Reviews

My Name Is Asher Lev, by Chaim Potok

kathyemmons's review against another edition

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5.0

Probably the greatest book I've ever read.

jking236's review against another edition

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4.0

Another book that sparked my love of characters who are trying to find their identities

aliceleanne's review against another edition

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5.0

I absolutely loved revisiting this old favorite. I’ve always been an art history and museum enthusiast, and this book has such a great accessibility on those topics.

It’s a bleak book but thoroughly gripping.

pakastajaelvi's review against another edition

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4.0

This is a beautiful story of an Orthodox Jew boy with an exceptional artistic talent and his struggle to find balance with these two defining parts of his life. What I love about this is how realistically Asher’s feelings are portrayed, especially in his younger years.
***

2017
Laskin tähteä yhdellä. Kirja oli edelleen minusta hyvä, mutta en ihan tavoittanut sitä tunnetta, jonka sain sen lukemisesta ensimmäisellä kerralla. Aihepiiri on viiden tähden arvoinen; teemoina taide, juutalaisuus, new york, perhe sekä lapsen maailma ovat heikkoja kohtiani.

notorious_bsb's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

stangre's review against another edition

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5.0

Really captivating characterization. Left me thinking a lot about the consequences of art, both positive and negative. Also a great look into Hasid Judaism. Will read more Potok for sure.

pricer4's review against another edition

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3.0

Kinda boring but read in school so maybe i need to give it another go

aztriestoread's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

sarinarm's review against another edition

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5.0

Before reading this book, nothing in my natural world stood out with any significance. Things were only what they were in a basic way. A tree looked like the definition of a tree. A street, nothing but concrete.

When Potok let me slip into the mind of a young artist, my own street began to take color. I started to notice the world around me. My fingers started itching for surfaces to carve images into.

A few close friends told me this book would be good. I trusted their recommendation. I believe this book follows in the tradition of a living word. A text that evolves and changes as you remember and reread it. I hope to come back to it in several years and meet Asher Lev again, to let him meld into my own artist self, and recreate me when I grow weary of creating.

lucinotlucy's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5