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The Way Back
NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST and a SYDNEY TAYLOR NOTABLE BOOK, now in paperback! A sweeping historical fantasy that follows two teens on a perilous journey through the Far Country, a Jewish land of spirits and demons. Perfect for readers of Neil Gaiman and Philip Pullman.
For the Jews of Eastern Europe, demons are 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 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.
For the Jews of Eastern Europe, demons are 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 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.
384 pages, Paperback
First published November 17, 2020
103 people are currently reading
4539 people want to read
About the author
Gavriel Savit
3 books207 followersGavriel Savit is a New York Times Bestselling author. His award-winning writing has been shortlisted for the National Book Award, and has been translated into nineteen languages. As a performer, he has appeared on and off-Broadway, and on stages around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 303 reviews
February 23, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
(actual rating: 2.5/5)
I spent most of my time while reading this, especially in the beginning, confused as to what was going on while trying to keep track of where each of the characters was, which wasn't fun, but thankfully, things somewhat improved as the book went on.
'The Way Back' tells a tale based on Jewish folklore and rooted in magic about two kids, Yehuda Leib and Bluma, who have their lives turned upside down after a visit from Death. They make their way to the Far Country, a land of the unliving, rife with demons. They must figure out a way to bring back what was taken from them, and return something that they took, all while doing their best not to lose themselves in the process.
For the most part of the first half of this book, I found my attention wandering and unable to really get invested or even interested in the story. This might have been because I was not knowledgeable in some aspects of the mythology and general magic system that was used in the book, leaving me reading on Wikipedia more than I was listening to this book. And while I might have enjoyed it more if I had known more going in, I don't think I would have appreciated how much the book improves in the second half. For me, while the first half was hazy and difficult to understand at times, the second half was far more vivid and immersing.
The biggest reason was the writing, and how it seemed to grow better over the course of the book itself. It could be repetitive at times, but for the most part, it was entrancing, detailed, a bit hard to follow at times, and honestly made me feel like I was floating in a dream. A dream where I was simultaneously aware of everything and nothing, but a dream nonetheless.
The characters themselves were interesting in their own right. The way that they grow as the book went on, the way that their stories entangle and come apart was incredible. Death, how it is personified, and how it snakes its way through nearly every plotline in this book was quite fascinating to me.
Another winning aspect of this book was the narrator. They managed to voice each of the individual characters differently, and helped to keep my interest in the book.
All in all, while I was fairly confused for most of this book, it was certainly an intriguing read. I'd recommend it for others who like these kinds of books or the writing style, or are interested in a folklore-filled book that toes the line between middle-grade and YA.
(actual rating: 2.5/5)
I spent most of my time while reading this, especially in the beginning, confused as to what was going on while trying to keep track of where each of the characters was, which wasn't fun, but thankfully, things somewhat improved as the book went on.
'The Way Back' tells a tale based on Jewish folklore and rooted in magic about two kids, Yehuda Leib and Bluma, who have their lives turned upside down after a visit from Death. They make their way to the Far Country, a land of the unliving, rife with demons. They must figure out a way to bring back what was taken from them, and return something that they took, all while doing their best not to lose themselves in the process.
For the most part of the first half of this book, I found my attention wandering and unable to really get invested or even interested in the story. This might have been because I was not knowledgeable in some aspects of the mythology and general magic system that was used in the book, leaving me reading on Wikipedia more than I was listening to this book. And while I might have enjoyed it more if I had known more going in, I don't think I would have appreciated how much the book improves in the second half. For me, while the first half was hazy and difficult to understand at times, the second half was far more vivid and immersing.
The biggest reason was the writing, and how it seemed to grow better over the course of the book itself. It could be repetitive at times, but for the most part, it was entrancing, detailed, a bit hard to follow at times, and honestly made me feel like I was floating in a dream. A dream where I was simultaneously aware of everything and nothing, but a dream nonetheless.
The characters themselves were interesting in their own right. The way that they grow as the book went on, the way that their stories entangle and come apart was incredible. Death, how it is personified, and how it snakes its way through nearly every plotline in this book was quite fascinating to me.
Another winning aspect of this book was the narrator. They managed to voice each of the individual characters differently, and helped to keep my interest in the book.
All in all, while I was fairly confused for most of this book, it was certainly an intriguing read. I'd recommend it for others who like these kinds of books or the writing style, or are interested in a folklore-filled book that toes the line between middle-grade and YA.
November 28, 2020
If Neil Gaiman had written the Winternight Trilogy, it may have turned out like this. A gorgeously written Fantasy adventure filled with Jewish folklore.
Set in 1800's eastern Europe, two Jewish teenagers are each struggling against the Angel of Death. Yehuda Leib seeks to recover a very special soul, feeling robbed of time with that person. Bluma finds the Angel's spoon, accidentally dropped when it collected her grandmother's soul, and the Angel is trying to recover it. These two storylines intersect when each teen accidentally crosses into the Far Country, where demons dwell. As the only living souls there, Yehuda Leib and Bluma eventually capture the attention of the otherworldly rulers who want to use the kids for their own gain.
I have loved Gavriel Savit since reading Anna and the Swallow Man, and I eagerly awaited this book for the last couple of years. It did not disappoint! The writing is lyrical and gorgeous, the dialogue is smart, and the magic and wonder woven through the adventure swept me away completely. I highly recommend The Way Back.
Set in 1800's eastern Europe, two Jewish teenagers are each struggling against the Angel of Death. Yehuda Leib seeks to recover a very special soul, feeling robbed of time with that person. Bluma finds the Angel's spoon, accidentally dropped when it collected her grandmother's soul, and the Angel is trying to recover it. These two storylines intersect when each teen accidentally crosses into the Far Country, where demons dwell. As the only living souls there, Yehuda Leib and Bluma eventually capture the attention of the otherworldly rulers who want to use the kids for their own gain.
I have loved Gavriel Savit since reading Anna and the Swallow Man, and I eagerly awaited this book for the last couple of years. It did not disappoint! The writing is lyrical and gorgeous, the dialogue is smart, and the magic and wonder woven through the adventure swept me away completely. I highly recommend The Way Back.
