When I first heart about this anthology I was super excited. I think there needs to be more Jewish fiction. I am not Jewish, but it is a religion and culture I have always been interested in. I do find all religion interesting though.
An anthology is a great way to explore Judaism. Not to generalize, but as an outside observer the Jewish community is incredibly diverse. There’s religious (orthodox to reform) and cultural elements. It also tends to be an insular culture. Because it is so complex, it’s nice to have over 10 stories exploring these different aspects and struggles.
My rating may seem a little low, but for anthologies I do an average of my ratings for each story. By the nature of anthologies not every story is going to work for everyone.
I wrote my thoughts as I read them so you can see my thoughts on the individual stories. Some of my favorites are Jewbacca, Indoor Kids, and Some Days You’re the Sidekick Some Days Your the Superhero.
Indoor Kids by Alex London (4 Stars)-That was pretty adorable. At first the ending made me mad, but I’ve decided it was actually a great ending for a short story. There’s a romance element that was so well done. The main character (whose name I forgot) was super passionate about space. I am not, but I do love reading about passionate characters. He also has just the right amount of neurotic awkwardness especially around a boy he likes. It took me back to high school, but didn’t make me anxious. I was engaged through the whole short story and think it’s a nice start to the anthology.
Two Truths & an Oy by Dahlia Adler (3 Stars)-Amalia’s story is universal. she feels uncomfortable/weird about being the Jewish girl at college. Everyone has their “weirdness” and entering college is peak awkwardness. He specific concerns was separate from mine, but I could identify with her. She talked/thought about a lot of things I didn’t know or understand, but l like that. She isn’t going to explain something she grew up in my diverse (a.k.a. anything different from my upbringing) books. It feels realistic and encourages me to do research and learn more on my own.
The Hold by David Levithan (3 stars)-I have no idea what to say about this. Is this fiction or a memoir-type story? I’m a little confused. Honestly, this made me a little sad and blah at the same time. I generally am not a fan of David Levithan’s writing so I guess that isn’t a surprise.
Aftershocks by Rachel Lynn Solomon (4 stars)-Well that hit me in the feels. OCD and anxiety are hard for me to read, but I also love reading it. It just always makes me feel like my OCD will rear up. It was interesting to read about two people who are both Jewish, but interact with the religion differently. Of course anyone can feel that way, but I feel like Judaism is particularly complex-at least in the US. But Miri and Aaron were so preciously awkward. I loved reading about their first dating interactions. They were just adorable. And can I say this was a spectacularly crafted short story. It tells a complete story while looking at a small period of time. Maybe I should change my rating.
Good Shabbos by Goldy Moldavsky (3 Stars)-I don’t know what to say. So much of this went over my head. That doesn’t impact my rating because my confusion comes from ignorance of the Jewish culture/religion/language. And I thought I was pretty knowledgeable. I do like when books expose gaps in my knowledge. My main issue was the end notes. I’m not a huge fan to begin with. They may have worked better as footnotes so I could read them easily while closer to the main content. It was a fun romp around the city, but nothing particularly special.
Jewbacca by Lance Rubin (4 Stars)-This was such a precious read. Apparently, I am all about those awkward first-relationship stories. Rye’s navigating of that new experience made for a compelling story. Rye has to deal with being not Jewish enough. That was interesting because it isn’t something you really see in Catholicism (which I grew up in). It really emphasizes how Judaism goes beyond being “just” a religion. At the same time, I think anyone can connect with Rye. The specifics of his story belong to him, but everyone probably can understand feeling unsure of yourself especially when meeting a significant other’s parents. Lance Rubin’s writing was easy and a pleasure to read. I’ve never heard of him before and am interested in checking out more.
El Al 328 by Dana Schwartz (2 Stars)-I have no idea what to say. Was there a purpose to this? Yes, stories don’t need a purpose, but I kind of do. I don’t know anything about Fi. Who is she? What does she want? Does she only care about sex? Who knows.
Some Days You’re the Sidekick; Some Days You’re the Superhero by Katherine Locke (5 Stars)-This was freaking adorable and I loved it. I could probably talk myself into a 4-star rating, but I’m just letting the emotions drive it to 5 stars. Gabe was a great narrator and I loved reading this story from a male perspective. It reminds me of an experience I had in college when I realized how similar boys and girls (and whoever) are. There’s a lot of Tumblr/online speak which I’m not very familiar with (I feel old). But I was still able to enjoy and comprehend this story. Don’t get me wrong, this was a complete and satisfying story, but I would love a full-length novel. I loved the writing and characters. Ms. Locke could totally flush this out and make an equally beautiful full-length novel.
He Who Revives the Dead by Elie Lichtschein (4 Stars)-This was good. It was funny because a co-worker and I were just talking about her birthright trip. Initially, I was confused about what was going on with this story, but ultimately I liked where it went. Sorry, I don’t have more to say, I waited a few days to write my thoughts down.
Be Brave and All by Laura Silverman (4 Stars)-I don’t know what to say. Every time I read an anthology there is at least one story like that. This was a fun story with some introverted characters. I do like how she showed the characters talking about their “weirdness”. They focus on tiny things that others probably don’t recognize. That’s a very real look at anxiety.
Neilah by Hannah Moskowitz (2 Stars)-I’m not sure what I just read. Like does this girl have an eating disorder? Was she cured by going to a religious service with her girlfriend? Was she previously in an abusive relationship or does she blame him for her own life choices? Maybe I’m stupid and just don’t understand this story. I didn’t like it.
Find the River by Matthue Roth (2 Stars)-What was this? Maybe I’ve just read too much and can no longer comprehend words. Probably not since I’m reading and reviewing other stuff with no issue. I didn’t like or care about the characters. And I don’t know what their story was. I reserve 1 star for truly atrocious things-pretty sure I’ve only done it once. So, two stars!
Ajshara by Adi Alsaid (3 Stars)-I’ve never read an Adi Alsaid story and I enjoyed this one. This is a fun and road trip story and I really liked the ghost/paranormal element. It felt very natural and added another layer to Tsvi’s character. I would’ve preferred this more as a full-length novel. It would’ve provided more time for character development. Plus, I would’ve loved seeing more of the places Tsvi traveled to.
Twelve Frames by Nova Ren Suma (3 Stars)-Objectively, this is a good story, but it wasn’t quite for me. Why? I don’t know. This is probably the least traditionally “Jewish”. Especially from a religious perspective. I did really like how she talked about people (historically) changing their names and trying to hid their Jewishness. that’s an important topic to address.
Thanks for reading!
Holly
