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The Family Morfawitz
From acclaimed author Daniel H. Turtel, winner of the Faulkner Society Award for Best Novel, comes The Family Morfawitz, a gripping Jewish family saga inspired by Ovid's Metamorphoses. When Hadassah Morfawitz flees Nazi Germany with her siblings and arrives in New York, she is determined to turn the city into her own Mount Olympus--at any cost. In choosing orphaned concentration camp survivor Zev Kretinberg as her husband and accomplice--ensuring his loyalty with the promise of riches and the burial of a dark past--she begins a ruthless journey toward the upper echelons of Park Avenue synagogue society. Their combined ambition knows no limits, and nothing will stand in the way of their realization of the American ideals of wealth and beauty, even if it means abandoning their son, Hezekial. Decades later, through machinations worthy of his parents, Hezekial becomes entrusted as the family's chronicler. As he sits with his aging father, transcribing a litany of Zev's sins--from serving as a kapo at Gusen, to betraying the friends who helped him, to his blood-bound commitment to Hadassah despite numerous affairs and illegitimate children--the younger Morfawitz is faced with a whitewash a lifetime of cruelty, indifference, and lust, or repay his mother at last.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published February 14, 2023
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3000 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
March 15, 2023
One of my rules was actually voiced by Zoe Heller. A reader should not look for friends between the covers of a book. That being said, I am usually drawn to stories featuring complicated characters, characters with a bit of grit that while I don't want them as friends, I'll find some pleasure in reading about them. Watching them from a distance. The trouble here is that each and every one of the members of this Jewish crime family is unashamedly venal, and where's the fun in that?
January 20, 2023
Incredible fiction from an up and coming author. Excited to see what he has in store next.
December 4, 2023
I am a sucker for modern novels rooted in Greek (and other) mythology, so the idea of a condensed Metamorphosis reset in the recent past was intriguing. While reading The Family Morfawitz, (doesn't that name sound Ovid adjacent?) I imagined Stephen Fry chuckling in the background.
January 14, 2023
The Family Morfawitz, by Daniel H. Turtel
This novel is told through the eyes of Hezekial Morfawitz, the rejected son of Hadassah and Zev Morfawitz. He was born disabled, deformed and unpleasant to look at, and so he was given away at birth by his cold-hearted mother who had designs for her future that did not include such a child. Her husband did not object either. However, Hezekial was destined to return to his family, years later, as the result of an act of revenge against his father Zev, by his mother, Hadassah. Zev had a roving eye and constantly abused the vow of fidelity.
Hezekial’s parents, Hadassah and Zev Morfawitz both survived the Holocaust, uniquely, compromising their souls when necessary, and ultimately with a combination of courage and mendacity, both reached the American shore. There, similar in character, they met and married. They had dreams of building their empire and worked steadily to achieve that goal, mercilessly and savagely climbing the ladder of success. Neither one was particularly scrupulous or honorable in their behavior, rather they did whatever was required to achieve their goals, removing obstacles along the way without regard for the consequences or for those they destroyed.
The depravity of the family is portrayed as generational. Their wealth gave them power and their power gave them their legitimacy. They lacked a code of ethics. They made their own laws and were motivated only by their greed and need for power and fortune. Although their acts of moral turpitude have been compared to the Trump’s, I found little comparison. It might just as easily have been compared to the Bidens, who indeed actually have a son who produced an illegitimate grandchild that they do not recognize or accept, in much the same way as Hadassah refused to recognize Zev’s “bastard” children or her own imperfect child. Even the Kennedy’s, who hid their mentally ill child away from the world and subjected her to lobotomies which left her unable to function normally, could come to mind, but the author chose to hone in and humiliate a Jewish family for its unending depravity. Because they are real estate moguls, building a monument to themselves, and Trump is so often portrayed that way by our news media, I believe, the thought immediately comes to mind, unfairly, but was probably the actual intention of the author. In this way he could attract a certain kind of reader, sadly one that might take away a very negative view about all Jewish people, since he has exaggerated every stereotype within the Morfawitz family. They behaved reprehensibly, without showing any humanity to others.
