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rainbowpizzastars's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
If I could rate this 7/5 or even higher, I would.
An absolute masterpiece. Easy to slip into (accessible writing style), caught my attention and kept it, covered so much ground (literally and figuratively)…satisfying story and characters (oh my gosh, Little Ash!). Has a little bit of everything - identity, adventure, mystery, the supernatural, the bonds between us, and a bit of historical fiction. Also, a new kind of story in a way - there are queer and ace Jewish characters and the story is fully from a Jewish perspective.
You will have an easier time with the story if you are familiar with the Talmud and also Jewish fairy tales/supernatural beings, as well as the history behind Jewish immigration out of the Pale of Settlement, but there is also a glossary in the back of the book to help. (Love a glossary!)
First book I’ve read in a couple months that had me hooked and left me satisfied. Love it!
An absolute masterpiece. Easy to slip into (accessible writing style), caught my attention and kept it, covered so much ground (literally and figuratively)…satisfying story and characters (oh my gosh, Little Ash!). Has a little bit of everything - identity, adventure, mystery, the supernatural, the bonds between us, and a bit of historical fiction. Also, a new kind of story in a way - there are queer and ace Jewish characters and the story is fully from a Jewish perspective.
You will have an easier time with the story if you are familiar with the Talmud and also Jewish fairy tales/supernatural beings, as well as the history behind Jewish immigration out of the Pale of Settlement, but there is also a glossary in the back of the book to help. (Love a glossary!)
First book I’ve read in a couple months that had me hooked and left me satisfied. Love it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism
Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, and Blood
Jewish queer/ace representationtangleroot_eli's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
One of the rare books that made me wish I got along better with audiobooks. It has the cadence and flow of a folk tale or fable and would probably be lovely to hear. That's not to say that reading the printed book wasn't a delight, because it was. I just would've loved to have it in my ears as well as my eyes. It's a love letter to the Jewish immigrants to the US in the late 1800s and early 1900s and the fierce, devoted, rabble-rousing spirt they brought with them. I can never get enough of those - especially the ones written with as much warmth, heart, and spirit as this one is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Misogyny, Sexism, Xenophobia, Blood, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Ableism and Pregnancy
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