Reviews

The 12th Commandment by Daniel Torday

directorpurry's review

Go to review page

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

pandagirlmb's review

Go to review page

challenging reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

bookalorian's review

Go to review page

2.0

It was a hard slog to finish this one. I found the storyline very monotone and a little bland. The concept was fanatastic I can see real skill in the writing but it just didn't work for me.

I really wanted to love this one, I did but I struggled to find anything reeming in this book.

jolie3467's review

Go to review page

challenging informative mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

tonstantweader's review

Go to review page

medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 
The 12th Commandment refers to a controversial principle of the Dönme, a crypto-Jewish sect established in Turkey but, in this book, also in Ohio. The 12th commandment demands that one kill one’s own child if they share the secrets of the sect with outsiders. Natan of Flatbush, the leader of the Ohio Dönme has been convicted of murdering his son and is appealing his conviction. He is arguing he did not kill his son, but if he did, he had a protected religious right to do so.

The Dönme are perpetual outsiders. In Turkey, they are perceived as Jews and oppressed, but in Israel, they are seen as Muslim and denied the right of return. So why not establish a community in the United States where they will meet with tolerance? Except, it seems the tolerance is provisional. The Dönme believe Natan’s son was murdered by his classmates in a bias crime. They feel persecuted by local authorities.

When Zeke Leger returns to Ohio for a funeral, he is caught up by the idea of the Dönme. Add a recent murder that tests the limits of religious freedom and he thinks he’s found a fantastic story for the respected national magazine he writes for. I pictured The New Yorker or The Atlantic. As an added bonus, he can spend time with his former love, rekindling old flames. A complicating factor is she is the person who prosecuted Natan of Flatbush.I liked the people in

 The 12th Commandment more than I liked the story. That is how I felt about Daniel Torday’s Boomer1 as well. He does a great job of creating credible characters that feel lived in. In particular, I loved the passive obstinance that propelled Zeke forward, continuing to investigate in the face of harassment, violence, and threats, but not with bravado or great proclamations of the rights of a free press. No, he will appear intimidated, ready to obey, but then do his thing. That’s so much more real than the self-righteous orator of liberty that is far more common.
I liked Natan of Flatbush, but why Flatbush? It just is zany and perhaps that is an intentional sign to readers not to take the story too seriously. There are a lot of towns in New Jersey to choose from, Natan of Newark just doesn’t have that touch of the ridiculous that Natan of Flatbush has. He’s a great character, though. A willing martyr to his faith, whether to the judicial system or to more venal opponents.

I was disappointed in the final resolution, however. I guess it was fair. There were hints and suggestions that laid a sketchy foundation for the ending, but it seemed so banal compared to the much more serious implications of other possibilities. However, I do think Torday has with The 12th Commandment and Boomer1 shown us how very ordinary our prophets and trailblazers are.

I received an ARC of The 12th Commandment from the publisher through Shelf Awareness

 


https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2023/02/15/the-12th-commandment-by-daniel-torday/

marpaige's review

Go to review page

dark informative lighthearted tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

birdentea's review

Go to review page

medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

eholtzman217's review

Go to review page

challenging dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

Wow, I hated this book. I reserve 1-star ratings for books I DNF, but I’ll make an exception here, especially because I wanted so badly to DNF it in the middle. I’m really disappointed that I was introduced to this book by an event hosted by Books Are Magic and moderated by Michelle Zauner, both names that gave me high expectations. The premise of the book — returning to a familiar place from the past to investigate a murder linked to a cult — was also intriguing but did not live up to itself. In addition to my distaste for the totally unearned romance, the strange twist into drug trafficking, and the constant use of drugs as a crutch for actually describing anything interesting about the Donme society, this author has a severe case of Men Writing Women disease. Johanna is the only woman character of substance and she spends well over half her time on-screen in the nude before giving up a career she loves and the life she’s built for fifteen years in order to follow her ex-boyfriend to what I guess is supposed to be the Promised Land of NYC?? What a dismal conclusion for a book that seemed to really appreciate Ohio in its juxtaposition to New York at other points. The most interesting character in the book is Yael, a woman who exclusively exists off-screen. Not to mention, the prose is awful: completely un-engaging and difficult to read. I think I must have read every paragraph three times trying to make them stick, but they made no impact. This book reads like the author got really into weed and psychedelics and is trying to convince the Jewish community to do the same. Same horrible-man-wobbles-around-hating-women-and-barely-solving-a-Jewish-murder story as the Yiddish Policemen’s Union, which I also hated.
More...