#Gavriel Savit

[rascunhosbaratos]

Anna e o Homem das Andorinhas

[slyandthefamilybook]

Noah's Spring Jewish Book Review

this isn't gonna become a regular thing, don't worry. I just need to gush some about these books. I'm gonna keep the reviews short too because who's got that kind of time!

So far I've read 4 Jewish novels this spring and I'm working on a fifth. We'll go in chronological order

1. Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott

~ Two estranged siblings, Isaac and Bellatine Yaga—the grandchildren of the famous Baba Yaga—inherit their ancestor's chicken-footed house. They travel the country putting on puppet shows and exploring their own mysterious abilities, all the while trying to escape from a threatening figure known only as the Longshadow Man, as well as their own pasts. History relives itself in a book filled with magic and mystery ~

This book was so damn good. Every other sentence is tattoo-worthy and hits you like a sack of bricks. The characters feel so real and raw while also managing to fill out their respective roles with a sense of poetry. The book has a supporting cast of memorable characters and a sense of real danger throughout. Every so often the house will interject in a way that reminds me so much of my bubbe (עליה השלום). I've read reviews that said it dragged on a bit in the second act but I was enraptured the entire way through. It's also pretty gay, which I always appreciate. 10/10

2. When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb

~ An angle and a demon—best friends for 200 years—set out from their tiny Pale shtetl to America in search of a girl who hasn't been heard from. They're accompanied by Rosie, a spunky and fire-spirited girl from their shtetl desperate to get away and have an adventure in the far-off West ~

No book has made me feel quite so seen as this one. As someone who grew up Orthodox there's virtually no representation for people like me. The majority of Orthodox characters in media are trying to get away. None of them love it quite so much as I do, as much as the characters in this book do. From Little Ash tucking his peyot behind his ears like my older brothers used to to the angel waking up to daven shacharit. Sacha Lamb takes the brave stance of "what if Jewish theology is real, actually" and it shines on every page. The writing effortlessly intertwines spirituality and reverence with a classic Yiddish folktale. It's also pretty gay. 10/10

3. From Dust, a Flame by Rebecca Podos

Hannah, the descendant of the famed Rabbi Yehuda Loew, wakes up one morning to find herself transformed, her eyes turning to yellow slits. Her mother seems to blame herself without explaining why, and soon after disappears. After receiving a mysterious letter, Hannah and her adopted brother Gabe travel to upstate New York to meet their mother's family, to learn the secrets of her past, and of their own lineage ~

I'll start off by saying I'm not sure if I was the target audience for this book. It was good, don't get me wrong, but the writing wasn't to my taste. It was a little... blatant, where I prefer prose to be a bit more subtle. Again, nothing wrong with it, just not my particular thing. I definitely relate to Hannah and Gabe a lot, each in their own way. A lot of the book felt very comforting and familiar to me. The book is equal parts supernatural action and intriguing mystery, and keeps you engrossed til the end. It's also Extremely Gay 7/10

4. The Way Out by Gavriel Savit

~ Yehuda Leib and Bluma set out from their tiny Pale shtetl, each on a mission of the utmost importance. Yehuda Leib is looking for his lost father, and Bluma is running from Death. Navigating the Far Country full of demons, goblins, and angels, the pair fight their way through history and mystery alike, and prepare to make war on Death himself ~

This book. Oh boy this book. Where do I start? This book made me cry several times, which hasn't happened in over 15 years. This book said everything about death I've been feeling since my bubbe passed away (עליה השלום). This book genuinely made me re-think how I view G-d? All that and more in less than 400 pages. This book harmonized with my soul. This book changed who I am as a person. This book made me crumble to dust and then built me back up from scratch. 10/10

[notanotherinfjblog]

MBTI fiction writers

Unfortunately, though for obvious reasons, I’m constrained by my own reading habits, so if you have any suggestions for underrepresented types here, please let me know and thanks for the ones that I’ve already received!

