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stw07's review
emotional
fast-paced
5.0
Maybe I’m biased because of the niche “Jewish kid with a dead dad and PTSD” representation this book offered me, but I was shocked at how genuinely good this was. I might have shed a tear or twenty…
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism and Death of parent
therootedway's review
5.0
Phenomenal. Amazing. A bit too hard and triggering for my kids just yet, but when they’re older, I’ll give it to them to read themselves. I read myself in order to pre-read it. It is so good.
saraseelmeyer's review
4.0
this was great! i inherited an old proof copy and intended to skim through, but got fully sucked into the story + atmosphere. not entirely sure that i would consider this middle-grade fiction (i honestly cannot imagine giving this to an eight or nine year old to read independently) but grateful for a book about religion + grief + community that never becomes too sentimental.
sunflowerjess's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a interesting and atmospheric read. I didn't mind, as other reviews noted, that there were a lot of words specific to Jewish terminology and culture; for me, reading is partly about learning, and I don't think the author needs to spell everything out for the reader. I looked up a few words but it wasn't a big deal and for me didn't detract from the story. Aviva was a unique and fascinating character. Her background story, specifically what happened to her parents, unfolds slowly over the course of the book, giving it a mysterious and haunting vibe.
rditchek's review
4.0
I listened to "Aviva" on audiobook and thought the narration was phenomenal. Though this story occurs in Beacon, NY, I could not help but picture Williamsburg a la "Unorthodox." It was very refreshing to read a book about an Orthodox Jewish girl that was a depressing, WWII story. Aviva was full of life and mischief. It really explains the inner-workings of the Orthodox community and allows its readers to see Orthodox Jewish people, women and children included, as people. They face demons, both literal and figuratively, deal with regular inter-personal struggles, and love to play ball and games. This book should be taught in schools as it depicts a very accurate portrayal of Jewish life and it has so much heart.
librerika's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
Seen this labeled as horror and it is definitely not that, but it is a beautiful sad story about a girl trying to help herself and her mother navigate the grief they haven't really been able to process since her father died 5 years ago. I loved the way the community rallied around to support them and each other, and the friendships, rivalries, and jealousies among all the middle school girls felt very realistic and relatable.