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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
informative
inspiring
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:
No
Beautiful, moving, and bittersweet story about a young man Reuven who is of Modern Orthodox faith, and his unexpected friendship with Danny, of Hasidic faith after their high school baseball game against one another. Together they gain understanding of the commitment each have to family, faith and their different professional goals they both passionately pursue. Each young man, as they learn to define themselves, also redefine their faith for themselves. Loved learning actual history within this fictional story. There is a common thread or theme through most of Chaim Potok’s books- learning to become who you are meant to be while often courageously redefining and then maintaining a version of one’s faith. Characters and story lines are written and developed sensitively and compassionately with empathy.
I read this book in high school and it's one of my favorites to this day. I love that this book is about many different things: religion, friendship, growing up, family pressure. It was interesting and I felt invested in the two main characters.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
It's good to know that you can be an Hasidic Jew and still have a completely dick dad.
I envy the friendship between these boys and the relationship between Reuven and his father.
I appreciate the glimpse inside the Hasidic community and the history lesson on the founding of Israel (not to mention the ins and out of Talmudic study).
I appreciate the glimpse inside the Hasidic community and the history lesson on the founding of Israel (not to mention the ins and out of Talmudic study).
I read this when I was in high school and I remember that I had loved it. I don't remember exactly why I just knew I loved it. Now that I have re-read it, I find that I relate with both Danny and Reuven in how they felt about their religion. It is such a good book! It's a must read, especially for teenagers.
G rated. An amazing read. A involving book which gives you a glimpse into what it might be like to be a Jew. Everyone should read.
I didn't think I'd love this book as much as I did. It's universal in it's description of extremism in any religion, even though it focuses on Judaism.
The Chosen first made it onto my favorites shelf in seventh grade. Its spot in my top three was solidified when I reread it for my senior year literature course. Having a lesson on the practice of Judaism before going into any literary discussion certainly bolstered my appreciation for the novel, but I enjoyed it just as much five years ago with my more limited, middle school knowledge.
Through the lives of Reuven and Danny, Potok incorporates the widely-accepted aspiration to achieve righteousness through commitment to God. The extreme separatism between the teenage boys' communities almost emphasizes the parallels between their religious interpretations, and they come to represent more than unlikely friendship. Their relationship leads to a development of empathy and understanding, through which Potok masterfully represents the congruity within world religion. Whether Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Agnostic, Hindi- everyone should have this opportunity to understand and appreciate religion as a whole, not just a sect.
Through the lives of Reuven and Danny, Potok incorporates the widely-accepted aspiration to achieve righteousness through commitment to God. The extreme separatism between the teenage boys' communities almost emphasizes the parallels between their religious interpretations, and they come to represent more than unlikely friendship. Their relationship leads to a development of empathy and understanding, through which Potok masterfully represents the congruity within world religion. Whether Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Agnostic, Hindi- everyone should have this opportunity to understand and appreciate religion as a whole, not just a sect.
4 1/2 stars
A beautiful tale of the friendship between two boys caught in the intersection of conflicting cultures.
A beautiful tale of the friendship between two boys caught in the intersection of conflicting cultures.