The book reeks of anti-Semitic dialogue and portrayals. There is no one in the book that deserved my respect. I did not find it funny, because I found the picture of the Jewish family to be abysmal. No family I know, is or was, like that, and I grew up in the era of the book. No Jewish survivor of the Holocaust, that I ever knew, lacked a moral compass because of their experience, more likely they were made stronger and more determined because otherwise they would not have survived. They worked hard to achieve whatever they did, not by hurting others, but by being grateful for their freedom. They were dedicated to their purpose of improving their lot in life by promoting education for their children so they would be better prepared to fight back in this world, a world that did, and still does, seem to birth evil in so many places.
Yet, this author has ascribed every negative personality and moral trait to the matriarch, patriarch and their progeny, though many of the children came from the patriarch’s utter lack of marital fidelity. The Morfawitz family destroyed people without any sense of remorse; they thought they were better than most people even as their very behavior singled them out to be the worst kind of examples of anyone in society. They let no one stand in their way, legitimately or illegitimately, without making them pay for it. Any slight required the most horrible punishments to be meted out. The characters were quite despicable.
To think that portraying Jews in this way is humorous, because the writer is talented, is a mistake as far as I am concerned. If this book was about any other religion or race, it might remain unpublished or even banned as hate speech. Even those characters that are horribly abused in the book, those hurt brutally by the Morfawitz family, have few redeeming qualities. It is as if the whole of humanity has been compromised and made depraved by the actions of the Morfawitz family, who of course, are even worse. A reader might find him or herself desperately hoping for retribution against this family, because of its cruelty toward others. Might this spill over into our reality in society? This book is hard to read for a Jew because it highlights all of the worst character components of all human beings and rolls them up into this Jewish Family, survivors of the Holocaust, who became as brutal and as ruthless as their enemies.
The only Jews I know, or have ever known, who have survived pogroms or the Holocaust or have come to America from places that rejected them, have worshiped the Statue of Liberty, not to compete with its message or better it, like Hadassah and Zev, but to live up to its promise of welcome and opportunity. So, would I recommend the book, I am not sure, because it paints such a horrible picture of a Jewish family that it is bound to stain an entire population of Jewish people with the same ugly brush. Is it written well, and is it engaging, yes, which is why I find it so upsetting. The author has a gifted pen, but one can only wonder why he wrote such a book as this, with a vicious sense of humor, that offered no redeeming features for any Jew, even in the end.
Jewish people should be respected for their achievements, kindness and compassion, not judged for the debauchery that this book promotes by featuring such a corrupt family as members of the Jewish community. I am afraid that there are people who will simply now put all Jews into the box of unethical, greedy, selfish, and power hungry humans. The book reinforced too many negative stereotypes using the cloak of artistic talent.
This novel is told through the eyes of Hezekial Morfawitz, the rejected son of Hadassah and Zev Morfawitz. He was born disabled, deformed and unpleasant to look at, and so he was given away at birth by his cold-hearted mother who had designs for her future that did not include such a child. Her husband did not object either. However, Hezekial was destined to return to his family, years later, as the result of an act of revenge against his father Zev, by his mother, Hadassah. Zev had a roving eye and constantly abused the vow of fidelity.
Hezekial’s parents, Hadassah and Zev Morfawitz both survived the Holocaust, uniquely, compromising their souls when necessary, and ultimately with a combination of courage and mendacity, both reached the American shore. There, similar in character, they met and married. They had dreams of building their empire and worked steadily to achieve that goal, mercilessly and savagely climbing the ladder of success. Neither one was particularly scrupulous or honorable in their behavior, rather they did whatever was required to achieve their goals, removing obstacles along the way without regard for the consequences or for those they destroyed.
