Goy Crazy

by Melissa Schorr

Positive that her parents will disapprove of the boy she likes, high school sophomore Rachel Lowenstein hides her involvement with him, while, trying to fit in with a different crowd, she also hides some things from herself.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Jewish, Contemporary, Teen

344 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Melissa Schorr is the YA author of GOY CRAZY (Hyperion 2006) and IDENTITY CRISIS (forthcoming, Merit Press 2016), and a contributor to the YA anthology DEAR BULLY.

She is currently a contributing writer/editor to the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. Her freelance work has appeared in numerous publications, including GQ, People, Self, San Francisco magazine, and The Wall Street Journal.

Melissa currently lives in Boston with her husband, her daughters, and her dog, Bailey.

Visit her website at http://www.melissaschorr.com

Find her at Twitter @melissaschorr

On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Melissa-Scho...

Reviews

[esti klein · Rating 2 out of 5]

books from 2006 were just, like, a different breed of literature

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

All a girl wants to do is find the love of her life, or in this case a high school sweetheart. Fortunately for Rachel Lowenstein, she has just found the guy at her brother's bar mitzvah. He's handsome, a basketball player, and his name is Luke Christiansen. Which is the only problem she has with Luke--his last name. All Rachel hears from her grandmother and family is how she should find a respectable Jewish boy to date and marry. But crushing on Luke may not be the best choice for Rachel since he is far from being Jewish; he celebrates Christmas! So Rachel decides that she is tired of all the problems that she faces, from bad hair to having hardly any friends, and makes up her own teen commandments, which she occasionally changes, and which she hopes to break.

So Rachel begins to change the way she does things. She starts acting dumb in math class, lies to her family, and tries her best to keep Luke a secret. Besides that, Rachel also has to deal with her only best friend, Jen, who is trying to get into the popular crowd; Leah, her only other real friend who keeps on warning Rachel about her wrongdoings; and Howard, Rachel's neighbor turned enemy.

Yet Rachel starts to second-guess her decisions and wonders if they are really worth all the lies and deception when the ultimate tragedy happens to her. Is Luke really the guy for her; is acting dumb in math class worth the "popular" points? Rachel ends up discovering her true self and sees that change just isn't for her.

GOY CRAZY is sweet, tragic, and laugh-out-loud hilarious. With her first teen novel, Ms. Schorr successfully makes her main character understandable, relatable, and, above all, realistic. By the end of the novel, readers will be glad about Rachel's final decisions, yet sad that the novel is over. GOY CRAZY was a fantastic read that left me wanting more. I just hope there will be a follow-up to this novel.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating B

Review I adored this very cute and fun read. I appreciated that I didn't see absolutely everything coming from a mile away, that the parents were dynamic characters (maybe I only love that because I'm an adult), and that the love triange was fun to read. I loved Rachel's voice--she was quite spot-on in her YA voice, but also not 100% self-absorbed or whiny. She was funny. What you'd hope your diary would have sounded like when you lamented having huge hair.

My minor drawback, and this could be because I'm a gentile, is that it was hard to figure out the significance of the Jewish religion v. ethnicity. It was seemingly very important to Rachel and her family, but then you find out that it's maybe not such a big idea, but it could be, etc. There was some back and forth with that that got to be a little wishy-washy to me, and struck me as trying to make something important sound socially acceptable; if marrying someone with like spiritual beliefs and/or sense of cultural identity is important to you, go ahead and say it. I don't think that means that you're necessarily saying anyone who is not one of God's Chosen Race is bad, it's just that you (personally) wouldn't marry them. However, maybe Schorr was trying to make the point that it's a confusing issue for Jewish girls as they come of age, but that wasn't entirely clear. (Especially based on the resolution of who Rachel ends up with that I won't spoil for you.)

Recommendation Fans of Lisa Loeb's short-lived Reality TV show, "#1 Single." (I think there are similar YA writers, but because the faith/ethnicity/religion is so important to the plot of this book, I'll leave these recommendations brief.)

[Sarah D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Davis
10/22/10
Goy Crazy Review


Goy Crazy is a drastic story of love between a young Jewish girl and a young non-Jewish boy. She must choose between the love of her family and the love of Luke the Goy a non-Jewish boy. This book is about a girl names Rachel Lowenstein. This book begins with Rachel’s little brothers Bar Mitzvah. Rachel is very stubborn and ends up meeting Luke Christiansen, a tall handsome basketball player. The only problem was his last name He’s a Goy a non-Jewish boy. In the end Rachel has to hide her boyfriend, from her family. She finally has to choose between her family and her gorgeous boyfriend. In the end Rachel’s grandmother becomes not very well, and has some major issues. Rachel Lowenstein is very popular and has a really great best friend. Rachel is not very close with her family but bonds with her mom by the end of the book. Rachel’s life is set during the school year during this book. Rachel lives in New York City. This book has multiple conflicts but there always solved. I thought this book was phenomenal. I thought the author Melissa Schorr wrote this book very well with every single word. I loved this book so much and it was a very nice and easy read for me. It was so much fun to get to read this book and get to make a project on. I really enjoyed this book, but I wasn’t pleased with the ending. It was not a cliffhanger. It was not a poor ending. I just don’t think it ended correctly. I’m not sure what I think it should be change to but I would definitely change it.

