storytimed's review
4.0
A fun middle grade novel with a cool, unique magic system based on Jewish culture, interesting stuff about cryptology, magic and history that I'd have really loved as a kid, and a great heroine. Dahlia is a realistically sulky thirteen-year-old. Ari Goelman is great at putting us into the curiosity and confusion and embarrassment of being thirteen, and though I never went to summer camp, Dahlia's cast of supporting characters, including mean-girl Courtney (who has one of the more realistic portrayals I've seen in middle-grade fiction: she's kind of a jerk, but that doesn't make her a horrible person), not-love interest Rafe and superior older brother Todd, felt real as well. I also really dug the rotating perspectives. David Schank's story works really well both as a look into 1940s Orthodox Jewish New York and a reminder of what the stakes are beyond just summer camp.
singerji's review
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
yapha's review
5.0
I loved this book. It has an amazing mix of themes that I have not seen anywhere else. Plus, it was based in a Habonim-like summer camp, a sister to my own camp, which was so accurately portrayed, it brought me right back there!
Dahlia's parents are bribing her to spend first session at her older brother's camp in exchange for a week at the magic camp that she really wants to go to. She has absolutely no desire to spend three weeks at a Jewish summer camp in the woods. Once she gets there, though, strange things begin to happen. She sees two girls in old-fashioned clothing seemingly disappear through the wall of her cabin. She begins to have vivid dreams about a young ultra-Orthodox nan in New York in the 1930s. Stranger still, the book in her dream appears in her activity group about Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism). Dahlia's time at camp goes quickly as she figures out the connection between all of these events, and even makes some friends in the process. A little scary, it is great for readers who want a mystery replete with ghosts, magic, and summer camp. Recommended for grades 5-8.
Dahlia's parents are bribing her to spend first session at her older brother's camp in exchange for a week at the magic camp that she really wants to go to. She has absolutely no desire to spend three weeks at a Jewish summer camp in the woods. Once she gets there, though, strange things begin to happen. She sees two girls in old-fashioned clothing seemingly disappear through the wall of her cabin. She begins to have vivid dreams about a young ultra-Orthodox nan in New York in the 1930s. Stranger still, the book in her dream appears in her activity group about Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism). Dahlia's time at camp goes quickly as she figures out the connection between all of these events, and even makes some friends in the process. A little scary, it is great for readers who want a mystery replete with ghosts, magic, and summer camp. Recommended for grades 5-8.
aklibrarychick's review
4.0
Trying to read more juvenile fiction this summer so I can give honest opinions to students about the books. First one I've finished this summer is The Path of Names. This was a real page-turner, featuring a summer camp with an abandoned maze, mean girls, ghosts, a golem, math and numerology, and kaballa. This book hits on the rare topics of modern Jewish culture and old world mysticism.
Well developed and realistic characters, and an interesting story line that leaps back and forth between 1940 and the present.
Best for age ten and up, because there are some references to underage drinking, and to murder.
Well developed and realistic characters, and an interesting story line that leaps back and forth between 1940 and the present.
Best for age ten and up, because there are some references to underage drinking, and to murder.
laura_pc's review
4.0
A really interesting combination of summer camp story, paranormal activity and jewish mystic theories. A fune quick read that drew me in.
cweichel's review
4.0
This book won't be available for few months, but it will be worth the wait!
http://dickenslibrary.blogspot.ca/2013/01/the-path-of-names-by-ari-goelman.html
http://dickenslibrary.blogspot.ca/2013/01/the-path-of-names-by-ari-goelman.html
libscote's review
4.0
Wow! This one kept me on the edge of my seat. Twisty turns and a little creepy.
reader_fictions's review
3.0
There's this old song called "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah" about a young boy whose parents force him to go to camp. It's a funny, silly song, written like a letter to his parents. At first, he hates camp and is begging them to come and get him, but, by the end, he loves it. On the simplest level, this is the plot of Ari Goelman's The Path of Names.
