The Marriage Box

by Corie Adjmi

Casey Cohen, a Middle Eastern Jew, is a sixteen-year-old in New Orleans in the 1970s when she starts hanging out with the wrong crowd. Then she gets in trouble--and her parents turn her whole world upside down by deciding to return to their roots, the Orthodox Syrian Jewish community in Brooklyn.


In this new and foreign world, men pray daily, thanking God they're not women; parties are extravagant events at the Museum of Natural History; and the Marriage Box is a real place, a pool deck designated for teenage girls to put themselves on display for potential husbands. Casey is at first appalled by this unfamiliar culture, but after she meets Michael, she's enticed by it. Looking for love and a place to belong, she marries him at eighteen, believing she can adjust to Syrian ways. But she begins to question her decision when she discovers that Michael doesn't want her to go to college--he wants her to have a baby instead.


Can Casey integrate these two opposing worlds, or will she have to leave one behind in order to find her way?

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Jewish, Romance, Historical, Judaism, New York

281 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 2, 2023

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Marriage Box is the story of Casey, a Syrian Jewish teen who moves from New Orleans to New York at a pivotal time in her life. It’s a coming-of-age story in which we follow Casey’s growth into womanhood and her questioning of her personal beliefs and the beliefs of her friends and family.

I enjoyed reading about the Syrian Jewish experience in the United States. Additionally, the book is set in the 1980s, and I loved all the pop culture references.

I felt Casey’s character development was lacking, but I am a reader who prefers a lot of depth in that area as opposed to a propulsive plot.

Overall, the author has created vivid imagery of nightlife and food as Casey explores both New Orleans and New York. The imagery and '80s vibes make The Marriage Box a solid coming-of-age story.

[Elyse Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Corie Adjmi’s book (short stories)
“Life and Other Shortcomings”.

“The Marriage Box” didn’t have the same sparkling ‘it’ factor ……
but it was an enjoyable quick read.

Casey Cohen is eighteen years old wanting her
independence like any other eighteen year old would…..yet she feels responsible for the cultural traditions she was brought up with.

“In the few years, since my family had moved from New Orleans, returning to our roots in Brooklyn, I’d learned the hard way there were rules. A teenage girl was taught to dress for seduction, but was for bidden to have premarital sex. She couldn’t date until she was 16 but had to be married by 18. And she certainly couldn’t live with a man unless she was his wife”.

Syrian Jews follow orthodox traditions, and Casey’s parents wanted that for her, so instead of returning to a prep school in September, (where she attended in New Orleans), her family was moving back home to Brooklyn where Casey would be enrolled in a yeshiva, a religious school where boys and girls learn in separate classrooms.

This was a coming-of-age story in the 80’s —
The Marriage ‘BOX’ was an actual thing — a real place -(a pool deck) where young Jewish Syrian girls put themselves on display for potential husbands.
And I thought I made parenting mistakes …. lol

I like Corie’s overall sweetpea-warm heart. As a reader I could feel her (the author’s goodness) through her writing.
She even mentioned Elsie-the- Cow — on the milk container…..
And….
Corie’s opening dedication is wonderful and meaningful:
“To my children and grandchildren. This book is for you. Stories enlighten, they inform, they entertain. They cultivate empathy, raise questions, and foster change. Use your voices. Create your own narrative. Dream big. I love you”.

3.5

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

a coming of age story centred around a syrian teenager as she makes her way in the traditional world she belongs to. shifting between new orleans and a syrian jewish community in new york, casey cohen makes mistakes, she regrets, she lives, she loves, she yearns to belong to tradition, and she becomes through her desires.

corie adjmi’s writing was so intimate i felt like casey’s friend and confidante. every step she made, i did it alongside her. both hilarious and heart wrenching, at once this book, for me, was both an entertaining read and a rather educational one.

the publication date is the 2nd of august 2022. this is a must-read. we all know and love coming of age stories as girls and women discover themselves, but typically said girls and women are white american. here, we have something different so much so it is a read that will stick with you. here, we have something rare, and it is a shame it is. pre-order it, read it, share it, champion it, and begin conversations of encouragement for publications to give us more diverse stories like this one. i hope this is the start of an overdue shift in the world of contemporary literature.