The depravity of the family is portrayed as generational. Their wealth gave them power and their power gave them their legitimacy. They lacked a code of ethics. They made their own laws and were motivated only by their greed and need for power and fortune. Although their acts of moral turpitude have been compared to the Trump’s, I found little comparison. It might just as easily have been compared to the Bidens, who indeed actually have a son who produced an illegitimate grandchild that they do not recognize or accept, in much the same way as Hadassah refused to recognize Zev’s “bastard” children or her own imperfect child. Even the Kennedy’s, who hid their mentally ill child away from the world and subjected her to lobotomies which left her unable to function normally, could come to mind, but the author chose to hone in and humiliate a Jewish family for its unending depravity. Because they are real estate moguls, building a monument to themselves, and Trump is so often portrayed that way by our news media, I believe, the thought immediately comes to mind, unfairly, but was probably the actual intention of the author. In this way he could attract a certain kind of reader, sadly one that might take away a very negative view about all Jewish people, since he has exaggerated every stereotype within the Morfawitz family. They behaved reprehensibly, without showing any humanity to others.
The book reeks of anti-Semitic dialogue and portrayals. There is no one in the book that deserved my respect. I did not find it funny, because I found the picture of the Jewish family to be abysmal. No family I know, is or was, like that, and I grew up in the era of the book. No Jewish survivor of the Holocaust, that I ever knew, lacked a moral compass because of their experience, more likely they were made stronger and more determined because otherwise they would not have survived. They worked hard to achieve whatever they did, not by hurting others, but by being grateful for their freedom. They were dedicated to their purpose of improving their lot in life by promoting education for their children so they would be better prepared to fight back in this world, a world that did, and still does, seem to birth evil in so many places.
Yet, this author has ascribed every negative personality and moral trait to the matriarch, patriarch and their progeny, though many of the children came from the patriarch’s utter lack of marital fidelity. The Morfawitz family destroyed people without any sense of remorse; they thought they were better than most people even as their very behavior singled them out to be the worst kind of examples of anyone in society. They let no one stand in their way, legitimately or illegitimately, without making them pay for it. Any slight required the most horrible punishments to be meted out. The characters were quite despicable.
To think that portraying Jews in this way is humorous, because the writer is talented, is a mistake as far as I am concerned. If this book was about any other religion or race, it might remain unpublished or even banned as hate speech. Even those characters that are horribly abused in the book, those hurt brutally by the Morfawitz family, have few redeeming qualities. It is as if the whole of humanity has been compromised and made depraved by the actions of the Morfawitz family, who of course, are even worse. A reader might find him or herself desperately hoping for retribution against this family, because of its cruelty toward others. Might this spill over into our reality in society? This book is hard to read for a Jew because it highlights all of the worst character components of all human beings and rolls them up into this Jewish Family, survivors of the Holocaust, who became as brutal and as ruthless as their enemies.
The only Jews I know, or have ever known, who have survived pogroms or the Holocaust or have come to America from places that rejected them, have worshiped the Statue of Liberty, not to compete with its message or better it, like Hadassah and Zev, but to live up to its promise of welcome and opportunity. So, would I recommend the book, I am not sure, because it paints such a horrible picture of a Jewish family that it is bound to stain an entire population of Jewish people with the same ugly brush. Is it written well, and is it engaging, yes, which is why I find it so upsetting. The author has a gifted pen, but one can only wonder why he wrote such a book as this, with a vicious sense of humor, that offered no redeeming features for any Jew, even in the end.
Jewish people should be respected for their achievements, kindness and compassion, not judged for the debauchery that this book promotes by featuring such a corrupt family as members of the Jewish community. I am afraid that there are people who will simply now put all Jews into the box of unethical, greedy, selfish, and power hungry humans. The book reinforced too many negative stereotypes using the cloak of artistic talent.
February 14, 2023
A beautiful and dramatic read with incredible character development. One of the best books I've read.
February 14, 2023
Very well written. Kept me intrigued on every page. Would highly recommend.
February 15, 2023
As a lover of the Greco-Roman classical canon and contemporary works about titans of a different sort, this book really spoke to me. Turtel wields a pen like a paintbrush, conjuring up stirring, vivid tableaus that transported me into the world of the Morfawitzes as they bend the world to their indomitables wills.
