Scan barcode
nikki_rgs's review against another edition
5.0
Engrossing
Gurgaon ben-Judah Macabee = Walter White + Holden Caulfield + Ender Wiggen.
It took me a minute to understand the lingo, but once I did I was hooked. I haven't felt this conflicted about a character since the end of Breaking Bad. I want to read all of Adam Levin's work and sign up for his writing classes. I live in the right place and share the last name of a respected writer, so maybe it'll work out.
Gurgaon ben-Judah Macabee = Walter White + Holden Caulfield + Ender Wiggen.
It took me a minute to understand the lingo, but once I did I was hooked. I haven't felt this conflicted about a character since the end of Breaking Bad. I want to read all of Adam Levin's work and sign up for his writing classes. I live in the right place and share the last name of a respected writer, so maybe it'll work out.
katieparker's review
4.0
Quick summary: Gurion is a brilliant and devout Israelite who has been kicked out of three Jewish schools, and is now in the Cage, a program for disruptive and violent students at his new secular school. Over the course of four days, he falls in love with a girl named Eliza June Watermark, wrestles with his destiny, and attempts to overthrow “the Arrangement” (the teachers and jocks), with the help of his friends in the Cage and his army of Torah scholars.
How did I feel about the character(s)? Gurion is a piece of work, that’s for sure. Spouting off dialogue that makes him seem closer to 30 than 10, he has a lot of expectations heaped onto him. His fellow scholars call him Rabbi, his friends in the Cage look to him as their leader, and he himself suspects (and hopes) he is the messiah. Gurion is tough and more than willing to fight for what he thinks is right, but he can also be uncertain and will analyze the actions of himself and others to an often excruciating degree. I wouldn’t say I agree with many of his actions, but he is definitely a good talker and explains himself well.
Did anything surprise me? Not to ruin anything, but there was a moment 160 pages from the end where I might have audibly gasped while reading on the bus. Let’s just say it was near the start of the Gurionic War and it had to do with Boystar. Yikes. Really, though, I was very surprised by the seriousness of Gurion’s opinion of himself. I really didn’t expect that level of follow-through.
Other thoughts? I think the book’s length has less to say about the author than it does about Gurion. This is his story, and he’s going to tell it how he wants. The book covers only four days, but is a THOUSAND pages long. To say that he dissects every day to its smallest detail is an understatement. Some of that slows down the pace a bit, but the engaging dialogue between the pre-teens makes up for it. He calls the book his scripture, but it really acts more as his defense, and he needs every bit of it.
Who do I recommend it to? This is probably obvious, but anyone who likes the work of Jonathan Safran Foer, particularly Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, would be remiss to pass this by. Gurion’s serious precociousness reminded me a lot of Oskar, and both characters are Jewish.
Why did I read it? I’m all for books about wiser-than-their-years kids. One about a boy who legitimately thinks he is the messiah kicked the interest up a notch. I also liked the idea that part of the story is told through letters, e-mails, and transcripts.
Do I like the cover? Definitely. The book was originally released in five different hardcovers, and I received the white one. The design is simple, but made elegant with plain type and gold foil. It still catches my eye when I see it on a shelf.
How long did it take to finish? 11 months and 20 days, but that’s seriously skewed. I bought the hardcover version in January and read it fairly consistently until March, but the size just got annoying. Then, in November, I discovered that it had been released for Kindle, so I was finally able to finish it!
How did I feel about the character(s)? Gurion is a piece of work, that’s for sure. Spouting off dialogue that makes him seem closer to 30 than 10, he has a lot of expectations heaped onto him. His fellow scholars call him Rabbi, his friends in the Cage look to him as their leader, and he himself suspects (and hopes) he is the messiah. Gurion is tough and more than willing to fight for what he thinks is right, but he can also be uncertain and will analyze the actions of himself and others to an often excruciating degree. I wouldn’t say I agree with many of his actions, but he is definitely a good talker and explains himself well.