May 17, 2021
My partner and I read this with our daughter, as part of her Bat Mitzvah class, and we immediately wanted to read it all over again, and to listen to the audiobook version on our next long car trip. The protagonists are two young adults, but this is not a young adult book, because it's thickly allegorical, and Savit expects more from his readers than to be simply entertained.
What this is: an immensely rich and multi-layered high fantasy, heavily influenced by Philip Pullman, Neil Gaiman, and The Master and Margarita, but deeply grounded in Yiddish and Talmudic folklore (with a liberal dose of Greek and Celtic myth, plus a smudge of Tolkien). The story begins in a Jewish shtetl in late-nineteenth-century Russia, but swiftly transports us into the Far Country, the land of the dead, haunted by Lilith, Mammon, and fallen angels.
Savit writes beautifully and evocatively, but this is more driven by atmosphere than a coherent plot, with forking narrative threads that are constantly on the verge of unraveling. Some stunning images: a Yeshiva of the Dead, an endless tower of gravestones, a vast library with snow falling through a broken skylight. It's a bit of an over-egged pudding, and needs to be savored a chapter or two at a time.
What this is: an immensely rich and multi-layered high fantasy, heavily influenced by Philip Pullman, Neil Gaiman, and The Master and Margarita, but deeply grounded in Yiddish and Talmudic folklore (with a liberal dose of Greek and Celtic myth, plus a smudge of Tolkien). The story begins in a Jewish shtetl in late-nineteenth-century Russia, but swiftly transports us into the Far Country, the land of the dead, haunted by Lilith, Mammon, and fallen angels.
Savit writes beautifully and evocatively, but this is more driven by atmosphere than a coherent plot, with forking narrative threads that are constantly on the verge of unraveling. Some stunning images: a Yeshiva of the Dead, an endless tower of gravestones, a vast library with snow falling through a broken skylight. It's a bit of an over-egged pudding, and needs to be savored a chapter or two at a time.
November 30, 2020
2.5 stars
I have to say, I was confused for a lot of the story. I understood the overall plot, but so many details I didn't understand and I'm not sure what the main characters really accomplished at the end. It felt like we went in a giant circle and ended where we began. I think this is based on a Jewish folklore story, so maybe if I'd read that I would have understood this better?
We start with Yehuda Leib, a boy who one night is sent away by his mother so that he won't be conscripted into the military. He ends up running into the Angel of Death and gets started on a mission to save a special soul. We also have Bluma, the baker's daughter who comes into possession of one of Death's instruments and both characters end up in the Far Country, aka land of the dead and demons.
This is where I lost the story. The kids made a deal with demons, Yehuda Leib with a horrible Lord named Mammon and Bluma with Lilith and her sisters. They start a fight against Death, but things aren't as they seem and there are a lot of betrayals and misunderstandings. I'm not sure what came of the battle, other than the kids learned more about Death and the world.
There are some interesting parts and I liked the take on Death. Maybe I'll check out the folklore story and will gain some understanding.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I have to say, I was confused for a lot of the story. I understood the overall plot, but so many details I didn't understand and I'm not sure what the main characters really accomplished at the end. It felt like we went in a giant circle and ended where we began. I think this is based on a Jewish folklore story, so maybe if I'd read that I would have understood this better?
We start with Yehuda Leib, a boy who one night is sent away by his mother so that he won't be conscripted into the military. He ends up running into the Angel of Death and gets started on a mission to save a special soul. We also have Bluma, the baker's daughter who comes into possession of one of Death's instruments and both characters end up in the Far Country, aka land of the dead and demons.
This is where I lost the story. The kids made a deal with demons, Yehuda Leib with a horrible Lord named Mammon and Bluma with Lilith and her sisters. They start a fight against Death, but things aren't as they seem and there are a lot of betrayals and misunderstandings. I'm not sure what came of the battle, other than the kids learned more about Death and the world.
There are some interesting parts and I liked the take on Death. Maybe I'll check out the folklore story and will gain some understanding.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
September 7, 2020
The Way Back is Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere by way of Gregory Maguire's Egg and Spoon , rich with Jewish folkore and a wintery atmosphere that is all its own/ It is one of those stories where the targeted age bracket is difficult to qualify: while you could technically argue that it is a middle grade novel, the heavy themes of loss and grief and death and the impressive commentary about said themes make it a novel that will surely resound with adults as well.
The story follows a boy named Yehuda Leib and a girl named Bluma as they are accidentally thrust from their everyday lives into the twisted afterlife of the Far Country, squabbled over by factions of demons and ruled by the all-powerful Angel of Death. My favorite parts of the novel were actually the ones that leaned most heavily into the fantastical elements: Yehuda exploring Lord Mammon's Treasure Hoard, Yehuda and Bluma searching for information in Dantalion's realm, and Bluma's interactions with the insidious Lileen. While I also enjoyed the extended metaphor of grief and healing spread throughout, I think the novel could have also done with more of these eye-popping, extraordinary elements.
My other favorite aspect of the novel was how richly it connected to Jewish culture and history. I am half-Lithuanian Jewish by way of my father and was raised attending Synagogue on occasion and celebrating the High Holidays with my extended family. I find this story to be a gorgeous love-letter to Judiasm and Eastern Europe as much as it is anything else. On a personal note, my deeply religious grandfather recently passed away, and I was struck by how much I saw the process of grief and morning, both personally and culturally, by myself and my family reflected within these pages. This was a very cathartic novel, and I am grateful to Savit for the surprising tenderness he injects into tragedy.
The story follows a boy named Yehuda Leib and a girl named Bluma as they are accidentally thrust from their everyday lives into the twisted afterlife of the Far Country, squabbled over by factions of demons and ruled by the all-powerful Angel of Death. My favorite parts of the novel were actually the ones that leaned most heavily into the fantastical elements: Yehuda exploring Lord Mammon's Treasure Hoard, Yehuda and Bluma searching for information in Dantalion's realm, and Bluma's interactions with the insidious Lileen. While I also enjoyed the extended metaphor of grief and healing spread throughout, I think the novel could have also done with more of these eye-popping, extraordinary elements.
