A review by emily_m_green
A Single Life: A Novel by Daniel Ross Goodman

emotional funny reflective slow-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

4.0

 

In A Single Life by Daniel Ross Goodman, Eli is a brilliant Torah scholar, far surpassing the ability of his peers, so he should be able to find a shidduch (a match) and a job in a prestigious school easily. However, Eli is prevented from shidduchim and other opportunities because he is biracial. His mother, who died when he was a baby, was African American, and the women he goes out with don’t say anything about his skin color, but their eyes (and not a single one asking for a second date) say enough.

Eventually, Eli gets a job at a Modern Orthodox Jewish High School, where he meets and falls for a white, Christian woman--which is problematic for his religious standing. To make matters more difficult, Emma’s views on race in America are unrealistically rosy. But Eli sees her as his beshert, as his soulmate. Will things work out for Eli and Emma?

Eli spends a lot of time thinking about relationships and playing them out in his head. He imagines so much about what could happen, good and bad. It is not always comfortable to be so close to someone who thinks—obsesses—over relationships so much. The novel discusses very little of his life otherwise. The story is so hyper focused on getting married that it feels suffocating. For many, the mission to marry probably feels the same way.

There are parts of the novel that are very amusing. For example, all of the Hebrew and Yiddish phrases are footnoted with translations, which is both necessary for most people who are not super familiar with the lingo, but also kind of funny. And whether Eli is meant to be funny or not, his single mindedness (yes, I went there) is so focused as to be silly.

Would I teach this book? It would be very difficult to explain this book to someone who is not familiar with Orthodox Judaism. Many Orthodox Jews would not appreciate the moments of spice in the book. While I appreciate the opening to discuss racism in Orthodox Judaism, I am not sure that the conversation in the book goes far enough—what is the answer? Does Eli accurately depict the experience of Jews of color? How can we continue the conversation? All good questions that The Single Life does not moves towards addressing.