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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
This book was on my shelf for a while until I actually had the right mindset to read it and it was worth waiting for.
Alter Rosen is a Jewish immigrant in Chicago at the time of the world's fair. After his friend dies he is possessed by his friend's dybbuk and has to solve the murder before time runs out.
This is the type of book I have been craving. Jewish mythology? Not a holocaust story? Queer characters? Written by a Jewish voice that talks about the reality of being Jewish in the past but resonates with the present? Sign me the hell up! I loved that it throughs you in with Yiddish, Jewish culture, and lore without having to hold your hand. For me, it felt this could have been a story with my great grandparents, both familiar but historical. It also had commentary about how Jews have also been foreigners in every land and in some eyes always the leeches of society if they are poor or the evil money hungry is they are wealthy (whish I still a mindset people have today). As for the story itself, I felt it started a little too slow. it took me a while to get past the first quarter of the book. After about 40% through it picked up speed and I could not put it down. I loved all the characters in the book. Alter, Frankie, and Raizel all are well characterized and strong characters.
Overall a great book that I give total props for making the story and character unapologetically Jewish. The slow starts bring it down to a 4 stars for me, but this is a definite recommendation from me.
Alter Rosen is a Jewish immigrant in Chicago at the time of the world's fair. After his friend dies he is possessed by his friend's dybbuk and has to solve the murder before time runs out.
This is the type of book I have been craving. Jewish mythology? Not a holocaust story? Queer characters? Written by a Jewish voice that talks about the reality of being Jewish in the past but resonates with the present? Sign me the hell up! I loved that it throughs you in with Yiddish, Jewish culture, and lore without having to hold your hand. For me, it felt this could have been a story with my great grandparents, both familiar but historical. It also had commentary about how Jews have also been foreigners in every land and in some eyes always the leeches of society if they are poor or the evil money hungry is they are wealthy (whish I still a mindset people have today). As for the story itself, I felt it started a little too slow. it took me a while to get past the first quarter of the book. After about 40% through it picked up speed and I could not put it down. I loved all the characters in the book. Alter, Frankie, and Raizel all are well characterized and strong characters.
Overall a great book that I give total props for making the story and character unapologetically Jewish. The slow starts bring it down to a 4 stars for me, but this is a definite recommendation from me.
Good at what it does, from a story standpoint. I’m not in much of a position to comment on anything else about it. Was enjoyable though.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
A delightful novel, part murder mystery, part historical fantasy and part queer social commentary. Alter Rosen is a Romanian Jew in World's Fair Chicago who ends up looking into a series of Jewish boys who have gone missing in the area. Along the way we get labor politics, queer romance, local journalism and Jewish tradition all mixed together. Couldn't put it down.
Description sounds great. Actual book is very far from great.
Pro tip: if you’re possessed by an evil spirit and are offered a chance to exorcise it, you take it. Period.
Pro tip: if you’re possessed by an evil spirit and are offered a chance to exorcise it, you take it. Period.
I'm legitimately unsure of what i think about this book. The story has so much potential but there were a lot of parts that seemed to really drag
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This story was so unique! I really didn’t know what was coming and learned a lot of interesting lore. The romance and the internal dialogue that went a long with it - loved!