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shaipanda's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-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
5.0
Thank you so much to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
I genuinely absolutely loved this book just as much, if not more, than I expected to. As someone who grew up deeply entrenched in my Jewish culture and community, it was so amazing and such a special experience to be able to read a book with so many references I recognized. This book was so clearly deeply deeply rooted in Jewish (specifically Ashkenazi) culture and mythology which was really amazing to read.
Additionally, all of the characters are so loveable and I absolutely loved seeing the characters grow, whether they were teenage girls or immortal beings. This was especially true given the queer Jewish representation in this which is just so important and I have not come acros nearly enough of. I do wish we got to see more of Rivke as she essentially disappears from the story once they leave Ellis Island and I really liked her character and would’ve loved to see more of her.
One other thing I noticed is while I’m very glad there’s a glossary at least in the back, this book has so so many very specific references in it that it could benefit from having footnotes. This was because some of the references I’d actually never even heard of some of them before such as sheydim and ibburim, and I've spent a significant amount of time in Jewish spaces and constantly expanding my knowledge of Judaism. I feel like because of this, having footnotes would make it significantly more accessible for the general public since how it is now, I’m slightly worried people will put the book down because they don’t understand all of the terms and Jewish context and don’t want to keep Googling or flipping back and forth to the glossary.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Classism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Antisemitism, Confinement, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping
Minor: Grief, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Deportation, and Stalking
mar's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
5.0
I can't think of a way to describe this book other than an Absolute Delight. Warm, charming and deeply human - despite neither of the protagonists being one - and wonderfully Jewish and queer. The characters sneak into your heart when you're not looking, the writing is fun and whimsical, and despite the light-hearted tone the book handles difficult topics (such as the struggles faced by Jewish immigrants in America) with tactfulness and grace. Also, Uriel's use of it/its pronouns and Little Ash's chronic pain in particular mean So much to me, and I don't think I'll ever get over the moment of a character realizing their queerness being compared to "standing at Sinai, receiving the word of Heaven" 😭😭😭 There's just so much gentleness and intimacy within this story, I know I'll be returning to it as a comfort read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism, Death of parent, Gun violence, Death, and Violence
Minor: Ableism, Homophobia, and Transphobia
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