Did anything surprise me? Not to ruin anything, but there was a moment 160 pages from the end where I might have audibly gasped while reading on the bus. Let’s just say it was near the start of the Gurionic War and it had to do with Boystar. Yikes. Really, though, I was very surprised by the seriousness of Gurion’s opinion of himself. I really didn’t expect that level of follow-through.
Other thoughts? I think the book’s length has less to say about the author than it does about Gurion. This is his story, and he’s going to tell it how he wants. The book covers only four days, but is a THOUSAND pages long. To say that he dissects every day to its smallest detail is an understatement. Some of that slows down the pace a bit, but the engaging dialogue between the pre-teens makes up for it. He calls the book his scripture, but it really acts more as his defense, and he needs every bit of it.
Who do I recommend it to? This is probably obvious, but anyone who likes the work of Jonathan Safran Foer, particularly Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, would be remiss to pass this by. Gurion’s serious precociousness reminded me a lot of Oskar, and both characters are Jewish.
Why did I read it? I’m all for books about wiser-than-their-years kids. One about a boy who legitimately thinks he is the messiah kicked the interest up a notch. I also liked the idea that part of the story is told through letters, e-mails, and transcripts.
Do I like the cover? Definitely. The book was originally released in five different hardcovers, and I received the white one. The design is simple, but made elegant with plain type and gold foil. It still catches my eye when I see it on a shelf.
How long did it take to finish? 11 months and 20 days, but that’s seriously skewed. I bought the hardcover version in January and read it fairly consistently until March, but the size just got annoying. Then, in November, I discovered that it had been released for Kindle, so I was finally able to finish it!
skbarks's review
4.0
Holy crow. This was intense. I wish I could give it 4 1/2 stars--I obsessively loved most of it, but thought it went off the rails a bit at the end. Loved the language, loved the characters, loved the mythology created around the central action.
From (near) the end of the book: "The first time you finish any truly great book that isn't the Torah, you remember the end the best....All great books command re-reading, but you can't ever read the same book twice." This might be a great book, I'm not sure. I'm not sure if I'll ever re-read it. But it was a hell of a ride.
From (near) the end of the book: "The first time you finish any truly great book that isn't the Torah, you remember the end the best....All great books command re-reading, but you can't ever read the same book twice." This might be a great book, I'm not sure. I'm not sure if I'll ever re-read it. But it was a hell of a ride.
rachelhelps's review
4.0
I definitely feel betrayed by this book.
I love Gurion's intelligent narrative style and quirky solutions to feeling overpowered by authority. I love that he thought about what scriptures actually said and it inspired me to think more critically about scripture stories and what they tell us (like the collateral damage of righteous people being okay in the Babylon situation). Most of the book was delightful and well-written and I thought I was on my way to having a new favorite book. But I just didn't like the ending.
SPOILERS
I found it thrilling that Gurion was willing to use physical damage to inflict his sense of righteous justice on his school, but I don't understand why he had to make it a huge incident. I wanted a happy ending, but I didn't want the happy ending I was expecting. I felt torn by wanting Gurion's plan to work and being afraid it would work. I wanted there to be a miracle and I wanted there to be no miracles. After 1000 pages, I just wish there had been a better way.
I love Gurion's intelligent narrative style and quirky solutions to feeling overpowered by authority. I love that he thought about what scriptures actually said and it inspired me to think more critically about scripture stories and what they tell us (like the collateral damage of righteous people being okay in the Babylon situation). Most of the book was delightful and well-written and I thought I was on my way to having a new favorite book. But I just didn't like the ending.
SPOILERS
I found it thrilling that Gurion was willing to use physical damage to inflict his sense of righteous justice on his school, but I don't understand why he had to make it a huge incident. I wanted a happy ending, but I didn't want the happy ending I was expecting. I felt torn by wanting Gurion's plan to work and being afraid it would work. I wanted there to be a miracle and I wanted there to be no miracles. After 1000 pages, I just wish there had been a better way.
mushababy's review
dark
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
greghxc's review
4.0
When I first came across The Instructions, the short description - the story of four days in the life of a ten year old with messianic tendencies falling in love and leading a revolution - caught my attention. I am a sucker for young narrators, especially unusual ones, but the size of the book (1000+ pages) left me unwilling to commit. Eventually I picked up Hot Pink instead, giving Levin an opportunity to win my trust. He did, and shortly after I started my journey into the cage at Aptakisic Junior High .
Gurion, the 10 year old potential-messiah of Chicago, has been kicked out of several local Jewish schools for his own actions and the actions he inspires in others. He lands in The Cage, where he builds a group of followers among the other "trouble" students locked in. The Instructions is his scripture, written to an audience of scholars we are often concerned may only exist on those pages. In the four days covered, we see Gurion fall in love with June Watermark, setting in motion a chain of events that become exponentially more intense with each passing day.
This is a book of ideas, and those ideas often get priority over traditional plot. Many of the books shining moments are in long, theatrical monologues, of which most of the main players have at least one. They are beautifully written and incredibly quotable, but if you have a problem with suspending disbelief for the sake of some literary sparkle, this probably is not the book for you. Gurion, of course, is the main voice, and we are right along with him as he explores topics like loyalty, truth, morality and, at great length, how he relates all of this to his faith. Gurion is a master talker, and over the course of a hundred pages, you find yourself being convinced by him, sometimes that multiple opposing viewpoints are all correct. We do benefit from a little bit of outside perspective, given in the writing and conversations with his teachers, rabbis, and friends, grounding us - if only for a moment - in reality. Ultimately, you are left to make your own decisions about Gurion's actions and motivations.
I really enjoyed The Instructions. It left me questioning my own motivations, loyalties, truths and unkindnesses throughout. It is probably a little too stylistic and clever, but once you've truly fallen in, I found that easy to overlook. My only complaint is the "chatter" sections with overlapping dialog in some of the chaotic moments of the book. They don't feel as polished as the rest, and were a chore to read without much gained.
Gurion, the 10 year old potential-messiah of Chicago, has been kicked out of several local Jewish schools for his own actions and the actions he inspires in others. He lands in The Cage, where he builds a group of followers among the other "trouble" students locked in. The Instructions is his scripture, written to an audience of scholars we are often concerned may only exist on those pages. In the four days covered, we see Gurion fall in love with June Watermark, setting in motion a chain of events that become exponentially more intense with each passing day.
This is a book of ideas, and those ideas often get priority over traditional plot. Many of the books shining moments are in long, theatrical monologues, of which most of the main players have at least one. They are beautifully written and incredibly quotable, but if you have a problem with suspending disbelief for the sake of some literary sparkle, this probably is not the book for you. Gurion, of course, is the main voice, and we are right along with him as he explores topics like loyalty, truth, morality and, at great length, how he relates all of this to his faith. Gurion is a master talker, and over the course of a hundred pages, you find yourself being convinced by him, sometimes that multiple opposing viewpoints are all correct. We do benefit from a little bit of outside perspective, given in the writing and conversations with his teachers, rabbis, and friends, grounding us - if only for a moment - in reality. Ultimately, you are left to make your own decisions about Gurion's actions and motivations.
I really enjoyed The Instructions. It left me questioning my own motivations, loyalties, truths and unkindnesses throughout. It is probably a little too stylistic and clever, but once you've truly fallen in, I found that easy to overlook. My only complaint is the "chatter" sections with overlapping dialog in some of the chaotic moments of the book. They don't feel as polished as the rest, and were a chore to read without much gained.
helloiammikki's review
5.0
I don't know if I will ever be able to properly review this book. But I want to elaborate a bit on my five stars. I rated this book five stars, because it is, without a doubt, one of the best written, most exquisitely crafted books I have ever read. Aside from if the story speaks to you, if you like the characters, any of that superficial stuff, it takes great skill to write a 1030 page book that flows so well, that doesn't have one page that feels like it could have been left out, where every little detail adds something to the context. This book deserves five stars, if only because of that, but certainly not only because of that.
brandon_melcher's review
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
On October 7th of 2023, Hamas committed heinous violence against Israeli civilians attending a music festival. The following four months have seen the most blatantly genocidal backlash since the original Nakba. Through the end of that same month, I was reading The Instructions.