My other favorite aspect of the novel was how richly it connected to Jewish culture and history. I am half-Lithuanian Jewish by way of my father and was raised attending Synagogue on occasion and celebrating the High Holidays with my extended family. I find this story to be a gorgeous love-letter to Judiasm and Eastern Europe as much as it is anything else. On a personal note, my deeply religious grandfather recently passed away, and I was struck by how much I saw the process of grief and morning, both personally and culturally, by myself and my family reflected within these pages. This was a very cathartic novel, and I am grateful to Savit for the surprising tenderness he injects into tragedy.
February 24, 2020
I was so nervous to read this book because Anna and the Swallow Man is one of my all time favorites. But - oh man - The Way Back did not disappoint.
The stories are complicated and interesting and so tightly woven together that I couldn’t put it down. It is rich in folklore and brilliantly illuminates the beauty of a child’s mind.
I’m so excited for this book to come out. September 2020 can’t come fast enough!
The stories are complicated and interesting and so tightly woven together that I couldn’t put it down. It is rich in folklore and brilliantly illuminates the beauty of a child’s mind.
I’m so excited for this book to come out. September 2020 can’t come fast enough!
March 15, 2021
I spend a lot of time studying Jewish demons professionally, and I loved Anna and the Swallow Man, so take my word for it that this book is not great.
1. My biggest complaint is that this isn't about Jewish folklore at all. It's a Christian folktale with Jewish aesthetics. The demons have names from Talmud (barely!—if you're going to commit, commit, and say "Lilit"! Hebrew doesn't have "th"!), but represent Christian demons. No demon in this book acts in any way that isn't directly self-serving. That's a fully Christian perspective of demons. In the Talmud, demons and humans run parallel lives, sometimes interacting harmfully, sometimes beneficially. More generally, none of the mythological elements are inspired by Jewish text or tradition other than the names. Magic spoon? Not Jewish. Lilith's cats? Not Jewish. Mammon's treasure house? Never heard of it. Death's house? Invented by this book. Salt scaring away demons? Maybe endorsed by medieval Jews, but only because their Christian neighbors told them it worked. An army of the dead? Certainly not Jewish! The dead aren't animated until the arrival of the messiah. It's fine to invent magical, fantastic elements for a fantasy novel. It's just weird to bill that novel as though it's heavily based in Jewish mythology! And it's weird to dress those elements up with Jewish aesthetics.
2. Mythological complaints aside, it's just not a great book. There isn't much of a plot. It seems like the plot is supposed to be: . However, it doesn't start until at least a quarter of the way through the book—they don't even start journeying toward Death until at least ⅔ of the way through the book. It also doesn't touch on the wedding at all—which from the beginning looked to be the main plot. (What happens to the bride? Does Lilith get her? Why did she get a random POV scene? Why did the Rebbe?)
3. The characters are absurdly underdeveloped. The only character who undergoes any sort of arc is Bluma. She learns that it is good to live, instead of trying to hide. She learns this because her dead great-grandmother says this to her explicitly and she believes her. It is not clear why she is talking to her dead great-grandmother, or that any of this plot needed to happen in order for her to come to this realization. More aggravatingly, it is not clear that this realization even needed to happen at all, if not for the plot. As far as I could tell, the only reason she wants to disappear is because she is actively being pursued by Death. The only reason she is being pursued by Death is because she stole Death's magic spoon for no apparent reason. Perhaps Bluma leads a passive mousy life, and this plot teaches her to be bold. However, we have no evidence to support this because we know nothing about Bluma as a person or her life before the story. We somehow know much more about her grandmother, who spends almost the entire story .
YL ostensibly undergoes a character arc to become gentler (because we are told this explicitly. At the end. In cryptic prophecies). No evidence of that. He is barely even upset about .
Issur actually undergoes the most character development, and he only shows up for about a chapter and a half.
The Angel of Death undergoes some weird character development that involves getting drunk? and doesn't change anything—it's just an unexplained interlude with unclear consequences and doesn't lead to any actual character development, as the Angel of Death then proceeds to act exactly the same as it had been.
The main characters are YL and Bluma, but you wouldn't really know it. You don't know anything about them or their lives, other than bare facts. It's not even sweet that they're friends at the end, because they were friendly from the get-go.
4. The world is also absurdly underdeveloped! What's going on with the spoon? Or the mechanics of any of this magic? The only mechanics that are clear and interesting are that Psalms can act as magic spells and hurt demons and that demons cannot enter the land of the living without an invitation from a mortal.
5. What's up with the refrain? "The direction matters less than you think"? It's not even catchy, first of all. Also, why did I think the direction mattered? Also, why does it not matter? Because all roads lead to Death? Okay—but isn't the whole point of the only character arc in the book that that shouldn't prevent us from living while we can?
An example of how absurd this line becomes:
Wait, what? First off, YL has a great point—what does that even mean? They have to physically pick a direction. Second, they can't get much closer than they already are, since they are standing right next to it. So it is not true that "every forward step" will take them closer. And lastly, haven't we already established ad nauseam that "the direction" is toward Death? So if they are trying to get away from death, how does that apply?
6. Honestly, the writing is just not good. It is repetitive. It is slow. It is boring. It takes pages to have a simple conversation. There are many lines that are only a few words long. E.g.:
"And at just this moment, she remembered:
The spoon.
The hungry spoon.
All of a sudden, she knew what to do.
'I know!' said Bluma.
Slowly, the eyes of the Lileen turned upon her.
'What?' said Lilith.…
'Yes?' said Lilith.
Bluma drew out the spoon.
'Tell me,' said Lilith."
7. What's up with Bluma becoming a rebbe? What does that even mean? Does she want a random acolyte?
Yes, it was cute and felt like "representation" to see "the Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan," Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, and Hadar in the acknowledgements (although I think it says something that that's the moment I felt most represented, other than the aesthetics of "Rebbe" and "study hall" and whatnot). Yes, representation and ownvoices take time, and we need to be patient. Yes, it was a good idea and a decent effort. But I don't think I'm holding us to unreasonable standards here.
