Fervour Paperback – 22 February 2024

An exceedingly well written novel focusing on a British Orthodox Jewish family and their struggles with each other and their relationships to aspects of Judaism. The voices of family members are richly presented as they grapple with the textures of their history and their contemporary consequences. My sense is that the "blurbs" on the book's cover, etc., are a bit "over-the-top." It is a much more ordinary story that reflects the complex identities being played out in a Jewish family whose members have committed identities that rub into conflagrations at times...but it is a really interesting story...while the advertising material suggests a more difficult read.

Even though this book was marketed as a Horror/Ghost story, which it is not, it leans more towards literary fiction, I still enjoyed it.It’s a novel about the relationship within a Jewish family and the generational trauma of the Holocaust. It may not be a horror novel, there’s still plenty of horrors interlinked within the story; horrors of the aftermath of the Holocaust, inhumane crimes during WWII, substance abuse, mental health, eating disorder and self harm.I was very curious about this book , but I did not expect to be completely swept away by it. I was captivated as soon as I read the first page.Check your trigger warnings going in (antisemitism, eating disorder, the Holocaust and soms of the horrors that happened during WWII, mental health, substance abuse, self harm, mention of SA).It also mentions the current events (Zionism, Palestine and Israel).

Brilliant.Great portrayals of Tovyah and Kate.I warmed to them and their intense relationship.Fascinating discussion of aspects of Judaism.The reasons for Elsie's mental illness are left open. Was it her truly ghastly mums behaviour to her?Her precocious sex and drug taking?Her sadness at death of her grandfather ?Or horrifying ideas put into her head by reading of the Kabalah ?Nevertheless there is strong objective evidence that her disturbed mind was caused by the supernatural.Such an interesting and stimulating book that I reread several passages to fully absorb all of its questions and ideas.

Very rare I write a review, however I was engrossed by this story, and surprised to see it’s the author’s first publication. Highly recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I could not finish after reading 25%