The scale of the world Turtel creates is impressive, transporting us across generations, continents and decades will maintaining an intimate relationship with the protagonists that kept me emotionally invested throughout. All in all, I found it riveting and could not put it down.
The scale of the world Turtel creates is impressive, transporting us across generations, continents and decades will maintaining an intimate relationship with the protagonists that kept me emotionally invested throughout. All in all, I found it riveting and could not put it down.
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August 28, 2023I wish I could remember how/where I first learned about this book, and what piqued my original interest. The author's literary talent is clear—it's the writing's style that kept me reading even when the characters (of which there are many) and plotlines (ditto) turned me off. I'll look forward to finding out what comes next for the author. But about the Morfawitzes, alas, I care little!
November 17, 2022
To me this book was more an allegory or a clever writing exercise than it was a novel. Apparently it's a contemporary rewrite of Ovid's Metamorphosis, but I was hoping for a fleshed-out story with well-rounded characters. Here the characters came across as coloring-book outlines, and much of the dialogue was oration in service of some grand point. Big swaths of plot were hand-waved away (how did Zev make it to America?) and few characters seemed to feel realistic emotions (offspring die and... oh well!). The writing held my interest, but little else did. I also wish it didn't paint just about every Jewish character as remorseless and interested in only money, power, and status.
Thank you, NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing, for providing me with a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you, NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing, for providing me with a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2023
Thank you to Goodreads and Blackstone Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. I am providing my honest opinion voluntarily.
CONTENT WARNING: violence, rape, parental abandonment, antisemitism, Holocaust imagery, murder, suicide, incest, death of a child
I’m always a sucker for a good family saga, and the fact that this involved a successful Jewish family made this one more appealing to me. The premise sounded really good, and when I won this one in a Goodreads giveaway, it felt a little like winning the lottery. However, I had some seriously high expectations of this book, and it completely failed to meet those expectations.
Usually, I find connecting with the characters to be one of the first things that pulls me into a book. This happens to be an extremely character-driven book, and it would have been helpful for me to bond with the characters. Unfortunately, I’ve never found a book full of more unlikable characters in my life. Every single one of them was horrible, morally bankrupt, and the kind of person I just had no respect for.
Even worse, this story plays up so many antisemitic tropes, that it actually made me uncomfortable to read. I personally know that these tropes aren’t true, but for someone who believes these already, or is on the fence, might actually use this to back those beliefs up. The entire Morfawitz family is greedy, focused on getting more money, and they’ll scheme, manipulate, and do literally anything to get more of it. As they amass money and build an empire, they start to develop influence in the city. For example, when Zev tries to find an apartment in Manhattan for his pregnant mistress, Hadassah exerts control over the real estate market and locks them out from finding any kind of housing in the entire city. I don’t think it was a fair portrayal, since every single Jewish character in the story was portrayed through this same lens.
This was the kind of book that I’d normally have DNF’d. I found myself putting it down and struggling to pick it back up, and eventually I just checked the audiobook version out from the library and finally made my way through the rest of the book. Overall, the plot was meandering and felt pointless because I didn’t connect with any of the characters. It just seemed like semi-flat characterizations and rambling stories about a sprawling family tree that I struggled to keep track of (there’s no family tree provided, which would have been helpful), and it didn’t actually go anywhere. The ending was a letdown that felt anticlimactic and unfinished, and by the time I finished, I felt like I should have DNF’d it when I originally thought to.
CONTENT WARNING: violence, rape, parental abandonment, antisemitism, Holocaust imagery, murder, suicide, incest, death of a child
I’m always a sucker for a good family saga, and the fact that this involved a successful Jewish family made this one more appealing to me. The premise sounded really good, and when I won this one in a Goodreads giveaway, it felt a little like winning the lottery. However, I had some seriously high expectations of this book, and it completely failed to meet those expectations.
Usually, I find connecting with the characters to be one of the first things that pulls me into a book. This happens to be an extremely character-driven book, and it would have been helpful for me to bond with the characters. Unfortunately, I’ve never found a book full of more unlikable characters in my life. Every single one of them was horrible, morally bankrupt, and the kind of person I just had no respect for.