1. My biggest complaint is that this isn't about Jewish folklore at all. It's a Christian folktale with Jewish aesthetics. The demons have names from Talmud (barely!—if you're going to commit, commit, and say "Lilit"! Hebrew doesn't have "th"!), but represent Christian demons. No demon in this book acts in any way that isn't directly self-serving. That's a fully Christian perspective of demons. In the Talmud, demons and humans run parallel lives, sometimes interacting harmfully, sometimes beneficially. More generally, none of the mythological elements are inspired by Jewish text or tradition other than the names. Magic spoon? Not Jewish. Lilith's cats? Not Jewish. Mammon's treasure house? Never heard of it. Death's house? Invented by this book. Salt scaring away demons? Maybe endorsed by medieval Jews, but only because their Christian neighbors told them it worked. An army of the dead? Certainly not Jewish! The dead aren't animated until the arrival of the messiah. It's fine to invent magical, fantastic elements for a fantasy novel. It's just weird to bill that novel as though it's heavily based in Jewish mythology! And it's weird to dress those elements up with Jewish aesthetics.
2. Mythological complaints aside, it's just not a great book. There isn't much of a plot. It seems like the plot is supposed to be: . However, it doesn't start until at least a quarter of the way through the book—they don't even start journeying toward Death until at least ⅔ of the way through the book. It also doesn't touch on the wedding at all—which from the beginning looked to be the main plot. (What happens to the bride? Does Lilith get her? Why did she get a random POV scene? Why did the Rebbe?)
3. The characters are absurdly underdeveloped. The only character who undergoes any sort of arc is Bluma. She learns that it is good to live, instead of trying to hide. She learns this because her dead great-grandmother says this to her explicitly and she believes her. It is not clear why she is talking to her dead great-grandmother, or that any of this plot needed to happen in order for her to come to this realization. More aggravatingly, it is not clear that this realization even needed to happen at all, if not for the plot. As far as I could tell, the only reason she wants to disappear is because she is actively being pursued by Death. The only reason she is being pursued by Death is because she stole Death's magic spoon for no apparent reason. Perhaps Bluma leads a passive mousy life, and this plot teaches her to be bold. However, we have no evidence to support this because we know nothing about Bluma as a person or her life before the story. We somehow know much more about her grandmother, who spends almost the entire story .
YL ostensibly undergoes a character arc to become gentler (because we are told this explicitly. At the end. In cryptic prophecies). No evidence of that. He is barely even upset about .
Issur actually undergoes the most character development, and he only shows up for about a chapter and a half.
The Angel of Death undergoes some weird character development that involves getting drunk? and doesn't change anything—it's just an unexplained interlude with unclear consequences and doesn't lead to any actual character development, as the Angel of Death then proceeds to act exactly the same as it had been.
The main characters are YL and Bluma, but you wouldn't really know it. You don't know anything about them or their lives, other than bare facts. It's not even sweet that they're friends at the end, because they were friendly from the get-go.
4. The world is also absurdly underdeveloped! What's going on with the spoon? Or the mechanics of any of this magic? The only mechanics that are clear and interesting are that Psalms can act as magic spells and hurt demons and that demons cannot enter the land of the living without an invitation from a mortal.
5. What's up with the refrain? "The direction matters less than you think"? It's not even catchy, first of all. Also, why did I think the direction mattered? Also, why does it not matter? Because all roads lead to Death? Okay—but isn't the whole point of the only character arc in the book that that shouldn't prevent us from living while we can?
An example of how absurd this line becomes:
Wait, what? First off, YL has a great point—what does that even mean? They have to physically pick a direction. Second, they can't get much closer than they already are, since they are standing right next to it. So it is not true that "every forward step" will take them closer. And lastly, haven't we already established ad nauseam that "the direction" is toward Death? So if they are trying to get away from death, how does that apply?
6. Honestly, the writing is just not good. It is repetitive. It is slow. It is boring. It takes pages to have a simple conversation. There are many lines that are only a few words long. E.g.:
"And at just this moment, she remembered:
The spoon.
The hungry spoon.
All of a sudden, she knew what to do.
'I know!' said Bluma.
Slowly, the eyes of the Lileen turned upon her.
'What?' said Lilith.…
'Yes?' said Lilith.
Bluma drew out the spoon.
'Tell me,' said Lilith."
7. What's up with Bluma becoming a rebbe? What does that even mean? Does she want a random acolyte?
Yes, it was cute and felt like "representation" to see "the Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan," Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, and Hadar in the acknowledgements (although I think it says something that that's the moment I felt most represented, other than the aesthetics of "Rebbe" and "study hall" and whatnot). Yes, representation and ownvoices take time, and we need to be patient. Yes, it was a good idea and a decent effort. But I don't think I'm holding us to unreasonable standards here.
Want to read
November 19, 2020CAN. NOT. WAIT.
April 11, 2022
This sucker is getting a star only bc the cover is BEAUTIFUL. I was highly disappointed. It was very Neil Gaiman ish (whose Graveyard Book I enjoyed last year), so I wouldn’t say it was a bad book per se, BUT… I only had a vague notion of what was going on. There was a LOT of bouncing around, and I didn’t feel like the explanations of the demons were enough. Like, there were people and then BAM HEY DEMONS WHATS UP, and I was never not confused after that.
March 27, 2021
“For Everyone knows: Those who walk in the shadow of Death can see only its nearest face.”
The Way Back by Gavriel Savit is lush with the beauty of Eastern European Jewish folklore and in the tiny village of Tupik, a story begins with two teens at its center, Bluma and Yehuda Leib. The two venture off separately on a journey through the Far Country – the realm of demons and demon royalty and all manners of horrible things that go bump in the night.
“Everyone knows: you must never stray from the path in a cemetery once darkness has fallen.”
Bluma has just lost her beloved Bubbe and has taken something from the Angel of Death and Yehuda Leib is fleeing Tupick in fear of Avimelekh, a dark dangerous man who is feared by all that has come looking for him. Each event leading the kids to the cemetery where the realm to the Far Country is thinnest at night. This sets them on a journey through the Far Country with no visible way back and many nefarious characters out to take advantage of them; poor decisions are made for the right reasons and Bluma and Yehuda Leib will have to use their wits and what their families and Rabbi have taught them if they are to make it out of the Far Country alive.
I was able to listen to this thanks to @PRHAudio for the gifted Audiobook and it is narrated beautifully by Allan Corduner – he has a lilting rhythm that invited me into the story and kept me invested. His voice is beautifully accented in all the right places and moved effortlessly between characters. An absolute pleasure to listen to!
