booker Prize. It ranks #1,820 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Books of Jacob about?
In the mid-18th century, as new ideas and unrest sweep Europe, a young Jew of mysterious origins, Jacob Frank, arrives in a Polish village. Changing his name and persona and seemingly visited by ecstatic visions, he gathers an increasingly fervent following, and becomes one of history's strangest messiahs.
How long does it take to read The Books of Jacob?
About 25 hours (993 pages), or about 7 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Books of Jacob?
If you liked it, try Flights by Olga Tokarczuk, Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk or The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco.