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nanirump's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, Hate crime, Alcohol, Child abuse, Classism, Antisemitism, and Adult/minor relationship
ellabirt's review
5.0
Amazing. The interceptions of the characters lives are written beautifully and a really interesting and moving book. Learnt a lot through the subtle descriptions of culture, and loved driving down the same streets they were mentioning in the book as I listened. Superb first novel.
terese_utan_h's review
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
stanro's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
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
4.0
'He who turns his ear away from hearing the Torah - even his prayer is an abomination!’ Proverbs 28:9, quotes the publisher’s blurb. This Jewish atheist has been challenged. How will the book pan out?
In real life, sections of Melbourne’s orthodox Jewish community have been rocked by a number of pedophiles in their schools; most notoriously Malka Liefer, the principal of a Jewish girls’ school who was (outrageously!) spirited by some of her community to Israel as news of the allegations against her broke. There she fought extradition for many years until finally being returned to Melbourne, where she was found guilty and is serving time. I know from the blurb that this is relevant, and it is confirmed early.
Set in my hometown of Melbourne, Ashley Goldberg’s ‘Abomination’ starts briskly. Ezra is off to meet his girlfriend Tegan. The disparate nature of their given names immediately makes clear that Ezra is not living an observant life within an orthodox Jewish community. His mind goes back to events some 20 years previously, when a similar scandal to that of Liefer broke at his religious school. While Ezra left the school soon after, his friend Yonaton stayed and now teaches there.
This is a culturally interesting book in many ways. Chief of those for me was the description of the first sexual encounter between two virgin newly-wed Orthodox Jews.
And then there’s the scene within a post-service gathering of male Jewish worshippers, reminiscent of the final scene from the song Harper Valley PTA. Loved it!
This book is far more than cultural tourism though. The characters have complexity and depth and the issues of living within a small strict community are well explored. However, the hypocrisies of that small community are not limited to that location, and the mainstream community’s legal system is shown to be lacking too.
#areadersjourney
terranovanz's review
3.0
A scarring but interesting read. I would love to know where Yonatan ends up.
helen000's review
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
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
4.25
Abomination is set in the Jewish community in Melbourne. Ezra and Yontan were best friends when a sexual abuse scandal rocked the ultra-Orthodox Jewish academy they attended. In the fallout Ezra’s parents removed him from the school and the two boys lost contact until bumping into each other 20 years later at a protest connected to that scandal. Their lives have gone very different directions with Yonatan becoming a Rabbi who teaches at the academy they attended, while Ezra is now secular and an atheist. But both men are at critical junctures in their lives, facing crises which have them questioning and rethinking their religious identities.
I really appreciated the less explored cultural setting (I have a bit of a fascination with extreme religious groups and this book scratched that itch) and the exploration of masculine vulnerability, male friendship, religious identity and the challenges of living a life of faith in a secular world. There can never be too many stories that highlight the way religious (and other) organisations fail to protect and support vulnerable children, instead expending energy and resources on limiting the damage to their reputation and shielding adult perpetrators from the legal ramifications of their actions and this story touched on all the expected points. The story was told in a relatively straightforward yet effective manner. I especially appreciated its balanced approach to the issue of religious faith, highlighting both the positive and negative aspects of belonging to a religious community.
I really appreciated the less explored cultural setting (I have a bit of a fascination with extreme religious groups and this book scratched that itch) and the exploration of masculine vulnerability, male friendship, religious identity and the challenges of living a life of faith in a secular world. There can never be too many stories that highlight the way religious (and other) organisations fail to protect and support vulnerable children, instead expending energy and resources on limiting the damage to their reputation and shielding adult perpetrators from the legal ramifications of their actions and this story touched on all the expected points. The story was told in a relatively straightforward yet effective manner. I especially appreciated its balanced approach to the issue of religious faith, highlighting both the positive and negative aspects of belonging to a religious community.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia and Rape
Minor: Infidelity
leemac027's review
4.0
What a fascinating read.
Yoni and Ezra grew up together attending the same ultra-Orthodox Jewish school in Melbourne. Ezra, not the most popular kid, was able to get entree into groups of kids from across the school, because of Yoni who everyone seemed to like. A tragic event leads to Ezra being taken out of his Jewish school and moved to a local high school so over time the two boys drift apart.
Twenty years later they meet by chance and both have changed significantly. What is interesting is to see how Yoni starts to question his faith and Ezra who had not been practising his Jewish faith for many years, now starts to wonder if he should take this up again. So in a sense they start to swap places.
Ashley Goldberg uses a lot of Hebrew phrases throughout the narrative, especially in relation to Yoni. This use of language reinforced the ritual around the Jewish faith, especially the ultra-Orthodox group. Every component of Yoni's life requires some kind of ritual, prayer or ceremony and the controlling aspect of this is tangible and highlights the struggle Yoni is having.
Ezra is also suffering from the legacy of his teenage years, and this has impacted his relationships and he is struggling to understand where he fits in the world.
How Yoni and Ezra start to resolve their issues is riveting reading.
Highly recommended.
Yoni and Ezra grew up together attending the same ultra-Orthodox Jewish school in Melbourne. Ezra, not the most popular kid, was able to get entree into groups of kids from across the school, because of Yoni who everyone seemed to like. A tragic event leads to Ezra being taken out of his Jewish school and moved to a local high school so over time the two boys drift apart.
Twenty years later they meet by chance and both have changed significantly. What is interesting is to see how Yoni starts to question his faith and Ezra who had not been practising his Jewish faith for many years, now starts to wonder if he should take this up again. So in a sense they start to swap places.
Ashley Goldberg uses a lot of Hebrew phrases throughout the narrative, especially in relation to Yoni. This use of language reinforced the ritual around the Jewish faith, especially the ultra-Orthodox group. Every component of Yoni's life requires some kind of ritual, prayer or ceremony and the controlling aspect of this is tangible and highlights the struggle Yoni is having.
Ezra is also suffering from the legacy of his teenage years, and this has impacted his relationships and he is struggling to understand where he fits in the world.
How Yoni and Ezra start to resolve their issues is riveting reading.
Highly recommended.
brk's review
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
acosyreader's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75