and finally, thank you to netgalley and she writes press publications for the arc. i just loved it.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a gifted copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

The Marriage Box is an enlightening, uplifting, and nostalgic coming of age book set in the 1980s. We follow Casey from late childhood to her late teens. Cases is from a Jewish family and lived in New Orleans up until an incident leads the family to return to Brooklyn and become more involved again in the Jewish religion, ways, and community. Casey finds it hard to adjust and longs to return to her real home back in New Orleans.She just doesn't fit in here, has little knowledge of many ways and traditions and swears she won't be like the simian girls and ger married at a young age. Then she meets Michael. But can Casey adapt to her new life as a stay at home wife when her heart longs to go to college and experience more from life...
This was so beautifully told and very eye-opening. I never knew about so many things that are addressed in this novel and was 100% behind Casey and her longing for more. Growing up myself in the 80s this brought back so much nostalgia, and I found myself playing many of the songs mentioned in the story, making me feel even more present within the book as I read along. I can completely understand why its taken the author so long to bring this book out into the world after her message at the end and would love to see a sequel.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't often take the time to write reviews, but I enjoyed this beautifully written book so much that I had to share! Right at the beginning, I felt like Casey and I were long lost friends. Adjmi does a wonderful job portraying her. I related to her flaws and insecurities as well as to her strengths and inner wisdom. At times I found myself actually speaking to her aloud as I read! (I said, I felt like we were friends!) I highly recommend you take this journey with Casey from her childhood in New Orleans to her young adulthood and adulthood in Brooklyn.

[Courtney · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this. The topic is fantastic - the Syrian Orthodox Jewish community is niche, and I was curious to learn more about it. I did love what was part of the novel, though I would have loved more context (many words necessitated me Googling translations, among other things like swanee, the food, etc). Nonetheless, these parts of the book were genuinely enjoyable, and it was nice to get a glimpse into the community.

On the other hand, the book itself reads chaotically. The time jumps are disorienting, and lead to a disjointed reading experience for the first half of the book. The protagonist alternates being unlikable and falling somewhat flat to me, and I was left feeling incredibly unsatisfied by the ending (I feel like had one crucial event not happened, the ending would have felt like more of a win for me).

Overall, while I was eager to learn more about the community and enjoyed those aspects, the rest of the book was a miss for me.

[coolgirlsliketoread · Rating 1 out of 5]

Immature writing and a disjointed story.

[Nursebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

TITLE: THE MARRIAGE BOX
AUTHOR: Corie Adjmi
PUB DATE: 05.02.2023 Now Available

Ever since I saw my friend Sophia @the_unwined talking about this book and when I visited her in New York showed me her Marriage Box purse, I have been wanting to read this book. what I got was a compelling and wonderfully written historical fiction, coming of age, and immersive read. Casey Cohen is a character that will stay in my heart for a long time - a young Syrian Jewish woman who certainly lives outside the box, whip smart, ahead of her time, and a complex and nuanced protagonist I was rooting for all the way to the last page.

I really enjoyed learning about the culture and find many similarities to my very strict Asian upbringing - I just enjoyed this one a lot!

[Noa · Rating 4 out of 5]

i really love how the syrian orthodox jewish community got some representation. some of these characters are literally real people i know i swear. and the MEN in this book unlocked a skepticism that will stay with me for a long time. but i loved all the music references AND big fan of her dream school #go violets

[Mackenzie Wheeler · Rating 3 out of 5]

im feeling a little confused about this one tbh. the marriage box is a classic coming of age novel, where we see our MC Casey return to her Syrian Orthodox roots after getting mixed up in the wrong crowd. the plot was really interesting and i can really see how there were many decades of history and heritage that have gone into this piece of writing.

there was a decent amount of space given at the beginning of the book to tell the story of our MC’s childhood and early teen years. she does get mixed in with the wrong crowd, and we are presented with a young woman who is keen to experience absolutely anything life has to offer in terms of knowledge and experience, and loves her independence.