Even worse, this story plays up so many antisemitic tropes, that it actually made me uncomfortable to read. I personally know that these tropes aren’t true, but for someone who believes these already, or is on the fence, might actually use this to back those beliefs up. The entire Morfawitz family is greedy, focused on getting more money, and they’ll scheme, manipulate, and do literally anything to get more of it. As they amass money and build an empire, they start to develop influence in the city. For example, when Zev tries to find an apartment in Manhattan for his pregnant mistress, Hadassah exerts control over the real estate market and locks them out from finding any kind of housing in the entire city. I don’t think it was a fair portrayal, since every single Jewish character in the story was portrayed through this same lens.
This was the kind of book that I’d normally have DNF’d. I found myself putting it down and struggling to pick it back up, and eventually I just checked the audiobook version out from the library and finally made my way through the rest of the book. Overall, the plot was meandering and felt pointless because I didn’t connect with any of the characters. It just seemed like semi-flat characterizations and rambling stories about a sprawling family tree that I struggled to keep track of (there’s no family tree provided, which would have been helpful), and it didn’t actually go anywhere. The ending was a letdown that felt anticlimactic and unfinished, and by the time I finished, I felt like I should have DNF’d it when I originally thought to.
March 2, 2023
I was drawn to this book because I love retellings of Greek myths. The beginning was very dark and crass, and the parading of the characters’ wicked deeds didn’t slow down.
The author is an excellent writer and does a superb job of creating complex characters who are barely likeable because of their misdeeds and cruelty. It’s hard to say that I liked this book because the characters were such horrible people, but it takes a truly talented author to make you hate the characters and keep reading anyway.
This book explore multiple generations and inescapable ancestral curses in the form of unabashed depravity.
Everyone in this book is morally bankrupt, which is fine. Not every story needs a golden character who is the model of morality, but I struggled to find anything redeeming at all, which left me feeling unsatisfied and that the read was not worthwhile.
The writing and character development are excellent, so I wouldn’t dissuade people from reading this. It wasn’t my cup of tea but it could be yours.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The author is an excellent writer and does a superb job of creating complex characters who are barely likeable because of their misdeeds and cruelty. It’s hard to say that I liked this book because the characters were such horrible people, but it takes a truly talented author to make you hate the characters and keep reading anyway.
This book explore multiple generations and inescapable ancestral curses in the form of unabashed depravity.
Everyone in this book is morally bankrupt, which is fine. Not every story needs a golden character who is the model of morality, but I struggled to find anything redeeming at all, which left me feeling unsatisfied and that the read was not worthwhile.
The writing and character development are excellent, so I wouldn’t dissuade people from reading this. It wasn’t my cup of tea but it could be yours.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 6, 2023
The books of this author were recommended to me by a trusted source even though the genre is not my cup of tea. DANIEL TURTEL is a young writer to be reckoned with. He is a Faulkner Society Award winner who has now published his first two novels through Blackstone Publishing. See my review of book 1, GREETINGS FROM ASBURY PARK. Book 2 is THE FAMILY MORFAWITZ. They are both stand-alone stories. Both deal with dysfunctional families and are great for reading at the beach, in your home, on a cruise or anywhere you like to read.
The Morfawitz family survive the Holocaust in Europe during World War II and immigrate to New York State. This period of history is covered quickly. The bulk of the story begins in 1947 when Zev Kretinburg meets Hadassah at the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City. She spreads a rumor that her family are related to the Rothschild banking family making her a social catch of the year. During their married life, Zev is not faithful to Hadassah and sires several kids outside of their marriage. The family became one of the wealthiest and most powerful in New York.
They start out in real estate, first in Brooklyn and then in Manhattan (two of the city’s five counties). They branch out into restaurants, transportation and more. Their influence is worldwide. Their real estate culminates with a 76-story condo/co-op residential building on the south side of Central Park. Each of the ten family members has a complete floor for their residence. They are on floors 67 to 76 with a private entrance and separate elevator. Several of their stories are interwoven into the tale.