If you enjoy folklore with a dash of darkness, I think you’ll enjoy this!
The Way Back by Gavriel Savit is lush with the beauty of Eastern European Jewish folklore and in the tiny village of Tupik, a story begins with two teens at its center, Bluma and Yehuda Leib. The two venture off separately on a journey through the Far Country – the realm of demons and demon royalty and all manners of horrible things that go bump in the night.
“Everyone knows: you must never stray from the path in a cemetery once darkness has fallen.”
Bluma has just lost her beloved Bubbe and has taken something from the Angel of Death and Yehuda Leib is fleeing Tupick in fear of Avimelekh, a dark dangerous man who is feared by all that has come looking for him. Each event leading the kids to the cemetery where the realm to the Far Country is thinnest at night. This sets them on a journey through the Far Country with no visible way back and many nefarious characters out to take advantage of them; poor decisions are made for the right reasons and Bluma and Yehuda Leib will have to use their wits and what their families and Rabbi have taught them if they are to make it out of the Far Country alive.
I was able to listen to this thanks to @PRHAudio for the gifted Audiobook and it is narrated beautifully by Allan Corduner – he has a lilting rhythm that invited me into the story and kept me invested. His voice is beautifully accented in all the right places and moved effortlessly between characters. An absolute pleasure to listen to!
If you enjoy folklore with a dash of darkness, I think you’ll enjoy this!
September 15, 2020
Fabulous, But Challenging
This is a marvelous and richly imagined tale of adventure and suspense. But the very richness of the narrative, the supernatural setting, and the cultural connections can make reading some parts of the book rather daunting.
Basically, we follow our two heroes, Yehuda Leib and Bluma, as they travel through a "Far Country" underworld of demons, spirits and folk characters. Both children have suffered the loss of a loved one, and overcoming their grief and anger, while trying to return home, (the "Way Back" of the title), is the subtext that keeps the narrative wheels turning.
The book takes quite a while to get going. We spend a lot of time meeting our heroes and wandering the streets of their home, the little shtetl of Tupik. This part of the book is practically a course in the culture of Eastern European Jews of a certain time, and is beautifully rendered and fascinating, but it presents a slow opening to what is billed as a middle grade fantasy adventure. It sets the tone nicely, (being just a touch formal and arch), but does require some patience on the reader's part.
Once Death shows up, and each kid hero is launched into the unknown, the tale takes off. The heroes have differing motives and goals as they quest about, but eventually they meet up and develop a compelling and tender partnership. Death is both terrifying and a bit of a frazzled klutz, and this two-sided portrayal is playful and true to various different older folk traditions. From here on the heart of the book is presented in a sort of Alice's Adventures style with events, meetings, situations, and developments piling on top of each other and sending the two heroes every which way. Some scenes are played for humor, some for terror, some for awe, and some for general mystic and fabulous window dressing.
The tale is well written, with some stunning scenes and a good deal of arresting word play. Memorable characters abound. The entire tale has a storyteller feel, and by that I mean it feels like the tidied up transcript of a story that started out as an oral, or told, tale. You can almost hear this being spoken and performed as you read.
You know, all those middle grade books with Roman and Greek and Egyptian gods or Arthurian figures are certainly fine and entertaining. But this book affords the reader an exciting introduction to an entirely distinct and satisfyingly rich body of lore. For that, and because it stands in any event as a ripping adventure, it is a wonderful and unique find.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
This is a marvelous and richly imagined tale of adventure and suspense. But the very richness of the narrative, the supernatural setting, and the cultural connections can make reading some parts of the book rather daunting.
Basically, we follow our two heroes, Yehuda Leib and Bluma, as they travel through a "Far Country" underworld of demons, spirits and folk characters. Both children have suffered the loss of a loved one, and overcoming their grief and anger, while trying to return home, (the "Way Back" of the title), is the subtext that keeps the narrative wheels turning.
The book takes quite a while to get going. We spend a lot of time meeting our heroes and wandering the streets of their home, the little shtetl of Tupik. This part of the book is practically a course in the culture of Eastern European Jews of a certain time, and is beautifully rendered and fascinating, but it presents a slow opening to what is billed as a middle grade fantasy adventure. It sets the tone nicely, (being just a touch formal and arch), but does require some patience on the reader's part.
Once Death shows up, and each kid hero is launched into the unknown, the tale takes off. The heroes have differing motives and goals as they quest about, but eventually they meet up and develop a compelling and tender partnership. Death is both terrifying and a bit of a frazzled klutz, and this two-sided portrayal is playful and true to various different older folk traditions. From here on the heart of the book is presented in a sort of Alice's Adventures style with events, meetings, situations, and developments piling on top of each other and sending the two heroes every which way. Some scenes are played for humor, some for terror, some for awe, and some for general mystic and fabulous window dressing.
The tale is well written, with some stunning scenes and a good deal of arresting word play. Memorable characters abound. The entire tale has a storyteller feel, and by that I mean it feels like the tidied up transcript of a story that started out as an oral, or told, tale. You can almost hear this being spoken and performed as you read.
You know, all those middle grade books with Roman and Greek and Egyptian gods or Arthurian figures are certainly fine and entertaining. But this book affords the reader an exciting introduction to an entirely distinct and satisfyingly rich body of lore. For that, and because it stands in any event as a ripping adventure, it is a wonderful and unique find.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
October 25, 2020
This was a seriously good, but challenging read.
This rich tale based on folklore and myths takes us into a world of demons and other supernaturals. The narrative, and the slow pacing may put off the anxious readers looking for something in your face scary and fast-paced.
We follow two young people who are after the Angel of Death for two different reasons. Bluma, who had stolen something from Death is an entirely different emotional state than Yehuda Leib who is trying to retrive something that's been taken from him. Both leave their villages on this mission and they soon intertwine.
I am drawn toward folklore of any kind. I love opening myself up to other cultures and other myths. It was refreshing to have one from the Jewish perspective. I think this book is a gem amongst it's peers. But perhaps that was my downfall, as well. I know next to nothing about Jewish folklore and that may have distanced me more than I was with the characetrs. I'll explain that below.