[David Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one can poke fun at an ethnic minority like one of themselves. At the same time Melissa Schorr displays a delightfully delicate hand (while wiping the spit off her chin) at drawing out the YA experience of discovering a first real life relationship with a Goy, I mean Boy.
Rachel is a wonderful, real and balanced character, and all of the characters have the right depth and complexity to them. The pace is very good, and while the author is accomplishing all the above, she's also throwing in a few wonderful new words for English speakers. I think 'mombarrassment' might be my favourite.
The plot is great, and while I have to confess I saw which way the wind was blowing fairly early on, this did nothing to hamper my thorough, laugh-out-loud enjoyment of this excellent novel. The author maintains very good tension all the way through, and balances tragedy with tongue-in-cheek irreverence and laughter, while never treating the underlying serious issues too lightly.
Great book. Get it now!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great twist on the YA genre by explicitly exploring faith and culture while delving into the world of teen dating angst. Reading it rang true to my own Jewish upbringing, and I had many of the same personal questions Rachel has while sorting out her views on life, love, and Judaism.

In addition, I had the pleasure of meeting author Melissa Schorr and attending her book party after reaching out to her to tell her how much I enjoyed the book, and she was absolutely lovely. I look forward to reading more from her!!

[sanassa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really cool i really really thought she was going to end up with the luke boy but like i say what ever floats her boat !!!!

[rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you for the rec @miriam

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good voice, single POV, which I enjoy. Cute story.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Cute read, really quick and easy.

[Beth Rodgers · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Goy Crazy' by Melissa Schorr is a fun and worthwhile read about main character Rachel Lowenstein and her desperate desire to date Luke Christensen, a goy (meaning non-Jew) who her family - especially her grandmother - would not approve of. This presents a big problem for Rachel, as she doesn't know whether to be swayed by the guilt she feels from her family or do her own thing and figure life out for herself rather than taking anyone else's suggestions. Along the way, her best friend isn't always there for her, and her neighbor, Howard, is a nuisance and not so supportive himself. It is interesting to watch Rachel's relationship with Howard evolve as the novel progresses. The book makes you ask yourself what you would do in a similar situation. Would you go against what you've grown up thinking is right, or would you do what feels right in the given moment?

I really liked the culturally Jewish aspect of the novel. Being Jewish myself, I really identified with it, but you don't have to be Jewish to fully appreciate it. Schorr has written these parts in such a way that even if you're a goy like Rachel's crush, Luke, you'll still be able to identify with all that happens throughout the story.

Schorr's writing style is easy-to-follow and engaging which made for a quick read. She captures the epitome of what every girl who doesn't know what to do is confronted with at least once in her lifetime - the age-old dilemma of whether you should listen to your parents/family or yourself. Plus, if you've got a Jewish mother or grandmother like Rachel does, you're sure to be stuck with some definite guilt as you try to figure it all out.

'Goy Crazy' kept me on my toes and ready and willing to read more. An added bonus was the play on words for the title. Rachel is definitely boy crazy, but it adds a whole other element of distraction in Rachel's life when she goes 'goy crazy'!

Beth Rodgers, Author of YA Novel 'Freshman Fourteen'

[Kay Tay · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title was the first thing that drew me in. "Goy Crazy." How cool of a title is that? It's a cute play on words and definitely captures the whole feel of the book itself. Now, I got this at a Half Price Book Store (for only 4.50!) and I didn't realize till later that it was the 'uncorrected advanced proof.' Why someone would pop out books that aren't 100% perfect complete and edited miffs me, but I digress.

The story line in itself was well plotted. You had the whole awkward neighbor tension from the start and how she ended up meeting the golden haired cutie set up a fun feel. I figured from the start that she'd end up with Howard (that's typically how these pan out) so on that note I wasn't overly pulling for Luke. Honestly, he seemed a little flat. It was like she didn't even know him really well enough for them to even date; Tara pulled more info out of him in four minutes than Rachel did in four months.

I did like the fact that she pulled all those stunts with Howard to go out on her dates. That was pretty funny and I can relate to the manipulative edge she has on her parents (as well as having that one prude friend like Leah). The characters were fairly realistic and I found them to be enjoyable to read. Jen's situation was tragic and not uncommon in the type of world we live in today. It was interesting to read those types of exploits and how they can really turn your life around. A good device.

The only only thing I didn't really like was the ending. It was just so fast paced. For the 'uncorrected advance proof' at least the book pretty much wrapped up in ten whole pages. That was literally it. The ending words really didn't leave a huge impact either. But I still walked away with a warm feeling in my stomach and I just may read this again :)

[Kimberly Hirsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's lust at first sight when Rachel Lowenstein meets Luke Christiansen, a waiter at her brother's bar mitzvah. Luke is tall, blond, and decidedly not Jewish. She desperately wants to date him, but she knows her parents won't approve. Can she turn her back on her faith and her culture for a cute boy?