During his life journey, Zev changes his name to Jack Morfawitz. Throughout the book, he is always referred to as Zev Morfawitz. Most of the family are people you will dislike. The most powerful of the offspring are Hersh, Adam and Hezekiel (the latter is the narrator). Some are not averse to committing murder to further the family’s agenda. In addition, some are not faithful to their spouses. All makes for interesting reading. Towards the end of the story, an art forgery scheme emerges as a tool of revenge against the family.
The book is a relatively fast read. My only complaint is the number of characters you, as a reader, will have to track. I could not put it down once I started. If I saw the book on a shelf in a store or library, I probably would not pick it up to read, as it does not fit into my reading genres. However, I am glad that I did read it. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
GO! BUY! READ!
The Morfawitz family survive the Holocaust in Europe during World War II and immigrate to New York State. This period of history is covered quickly. The bulk of the story begins in 1947 when Zev Kretinburg meets Hadassah at the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City. She spreads a rumor that her family are related to the Rothschild banking family making her a social catch of the year. During their married life, Zev is not faithful to Hadassah and sires several kids outside of their marriage. The family became one of the wealthiest and most powerful in New York.
They start out in real estate, first in Brooklyn and then in Manhattan (two of the city’s five counties). They branch out into restaurants, transportation and more. Their influence is worldwide. Their real estate culminates with a 76-story condo/co-op residential building on the south side of Central Park. Each of the ten family members has a complete floor for their residence. They are on floors 67 to 76 with a private entrance and separate elevator. Several of their stories are interwoven into the tale.
During his life journey, Zev changes his name to Jack Morfawitz. Throughout the book, he is always referred to as Zev Morfawitz. Most of the family are people you will dislike. The most powerful of the offspring are Hersh, Adam and Hezekiel (the latter is the narrator). Some are not averse to committing murder to further the family’s agenda. In addition, some are not faithful to their spouses. All makes for interesting reading. Towards the end of the story, an art forgery scheme emerges as a tool of revenge against the family.
The book is a relatively fast read. My only complaint is the number of characters you, as a reader, will have to track. I could not put it down once I started. If I saw the book on a shelf in a store or library, I probably would not pick it up to read, as it does not fit into my reading genres. However, I am glad that I did read it. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
GO! BUY! READ!
January 21, 2024
I am guessing this book would have held greater meaning if I were familiar with the Roman poet, Ovid, and his Latin narrative poem of 250 myths, upon which this novel is overlaid. On his website, Turtel does offer a chapter breakdown of how the poem and the book share parallels (as well as his naming conventions).
If one is not familiar with the poem and not inclined to do that extra bit of homework, it’s still evident the writing prowess of the author, who exhibits great skill at spinning a tale … and even greater skill at creating downright despicable, narcissistic, selfish characters -- all while using beautiful language.
I had hoped some of these family members might actually grow and become more human and compassionate, but, alas, their reprehensible nature seemed only to grow over the years. And the author intended it that way (the Roman and Greek gods were not, after all, human - and were often quite unkind). He intended for the family’s mythic Manhattan wealth and status to be a thing of legend - a legend comprised of cut-throat, corrupt, and wealthy individuals.
The hints of towers and power in NYC are pretty obvious, and the ending quite open-ended. A disturbing, well-written read that mirrored, I assume, Metamorphoses – a series of not-altogether-connected stories about those at the top, looking down on the rest of the mere mortals of the world.
My thanks to Blackstone Publishing for the gifted e-copy.
If one is not familiar with the poem and not inclined to do that extra bit of homework, it’s still evident the writing prowess of the author, who exhibits great skill at spinning a tale … and even greater skill at creating downright despicable, narcissistic, selfish characters -- all while using beautiful language.
I had hoped some of these family members might actually grow and become more human and compassionate, but, alas, their reprehensible nature seemed only to grow over the years. And the author intended it that way (the Roman and Greek gods were not, after all, human - and were often quite unkind). He intended for the family’s mythic Manhattan wealth and status to be a thing of legend - a legend comprised of cut-throat, corrupt, and wealthy individuals.
