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Beinoni
In a Beinoni time there should be no war, no terrible illness, no crime. Even if that also means there won’t be any great discoveries, any cures, anything extraordinary. Ezra believes that’s worth fighting for.
In fact, he’s been training most of his life to fight a battle to determine whether Beinoni time continues, or gives way to a more violent, less certain future. He is the Nivchar, the chosen one, with the sign of the scales on his skin. When he comes of age at his bar mitzvah, so too will the gurya, a fiery beast of uncertain form, emerging from a cave to conquer, destroy, and herald a time of conflict.
But Ezra begins to sense that something is very wrong. His friends, his neighbors, the whole world is losing the careful, even balance he’s come to expect in a Beinoni time. It was always uncertain whether he’d be able to best his terrifying, magical foe. But now, is it even possible?
In fact, he’s been training most of his life to fight a battle to determine whether Beinoni time continues, or gives way to a more violent, less certain future. He is the Nivchar, the chosen one, with the sign of the scales on his skin. When he comes of age at his bar mitzvah, so too will the gurya, a fiery beast of uncertain form, emerging from a cave to conquer, destroy, and herald a time of conflict.
But Ezra begins to sense that something is very wrong. His friends, his neighbors, the whole world is losing the careful, even balance he’s come to expect in a Beinoni time. It was always uncertain whether he’d be able to best his terrifying, magical foe. But now, is it even possible?
285 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 15, 2025
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50 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 8, 2025
An Orthodox Jewish Percy Jackson type story. Intriguing plot twists and unveiling of the story. I wish the cover was more appealing to the middle game audience because it's such a good book.
September 1, 2025
I’m quite a bit conflicted about this one.
The first half includes a lot of set up that you as a reader are not aware of, and it can kind of drag on a bit with really odd bits of mundane schoolboy antics in interspersed with training to save the world. A lot of the structure of the world is repeated at least eight separate times to the point where it gets really frustrating. And it’s just really strange because at one point, a character talks about “the republic of Texas“ but it’s never really clear what else defines this alternative reality/timeline that is in this book. And sometimes for me that was just more distracting. And sometimes there would be these jumps in the timeline that would be really vague and take a few lines to realize that we had moved ahead in time a few weeks. So there were many things that kept me feeling very fuzzy about the world and the plot.
I also feel like a lot of discussions were truly just the frameworks of what was trying to be touched upon rather than full representations of the themes the author was trying to touch upon. And the jacket copy I feel like truly touches upon the idea that the time they are trying to preserve means that no one can be evil, but no one can be great either— it was an idea I picked up from reading the jacket summary and I can’t tell anymore if that was stated quite as bluntly in the book or rather danced around.
I wasn’t entirely impressed with the secret organization either, and their aims seemed really fuzzy as well. And I suppose that is another thing that left me a little unsatisfied with reading, and that many different plot points would come up, not really be resolved, but then fade away and never really come up again.
It also made me really nervous to read a book where a “secret Jewish organization” literally controls the world… Obviously the author is not antisemitic, but the tropes being so blatantly discussed as quite literally “secret organizations” always give me a little unease.
However, there was so much I loved. I really enjoyed were the characters. For books that deal with “the chosen one“ I feel like this book truly captured the way in which it feels to be trapped within a destiny that the fate of the entire world rests upon your shoulders. It is interesting to see The formulaic training. And the world building around a need to save the world from a fiery demon every 80 years.
The twist actually really surprised me, and I didn’t expect it, despite many clues pointing out to what was going to happen. But I’m glad I didn’t figure it out because I like the way that the surprise made me feel.
The first half includes a lot of set up that you as a reader are not aware of, and it can kind of drag on a bit with really odd bits of mundane schoolboy antics in interspersed with training to save the world. A lot of the structure of the world is repeated at least eight separate times to the point where it gets really frustrating. And it’s just really strange because at one point, a character talks about “the republic of Texas“ but it’s never really clear what else defines this alternative reality/timeline that is in this book. And sometimes for me that was just more distracting. And sometimes there would be these jumps in the timeline that would be really vague and take a few lines to realize that we had moved ahead in time a few weeks. So there were many things that kept me feeling very fuzzy about the world and the plot.
I also feel like a lot of discussions were truly just the frameworks of what was trying to be touched upon rather than full representations of the themes the author was trying to touch upon. And the jacket copy I feel like truly touches upon the idea that the time they are trying to preserve means that no one can be evil, but no one can be great either— it was an idea I picked up from reading the jacket summary and I can’t tell anymore if that was stated quite as bluntly in the book or rather danced around.