In the second half of the book we see her parents returning to their Syrian Orthodox roots in the hopes it will help Casey to ‘straighten out’ a bit. Casey is reluctant at first, wanting to make the most of life and not settle for being someone’s housewife, but then next minute she is married?? to a very traditional and orthodox guy?? and after all the build up of Casey not wanting that lifestyle i just didn’t feel like it made sense to me. i didn’t see the tension in her as she grappled with the two sides of herself, she just kind of…did it? and i suppose maybe that’s the point, she may have just been going with the flow and doing what was expected without believing she really had a choice. maybe that was even the point of the whole book, but if it was, i don’t personally feel like that was clear enough.

[Stacy40pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Marriage Box by Corie Adjmi. Thanks to @booksparks for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Casey gets in some trouble as a teen in New Orleans. Her parents solution is to move her to an Orthodox Syrian community in Brooklyn. This new world is unfamiliar and most the girls are looking to marry, where Casey wants an education.

As an Ashkenazi Jew, I am not too familiar with the traditions of Sephardic Jews and did not know anything of Syrian Jews. This was just a fascinating read and culture to learn about! I loved the main character and how she bucked the system. Her development is the backbone of the story and watching her come of age with conflicting cultures makes the story so very readable.

“It feels like I’m living in a box, the marriage box, and my world has grown infinitely small.”

The Marriage Box is available now.

[Clara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had a lot of promise, but felt too disjointed. There were some really great moments, and also some moments that felt like they weren't going anywhere. The time skips were also pretty unclear. Despite all that, I really appreciated the glimpse into the Syrian Jewish community of the 70s/80s, as well as the author's note that gives some insight into how the community has changed since then.

CW: infidelity, sexism, racism, abuse, gun violence, mentions of an adult/minor teacher/student relationship, underage drinking and drug use

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

[Emily Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book. Period.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Marriage Box follows Casey Cohen during the 1970s and early 1980s as she is growing up Jewish in New Orleans and then in the Syrian Jewish community of NYC when her family abruptly moves North when she is in high school. This was a time period when parents didn't keep close tabs on their kids, and Casey gets herself into some situations that have a lasting effect on her life going forward. I especially liked this novel because I grew up during the same time period and at the end, the author hints that parts may be semi-autobiographical.

[Guylou (Two Dogs and a Book) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a compelling coming-of-age story that explores themes of identity, love, and cultural clashes. Set in the 1970s, Casey Cohen finds herself uprooted from her life in New Orleans and thrust into the Orthodox Syrian Jewish community in Brooklyn. Ms. Adjmi skillfully portrays the clash between Casey's personal ambitions and the restrictive expectations of her new cultural environment. As Casey navigates the intricacies of her marriage to Michael, she grapples with the sacrifices and compromises demanded of her. Ms. Adjmi's storytelling is immersive, drawing readers into Casey's world and allowing them to empathize with her struggles. This is an emotionally resonant novel that delves into the complexities of tradition, choice, and self-discovery.

#dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadians #canadianbookstagram #bookreviewer #bookcommunity #bibliophile #TheMarriageBox #corieadjmi #booksparks #shewritespress #bookreview

[Zibby Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Marriage Box is about Casey Cohen, a young girl who grew up in New Orleans in a pretty all-American lifestyle in the seventies. She goes to a college preparatory high school and is a cheerleader. She gets herself into some trouble, and her parents are concerned. They decide they will go back to where they were raised, a Syrian Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn. The book opens with the eighteen-year-old protagonist getting married even though she swears she won't do it.

The Marriage Box had echoes of short stories in how it was structured. I liked that the prose was not overwritten or overexplained, which added to the tension. The language was impressive: "As he closes his eyes, tiny doors shutting." One of the characters says, "You young people, you never know when to call it quits." I loved marking those little gems here and there. I also liked Casey's relationship with her parents and how it was so real in many ways because we all know teenagers can be tricky.

To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...

[Esther Erman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written story of a young woman's coming of age and development into full womanhood. When Casey's family abruptly relocates from their home in New Orleans to New Jersey, Casey struggles to find her own footing in a place that doesn't make sense to her. For anyone who's ever had to live in a place and culture that feels alien, Casey's attempts to fit into her Syrian Jewish milieu resonates with great clarity.

[Leah • leahreads__]

DNF. I hated every character.

[Susan Kleinman · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Corie Adjmi’s amazing collection of short stories, “Life and Other Shortcomings,” I knew I’d want to read anything else she had written, so I bought “The Marriage Box,” her first novel, immediately – and it was phenomenal. The cover gives “cute beach read” vibes, but in fact this is something much better – and much harder for a writer to pull off: a deeply felt, moving and thought-provoking coming-of- age story. Set in New Orleans and then New York in the late 1970s and the 1980s, it’s the story of Casey Cohen, a high-school girl getting into way too much trouble, whose parents decide it’s time to move the whole family up to the Syrian-Jewish enclave of Brooklyn that they had left behind years earlier. Casey’s new community’s expectations for girls and young women are very different from what she was raised with in secular New Orleans, and although she pushes back against the new rules at first, she soon gets swept up in her new life. When she realizes that she has committed to something she can’t/doesn’t want to live with, it’s too late – or is it?
It is rare to find a book with BOTH a plot this compelling AND language/images/insights this beautiful. I was torn between wanting to read quickly and see what happens to Casey… and wanting to read slowly to savor the beautiful, detail-rich writing -- and that is, IMHO, the best problem to have with a book. Highly, highly recommend this novel – and Adjmi’s short stories, too!

[Heidi Shertok · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, this book deserves five stars from everyone, and I don’t say that lightly. It’s rare for me to choose reading over watching Netflix, but this one had me HOOKED from the very beginning. The protagonist, Casey, is a Syrian Jew growing up in New Orleans, surrounded by non-Jewish Americans. Her best friend Tracey is obsessed with a guy named Hawkeye, shady to the extreme. But it’s Tracey’s older brother, dubbed “Big Sam”, a psychopath in every sense of the word, that does the most harm.

Casey, now a junior in high school, is devastated when her parents make the decision to leave New Orleans and start over again in the sheltered Orthodox Jewish Syrian community. The school day is long, genders are separated, and Casey has nothing in common with these girls who lie in bikinis in “the marriage box” where men looking to get married can check out the available women. Instead, she works two jobs and longs for the day when she can leave home and go to college. But then she meets Michael, a successful businessman and charmer, and she soon puts aside her dream of going to college and settles into the role of a good Syrian wife. But as their marriage grows sour and the secrets between them fester, Casey must decide whether to continue to do what is expected of her as a wife or to forge a whole new path altogether.

[Cindy(groundedinreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Marriage Box was an informative and intriguing look into the mindset of a teenager back in the 1970s-80s. Casey Cohen, wants to forge her own path, but her heritage as a Syrian Jew along with peer pressure, are pushing her onto a path that’s expected of her.

I enjoyed this time frame and how teenage viewpoints haven’t really changed much. The musical references were a fun blast from the past reminding me of my childhood! A look into the Syrian Jewish culture was super interesting especially all the food talk! I love learning about other cultures through books that I might now otherwise experience.

This is a great read for fans of coming of age stories, historical fiction, women’s fiction and women not afraid to stand up for themselves!

The author makes light of some of the customs but with respect and I really appreciated her insight

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Marriage Box is a great coming of age story focused on a Syrian Jewish teen, whose family moves back to Brooklyn, New York after living in New Orleans for years, and it’s a bit of a culture shock for young Casey. Casey is suddenly thrust into a tight-knit community of Syrian Jews, with their traditions and restrictions, making her feel like an outsider, even though her family has deep roots there. She strains against the patriarchal society and the pressure to get married by age 18 (!!). The marriage box of the title and the cover refers to a section of a pool club in New Jersey where young women (16, say) display themselves, hoping to catch the eye of a future husband. This actually plays a rather small part in the story and so I think the cover does this book no favors. The metaphorical marriage box, however, is indeed the main idea of the novel and I loved it.

We gradually learn why Casey’s parents decided to pack up their lives and move to Brooklyn, and it struck a nerve with me. Lots of teens do dumb stuff, right? One scene in NOLA really shook me. I also understood Casey’s falling for Michael, but I didn’t think it was the right decision for her and enjoyed reading her “journey” to a more mature, independent way of thinking.

It was interesting that parts of the book were written in the past tense and parts were written in the present tense.