The hints of towers and power in NYC are pretty obvious, and the ending quite open-ended. A disturbing, well-written read that mirrored, I assume, Metamorphoses – a series of not-altogether-connected stories about those at the top, looking down on the rest of the mere mortals of the world.
My thanks to Blackstone Publishing for the gifted e-copy.
March 9, 2023
Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for this advanced copy!
I have no idea what adjective to use when describing this novel. It was fun, interesting, and hilarious at times, but also odd and frustrating because let me tell you, the Morfawitz family is all of those things and more. Beginning in pre-war Europe and quickly moving to NYC, this tale of a family rising in power (while also always growing in members thanks to the patriarch's inability to be faithful to his wife) felt like a tale of antiheroes. And while I've been sick of the antihero in pop culture recently, I never got sick of the Morfawitzs. With each new sibling coming to light and trying to get to the top, we get a new caper and a new way for Hadassah, the matriarch, to pull her behind-the-scene stings and move people out of the way.
This book grabbed me from the beginning and really liked the way the author wove the stories together and kept them moving. At times I had difficulty remembering what year we were in, but the plot kept moving and the characters felt vivid. I'm looking forward to Turtel's other work.
I have no idea what adjective to use when describing this novel. It was fun, interesting, and hilarious at times, but also odd and frustrating because let me tell you, the Morfawitz family is all of those things and more. Beginning in pre-war Europe and quickly moving to NYC, this tale of a family rising in power (while also always growing in members thanks to the patriarch's inability to be faithful to his wife) felt like a tale of antiheroes. And while I've been sick of the antihero in pop culture recently, I never got sick of the Morfawitzs. With each new sibling coming to light and trying to get to the top, we get a new caper and a new way for Hadassah, the matriarch, to pull her behind-the-scene stings and move people out of the way.
This book grabbed me from the beginning and really liked the way the author wove the stories together and kept them moving. At times I had difficulty remembering what year we were in, but the plot kept moving and the characters felt vivid. I'm looking forward to Turtel's other work.
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February 5, 2023*shivers*
Well that was DARK.
I’m not sure how I feel about this book. Every character is despicable, and I don’t love the whole setup of villainous wealthy Jews. But their villainy wasn’t one-dimensional or stereotypical so I guess I can say it was written with integrity? After all, we are sometimes the bad guys in the books.
The scandalous family relations and multiple shady murders got a little gratuitous at times. I lost track of whose illegitimate son was whose and how they were all related. And how many times can you really kill a personal on the sly and get away with it? A lot, if you get away with it, it seems.
I did like the concept of an anti American dream type of story. The writing was witty and engaging. I think it’s pretty clear the parts I didn’t like were matters of taste, not quality.
Well that was DARK.
I’m not sure how I feel about this book. Every character is despicable, and I don’t love the whole setup of villainous wealthy Jews. But their villainy wasn’t one-dimensional or stereotypical so I guess I can say it was written with integrity? After all, we are sometimes the bad guys in the books.
The scandalous family relations and multiple shady murders got a little gratuitous at times. I lost track of whose illegitimate son was whose and how they were all related. And how many times can you really kill a personal on the sly and get away with it? A lot, if you get away with it, it seems.
I did like the concept of an anti American dream type of story. The writing was witty and engaging. I think it’s pretty clear the parts I didn’t like were matters of taste, not quality.
February 12, 2023
i have absolutely no idea how i feel about this book at all
i think i liked it? i also had such a hard time following it and needed a physical family tree, but had the audiobook (which was very well narrated!!), and spent most of the time going ???? whose son is that??? which god are they meant to be?? which part of the metamorphoses is this analogous to? i'm sure there's also something to unpack in making a jewish immigrant family the greek gods and humanizing the absolutely APPALLING things that happen in mythology, making them that much worse on a graphic human level. but i don't know what.
i don't know. this is very well-written and clever, but i just. i don't know.
i think i liked it? i also had such a hard time following it and needed a physical family tree, but had the audiobook (which was very well narrated!!), and spent most of the time going ???? whose son is that??? which god are they meant to be?? which part of the metamorphoses is this analogous to? i'm sure there's also something to unpack in making a jewish immigrant family the greek gods and humanizing the absolutely APPALLING things that happen in mythology, making them that much worse on a graphic human level. but i don't know what.
i don't know. this is very well-written and clever, but i just. i don't know.