Goy Crazy is a charming romantic comedy that addresses coming of age issues common to all teens. Rachel feels constantly in conflict with her parents. She's been a good girl her whole life and she's sick of it. So she decides that her sophomore year of high school, she will be a bit naughty, and she'll start by pursuing a boy from the wrong religion.

I would recommend Goy Crazy to anyone looking for a fun read that is not so light as to be mindless, but is very clever and uplifting. It does rom-com right: there's the wrong boy who seems so right, the boy her parents prefer who is not at all what she wants, and the realization Rachel makes that the people she knows aren't necessarily the people they seem to be. It's a good time, and summer would be a great time to pick it up and take it to the beach with you, but it'll hold up any time of year.

[Adriana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars actually. I enjoyed this light read, although it does have some good religion and family issues. Rachel is a young Jewish girl living in New York with her family who isn't exactly super religious, but she thinks they would never approve of her dating a Goy, who is a non-Jewish boy. Of course she falls for one such boy, a cute guy who attends a Catholic school. She also deals with not being one of the popular kids, being encouraged to date her Jewish neighbor whom she finds pretty unappealing, and her best friends, one who is quickly climbing the popularity ladder, and another who attends a different school and is mysteriously very involved with her Jewish youth group ALL the time. This read would appeal to teens of any religion, but it does offer some insight into Jewish religion, which I enjoyed. It's pretty well written and I liked the flow of the story.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. I could see this being made into a small-market teen movie. The decisions and consequences are pretty much in line with that area of inquiry. If the decisions that the main character had to make in the story were a bit more difficult, the consequences a bit more severe, it could have been a contender.

Interesting to get the Jewish perspective, though. I just felt that the conclusion of the story was too easy--the gentile she likes is a bad kisser and somewhat emotionally stunted, the kid next door really isn't a jerk. Comfort food, sure, but not the raw materials for really impactful plotting. The decisions, in essence, made themselves, and no one left the story with a permanent scar.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

After having the book on my shelf unread for 8 years, I finally made an attempt to read it.

I liked Rachel as the main character. She was funny, sarcastic, and sounded a lot like my attitude in high school (except not Jewish). She made it interesting and kept me reading.

Although Luke is made out to be a Catholic boy who seems to have no knowledge of Jewish culture, I would beg to differ. Catholic schools have classes where you study other religions too. (as a Catholic myself, this bothered me a little).

It was a little predictable and the ending was rushed, but it was a light hearted fun read.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rachel Lowenstein has all the problems of a typical 15-year-old girl, the main one being she doesn't have a boyfriend. She doesn't like any of the Jewish boys she knows, and figures the others are out of her league. But there is a boy she falls for, the boy who was a waiter at her brother's bar mitzvah party. Rachel knows her parents won't like her going out with a non Jewish boy, so she always arranges to have her neighbor pick her up and double date. Predictably, she finds out that he's pretty hot and they have a lot in common.

[Stella Fowler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This book was so much better than I thought it would be. I tried to read it a few months ago and put it down after the first three pages as bigoted drivel. It's not. Just a girl growing up in a Jewish world (which I completely didn't understand since I grew up the token Jew). I really enjoyed it but wasn't thrilled about the ending. I also didn't like the portrayal of the goyim, although, they weren't the only nasty characters.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book because I'm really curious about what Jewish culture is like. I wish it got more exposure. However, this was definitely one of those times when I really did not want the protagonist to end up with the "boy next door" she never really noticed before. I did not feel much liking for the Howard character at all.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goy Crazy is another book i picked up because of the title. I didn't regret reading it, the character doesn't seem to make up her mind and is lost in some parts of her life. It was nice to read about a Jewish teenager's life.

[Katrina Knittle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really cute and fun read. One of the things that made this book that much more enjoyable is that, while reading I didn't see everything coming. Racehl was a really interesting main character. I loved how she didn't seem whiny. A good read that I would recommend to some friends.

[BookOfLife]

Hear an interview about Goy Crazy with author Melissa Schorr on The Book of Life podcast's June 2007 episode at www.jewishbooks.blogspot.com.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comical look into Jewish dating costums.

[Ravegirl172 · Rating 5 out of 5]

this jewish gurl meets catholic boy at a her brutheras barmitzvah. the catholic boys name is luke. luke is a bus boy. They meet again at a party everything flies frum there.

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

BBYO is SO NOT for loosers!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was recommended to me by a teenage friend. Cute book, moves fast. Interesting characters.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly good and entertaining read!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I learned from this book.... don't date in high school.

[Greta · Rating 4 out of 5]

a very nice and funny book i really enjoyed it..

[Taylor Sukys]

So goo the first 8 chapters were boring then the 9-49 were so interesting, well for me!!