What I wished for was a little more backstory on both characters. I felt distanced, disconnected. While Yehuba had a bit of a past, we learned next to nothing about Bluma and why she had done what she'd done and reacted the way she reacted. Some reviewers will call this, "caring about the characters" and while I did feel something, I was not 100% invested.
This is a middle-grade book, and certainly one that sets itself apart. I applaud the author for his wonderful prose and storytelling. At its core, this is a book about love, loss, and grief and I think it will resonate with many people.
I recieved an arc from NetGalley.
This rich tale based on folklore and myths takes us into a world of demons and other supernaturals. The narrative, and the slow pacing may put off the anxious readers looking for something in your face scary and fast-paced.
We follow two young people who are after the Angel of Death for two different reasons. Bluma, who had stolen something from Death is an entirely different emotional state than Yehuda Leib who is trying to retrive something that's been taken from him. Both leave their villages on this mission and they soon intertwine.
I am drawn toward folklore of any kind. I love opening myself up to other cultures and other myths. It was refreshing to have one from the Jewish perspective. I think this book is a gem amongst it's peers. But perhaps that was my downfall, as well. I know next to nothing about Jewish folklore and that may have distanced me more than I was with the characetrs. I'll explain that below.
What I wished for was a little more backstory on both characters. I felt distanced, disconnected. While Yehuba had a bit of a past, we learned next to nothing about Bluma and why she had done what she'd done and reacted the way she reacted. Some reviewers will call this, "caring about the characters" and while I did feel something, I was not 100% invested.
This is a middle-grade book, and certainly one that sets itself apart. I applaud the author for his wonderful prose and storytelling. At its core, this is a book about love, loss, and grief and I think it will resonate with many people.
I recieved an arc from NetGalley.
November 1, 2021
This is going to be a truly delicious read for fans of ghoulish fantasy in the vein of Neil Gaiman, Frances Hardinge, and Melissa Albert, with echoes of George R.R. Martin and J.R.R. Tolkein -- all wrapped up in a rare, charming package of Jewish folklore.
The story starts in a shtetl called Tupik, where a boy named Yehuda Leib and a girl named Bluma are about to have a series of unexpected encounters with Death that will lead them both seperately into the Far Country, beyond the Tupik graveyard. On their way, they will encounter all manner of danger and demons, as well as a sagely Rebbe and his granddaughter who is to be married in the most anticipated wedding of the season. There's a delightful bit of gender-bending subversion that happens here, which is well worth reading until the end for. The writing is not only fantastic and lyrical (not to mention, sprinkled with Yiddish), but it also shines with wry humor.
This is a great readalike to books like The Graveyard Book, The Hazel Wood, and A Skinful of Shadows.
The story starts in a shtetl called Tupik, where a boy named Yehuda Leib and a girl named Bluma are about to have a series of unexpected encounters with Death that will lead them both seperately into the Far Country, beyond the Tupik graveyard. On their way, they will encounter all manner of danger and demons, as well as a sagely Rebbe and his granddaughter who is to be married in the most anticipated wedding of the season. There's a delightful bit of gender-bending subversion that happens here, which is well worth reading until the end for. The writing is not only fantastic and lyrical (not to mention, sprinkled with Yiddish), but it also shines with wry humor.
This is a great readalike to books like The Graveyard Book, The Hazel Wood, and A Skinful of Shadows.
March 28, 2021
“For Everyone knows: Those who walk in the shadow of Death can see only its nearest face.”
The Way Back by Gavriel Savit is lush with the beauty of Eastern European Jewish folklore and in the tiny village of Tupik, a story begins with two teens at its center, Bluma and Yehuda Leib. The two venture off separately on a journey through the Far Country – the realm of demons and demon royalty and all manners of horrible things that go bump in the night.
“Everyone knows: you must never stray from the path in a cemetery once darkness has fallen.”
Bluma has just lost her beloved Bubbe and has taken something from the Angel of Death and Yehuda Leib is fleeing Tupick in fear of Avimelekh, a dark dangerous man who is feared by all that has come looking for him. Each event leading the kids to the cemetery where the realm to the Far Country is thinnest at night. This sets them on a journey through the Far Country with no visible way back and many nefarious characters out to take advantage of them; poor decisions are made for the right reasons and Bluma and Yehuda Leib will have to use their wits and what their families and Rabbi have taught them if they are to make it out of the Far Country alive.
I was able to listen to this thanks to @PRHAudio for the gifted Audiobook and it is narrated beautifully by Allan Corduner – he has a lilting rhythm that invited me into the story and kept me invested. His voice is beautifully accented in all the right places and moved effortlessly between characters. An absolute pleasure to listen to!
If you enjoy folklore with a dash of darkness, I think you’ll enjoy this!
The Way Back by Gavriel Savit is lush with the beauty of Eastern European Jewish folklore and in the tiny village of Tupik, a story begins with two teens at its center, Bluma and Yehuda Leib. The two venture off separately on a journey through the Far Country – the realm of demons and demon royalty and all manners of horrible things that go bump in the night.
“Everyone knows: you must never stray from the path in a cemetery once darkness has fallen.”
Bluma has just lost her beloved Bubbe and has taken something from the Angel of Death and Yehuda Leib is fleeing Tupick in fear of Avimelekh, a dark dangerous man who is feared by all that has come looking for him. Each event leading the kids to the cemetery where the realm to the Far Country is thinnest at night. This sets them on a journey through the Far Country with no visible way back and many nefarious characters out to take advantage of them; poor decisions are made for the right reasons and Bluma and Yehuda Leib will have to use their wits and what their families and Rabbi have taught them if they are to make it out of the Far Country alive.
I was able to listen to this thanks to @PRHAudio for the gifted Audiobook and it is narrated beautifully by Allan Corduner – he has a lilting rhythm that invited me into the story and kept me invested. His voice is beautifully accented in all the right places and moved effortlessly between characters. An absolute pleasure to listen to!
If you enjoy folklore with a dash of darkness, I think you’ll enjoy this!
June 13, 2025
✒︎3 stars
The Way Back is a story based on Jewish folklore following two kids named Bluma and Yehuda Leib. When the angel of death visits their hometown, their fates both intertwine through this mysterious and atmospheric story.