I wasn’t entirely impressed with the secret organization either, and their aims seemed really fuzzy as well. And I suppose that is another thing that left me a little unsatisfied with reading, and that many different plot points would come up, not really be resolved, but then fade away and never really come up again.
It also made me really nervous to read a book where a “secret Jewish organization” literally controls the world… Obviously the author is not antisemitic, but the tropes being so blatantly discussed as quite literally “secret organizations” always give me a little unease.
However, there was so much I loved. I really enjoyed were the characters. For books that deal with “the chosen one“ I feel like this book truly captured the way in which it feels to be trapped within a destiny that the fate of the entire world rests upon your shoulders. It is interesting to see The formulaic training. And the world building around a need to save the world from a fiery demon every 80 years.
The twist actually really surprised me, and I didn’t expect it, despite many clues pointing out to what was going to happen. But I’m glad I didn’t figure it out because I like the way that the surprise made me feel.
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September 15, 2025Beinoni was written for and about teens, but its depth and sophisticated world-building will be most appreciated by adults. When you’re ready for a 180-degree change from your usual frum-fiction roster, dive into an imaginative world that challenges assumptions and forces us to define our values.
It’s a Beinoni time, when the world stays perfectly balanced - as long as the Gurya is beaten in every generation. Ezra’s always known he’s the Nivchar, the one kid in his generation who will fight the Gurya on his bar mitzva night to maintain the world’s equilibrium. As he nears his Bar Mitzvah and prepares for the battle of a lifetime, cracks begin appearing in his perfectly stabilized world. The headlines are filled with war, disease, and exciting new innovations and discoveries. But as he struggles to adapt to the changes and find his place among the ordinary, everyone around him denies that anything’s changed. The battle that once held his heroic destiny becomes a dreaded burden with a terrible decision.
From the author of Lie of the Land (Mishpacha), the story features intriguing world-building that stays grounded without crossing into high-fantasy. Like The Betrayal and Trepid, the story operates in a regular world with one small “what if” that reshapes everything. As in all her stories, Bashie (Mari) perfectly controls the complex plot, slowly revealing elements of a hidden reality to take you along for the ride as the character makes sense of their world - right up to that final reveal moment.
The story has it all: growing up, an intriguing reality with linguistic clues and midrashic hints that help you piece together what’s really going on, and perfectly developed characters. But what makes Beinoni most adult-appealing is the nuance and ideas that lie just beneath the fascinating premise and character struggles, left there for you to chew on without overpowering - it’s a story that respects your intelligence.
It’s a Beinoni time, when the world stays perfectly balanced - as long as the Gurya is beaten in every generation. Ezra’s always known he’s the Nivchar, the one kid in his generation who will fight the Gurya on his bar mitzva night to maintain the world’s equilibrium. As he nears his Bar Mitzvah and prepares for the battle of a lifetime, cracks begin appearing in his perfectly stabilized world. The headlines are filled with war, disease, and exciting new innovations and discoveries. But as he struggles to adapt to the changes and find his place among the ordinary, everyone around him denies that anything’s changed. The battle that once held his heroic destiny becomes a dreaded burden with a terrible decision.
From the author of Lie of the Land (Mishpacha), the story features intriguing world-building that stays grounded without crossing into high-fantasy. Like The Betrayal and Trepid, the story operates in a regular world with one small “what if” that reshapes everything. As in all her stories, Bashie (Mari) perfectly controls the complex plot, slowly revealing elements of a hidden reality to take you along for the ride as the character makes sense of their world - right up to that final reveal moment.
The story has it all: growing up, an intriguing reality with linguistic clues and midrashic hints that help you piece together what’s really going on, and perfectly developed characters. But what makes Beinoni most adult-appealing is the nuance and ideas that lie just beneath the fascinating premise and character struggles, left there for you to chew on without overpowering - it’s a story that respects your intelligence.
August 6, 2025
We really appreciated how Beinoni balances weighty themes with a sense of emotional clarity that doesn't talk down to its audience. The premise alone is fresh: Ezra Safran is preparing for his bar mitzvah, but this isn’t just a rite of passage — he’s meant to become the Nivchar, the Chosen One who must confront a mythical beast called the gurya. If he succeeds, the world enters a period of peace. If he fails, chaos returns. But when strange events start happening — plagues, political unrest, deepening divisions — Ezra begins to question what exactly he’s fighting for, and whether the system he's part of is as pure as it claims to be.
