A review by brandonmack
The Chosen by Chaim Potok

5.0

WOW...this book was incredible. Potok wrote in such a way that I could feel the characters' emotions in every circumstance. The main character Reuven's journey from boy to man, and the way he related to and learned from others was fantastic. His relationships with his father, his friend, and all those he came into contact with were deep, meaningful, and impactful on his life. The characters were unbelievably real, and I also learned a great deal about Jewish (Hasidic and non) culture.
I read "My Name Is Asher Lev" ten years ago and was heart-broken at the end. This book left me feeling completely differently...I was happy, not necessarily because of the circumstances of the story, but because I got to know the characters so completely. Sure, it's slow in parts, but it's an intentional slowness that gets you to take a step back and get to know what's going on.
This will be a meaningful and memorable read.