I found the beginning of this book to be much easier to grasp than the second half. In fact, I was considering whether I rated the book too low when I had first read it. There was some very poignant and beautiful prose throughout the book. I found the personification of death to be very interesting and unique, and I thought that the exploration of grief through losing yourself or someone else was really beautiful. I also liked reading the folklore elements of the story since I am unfamiliar with Jewish folklore.
All of that being said, around the halfway point, the plot became very muddled and extremely confusing. I found that the writing was not doing enough explaining for me to understand what was occurring. I never fully grasped the fantasy elements of the book and once things started to get really obscure, I became almost completely lost. I do feel like I got more out of this book during my second read, but I don't see myself picking this up again due to the obscure way that it was written.
✂︎----------
✒︎2022 review
Confusing at times. I mostly liked the writing and atmosphere, but I also got lost a lot in the plot and couldn’t remember who the characters were or what their motive was. I wish some stuff was better explained. I feel like it would've been a great book if that was the case.
✂︎----------
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"'Wouldn't the army...' Yehuda Leib swallowed as he looked for the word. 'Change me?'
The stranger nodded. 'It would. As will all things.'
'I don't want to be changed.'
'That,' said the Dark Messenger, 'is unavoidable, I am afraid. If you wish to live.'"
The Way Back is a story based on Jewish folklore following two kids named Bluma and Yehuda Leib. When the angel of death visits their hometown, their fates both intertwine through this mysterious and atmospheric story.
"The living can change things- the world around them, even themselves, if they work hard. If you manage to linger after your death, you find quickly that your influence fades."
I found the beginning of this book to be much easier to grasp than the second half. In fact, I was considering whether I rated the book too low when I had first read it. There was some very poignant and beautiful prose throughout the book. I found the personification of death to be very interesting and unique, and I thought that the exploration of grief through losing yourself or someone else was really beautiful. I also liked reading the folklore elements of the story since I am unfamiliar with Jewish folklore.
"And as hard as she ran, she was beginning to understand, Death would always follow. She always came back."
All of that being said, around the halfway point, the plot became very muddled and extremely confusing. I found that the writing was not doing enough explaining for me to understand what was occurring. I never fully grasped the fantasy elements of the book and once things started to get really obscure, I became almost completely lost. I do feel like I got more out of this book during my second read, but I don't see myself picking this up again due to the obscure way that it was written.
"Two are required to meet in friendship. And to decline to shake the outstretched hand because someday it will no longer be there is as foolish as to decline to eat dinner because someday the plate will be empty. Nothing at all is permanent. Not even you."
✂︎----------
✒︎2022 review
Confusing at times. I mostly liked the writing and atmosphere, but I also got lost a lot in the plot and couldn’t remember who the characters were or what their motive was. I wish some stuff was better explained. I feel like it would've been a great book if that was the case.
✂︎----------
Check me out on other platforms!
✒︎Instagram
✒︎YouTube
✒︎Patreon
December 16, 2021
Took me forever to read this one. The last three chapters are absolutely phenomenon. There are a lot of philosophical concepts and interesting elements that absolutely awed me. But they were ALL IN THE LAST FEW CHAPTERS. Most chunk of this book was an absolute chore to get through because the ploy went nowhere. I love the portrayal of Angel of Death in this and we basically got so little of them on page (eventho when they're on page it's always absolutely brilliant). This one definitely have the feel of Neil Gaiman to it like it was marketed. But the most of the characters felt flat and I don't really get their motivation. Unlike in a Gaiman book that I usually would fall in love w every character, I don't feel like I connected to any of the characters in this book until the last 50 pages.
December 14, 2020
When I heard about this novel, I was a little jealous because I've been working on a MG fantasy novel based on Jewish folklore off and on for years, but this is a very different take on it. And it's inspiring to see how differently people can go with some of the same material. Beautifully written, has some of the feeling of a fable but the characters do really develop. I recommend it highly.
November 23, 2020
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book for review.
This is a fairy tale set in Anatevka (well, not really, but a Russian Jewish village back in the 19th century with all the small town Russian Jewish trappings that you'd expect) that takes its protagonists into the realm of the fantastic and brings them into contact with Death. Literally. Death loses her death-spoon accidentally to Bluma, the girl protag, and is trying to get it back. Yehuda Leib (which is a name that belonged to a famous rabbi) discovers that his father has been taken by Death and is trying to get his father back, but ends up running afoul of a demon.
It's not a bad book by any means, but it's definitely a YA sort of book without much character depth and with a slow pace. Even the mythology of the Underworld didn't keep me interested enough to keep going, but that could be because I'm in a place where I want something that's really going to absorb me and a book that just kind of reads along without hooking me isn't going to do it.
This is a fairy tale set in Anatevka (well, not really, but a Russian Jewish village back in the 19th century with all the small town Russian Jewish trappings that you'd expect) that takes its protagonists into the realm of the fantastic and brings them into contact with Death. Literally. Death loses her death-spoon accidentally to Bluma, the girl protag, and is trying to get it back. Yehuda Leib (which is a name that belonged to a famous rabbi) discovers that his father has been taken by Death and is trying to get his father back, but ends up running afoul of a demon.
It's not a bad book by any means, but it's definitely a YA sort of book without much character depth and with a slow pace. Even the mythology of the Underworld didn't keep me interested enough to keep going, but that could be because I'm in a place where I want something that's really going to absorb me and a book that just kind of reads along without hooking me isn't going to do it.
March 21, 2021
I found the journey of these two children to be so relevant, as an American Jew with Eastern European heritage as well as someone who knows what it’s like to mourn. Watching Bluma and Yehuda Lieb come to terms with their losses while navigating, well, their way back, feels like the kind of journey we all take, only while we contend with less literal demons. At the same time we got to share with them a fantastical adventure that taught me more about Jewish superstitions and lore than I knew before.
June 14, 2021
Maybe it's good if you know Jewish folklore? Idk but otherwise it's very confusing and kind of boring
September 28, 2020
Head over to my blog for a longer review!
Thank you to Times Reads for providing a copy :)
https://whatafireads.wixsite.com/what...