INTJ

Margaret Atwood

Joyce Carol Oates

Tom Rachman

ENTJ

Markus Zusak

Hank Green

Gillian Flynn 

Bernardine Evaristo 

Lois Lowry

Ruth Ozeki

INTP

Kai Meyer (interview is in German)

Neil Gaiman

J. R. R. Tolkien

ENTP

David Mitchell

Philip Pullman

John Green

Terry Pratchett

Douglas Adams

Jonathan Safran Foer

Lauren Oliver

Brandon Sanderson

Patrick Rothfuss 

Michael Ende (interview is in German)

Mariana Leky (interview is in German)

Frank Herbert

Aldous Huxley

Matt Haig

Ta-Nehisi Coates

INFJ

Rohinton Mistry

Audrey Magee

Jenny Erpenbeck (interview is in German)

ENFJ

Eleanor Catton

Alissa York

INFP

Wolfgang Koeppen (interview is in German)

Helen Oyeyemi

ENFP

Gavriel Savit

Maggie Stiefvater

Jan Philipp Zymny (interview is in German)

Stephen Chbosky

Daniel Handler

Rick Riordan

Christopher Paolini

George R. R. Martin

V. E. Schwab

Jenny-Mai Nuyen (interview is in German)

ISTJ

Astrid Lindgren

Ken Follet

Elizabeth Nunez

ESTJ

Kerstin Gier (interview is in German)

Cornelia Funke 

John Boyne

Maja Lunde

Sebastian Fitzek (interview is in German)

ISFJ

Anna Burns 

Lucinda Riley 

Jack Livings

ESFJ

Tomi Adeyemi

Victoria Aveyard

Suzanne Collins 

Raquel J. Palacio

Jojo Moyes 

Ursula K. Le Guin

Rosamunde Pilcher 

Rebecca Gablé (interview is in German)

Kirsten Boie (interview is in German)

ISTP

Jhumpa Lahiri

John Irving

Erich Kästner (interview is in German)

James Dashner 

Fredrik Backman 

ESTP

Leigh Bardugo

Sabaa Tahir

Paulo Coelho

Stephen King

Jonas Jonasson

Jussi Adler-Olsen

Erich Maria Remarque (interview is in German)

ISFP

Fatima Farheen Mirza 

Tash Aw

Andreas Izquierdo (interview is in German)

Antoine Laurain 

ESFP

Adam Silvera

Nicholas Sparks 

Cecelia Ahern

[a-r-i-l]

The Way Back by Gavriel Savit!! (YA historical fantasy with two protags that you switch between)

Let me know if anyone wants a list of Jewish fantasy novels

[aroaessidhe]

Ohh, if you’re interested in books with qpr vibes I gotta suggest The Way Back by Gavriel Savit!! It’s a pretty amazing story (I say this knowing I’m very biased), and it follows a girl and boy as they travel through this one magical night together. I don’t want to spoil the end, so I’ll just say they’ve pair bonded and should not be separated

ok interesting! my library has it perhaps I will read it soon!

[compendio]

— Não diga que entende a não ser que entenda de fato.

Anna e o Homem das Andorinhas

[serdapoesia]

Eu não sei tudo, meu bem. E tampouco quero saber. Não acho que seria muito agradável. [...] o conhecimento também é uma espécie de morte. Uma pergunta detém todo o potencial do universo vivo em seu interior. Da mesma maneira, um bocado de conhecimento é inerte e estéril. As perguntas, Anna, são muito mais valiosas do que as respostas, e também provocam muito menos destruição à sua frente. Se você continuar a buscar perguntas, não poderá se perder do caminho certo. 

Anna e o Homem das Andorinhas, Gavriel Savit

[anonymousdandelion]

Darn it, I can't believe you suggested When the Angels Left the Old Country before I could suggest When the Angels Left the Old Country! ;)

That said, The Way Back, by Gavriel Savit, is another excellent Jewish fantasy novel that I highly recommend. Everything about it — the story, the writing style, the Jewishness — is so very good.

Jews of Tumblr, what do you think a piece of media with good Jewish representation?

I really loved the book When The Angels Left The Old Country. It had Jewish Joy, while also addressing antisemitism, and was so wonderfully written. The author's love of their Jewish heritage could be found in each page.

By "media" I mean literally anything, whether it be a song, book, poem, movie, show, etc.

Goyim, do not respond. Those in the conversion process are welcome.

[foreverlostinliterature]

12/10 Book Deals

Good morning, everyone! How are you all today? It’s been quite a week for me, which is why I’ve been a bit lacking in posting at all this week, but hopefully I’ll get some more time coming up. :) I hope you’re all hanging in there!

Today there are a ton of really strong books up on sale today, so definitely check those out! I have personally read and enjoyed Ghosts of Harvard an Early Riser (Jasper Fforde is always amazing!) and there are quite a few others I’ve been hearing great things about. :) Have you read any of these?? The covers are all so colorful today also!

Anyway, I hope you all have a truly wonderful (and as relaxing as possible) day! And happy reading! :)

Here is the link to find resources on how you can help out with the BLM movement! Keep the momentum going!

Today’s Deals:

Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella - https://amzn.to/3m76CKU

Early Riser by Jasper Fforde - https://amzn.to/2JJHBsp

Dear Justyce by Nic Stone - https://amzn.to/3gCWqsv

The Way Back by Gavriel Savit - https://amzn.to/3qN0ElW

The Paragon Hotel by Lyndsay Faye - https://amzn.to/37XEogW

Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins - https://amzn.to/2JREEWC

Grand Union: Stories by Zadie Smith - https://amzn.to/39VYXNe

Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson - https://amzn.to/2LlhyYJ

Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour - https://amzn.to/3m4LzJ7

One of Us is Next by Karen M. McManus - https://amzn.to/2K7gPtE

Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld - https://amzn.to/2W3p2la

Beach Read by Emily Henry -  https://amzn.to/3a5581H

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk - https://amzn.to/2Lq0Qri

Deacon King Kong by James McBride - https://amzn.to/2JJHaON

The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare - https://amzn.to/2VXZE0p

Agency by William Gibson - https://amzn.to/3gy7xD7

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams - https://amzn.to/2IEJAxw  

Bonds of Brass by Emily Skrutskie - https://amzn.to/2W32MYU

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera - https://amzn.to/372BPe8

The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez - https://amzn.to/2W1snBo

Stony the Road: Reconstruction, White Supremacy, and the Rise of Jim Crow by Henry Louis Gates Jr. - https://amzn.to/2W2HlXK

NOTE:  I am categorizing these book deals posts under the tag #bookdeals, so if you don’t want to see them then just block that tag and you should be good. I am an Amazon affiliate in addition to a Book Depository affiliate and will receive a small (but very much needed!)  commission on any purchase made through these links.

[the-dust-jacket]

Congratulations to all those on the National Book Awards Longlist for Young People’s Literature! 

[2020ya]

THE WAY BACK

by Gavriel Savit

(Knopf, 11/17/20)

9781984894625

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Purchase from Bookshop

Perfect for readers of Neil Gaiman and Philip Pullman, a sweeping historical fantasy that follows two teens on a journey through the Far Country, a Jewish land of spirits and demons. For the Jews of Eastern Europe, demons are everywhere: dancing on the rooftops in the darkness of midnight, congregating in the trees, harrowing the dead, even reaching out to try and steal away the living. But the demons have a land of their own: a Far Country peopled with the souls of the transient dead, governed by demonic dukes, barons, and earls. When the Angel of Death comes strolling through the little shtetl of Tupik one night, two young people will be sent spinning off on a journey through the Far Country. There they will make pacts with ancient demons, declare war on Death himself, and maybe-- just maybe--find a way to make it back alive. Drawing inspiration from the Jewish folk tradition, The Way Back is a dark adventure sure to captivate readers of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book and Philip Pullman's The Book of Dust.

[muatyland]

La strada del ritorno | Gavriel Savit

La strada del ritorno | Gavriel Savit

Nel remoto villaggio di Tupik c’è grande fermento: il Rebbe della vicina Zubinsk ha annunciato che il matrimonio di sua nipote sarà aperto a chiunque voglia partecipare. Il che significa, purtroppo, che quel giorno anche i demoni e le creature che abitano il Regno Lontano avranno la possibilità di varcare il confine. Gli unici che rimarrebbero volentieri a casa sono Yehuda Leib, che possiede un…

[jewishbookworld]

The 49 books posted on JewishBookWorld.org in December 2020

The 49 books posted on JewishBookWorld.org in December 2020

Here is the list of the 49 books that I posted on JewishBookWorld.org in December 2020. The image above contains some of the covers. The bold links take you to the book’s page on Amazon; the “on this site” links to the book’s page on this site. Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack (on this site) The Arab and Jewish Questions: Geographies of Engagement in Palestine and Beyond by Bashir…

[tugglegrassblues]

Book Review | The Way Back

Book Review | The Way Back

The Way BackBook Review | 📚📚📚📚 4.5/5Gavriel Savit | Knopf Books for Young Readers It was time to read something less heavy (I’ve been reading a lot about social justice and social injustice lately). So, I stumbled across this new book. A YA (young adult) novel with fantasy and Jewish fantasy tomes alluded to in the publisher’s book blurb. I really needed to read this book at this time. It had…

[kindleslibrary]

Finally finished this on my way home from work today. It's beautifully written but also brutal in places, and completely heart-breaking in others. I can't recommend it highly enough. I felt numb and a little lost when I was done. I think this one is going to stick with me for a long while.

[thebrokenkindle]

Finished The Silver Eyes on the train to my interview yesterday. Today's train book for the journey home is Anna and the Swallow Man.