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A review by elana_berk
Shmutz by Felicia Berliner
3.0
Ugh. This book. So good and yet so disappointing. On the one hand, I am grateful to the author for giving me such an intimate glimpse into the world of a young Chasidic woman, something I know very little about. I was totally sucked in. I devoured the book in a weekend because I just couldn't function without knowing how Raizl was going to cope, but, alas, I was left hanging with an ending that I was sincerely disappointed by.
The entire book is about Raizl, struggling with an addiction and testing her faith and identity— and the ending is so abrupt and dare I say, cliche. Raizl's fiance says something along the lines of "no computers in our house" and that's the end of that. All the 200+ pages of self-discovery, therapy and agony were just so a dude character could say 5 words and that's it? She gets married and the book ends. What about her questioning her sexuality!? What about, um, ya know, her addiction!? Unresolved. I'm just not sure what the message was. Love cures everything? A Prince Charming is the answer to all women in distress? I truly thought Raisl was going to run away into the sunset with Samand leave her whole identity behind and start anew. I was completely convinced that there was no way this book was going to end with the cliche happy wedding. And then it did.
Maybe a part II is in the works, and I really do hope there is one because this book was too unique to have such a trite, unsatisfying ending.
And I'll echo the other reviewers and ask the same question, wtf was going on with the Rebbetzin?
The entire book is about Raizl, struggling with an addiction and testing her faith and identity— and the ending is so abrupt and dare I say, cliche. Raizl's fiance says something along the lines of "no computers in our house" and that's the end of that. All the 200+ pages of self-discovery, therapy and agony were just so a dude character could say 5 words and that's it? She gets married and the book ends. What about her questioning her sexuality!? What about, um, ya know, her addiction!? Unresolved. I'm just not sure what the message was. Love cures everything? A Prince Charming is the answer to all women in distress? I truly thought Raisl was going to run away into the sunset with Samand leave her whole identity behind and start anew. I was completely convinced that there was no way this book was going to end with the cliche happy wedding. And then it did.
Maybe a part II is in the works, and I really do hope there is one because this book was too unique to have such a trite, unsatisfying ending.
And I'll echo the other reviewers and ask the same question, wtf was going on with the Rebbetzin?