Ezra’s internal struggle is where this story shines. He’s not just a kid facing a monster; he’s a kid wrestling with what it means to carry a tradition that demands silence, obedience, and sacrifice. Mari Lowe handles that tension delicately, giving readers space to sit with doubt without forcing tidy answers. Ezra’s ADHD is portrayed thoughtfully and adds depth to how he processes the pressure around him.
The trio at the center — Ezra, Aryeh, and Miriam — have real chemistry. Aryeh brings humor and edge, while Miriam feels grounded and sharp. Their dynamic gives the heavier ideas some breathing room and keeps the story moving.
If there’s a critique here, it’s that the first half leans a little heavy on explanation. The world-building, while rich, sometimes slows down the pace. A few side characters fade into the background when they could’ve added more texture.
Still, Beinoni hits a rare note: it’s a middle-grade fantasy that treats questions of faith, community, and power with real respect. And it gives kids — especially Jewish kids — a story where spiritual identity isn’t just a backdrop, but the very heart of the conflict.
4 stars. Thoughtful, original, and emotionally grounded
Ezra’s internal struggle is where this story shines. He’s not just a kid facing a monster; he’s a kid wrestling with what it means to carry a tradition that demands silence, obedience, and sacrifice. Mari Lowe handles that tension delicately, giving readers space to sit with doubt without forcing tidy answers. Ezra’s ADHD is portrayed thoughtfully and adds depth to how he processes the pressure around him.
The trio at the center — Ezra, Aryeh, and Miriam — have real chemistry. Aryeh brings humor and edge, while Miriam feels grounded and sharp. Their dynamic gives the heavier ideas some breathing room and keeps the story moving.
If there’s a critique here, it’s that the first half leans a little heavy on explanation. The world-building, while rich, sometimes slows down the pace. A few side characters fade into the background when they could’ve added more texture.
Still, Beinoni hits a rare note: it’s a middle-grade fantasy that treats questions of faith, community, and power with real respect. And it gives kids — especially Jewish kids — a story where spiritual identity isn’t just a backdrop, but the very heart of the conflict.
4 stars. Thoughtful, original, and emotionally grounded
October 12, 2025
This book reminds me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, except that Ezra is an almost 13 year-old boy instead of a high school student. Like Buffy, Ezra is a once-in-a-generation Chosen One who is destined to vanquish some kind of monster. The twist is that Ezra is a modern Orthodox Jew, and his father is a rabbi and head of a secret Jewish organization charged with preserving their peaceful reality. Ezra has trained his entire life to fight the unknown monster he will face on the day of his bar mitzvah. But the world starts to shift a few months before then and Ezra must deal with personal conflicts before the big day. Friendships, school, and a charismatic but nasty bully also figure in the story. Lowe skillfully blends all these plot lines with Jewish themes, and the ending is unexpected. A great read for fantasy lovers.
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July 11, 2025A sort of Orthodox Jewish Percy Jackson. I was down. appreciated the glossary for sure.
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December 11, 2025When I was talking to a non-Jewish friend this summer about a Jewish fantasy novel that I was reading, he expressed surprise that there was such a thing as Jewish fantasy. The elements of these works can be found as far back as talmudic times: the belief in demons, dybbuks, golems, angels and more have been part of Jewish culture for centuries. They were treated as real creatures, something that changed as many Jews focused more on the rational aspects of the religion. However, writers of fantasy now include them in their works – whether or not they believe the creatures are real – and combine tales of them with aspects of Western culture.
Two novels of the five novels in this review take place in imaginary variations of our world: The first offers a kingdom where Judaism reigns supreme, while the other features more uncomfortable aspects of the Jewish past. The third novel takes place in a world similar to ours, but which offers an alternate view of Jewish history and theology. The fourth uses Jewish magic in the midst of an otherwise ordinary version of our world. The last features a Jewish character as a jumping point for a fantasy with little other Jewish content. Lovers of fantasy are certain to find something of interest in these novels.
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/book...
Two novels of the five novels in this review take place in imaginary variations of our world: The first offers a kingdom where Judaism reigns supreme, while the other features more uncomfortable aspects of the Jewish past. The third novel takes place in a world similar to ours, but which offers an alternate view of Jewish history and theology. The fourth uses Jewish magic in the midst of an otherwise ordinary version of our world. The last features a Jewish character as a jumping point for a fantasy with little other Jewish content. Lovers of fantasy are certain to find something of interest in these novels.
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/book...
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