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Personal Ratings: 3.5/5🌟
The book tells a story of Yehuda Leib and Bluma, two entirely different children with different life circumstances, and how their encounter with Death has set them off to the land of Far Country, land of demons and non living and their journey to find their way back home ❄️
It was my first time reading a story set in a Jewish Folklore setting and I had find it very intriguing. I love how the author had explained the cultural aspects and brought me to a world that is entirely new. The fact that the book was set in Winter makes it also a good atmospheric book with a dark twist and a mix of Eastern European vibes 🌨❄️
I can say that the first half of the book was slow paced, but it builds up towards the end of the book. Although it took me awhile to get used to the writing style, as it had a mix of literature flair to it, I find myself enjoying it as it suits the overall setting of the book ☺️
Yehuda Leib and Bluma are such eccentric characters that I had come to love. Their spirit to survive and how they each handled the demons that had come their way had me rooting for them to live and come back home. The unexpected dark elements was what made this book interesting for me and I’m absolutely living for it.
All in all, this book had been quite a reading experience for me. I felt like I had stepped to the land of Narnia but with a twist of demons and armies of Lilith swarming the area. It was def an exhilarating read ⛄️
I’d personally recommend this to fans of Neil Gaiman and anyone who loves a dark folklore story. It’ll be a worthwhile experience 🌝🌝
Thank you to @times.reads and @putrifariza for providing me a copy of this book ❄️🤍
Thank you to Times Reads for providing a copy :)
https://whatafireads.wixsite.com/what...
#AfiReviews
Personal Ratings: 3.5/5🌟
The book tells a story of Yehuda Leib and Bluma, two entirely different children with different life circumstances, and how their encounter with Death has set them off to the land of Far Country, land of demons and non living and their journey to find their way back home ❄️
It was my first time reading a story set in a Jewish Folklore setting and I had find it very intriguing. I love how the author had explained the cultural aspects and brought me to a world that is entirely new. The fact that the book was set in Winter makes it also a good atmospheric book with a dark twist and a mix of Eastern European vibes 🌨❄️
I can say that the first half of the book was slow paced, but it builds up towards the end of the book. Although it took me awhile to get used to the writing style, as it had a mix of literature flair to it, I find myself enjoying it as it suits the overall setting of the book ☺️
Yehuda Leib and Bluma are such eccentric characters that I had come to love. Their spirit to survive and how they each handled the demons that had come their way had me rooting for them to live and come back home. The unexpected dark elements was what made this book interesting for me and I’m absolutely living for it.
All in all, this book had been quite a reading experience for me. I felt like I had stepped to the land of Narnia but with a twist of demons and armies of Lilith swarming the area. It was def an exhilarating read ⛄️
I’d personally recommend this to fans of Neil Gaiman and anyone who loves a dark folklore story. It’ll be a worthwhile experience 🌝🌝
Thank you to @times.reads and @putrifariza for providing me a copy of this book ❄️🤍
September 24, 2020
I wanted to love this book. I really did. The writing is gorgeous. The folklore is woven together so well and brings to light a lot of Jewish mythology/demonology that is generally not acknowledged or represented in mainstream books for young people. My problem was with the main characters. Bluma and Yehuda Leib are both chasing the Angel of Death for different reasons. Unfortunately, we don't learn much about them before their quests begin. Yehuda Leib has a bit more back story, some of which is revealed along the way, which is fine. I understood his motivation. I had a harder time understanding why Bluma reacted the way she did and why she made her series of choices throughout the book. I would have given this 5 stars if I'd been able to care about the characters more. I'm also not sure what ages to suggest this book for. The best I can say is middle schoolers and up who can appreciate literary writing.
eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley
eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley
March 11, 2021
In order to appreciate The Way Back, you need to read it with the right mindset. It's not a perfectly linear narrative, it's not going to entertain you with a clear and concise story. What it will do is plunge you into a world - kind of a Jungan-Jewish dream world - with an unfolding series of vignettes, drawn together like a kind of Odyssey. Think: Beetlejuice meets Labyrinth. The language is gorgeous, the visuals are stunning. In that way, it's more like a ride -- sit in the car, keep your hands and feet in, and just be blown away by the texture, the flavor, the senses. Don't demand things to add up squarely or clearly. But do expect to encounter something never before done - the resurrection of Ashkenazi Jewish magic and demonology. It's funny, it's creepy, it's moving. Oftentimes, we expect the book to serve us. Now, just let the book do its thing and come out sweaty, shaken and inspired.
March 31, 2021
I love when a book actually tells real Jewish fantasy. It's one thing to throw a golem into the mix, but to tell a story with true Jewish sensibilities is much rarer. Savit does so beautifully here, understanding that the struggle is not about good versus evil or God versus demons (and his sheydim are excellent!) but about doing the right thing at the right time, whatever that might be.
It was brilliant.
It was brilliant.
April 21, 2021
This is a YA tale based on Jewish folklore and set in 19th century eastern Europe. The plot is filled with magic and centers on two teens, Yehuda Leib and Bluma, who have had their lives turned upside down after a visit from the Angel of Death. They travel through the Far Country (the Land of the Dead), each trying to regain what they think they most want.
I, just like many other readers, kept being reminded of Neil Gaiman's works.
I, just like many other readers, kept being reminded of Neil Gaiman's works.
March 11, 2022
DNF at 56% because I was just so bored. I think that a large part of that for me was because it was focused so much on the plot there was hardly any character. Also, it was unclear to me what age-range this was written for. On one hand, the story seemed more middle-grade but the prose seemed more high-school.
February 14, 2021
As much as I wanted to love this book, I found that I was lost a lot of the time. Which is a little bit funny because the characters themselves are lost through most of the book, too. Lots of characters to keep track of. Perhaps I don’t have enough knowledge of Jewish folklore and tradition.
July 13, 2022
Honestly, I wanted to like this book, but I couldn’t.
The story was quite hard to follow, and I didn’t really like the characters. It certainly could’ve been something, but it was all so confusing and jumbled I didn’t understand anything. I really don’t recommend.
The story was quite hard to follow, and I didn’t really like the characters. It certainly could’ve been something, but it was all so confusing and jumbled I didn’t understand anything. I really don’t recommend.
April 4, 2021
The writing is stunning. I found myself failing to grasp it all with my limited understanding of Jewish mythology and folklore.
July 9, 2022
2.5 ⭐️
Displaying 1 - 30 of 303 reviews