Repentance: A Tale of Demons in Old Jewish Poland

by Barak A. Bassman

Dovid was a poor man down on his luck in a 17th century Polish Jewish world traumatized by the pogroms of the Cossack chieftain Chmielnicki and reeling from the tragedy of the false messiah Sabbatai Zevi. Eking out a meager existence reading psalms for the sick and recently deceased, his prospects were grim. But then a wealthy stranger comes to town and promises to change Dovid’s luck if Dovid agrees to marry his future son to the stranger’s future daughter. Dovid laughs and agrees. And soon enough his luck Dovid becomes a wealthy man with a son who is a brilliant Talmudic prodigy. However, when the mysterious benefactor comes to claim his son as a bridegroom, Dovid slowly learns the horrible truth of what he has really done and desperately seeks atonement.

131 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 13, 2016

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-written old-school folklore. I enjoyed the aesthetic but was a little disappointed by the ending.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book through Kindle as part of a giveaway - thank you to the author and to Goodreads!

This one was a little outside of my wheelhouse but I had fun with it all the same. This is wholly a matter of preference, but even though I am not very familiar with European Jewish culture I felt that certain things were over-explained - any time a foreign word or concept was introduced it was explained immediately. Some people might really enjoy this, but I personally enjoy looking things up on my own and can imagine this would get annoying very quickly were I more educated on the subject matter. Besides this, I enjoyed feeling like I was a kid reading a fairy tale again and was very grateful that the author chose to keep this one on the shorter side - not because I wasn't having a good time, but because a story like this could easily overstay its welcome. I feel like this one would be fun to read with an older kid/tween!

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Repentance

A cautionary tale about life. Dovid, given up by his parents is raised by another family. He was not given the same chance of success as others were given. He runs away from home and takes a job sitting with the deceased. One day, a mysterious man offers him everything he wants in life in exchange for his first born son. He agrees to this deal. Soon, everything the mysterious man promised comes to fruition. The day soon comes when the mystery man comes to collect the son. This causes many issues within the family and tears everyone apart.

#GoodreadsGiveaways

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a Kindle copy of this book from Goodreads for which I am very grateful because I enjoy reading books outside of my norm.

First and foremost, this book would have been easier to read if the author used speaker quotations. He chose to write without speaker quotes which I found disconcerting.

The story was written as a fairytale and was meant to teach virtuous behaviour through the characters flaws. I was left at the end with too many unanswered questions, and for that reason and the ones stated above, I give this read 2 stars.

[Joseph Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of the book gives the understanding of what the book is about. It is a story of morality and the lure of wealth and immorality along with the consequences of such choices. The story represents a dire warning to its reader and those who hear this that all decisions we make in life impact our souls and that outcomes are not assured. It is a worthy read with many dark corners.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from a Good Reads Giveaway. Thank you. I found this book very interesting. Sort of a blend of old-school folklore and the sad tale of Dr.Faust. It included many elements that helped evoke the period, culture and beliefs of the main characters.

[Damian Messina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story with a good amount of life lessons within. I look forward to reading more from this author!

[Fred Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it. A very strange tale with a moral.

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried to get through it. It was hard to read. If the author put quotations around what was being said out loud by a character, I feel it would have helped a ton.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read