February 13, 2023
A very dramatic family saga that was full of unlikeable characters, over the top antics and lots of deceit. I think this will be a hit with some but for me it was just okay. I struggled staying invested in the story and while entertaining at some points, just not my thing for the most part.
Thanks to Librofm and Blackstone Publishing for a complimentary audiobook. My thoughts are my own.
My reviews can also be seen at www.instagram.com/justonemoorebook.
Thanks to Librofm and Blackstone Publishing for a complimentary audiobook. My thoughts are my own.
My reviews can also be seen at www.instagram.com/justonemoorebook.
March 6, 2023
The book started out strong (meaning I was drawn in quickly). I believe it began to fall apart somewhere in book 2 (of 3 books).
I believe I became exhausted of the antics as well the cruelty perpetrated.
I was really looking forward to this book ☹️ and am disappointed. It’s never a waste of time to read though.
Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for my advanced copy in return for my honest review.
I believe I became exhausted of the antics as well the cruelty perpetrated.
I was really looking forward to this book ☹️ and am disappointed. It’s never a waste of time to read though.
Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for my advanced copy in return for my honest review.
March 7, 2023
Meet the Morfawitzes, a Jewish family with some very questionable roots. The patriarch, Zev is a bit of a housewrecker, and jumps from relationship to relationship. His wife, Hadassah is an imposing figure. And all of the children are all very colorful, to say the least. This book had a lot of dark moments and twists and turns. I felt that it was a bit longer than it should have been, but I enjoyed the journey that it took me on. There were perhaps a bit too many characters.
March 12, 2023
I gave this book four stars because it was well written and complex, even though it should have been simple. Why did the author not include a family tree? The disjointed nature of the story would have made a tree helpful. I would say if you are a real reader, then read this book. This is not for the readers of Jenna's Book Club (or whatever it is called). No offense, but in general, you are not real readers.
Want to read
April 19, 2023Sorry, haven’t gotten to read it yet! ASAP, I promise! We have been dealing with multiple deaths in our family, so everything has kind of stopped right now. I’m so sorry, because my mind will fill out a sweepstakes, but it won’t let me get past one sentence in any of my books. I can’t seem to concentrate right now
May 9, 2023
DNF it was well written and I enjoyed what I read, but it was a bit of a sense read. I enjoyed learning about some Jewish culture and the perspective given in the book. I DNF bc my library borrow ended. However, I never read more than a chapter or two at a time which is abnormal for me.
May 26, 2023
Throughout this entertaining, albeit off-putting, read, I kept thinking that there couldn't really be a family chockfull of such terrible people. Then I thought, "Well, maybe the Trumps, if the Trumps were Jewish."
And then it struck me: OMG, these are the Kushners! Seriously.
And then it struck me: OMG, these are the Kushners! Seriously.
December 28, 2023
3.5. There was enough in here to keep me reading, but I found it often very strange and without a single redeeming character. It’s like a fractured family saga and I know it was informed by Ovid, but that was way above my reading grade.
March 13, 2023
A family of shysters none of whom have any redeeming qualities.
March 21, 2023
Great cover, mediocre book. So many characters all without a moral compass.
June 4, 2023
I am unfamiliar with Ovid’s metamorphoses so I’m not catching the connection.
Characters are disgusting.
Writing is good but the story is out there. Dropping mid Book 2.
Characters are disgusting.
Writing is good but the story is out there. Dropping mid Book 2.
September 2, 2023
I didn't know what to expect when I started this book. From the very beginning, I was in it with both feet. Well-written, fascinating characters.
December 8, 2023
Flashes of amusement, but just became more and more irritating. Juvenile.
January 10, 2025
It's ok
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