The Instructions was published in 2010, but it remains a relevant exploration of political violence and the complex matrices within which such destructive acts occur.
After seeking it out for years, I had finally procured The Instructions. This is a thick debut novel from Adam Levin, but that works for me. If I see a thick book in a store, I am going to be psychically compelled to pick it up and at least read the synopsis. This book I sought after reading about its plot: four days and 1000 pages from the view of an adolescent and belligerent pre-teen.
As many reviews have said before me, Gurion falls in love with a Gentile on a Tuesday, and he manages to lead an insurrection against The Arrangement of his school before the following weekend. Between these events, Levin fills the word count with listserv email chains, psych evals, and detention assignments, each providing Gurion with some angle to proselytize his Damage Proper. In this book, the plot is subdominant to the characters and thematic elements.
Levin crafts beautifully complex characters. Gurion could be the Messiah, and he is very much an asshole adolescent. Viewing him as purely one or the other doesn’t fit with the events in the novel. He cries with friends and lovers when they have been wronged, but he also perceives violence as the right answer almost all of the time. As our narrator, I had to view all his choices as motivated by his theosophy, but in a first read it wasn’t clear where he misled me.
Many of the other characters in the book are similarly grey in ethics. You have loving and coddling parents, sympathetic and mentally disturbed school children, and learned and arrogant rabbis. This choice by Levin just accentuates the complexity of deciding who is righteous. I found myself alternating between rooting for the members of the Damage Proper and wilting under the gravity of their poor choices.
All of that character work went into supporting the central metaphor of the book (as I read it; I want to emphasize that: THESE ARE MY VIEWS). Aptakisic High School has an extreme in-school punishment for chronic misbehavior: The Cage. Within, one teacher reigns supreme and all the students must do their school work isolated at their cubicles, interpersonal communication forbidden. The students must present passes to enter and leave while their interactions with the rest of the student body are strictly controlled to the point of non-existence. Does this sound familiar yet?
The so-contained students are there for more-or-less valid reasons: Gurion has been expelled twice for violence; Nakamook has hurt many kids and may have committed some light arson; Gurion’s “main-man”, a severely mentally handicapped singer-savant that cannot stop talking, appears to be placed in here for his disabilities. The supervisor’s decision to enact the same treatment towards malicious behavior that he does when dealing with the more metnally challenged creates an escalating tension among the Cage inmates.
Eventually, Gurion’s preaching reaches enough ears, and is pliable enough in those mind-spaces, that The Cage explodes in violence. As with Gaza, I commiserated with their mistreatment. He ignores one student long enough to piss themselves, among other more ridiculous slights. At the same time, when the extremism expresses itself in bruises, broken jaws, and longer-lasting injuries, I couldn’t help but disdain Gurion for forcing all these victims to become the terrorists.
I don’t want to give too much away here, but the crater Gurion made of his friends’ lives left me irate and melancholy. His leadership was wasted on such an impotent act.
This political conflict kept me rapt the entire book. I kept wondering to where his diatribes against the Arrangement would lead, but at the end of the day, his glorification of Damage prevented his ability to see beyond bloodletting.
This preponderance of philosophical and political exploration places this book square into my wheelhouse of enjoyment. When you add in the meandering plot and morally gray characters, you don’t have to read the prophecies of Isaiah to divine that I will be collecting more Adam Levin novels.
dllh's review against another edition
4.0
This is a good book, and long. It's certainly not conventional. I added it to my to-read list when it was new nearly a decade ago, and it came up on the wallace-l email list recently, with someone citing Levin in this book as someone working in a similar vein as Wallace. Well, he's no Wallace, but this is a heckuva book. It's hard to describe it, really. I didn't love every moment of it. Sometimes it drags a little, and about halfway through, Levin ramps up the characters' meta-thinking (meaning inward spiraling thinking about thinking) in a way that's familiar to and that resonates with me but that got a little tired as it kept being repeated. The book didn't connect with me emotionally or even intellectually on the whole, but it's still a neat book. It sometimes put me in mind of Barth's Giles Goat Boy.