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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
This was an interesting if mixed read for me. In some ways I felt it never became more than its premise – an Hadidic woman with an escalating porn addiction fears marriage. But I also found it a fresh look at women’s desires in a community where they are taboo. The premise is so strong but the execution meant at times I found this very slow and fragmented.
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“Hilarious and endearing...Shmutz is a dirty book with a pure heart.”—The New York Times
I devoured this coming of age novel. It is a heartbreaking yet humorous story about an Orthodox Jewish girl, Raizl, who is in college studying accounting while working as an accountant. Her family wants her to get married. She is only 18, but she cannot seem to find a proper match. Raizl becomes addicted to porn, which interferes with her studies.
This novel details Raizl's religious guilt and indoctrination, her belief in God, her desire for sex and intimacy, her addiction and how it interferes with her relationships, and her struggle to choose between her beliefs and her desires.
This causes her to experience signifcant cognitive dissonance. This book describes what addiction feels like, therapist relationships, and a desire for more than what one's current life or religion offers.
"'Clever, subversive, juicy, and surprising' (Deesha Philyaw, author of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies), Shmutz explores what it means to be a fully realized sexual and spiritual being caught between the traditional and modern worlds.'" (Google Books)
Highly recommend!
I devoured this coming of age novel. It is a heartbreaking yet humorous story about an Orthodox Jewish girl, Raizl, who is in college studying accounting while working as an accountant. Her family wants her to get married. She is only 18, but she cannot seem to find a proper match. Raizl becomes addicted to porn, which interferes with her studies.
This novel details Raizl's religious guilt and indoctrination, her belief in God, her desire for sex and intimacy, her addiction and how it interferes with her relationships, and her struggle to choose between her beliefs and her desires.
This causes her to experience signifcant cognitive dissonance. This book describes what addiction feels like, therapist relationships, and a desire for more than what one's current life or religion offers.
"'Clever, subversive, juicy, and surprising' (Deesha Philyaw, author of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies), Shmutz explores what it means to be a fully realized sexual and spiritual being caught between the traditional and modern worlds.'" (Google Books)
Highly recommend!
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-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:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
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
the unique premise of this book is what initially drew me in, but Raizl’s compelling narrative voice is what made me stay! this is a really complex, compassionate account of a young woman’s journey of self-discovery while in a very conservative religious community, and even though our circumstances are very different, I related to many parts of Raizl’s story. rather than portraying her Hasidic community as oppressive, the author provides a much more nuanced view of the meaning of community and faith.
challenging
informative
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Interesting look into two worlds that's often not talked about. But it felt like 250 pages of leading up to nothing? I was intrigued, but Raizl seems to learn nothing. Maybe that's the point, but this just wasn't for me
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes