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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
A fun, filthy, fascinating book about a young Hassidic woman who loves her family, her faith...and porn. That's how the book starts out, but there's a lot more to it. It talks about all of the traditions and rules a young Jewish woman is expected to live with, and makes passive observations about Western culture and mores.
Raizl is an interesting young woman. I'm happy with her ending - or beginning - and was happy with the book's ending.
Note: this book isn't for the faint of heart. I'm no prude and a couple of the passages made me uncomfortable, but if you can get past it, the rest of the book is really interesting.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are mine and freely given.
Raizl is an interesting young woman. I'm happy with her ending - or beginning - and was happy with the book's ending.
Note: this book isn't for the faint of heart. I'm no prude and a couple of the passages made me uncomfortable, but if you can get past it, the rest of the book is really interesting.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are mine and freely given.
WHAT a unique look into the juxtaposition of online pornography & a purity-obsessed culture. It made me think about how hard it is to find that middle ground of comfort in your own sexuality, but within the bounds of this oppressive, patriarchal organization. This book is also is an interesting commentary on 2 things - 1. you cannot block out the modern world in favor of tradition, now matter how hard you try, and 2. Your sexual and spiritual sides do not need to be at odds, they can work in tandem. The story was fascinating and I loved our heroin, Raizl.
I have two knocks -the pacing was a little off sometimes, so some of the characters fell a little flat. Second, there were no footnotes - only a Glossary at the back of the book. I loved the injection of Yiddish and thought that made the book so authentic and beautiful. However, because I read it on a Kindle I couldn't hop back and forth between the glossary and my page, so the Yiddish words left me lost. (I am familiar with a lot of them, but there were entire phrases and sentences of Yiddish, and I would have loved a footnote for the Kindle.)
I have two knocks -the pacing was a little off sometimes, so some of the characters fell a little flat. Second, there were no footnotes - only a Glossary at the back of the book. I loved the injection of Yiddish and thought that made the book so authentic and beautiful. However, because I read it on a Kindle I couldn't hop back and forth between the glossary and my page, so the Yiddish words left me lost. (I am familiar with a lot of them, but there were entire phrases and sentences of Yiddish, and I would have loved a footnote for the Kindle.)
Really enjoyed this one. Going through a young woman's journey with questioning her faith and her place in the world definitely hit home for me. I liked the ending, but do wish we got a little more of a glance into her future.
Ugh. This book. So good and yet so disappointing. On the one hand, I am grateful to the author for giving me such an intimate glimpse into the world of a young Chasidic woman, something I know very little about. I was totally sucked in. I devoured the book in a weekend because I just couldn't function without knowing how Raizl was going to cope, but, alas, I was left hanging with an ending that I was sincerely disappointed by.
The entire book is about Raizl, struggling with an addiction and testing her faith and identity— and the ending is so abrupt and dare I say, cliche. Raizl's fiance says something along the lines of "no computers in our house" and that's the end of that. All the 200+ pages of self-discovery, therapy and agony were just so a dude character could say 5 words and that's it? She gets married and the book ends. What about her questioning her sexuality!? What about, um, ya know, her addiction!? Unresolved. I'm just not sure what the message was. Love cures everything? A Prince Charming is the answer to all women in distress? I truly thought Raisl was going to run away into the sunset with Samand leave her whole identity behind and start anew. I was completely convinced that there was no way this book was going to end with the cliche happy wedding. And then it did.
Maybe a part II is in the works, and I really do hope there is one because this book was too unique to have such a trite, unsatisfying ending.
And I'll echo the other reviewers and ask the same question, wtf was going on with the Rebbetzin?
The entire book is about Raizl, struggling with an addiction and testing her faith and identity— and the ending is so abrupt and dare I say, cliche. Raizl's fiance says something along the lines of "no computers in our house" and that's the end of that. All the 200+ pages of self-discovery, therapy and agony were just so a dude character could say 5 words and that's it? She gets married and the book ends. What about her questioning her sexuality!? What about, um, ya know, her addiction!? Unresolved. I'm just not sure what the message was. Love cures everything? A Prince Charming is the answer to all women in distress? I truly thought Raisl was going to run away into the sunset with Samand leave her whole identity behind and start anew. I was completely convinced that there was no way this book was going to end with the cliche happy wedding. And then it did.
Maybe a part II is in the works, and I really do hope there is one because this book was too unique to have such a trite, unsatisfying ending.
And I'll echo the other reviewers and ask the same question, wtf was going on with the Rebbetzin?
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced