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Woman of Valor
After a devastating breakup with her college sweetheart John Hogan, budding journalist Sally Sterling dives into her work at Chicago Magazine to escape her sorrows. When her editor assigns a series of feature stories on local ethnic communities, starting with the Orthodox Jewish enclave of Skokie, Sally stumbles into a world she never knew she needed. Although her mother is Jewish, Sally was raised in a wealthy Christian suburb of Detroit as the daughter of one of Michigan’s prominent senators. Religion was the furthest thing from her mind.
But as the women welcome her into a world that feels more like home than anything she’s known, Sally is hooked. A year later, she meets Barry Lieberman on a blind date and falls fast. Over the next eight years, Barry and Sally build a happy life full of passion, partnership and parenthood. She even reconnects with her Jewish grandparents, who move to Chicago to be closer to her. While so much about her changes, Sally retains her passion for running along the shores of Lake Michigan.
And then, Sally’s life takes an unexpected turn. John Hogan finds her online. While Sally’s reconnected with friends from her past, this feels like crossing a line. Still, she’s curious about why John reached out. At the same time, Sally learns that her eldest son, Donny, has been physically abused at school. While Barry is equally angered, they have different ideas about what to do, putting them at odds for the first time in their marriage.
Lonely in the rift with her husband and exhausted from battling the community grapevine, Sally seeks distraction in John’s apologies. When she realizes her mistake, Sally tells John to leave - but he won’t. What happens next throws everything into a tailspin.
Will Sally lose the happiness she so carefully constructed? Or could this shakeup be just what she needs to finally define her life for herself?
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR WOMAN OF
"Golodner is a wonderful writer who tackles tough subjects with sensitivity and wit while delivering a heartfelt, satisfying read."
Rochelle B. Weinstein, bestselling author of This Is Not How It Ends
"Set in a world most will never experience, Lynne Golodner’s fascinating novel about an Orthodox Jewish woman’s fight to protect her children from a threat within her community explores the most universal of themes. This thought-provoking story of a marriage in crisis raises tough questions about family love and loyalty, devotion to one’s faith, and what it means to truly belong to a community. A deeply relatable tale in an intriguing setting."
Tammy Pasterick, author of Beneath the Veil of Smoke and Ash
"An engaging and thought-provoking exploration of identity, faith, family, and love. Lynne Golodner has written a brave heroine who inhabited two worlds and ultimately chooses the one readers least expect -- but where there is symmetry and beauty in rules and tradition."
Nancy Sharp, author of Both Sides Now
"Overflowing with wisdom and a testament to deep, abiding love, Lynne Golodner has penned a riveting and propulsive account of a mother and wife caught between worlds, a past she ran away from that returns to haunt her and an uncertain future that threatens the sanctity of her home. Exquisitely written and profoundly human at its core. WOMAN OF VALOR is a must-read."
Ly Ky Tran, author of House of A Memoir
"Golodner’s skill in developing Sally’s character— flawed, authentic and dimensional— keeps the reader engaged in the real conflicts the novel presents without resorting to caricature. This Woman of Valor tells an important contemporary story of faith, love, devotion and self-determination."
Barbara Stark-Nemon, author of Even in Darkness & Hard Cider
But as the women welcome her into a world that feels more like home than anything she’s known, Sally is hooked. A year later, she meets Barry Lieberman on a blind date and falls fast. Over the next eight years, Barry and Sally build a happy life full of passion, partnership and parenthood. She even reconnects with her Jewish grandparents, who move to Chicago to be closer to her. While so much about her changes, Sally retains her passion for running along the shores of Lake Michigan.
And then, Sally’s life takes an unexpected turn. John Hogan finds her online. While Sally’s reconnected with friends from her past, this feels like crossing a line. Still, she’s curious about why John reached out. At the same time, Sally learns that her eldest son, Donny, has been physically abused at school. While Barry is equally angered, they have different ideas about what to do, putting them at odds for the first time in their marriage.
Lonely in the rift with her husband and exhausted from battling the community grapevine, Sally seeks distraction in John’s apologies. When she realizes her mistake, Sally tells John to leave - but he won’t. What happens next throws everything into a tailspin.
Will Sally lose the happiness she so carefully constructed? Or could this shakeup be just what she needs to finally define her life for herself?
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR WOMAN OF
"Golodner is a wonderful writer who tackles tough subjects with sensitivity and wit while delivering a heartfelt, satisfying read."
Rochelle B. Weinstein, bestselling author of This Is Not How It Ends
"Set in a world most will never experience, Lynne Golodner’s fascinating novel about an Orthodox Jewish woman’s fight to protect her children from a threat within her community explores the most universal of themes. This thought-provoking story of a marriage in crisis raises tough questions about family love and loyalty, devotion to one’s faith, and what it means to truly belong to a community. A deeply relatable tale in an intriguing setting."
Tammy Pasterick, author of Beneath the Veil of Smoke and Ash
"An engaging and thought-provoking exploration of identity, faith, family, and love. Lynne Golodner has written a brave heroine who inhabited two worlds and ultimately chooses the one readers least expect -- but where there is symmetry and beauty in rules and tradition."
Nancy Sharp, author of Both Sides Now
"Overflowing with wisdom and a testament to deep, abiding love, Lynne Golodner has penned a riveting and propulsive account of a mother and wife caught between worlds, a past she ran away from that returns to haunt her and an uncertain future that threatens the sanctity of her home. Exquisitely written and profoundly human at its core. WOMAN OF VALOR is a must-read."
Ly Ky Tran, author of House of A Memoir
"Golodner’s skill in developing Sally’s character— flawed, authentic and dimensional— keeps the reader engaged in the real conflicts the novel presents without resorting to caricature. This Woman of Valor tells an important contemporary story of faith, love, devotion and self-determination."
Barbara Stark-Nemon, author of Even in Darkness & Hard Cider
343 pages, Paperback
First published September 26, 2023
About the author
Lynne Golodner
5 books28 followersThis Author also write under Lynne Meredith Golodner
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 11, 2023
A five-sense immersion into a rich world of Jewish faith and family life
A novel is a community between two covers. The best novels invite us to enter these communities accompanied by people we care about and whose adventures we are eager to follow—even if that involves facing perils along the way. To fully enjoy these adventures, we hope the author has authentically recreated the community on the page, faithfully enough that the things we see, touch, smell, hear and taste seem believable to us.
Lynne Golodner knows the Orthodox Jewish world of Woman of Valor so well that she weaves around us the beauty of Orthodox family life in America with all five senses from the flavors of fresh-baked challah to all the other rich sensations of a fully immersive Sabbath. That’s why we care so much about the characters we meet—Sally, the main character, and her husband Barry and their children along with their close friends. And that’s why we keep turning pages when the suspense of two quite different predators threatens the comfort of their home in Skokie, Illinois.
I read Lynne’s novel before its September 26, 2023, official launch to prepare for an author interview for a feature I am writing about this new novel for ReadTheSpirit, the online magazine I run. In our interview, I told Lynne how deeply I enjoyed this novel—partly because, as a veteran journalist writing about religious diversity, I see too many negative portrayals of Orthodox communities in popular fiction. Lots of contemporary fiction writers can’t get over anyone wanting to live in a community with such daily boundaries and demands on family life. Case in point: The most popular portrayal of Orthodox Judaism streaming on TV now is the fictional Unorthodox, adapted from Deborah Feldman’s memoir about fleeing an abusive Orthodox enclave in Brooklyn. In sharp contrast, the overall arc of Lynne’s novel feels like breathing fresh air—even when a couple of bad guys are looming along the way. From the opening scenes in Woman of Valor, we don’t want Sally or Barry to be forced away from their home. We’re cheering for them to find some way to remain, despite mounting threats.
Readers who have enjoyed Lynne’s other books (which you can find on Amazon) already know her background. She lived for some years as part of the Orthodox community in southeast Michigan. She remains deeply immersed in the Jewish world, but as a professional writer and writing coach she has decided to live a less-strict version of that life. Still, she and her family are observant of beloved Jewish traditions. For example, she told me that she loves to prepare big shabbat dinners for her family and friends. And she continues to have a deep admiration and affection for her stricter Orthodox neighbors.
After I mentioned the context of the other more disturbing portrayals of Orthodox life in popular media in our interview, Lynne told me: “That’s why I wanted this novel to be about the beauty of the Orthodox world, featuring a strong woman who is defining her own role in that world. Also, while I was sharing lots of details about daily life in the Orthodox world, I wanted the book to be accessible to all readers, even if they’re not Jewish.”
In this review, I’m affirming: She met those goals with 5-star clarity and style.
So why did I use the term “suspense” in my description above? While this is, indeed, a novel that steps into the rich tapestry of Orthodox family life—from raising kids to making friends to preparing distinctive foods and planning ahead for the weekly shabbat—this also is a page turner.
I asked Lynne if she thought of Woman of Valor as a suspense novel and she admitted that she had not thought of using the word “suspense” to describe her book.
In my own first reading (I’ve now read it twice), I could not put it down because of the ongoing threats from two predators and, in my mind, that’s the classic definition of suspense.
Who are the predators? I want to walk a fine line in this review by affirming that this is a beautifully evocative novel about Jewish life—and also giving prospective readers a “heads up” about who they will discover lurking in the heart of that community in these pages.
The first predator is a teacher at the family’s local school who Sally and Barry discover has been physically abusing their young son—and likely other boys. Multiple tensions are unleashed: What did this teacher do? Will leaders circle around the teacher to avoid scandal or decide to protect their children? And how will this teacher and his wife react within the community?
The second predator is a former lover from years before Sally decided to become Orthodox and marry Barry. He resurfaces in the midst of the emotional turmoil of the abuse crisis at the school—just when Sally and Barry are at their most vulnerable. He reveals himself to be a dangerous stalker.
How can this family hope to survive as their beloved community seems to erupt around them? I call that suspense.
Ultimately, I think most readers will walk away from Woman of Valor with a warm wonderment, sparked by this remarkable family and their friends across Skokie and neighboring communities in that area north of Chicago. If you know those small towns, as my family and I do very well, you will find that Lynne’s journalistic attention to telling details allows her to perfectly capture the feel of this geography and its people. Quite simply: I felt I was walking Skokie’s sidewalks—and visiting some nearby towns—along with her characters.
The novel is delicious. In fact, in our interview, Lynne told me that she has been invited to some book events at which her readers prepare foods mentioned in the novel. So, clearly she has achieved that five-sense immersion into a world that most readers will only ever glimpse from afar.
A novel is a community between two covers. The best novels invite us to enter these communities accompanied by people we care about and whose adventures we are eager to follow—even if that involves facing perils along the way. To fully enjoy these adventures, we hope the author has authentically recreated the community on the page, faithfully enough that the things we see, touch, smell, hear and taste seem believable to us.
Lynne Golodner knows the Orthodox Jewish world of Woman of Valor so well that she weaves around us the beauty of Orthodox family life in America with all five senses from the flavors of fresh-baked challah to all the other rich sensations of a fully immersive Sabbath. That’s why we care so much about the characters we meet—Sally, the main character, and her husband Barry and their children along with their close friends. And that’s why we keep turning pages when the suspense of two quite different predators threatens the comfort of their home in Skokie, Illinois.
I read Lynne’s novel before its September 26, 2023, official launch to prepare for an author interview for a feature I am writing about this new novel for ReadTheSpirit, the online magazine I run. In our interview, I told Lynne how deeply I enjoyed this novel—partly because, as a veteran journalist writing about religious diversity, I see too many negative portrayals of Orthodox communities in popular fiction. Lots of contemporary fiction writers can’t get over anyone wanting to live in a community with such daily boundaries and demands on family life. Case in point: The most popular portrayal of Orthodox Judaism streaming on TV now is the fictional Unorthodox, adapted from Deborah Feldman’s memoir about fleeing an abusive Orthodox enclave in Brooklyn. In sharp contrast, the overall arc of Lynne’s novel feels like breathing fresh air—even when a couple of bad guys are looming along the way. From the opening scenes in Woman of Valor, we don’t want Sally or Barry to be forced away from their home. We’re cheering for them to find some way to remain, despite mounting threats.
Readers who have enjoyed Lynne’s other books (which you can find on Amazon) already know her background. She lived for some years as part of the Orthodox community in southeast Michigan. She remains deeply immersed in the Jewish world, but as a professional writer and writing coach she has decided to live a less-strict version of that life. Still, she and her family are observant of beloved Jewish traditions. For example, she told me that she loves to prepare big shabbat dinners for her family and friends. And she continues to have a deep admiration and affection for her stricter Orthodox neighbors.
After I mentioned the context of the other more disturbing portrayals of Orthodox life in popular media in our interview, Lynne told me: “That’s why I wanted this novel to be about the beauty of the Orthodox world, featuring a strong woman who is defining her own role in that world. Also, while I was sharing lots of details about daily life in the Orthodox world, I wanted the book to be accessible to all readers, even if they’re not Jewish.”
In this review, I’m affirming: She met those goals with 5-star clarity and style.
So why did I use the term “suspense” in my description above? While this is, indeed, a novel that steps into the rich tapestry of Orthodox family life—from raising kids to making friends to preparing distinctive foods and planning ahead for the weekly shabbat—this also is a page turner.
I asked Lynne if she thought of Woman of Valor as a suspense novel and she admitted that she had not thought of using the word “suspense” to describe her book.
In my own first reading (I’ve now read it twice), I could not put it down because of the ongoing threats from two predators and, in my mind, that’s the classic definition of suspense.
Who are the predators? I want to walk a fine line in this review by affirming that this is a beautifully evocative novel about Jewish life—and also giving prospective readers a “heads up” about who they will discover lurking in the heart of that community in these pages.
The first predator is a teacher at the family’s local school who Sally and Barry discover has been physically abusing their young son—and likely other boys. Multiple tensions are unleashed: What did this teacher do? Will leaders circle around the teacher to avoid scandal or decide to protect their children? And how will this teacher and his wife react within the community?
The second predator is a former lover from years before Sally decided to become Orthodox and marry Barry. He resurfaces in the midst of the emotional turmoil of the abuse crisis at the school—just when Sally and Barry are at their most vulnerable. He reveals himself to be a dangerous stalker.
How can this family hope to survive as their beloved community seems to erupt around them? I call that suspense.
Ultimately, I think most readers will walk away from Woman of Valor with a warm wonderment, sparked by this remarkable family and their friends across Skokie and neighboring communities in that area north of Chicago. If you know those small towns, as my family and I do very well, you will find that Lynne’s journalistic attention to telling details allows her to perfectly capture the feel of this geography and its people. Quite simply: I felt I was walking Skokie’s sidewalks—and visiting some nearby towns—along with her characters.
The novel is delicious. In fact, in our interview, Lynne told me that she has been invited to some book events at which her readers prepare foods mentioned in the novel. So, clearly she has achieved that five-sense immersion into a world that most readers will only ever glimpse from afar.
August 9, 2023
I received an early copy of this book from the author and devoured it.
Lynne's prose is beautiful and descriptive. I especially loved the way food in this novel is a window into the lives of her characters. As I read, I found myself wishing I could enjoy the Shabbos meals she described. I also loved the window into a faith practice very much unlike my own. Despite Sally's life being so different from mine, I could relate to her struggles and found myself admiring her mothering and her courage, despite her flaws.
I highly recommend Woman of Valor!
Lynne's prose is beautiful and descriptive. I especially loved the way food in this novel is a window into the lives of her characters. As I read, I found myself wishing I could enjoy the Shabbos meals she described. I also loved the window into a faith practice very much unlike my own. Despite Sally's life being so different from mine, I could relate to her struggles and found myself admiring her mothering and her courage, despite her flaws.
I highly recommend Woman of Valor!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2023
Great story full of vivid characters, human frailty, suspense, deep love and passion set in the unlikely context of an Orthodox Jewish enclave in Skokie, Illinois. I loved every minute and read it in a few short days.
July 22, 2025
Read as part of the 2025 Indie Author Project
Well written, but I did not like the main character. It also felt like the main character was not really happy being Orthodox, despite telling us how happy it made her. This one just wasn't for me.
Well written, but I did not like the main character. It also felt like the main character was not really happy being Orthodox, despite telling us how happy it made her. This one just wasn't for me.
November 2, 2023
"Sometimes the more rigid the rules, the more people needed to act out to shed the shackles."
A stunning read about faith, temptation, and the ripple effect of consequences.
This story follows the story of one Orthodox Jewish family and the fallout of two scandals surrounding them. Filled with tension and page-turning situations, Woman of Valor, will keep you guessing until the end.
A stunning read about faith, temptation, and the ripple effect of consequences.
This story follows the story of one Orthodox Jewish family and the fallout of two scandals surrounding them. Filled with tension and page-turning situations, Woman of Valor, will keep you guessing until the end.
October 4, 2023
This book is a page-turner! I loved reading about Sally, a woman who long-ago joined the Orthodox community and now struggles when she learns her son is abused at school. The plot thickens when a former lover appears on the scene. I enjoyed living in the characters' rich world of rituals and food I (as a non-Jew) am unfamiliar with, while at the same time I reveled in the universal themes and problems Sally deals with as a woman, mother and human being. I could not put this book down.
October 3, 2023
Absolutely Outstanding
I decided to avoid my chores for today, and selected this novel from my Kindle library. I was hooked from the first page. This seemed like a true labor of love. It's definitely not frivolous. It's evocative,and complex. I read it with in eighteen hours and couldn't put it down! I read a review by author Rochelle B.Weinstein, whose books I also enjoy. Thank you for your recommendation. I am looking forward to reading more from
Lynne Golodner.
I decided to avoid my chores for today, and selected this novel from my Kindle library. I was hooked from the first page. This seemed like a true labor of love. It's definitely not frivolous. It's evocative,and complex. I read it with in eighteen hours and couldn't put it down! I read a review by author Rochelle B.Weinstein, whose books I also enjoy. Thank you for your recommendation. I am looking forward to reading more from
Lynne Golodner.
December 30, 2023
Woman of Valor is an excellent book, written with sensitivity and fascinating details about a woman living in an Orthodox community and struggling with her faith as well as her past. The story takes some surprising twists and had me holding my breath sometimes unsure of how some things would work out. I highly recommend.
September 7, 2023
Set in a world most will never experience, Lynne Golodner’s fascinating novel about an Orthodox Jewish woman’s fight to protect her children from a threat within her community explores the most universal of themes. This thought-provoking story of a marriage in crisis raises tough questions about family love and loyalty, devotion to one’s faith, and what it means to truly belong to a community. A deeply relatable tale in an intriguing setting.
April 9, 2024
Sally, a mother of three, found her home in the Orthodox Jewish community in Skokie, Ohio when she was much younger and reeling from a broken heart. Her marriage to Barry faces a test when her son is abused by his teacher. While Barry prefers to handle this quietly, Sally becomes outraged. It doesn’t help that her former lover finds her online and seeks to reconnect in the middle of a family crisis.
Sally wasn’t raised in this strict faith, but finds love and meaning within the close-knit community. Lynne Golodner offers a first-hand account and unique perspective of Orthodox Judaism. This novel explores a mother's faith and what happens when a loving marriage is tested. Through Golodner rich sensory descriptions, I became immersed in Sally’s daily life as she navigates this crisis. It was a courageous story about the power of love, family, and the ties that bind.
Sally wasn’t raised in this strict faith, but finds love and meaning within the close-knit community. Lynne Golodner offers a first-hand account and unique perspective of Orthodox Judaism. This novel explores a mother's faith and what happens when a loving marriage is tested. Through Golodner rich sensory descriptions, I became immersed in Sally’s daily life as she navigates this crisis. It was a courageous story about the power of love, family, and the ties that bind.
February 12, 2024
Lynne Golodner's debut novel has everything a reader wants: suspense, conflict, and crises.
Sally's life is full of drama, making this an intriguing page-turner. However, she doesn't dwell on the drama. She has a positive outlook and attitude and as events keep her jumping, she doesn't let them keep her down. She bobs and weaves until she figures out how she wants to handle them and then digs into them. Her newfound life in the ultra-orthodox Jewish world has its challenges but it's her life and she's here for it.
I loved reading Lynne Golodner's first published novel. It is refreshing to read a book set in this world and not have it be about someone "breaking out" of it. Sally embraces it and through her Golodner reveals the joy in everyday things. This joy is the backbone of Jewish life and it's a joy to see it highlighted in the book.
Sally's life is full of drama, making this an intriguing page-turner. However, she doesn't dwell on the drama. She has a positive outlook and attitude and as events keep her jumping, she doesn't let them keep her down. She bobs and weaves until she figures out how she wants to handle them and then digs into them. Her newfound life in the ultra-orthodox Jewish world has its challenges but it's her life and she's here for it.
I loved reading Lynne Golodner's first published novel. It is refreshing to read a book set in this world and not have it be about someone "breaking out" of it. Sally embraces it and through her Golodner reveals the joy in everyday things. This joy is the backbone of Jewish life and it's a joy to see it highlighted in the book.
December 29, 2023
4.0 Sally Sterling researches Orthodox Judaism for her job. The more she learns, the more she realizes that this form of Judaism is what she needs. She marries Barry Lieberman and had an ideal life as an Orthodox Jew. However, there’s a major issue with her son at school and a betrayal of her marriage vows. Some of the story was very interesting about the life of the Orthodox Jewish community. However, the way the author dealt with Sally’s betrayal seemed trivial and unrealistic. Overall a quick read.
September 26, 2023
Woman of Valor is a thought-provoking read where the protagonist questions her chosen path after a threat in her Orthodox community sends her into a tailspin. Immersive and captivating!
October 6, 2023
intriguing, engrossing story
I enjoyed this story immensely and learned a lot about Orthodox Judaism and culture. I kept turning pages to find out if Barry would find out what Sally had done, and if he could forgive.
I enjoyed this story immensely and learned a lot about Orthodox Judaism and culture. I kept turning pages to find out if Barry would find out what Sally had done, and if he could forgive.
October 21, 2023
Intriguing book.
August 5, 2025
Sally had never been settled with her life, never really fitting in with her upper class politician parents and siblings snug to the lifestyle. She was content just to pursue her own life as a journalist. What she didn't expect was to find a home in the Orthodox Jewish community when her secular grandparents' religion was barely a footnote in her life. Eight years later she is in love not only with her husband and t heir children, but this community and its traditions that are just starting to feel like they might be accepting her full as one of their own even if she was born outside of the community.
It all comes crashing down when their eldest son breaks the silence on his sudden change of behavior. The answer sends Sally spiraling as she's faced unlike any other time the imperfections of her community and the bumps in her marriage. Can she honor and protect her son, as well as the elements of the life she has chosen, without also falling into denial and excuses? How long does one stand by their principles? And what does someone do when they stray from their own moral code?
"Woman of Valor" is a slow, gradual, novel. There is a lot of introspection from Sally on her daily life, the orthodox culture, her friendships, the people and things she left behind in her own life. What moves the reader isn't the conventional drama- of which there certainly is as well- but how the path to moving forward feels as heavy and complex as something like this might instead of boiling it down to a single matter.
When a novel is so solidly based around religion often I find that it is across the board apologetic and focused only on that. Or, it is used as a tool to reject the practice by fixating and sensationalizing the shadowed parts. This book accomplishes a rare thing in avoiding both without denying either. Sally truly loves some of the faith mandates that secular culture would deem oppressive. There are others she questions, and is on a continuing journey to see if she likes where she is or a more moderate community would better serve her family. But is the compromise and dedication of her husband and her best friend among others that really show the spectrum of how life, faith, and community can be approached and embraced in different ways.
I am not a person of any faith, but am fascinated by the histories and culture of all. I know little about the Orthodox Community. Those I know who practice Judaism are very secular. I cannot speak to how this would resonate with those who are part of those practices. I do feel like I learned a lot about ritual and tradition. Goodness help the reader who comes to this book hungry!
I went into this book expecting from the summary something far more tense and dramatic in traditional means. What I found was a stirring, complicated, and passionate debate of a life, a woman, a family, and the different relationships we build in living our lives.
It all comes crashing down when their eldest son breaks the silence on his sudden change of behavior. The answer sends Sally spiraling as she's faced unlike any other time the imperfections of her community and the bumps in her marriage. Can she honor and protect her son, as well as the elements of the life she has chosen, without also falling into denial and excuses? How long does one stand by their principles? And what does someone do when they stray from their own moral code?
"Woman of Valor" is a slow, gradual, novel. There is a lot of introspection from Sally on her daily life, the orthodox culture, her friendships, the people and things she left behind in her own life. What moves the reader isn't the conventional drama- of which there certainly is as well- but how the path to moving forward feels as heavy and complex as something like this might instead of boiling it down to a single matter.
When a novel is so solidly based around religion often I find that it is across the board apologetic and focused only on that. Or, it is used as a tool to reject the practice by fixating and sensationalizing the shadowed parts. This book accomplishes a rare thing in avoiding both without denying either. Sally truly loves some of the faith mandates that secular culture would deem oppressive. There are others she questions, and is on a continuing journey to see if she likes where she is or a more moderate community would better serve her family. But is the compromise and dedication of her husband and her best friend among others that really show the spectrum of how life, faith, and community can be approached and embraced in different ways.
I am not a person of any faith, but am fascinated by the histories and culture of all. I know little about the Orthodox Community. Those I know who practice Judaism are very secular. I cannot speak to how this would resonate with those who are part of those practices. I do feel like I learned a lot about ritual and tradition. Goodness help the reader who comes to this book hungry!
I went into this book expecting from the summary something far more tense and dramatic in traditional means. What I found was a stirring, complicated, and passionate debate of a life, a woman, a family, and the different relationships we build in living our lives.
August 8, 2023
The literary and film worlds have devotedly explored the constraints imposed on women in contemporary religious Jewish communities, often concluding that escape from those communities is the only redress for strong thoughtful women. Lynne Golodner’s A Woman of Valor offers a different premise and alternate solutions to the tropes of misogyny, communal insularity and subjugation that characterize many representations of ultra-orthodox communities. Sally, the novel’s main character is the narrator, and walks the reader through her life, beginning 10 years into her choice to become an orthodox Jew, willingly leaving her secular upbringing on the heels of a humiliating, ruinous breakup with her first love. A stable, loving marriage and two children follow her entry into a large orthodox enclave in Chicago, and Golodner deftly describes the beauty and safety of belonging to a community with shared values, disciplines and connection. Sally is happy, passionately in love with her husband, devoted to her children and accepting of the rigid religious rules surrounding daily life. Her occasional doubts, and memories of her former life sometimes intrude but do not disrupt – that is until events at her son’s school and a casual reconnection to her former lover change everything, calling into question all the choices Sally has made, and threatening her hard-won stability and contentment. The underbelly of a parochial community circling the wagons against the outside world pits Sally against her own ethics and maternal instincts. Golodner’s skill in developing Sally’s character— flawed, authentic and dimensional— keeps the reader engaged in the real conflicts the novel presents without resorting to caricature. Sally’s resolution of these dilemmas avoids the all-or-none dichotomies, and is nuanced in a believable way. This Woman of Valor tells an important contemporary story of faith, love, devotion and self-determination.
February 4, 2024
'Woman of Valor' by Lynne Golodner is a beautifully written novel that follows Sally, a woman who rediscovers her Jewish roots and embraces life in the Orthodox community. Through Golodner's eloquent prose, readers witness the beauty and challenges woven into Sally's chosen path. The narrative explores the intersections of tradition and personal identity, providing readers with a nuanced portrayal of the joys and tribulations inherent in her journey.
Golodner's novel reminded me of a quote from, Cheryl Strayed, "I’ll never know and neither will you about the life you didn’t choose. We’ll only know that whatever that sister life was, it was important and beautiful and not ours. It was the ghost ship that didn’t carry us. There’s nothing to do but salute it from the shore." Golodner's narrative unfolds like a ghost ship, crashing into the shore of Sally's existence. As her past resurfaces, the story becomes a heartfelt exploration of choices, showcasing the resilience required when confronting the collision between the life we choose and the one that might have been.
With vivid imagery and thoughtful introspection, 'Woman of Valor' invites readers to salute the ghost ships of their own lives from the shore, delving into the profound beauty and importance of the unchosen paths.
Golodner's novel reminded me of a quote from, Cheryl Strayed, "I’ll never know and neither will you about the life you didn’t choose. We’ll only know that whatever that sister life was, it was important and beautiful and not ours. It was the ghost ship that didn’t carry us. There’s nothing to do but salute it from the shore." Golodner's narrative unfolds like a ghost ship, crashing into the shore of Sally's existence. As her past resurfaces, the story becomes a heartfelt exploration of choices, showcasing the resilience required when confronting the collision between the life we choose and the one that might have been.
With vivid imagery and thoughtful introspection, 'Woman of Valor' invites readers to salute the ghost ships of their own lives from the shore, delving into the profound beauty and importance of the unchosen paths.
March 21, 2024
The primary beauty of this book does not lie in the dramas and their resolution. It is in the power of the illustration of harmonious everyday life. The tensions exist only to emphasize how strong, beautiful, and nourishing peace and harmony are—within an individual, in the interpersonal relations of a couple and a family, and even between members of the wider community. Golodner is a master of painting an alluring picture that we can long for independently of what kind of community we belong to. The other aspect I admired in her writing was depicting the main character’s internal struggle, thought, and emotional processes.
My full review
My full review
January 27, 2024
Interesting Read
The main story was very good, but all of this book had too much discussion of food me.I know that food may be important but this story kept on and on about it. I grew up in Skokie, so I was disappointed that there wasn’t more representation of the area. I looked up some names of places mentioned, but they were not part of Skokie…some were Lincolnwood, Evanston, Chicago. I have read another author who wrote about living in Skokie and places she mentioned actually exist and I remember them. If you just look at the story about finding oneself, then you will enjoy this book.
The main story was very good, but all of this book had too much discussion of food me.I know that food may be important but this story kept on and on about it. I grew up in Skokie, so I was disappointed that there wasn’t more representation of the area. I looked up some names of places mentioned, but they were not part of Skokie…some were Lincolnwood, Evanston, Chicago. I have read another author who wrote about living in Skokie and places she mentioned actually exist and I remember them. If you just look at the story about finding oneself, then you will enjoy this book.
June 9, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. Sally is a character that, Jewish or not, I feel like we can all relate to in some way or another. She's a mom and a wife, but she's a woman too, and sometimes those things are hard to reconcile.
Admittedly, I don't know much about Jewish culture, so some of the things in the book shocked me, the "laws" they follow. I loved learning through the book. Very interesting!
Overall, it's a fun and intriguing read, and I highly recommend!
Admittedly, I don't know much about Jewish culture, so some of the things in the book shocked me, the "laws" they follow. I loved learning through the book. Very interesting!
Overall, it's a fun and intriguing read, and I highly recommend!
October 16, 2023
Sally felt embraced and loved by the Orthodox Jewish community that opened their arms to her after her heart was broken and in need of mending. When her son suffers abuse at the hands of a community member, her faith in the life she has chosen is tested, and she seeks comfort from a dangerous figure from her past. Lynne Golodner serves readers a novel packed with food, passion, forgiveness, and love. Woman of Valor is a tender, clear-eyed glimpse into an American Jewish community.
October 24, 2023
This is the story of a woman who is not raised in an ultra-Orthodox community but embraces the life as an adult. It held my interest all the way through, partly because it's well-written, but also because that's such an interesting subject. I appreciated the way Lake Michigan was almost another character in the story, appearing when Sally is running in the park, investigating another synagogue, going to the lawyer's office, even taking the family on vacation.
June 6, 2024
Woman of Valor is a great insight into what makes someone take a leap of faith and plunge into ultra-anything. After Sally's serious relationship suddenly ends, she dives headfirst into Ultra-Orthodox Judaism, a religion she inherited from her mother but knew little about and didn't connect to. Her search for meaning and self and validation are all answered in and by the extreme religious community. I loved seeing Sally accept then question then challenge then question more then accept.
March 25, 2026
Set in in an ultra Orthodox community in Skokie, Illinois, woman of valor is the story of Sally, a ba'al t'shuva. After a devastating breakup, she learns about the Orthodox community and decides to become observant. When we meet her, Sally is now married and a mother of three. Her life revolves around the Orthodox traditions. She encounters disappointment with the community, and gets reacquainted with her previous boyfriend, both of which show us the strength Of her being.
December 1, 2025
This is a story of faith, of rules, of understanding and of what true love means. When Sally becomes facebook friends with the man who stole her heart and then broke it, she struggles with her orthodox lifestyle and the people who are her “community”. This book is so well written and truly touched my heart.
There’s nothing better than spending a snow day with a GREAT JEWISH story.
There’s nothing better than spending a snow day with a GREAT JEWISH story.
October 13, 2023
Too much about food. Every page. Food. Eating food. Cooking food. Shopping for food. Enough already.
August 15, 2023
This book is written with heart, soul and understanding. It opens up a world to readers who may have no familiarity with more religious Jewish communities and values, and the story lets us know that we are not alone with the emotions, struggles, challenges and rewards we experience in friendship, family and marriage. This book is an important read to allow ourselves to develop compassion and connection with others who are different from ourselves.
March 6, 2024
Books that take me on a journey to a new world, or teach me something new are among my favorites. WOMAN OF VALOR did both, taking me deep into the life of Orthodox Jews, while teaching me about their faith, the good and not so good. For the Lieberman family, the sheltered world protects and nurtures families, until it doesn’t. As the scandals swirl and the stakes for the narrator, Sally Lieberman, grow, the more invested I became in her dilemma and the courage it took for her to stay true to herself and her marriage. The believable narrative, as well as the details of Orthodox devotion kept me invested until the very end.
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