Dahlia differs from the usual middle grade heroine. She's grumpy and antisocial, preferring math and practicing magic tricks to spending time with people. When her parents force her to go to a Jewish camp, she's pissed. She doesn't have any interest in Judaism and would prefer to be at math camp. Her parents promise to let her leave after a week if she completely hates it and she plans to, but instead she gets caught up and the weeks pass almost without her realizing. All it takes to make a girl love summer camp and befriend people is a couple of ghosts, possession, and a mystery, no big deal.
Immediately upon Dahlia's arrival in camp, she sees two girls run through a wall. Because of her love of magic, she suspects there's another aspiring magician in camp, but her search proves fruitless. When she realizes she's been seeing ghosts, though, Dahlia's hooked. She begins researching these two girls, only to discover that they disappeared 72 years before. They're also trying to warn her about something.
Oh, also, Dahlia's been possessed by a dead man's spirit and she's dreaming his memories. The Path of Names deals heavily with Jewish mysticism and themes. I really appreciated reading a novel set in a tradition outside of the Christian. Also, though religion is obviously a huge plot element, the book did not feel preachy in the slightest. Goelman gets into kabbalah a bit, and it's all pretty fascinating.
The Path of Names is told in third person, rotating through third person limited perspectives. Though most often focused on thirteen-year-old Dahlia, the perspective also goes to her older brother (16), a camp counselor, and David Schank (19), the young man possessing Dahlia. I feel like I say this a lot in my middle grade reviews, but this is really a story that works for all ages. Goelman's writing and plotting are sophisticated, and not written down to a younger audience.
In fact, I'm not a hundred percent sure how much the average kid would enjoy The Path of Names, with the discussions of math and Hebrew. I thought it was very well done and enjoyable myself, but the pace was a bit on the slower side. I imagine it's a better book for kids on the older side of the middle grade spectrum, as the reading level is fairly high.
If you've been looking for a middle grade novel set in a different culture or a cool ghost story, The Path of Names is an excellent choice. Goelmans writes well, and I'd certainly be willing to read more of his books in the future.
Dahlia differs from the usual middle grade heroine. She's grumpy and antisocial, preferring math and practicing magic tricks to spending time with people. When her parents force her to go to a Jewish camp, she's pissed. She doesn't have any interest in Judaism and would prefer to be at math camp. Her parents promise to let her leave after a week if she completely hates it and she plans to, but instead she gets caught up and the weeks pass almost without her realizing. All it takes to make a girl love summer camp and befriend people is a couple of ghosts, possession, and a mystery, no big deal.
Immediately upon Dahlia's arrival in camp, she sees two girls run through a wall. Because of her love of magic, she suspects there's another aspiring magician in camp, but her search proves fruitless. When she realizes she's been seeing ghosts, though, Dahlia's hooked. She begins researching these two girls, only to discover that they disappeared 72 years before. They're also trying to warn her about something.
Oh, also, Dahlia's been possessed by a dead man's spirit and she's dreaming his memories. The Path of Names deals heavily with Jewish mysticism and themes. I really appreciated reading a novel set in a tradition outside of the Christian. Also, though religion is obviously a huge plot element, the book did not feel preachy in the slightest. Goelman gets into kabbalah a bit, and it's all pretty fascinating.
The Path of Names is told in third person, rotating through third person limited perspectives. Though most often focused on thirteen-year-old Dahlia, the perspective also goes to her older brother (16), a camp counselor, and David Schank (19), the young man possessing Dahlia. I feel like I say this a lot in my middle grade reviews, but this is really a story that works for all ages. Goelman's writing and plotting are sophisticated, and not written down to a younger audience.
In fact, I'm not a hundred percent sure how much the average kid would enjoy The Path of Names, with the discussions of math and Hebrew. I thought it was very well done and enjoyable myself, but the pace was a bit on the slower side. I imagine it's a better book for kids on the older side of the middle grade spectrum, as the reading level is fairly high.
If you've been looking for a middle grade novel set in a different culture or a cool ghost story, The Path of Names is an excellent choice. Goelmans writes well, and I'd certainly be willing to read more of his books in the future.
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