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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
This book was such a surprise and entirely off my radar until my book club chose it. This is a novel of two Jewish boys in the 40s, one a Hasidic Orthodox and the other more secular and how their lives intersect as friends. It’s a story of fathers and sons. A story of having your path chosen for you. A story of religious tension. There are so many metaphors in this story and it’s so discussable. The writing is gorgeous but it is not pretentious. There’s a ton of Jewish history and it makes an interesting parallel to the genocide in Gaza.
This is a book I will need to reread to fully appreciate the complexity of this story.
This is a book I will need to reread to fully appreciate the complexity of this story.
An instant favorite. Chaim Potok is an incredibly gifted writer and captured emotions throughout the book that I don't think I have ever experienced in writing before. A beautiful story full of pain, heartbreak, love and friendship. To write about friendship and the relationship between men and their sons in such a way that it is applicable to anyone's life is a feat not many authors could master as well as Potok has done here. This book is a treasure; rich with insights about true friendship painted on a historical background left me emotionally affected. I can't wait to begin reading some of Potok's other works.
Just as excellent as "My Name is Asher Lev". Reuven and Danny, two Jewish boys in America, become friends. One is supposed to become a rabbi but does not want to, the other wants to but does not have to. Note this doesn't pass the Bechdel test in the slightest - it's all about sons and their fathers and growing up.
I had to read it in high school and didn’t enjoy it, until the very last chapter.
This is the best fucking book I’ve ever read holy shit
I read this book as part of a discussion group. I absolutely loved it. I wish that I had read it at a much younger age. I am sure that my friends and classmates would have had a lot of fun discussing this book.
Part of the joy in reading this book is the complexity of the relationships between the main characters: Reuven and Danny's friendship, the boys' relationship to their own fathers, the boys' relationship to their friend's father, the fathers' relationships with each other, every character's relationship to his faith, etc.
If you're a religion nerd, this book is brimfilled with excellent food for thought: the conflict between different orthodox traditions, varying beliefs about the establishment of a secular Jewish state, what it means to be human, what it means to be a righteous person, etc.
I realize that this is more of a list and less of a review. However, I just wanted to illustrate that this book gives readers so much to think about. It's also well-written, with dynamic, beautiful characters.
Part of the joy in reading this book is the complexity of the relationships between the main characters: Reuven and Danny's friendship, the boys' relationship to their own fathers, the boys' relationship to their friend's father, the fathers' relationships with each other, every character's relationship to his faith, etc.
If you're a religion nerd, this book is brimfilled with excellent food for thought: the conflict between different orthodox traditions, varying beliefs about the establishment of a secular Jewish state, what it means to be human, what it means to be a righteous person, etc.
I realize that this is more of a list and less of a review. However, I just wanted to illustrate that this book gives readers so much to think about. It's also well-written, with dynamic, beautiful characters.
I have to be honest but up until the last few pages I really didn't get this book but then the last few pages made complete sense and the I could actually say that I really enjoyed the book.
From this book I got the message that we should all be patient and loving and understanding of everyone, no matter how like us or unlike us they are. We may not always understand the way someone is treating us but usually there is a reason for it.
Glad I read this book.
From this book I got the message that we should all be patient and loving and understanding of everyone, no matter how like us or unlike us they are. We may not always understand the way someone is treating us but usually there is a reason for it.
Glad I read this book.
I picked up an autographed copy of this at McKays. I wonder if I will love it as much as I did Asher Lev?
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I'd like to give it 3 1/2 stars. I enjoyed it, but no where near as much as Asher Lev. It has some great quotable parts about friendship.
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I'd like to give it 3 1/2 stars. I enjoyed it, but no where near as much as Asher Lev. It has some great quotable parts about friendship.
What a beautiful story this is. Two boys and their two fathers navigate the complexities of religion, disagreement, friendship, respect, and the trials of life. Set toward the end of WWII, this is a coming of age story that highlights both the struggle and the glory of individuality and change.
Aside from the plot itself, the book is short and well-written. Cover to cover took me about 48 hours, and I didn’t come across any parts that dragged or that I felt were unnecessary. The characters were well developed; given that there were so few of them, Potok really had ample opportunity to flesh them out in wonderful detail.
I don’t have much else to say about this book, so I’m going to leave it at that. Beautiful and highly recommended.
Aside from the plot itself, the book is short and well-written. Cover to cover took me about 48 hours, and I didn’t come across any parts that dragged or that I felt were unnecessary. The characters were well developed; given that there were so few of them, Potok really had ample opportunity to flesh them out in wonderful detail.
I don’t have much else to say about this book, so I’m going to leave it at that. Beautiful and highly recommended.
challenging
emotional
reflective
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
Aside from the truly insane descent into Zionism at the end, this book was hampered by the way it left Danny and Reuven's relationship. I for one never mention the neuroses brought on by sexualities to my best friend with whom I do everything then do nothing about the narrative keeping us from talking about it until I am suitably consumed by my translation skillz. The writing was lovely though!