Thank you to the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples for the chance to read this book!

[Robyn Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written coming of age story of a beautiful young Syrian Jewish woman who experiences being “other” in both New Orleans and New York in the late 1970s and early 1980s. I could easily relate to her New Orleans experiences as that’s where I was raised as well, during that time frame. I was fascinated learning about the Syrian Jewish culture and expectations of its young women. Really well written and nicely developed characters.

[Haley Schlecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this one. It was from a perspective that I never heard before and it was fascinating. It’s also historical fiction as it’s set in the 70’s and 80’s. To see how Casey faces her family and her religion throughout her life was an amazing sight to see. I highly recommend.

[sofie poppleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

an interesting look into judaism and what is expected of syrian jews, but not especially poignant

[Esther Djmal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to finally read a book about the Jewish Syrian Community in Brooklyn. For me, The Marriage Box was highly anticipated! Adjmi painted a vivid image of the community in the 80s: an interesting combination of glamourous parties peppered with traditional values and customs. Just as she did in her short story collection, Life and Other Shortcomings, Adjmi utilized her unique talent of writing vibrant and descriptive text to make you feel like you were picked up and dropped off into the little world she created. Casey is honest and relatable, innocently looking for love and a place to belong. I loved reading her story!

[Ellen Wolintz-Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining. I wonder how realistic it is Abidjan get the Syrian community really is. Living in Deal - was insightful into their world.

[krista | overbookt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as part of the #BooksAndRec summer reads presented by BookSparks - not my jam.

While I learned a lot about culture, I didn’t connect with the character-driven story. There weren’t any characters I liked, and I was mostly just frustrated.

It’s called ‘The Marriage Box’ but it was referenced once and that was it? Maybe I would’ve enjoyed it if it focused more on that concept.

[Maddie Fabricant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is incredibly specific to one community: The Syrian Orthodox Jewish Community; if you don't know of this community, you are going to be very surprised by what you find in this book.

I personally grew up in Allenhurst, New Jersey, a Jersey Shore town next to one of the only Syrian communities in the United States: Deal, New Jersey. Syrians drive from Brooklyn to spend their summers at the shore. They exist solely in three places: Brooklyn, Deal, and Miami. That is where their community is.

I am an Ashkenazi Jew, but have spent more time around Syrian Jews than most from other communities. Growing up, going to the JCC with Syrian kids, I, too, felt the protagonist's angst of being outside of the community. I had a girlfriend growing up who loathed that her parents wanted her to get an education, when she wanted to embrace her Syrian roots. Her mother wanted more for her and she wanted less.

This book is incredibly accurate to Syrian Jews and an amazing read for anyone who knows of this community. The parties, the clothes, the attitudes, everything. The Syrian community "making it's own Orthodox roles," has always confused me. Growing up, I thought Orthodox women wore little nighties because that is what I grew up near.

An absolutely fascinating wonderful read once you research the community. I loved being inside of it; albeit the time jumps being... jumpy. My mom and grandmothers all just bought a copy. Highly recommend for anyone who is knowledgable about the community.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It can be really hard to find books with Sephardic or Mizrahi Jewish representation, at least in English and this definitely needs to improve - publishing take note please. “The Marriage Box” by Corie Adjmi does not disappoint in that realm, with a main character Casey who comes from a Syrian Jewish family living from their community in New Orleans in the 1980s. This is a journey of self-discovery primarily, but with really nice prose and primarily plot-driven. Casey is a typical teenage girl, her parents have largely separated themselves from the traditional close-knit Syrian Jewish community by moving away and trying to live a more “typical” American life. Until Casey gets in some trouble in New Orleans when they decide to ship her back to Brooklyn, a foreign world to her. Suddenly she’s launched in a world of extravagance where early marriage is a norm. I really felt for her as she tried to fit into this new world, making new friends, and also stay true to who she is. She is smart and trying to hold on to her dreams of going to college, until she meets the perfect Syrian Jewish husband Michael. She is a fairly well developed character, and I liked the collection of side characters who fill out the story. I definitely recommend this one, and encourage you to not only read books with Ashkenazi Jewish representation but more diversely. Thank you to BookSparks and She Writes Press for the advanced copy, and it's available now.