The Romance Reader Audiobook

" Meh. Strictly okay from a literary standpoint, but interesting from a sociological one. I can see how people from a similar background would really dig it. "

" A bitter coming-of-age story set in a Chasidic Jewish family in NYC. There's little to identify with. "

" There was a lot of things to learn from this book , about the religion & believes . But, I didn't like the way it ended . I would have liked to know more about how she got the divorce, what she later did with her life, & etc. ~ "

" This was an intriguing look into the life of a girl raised in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. Fascinating on many levels and one is pulled in in anticipation of what direction Rachel will follow. Not the ending that I hoped for, but a good read nonetheless. "

" Provides some insight into the Hasidic community, which is why I picked it up. "

" Incredible details and a look into the lives of hasidic Jews. Very revealing and impressive. "

" At first I enjoyed this book - I liked the tone and story. But after awhile I got bored. So much focus on a few restricted things that Rachel was not supposed to be doing - reading, swimming and wearing nylons and then finally marriage. I felt as if lots was missing from the book. "

" I really wanted to like this book, but reading it put me to sleep. The characters felt flat and the plot didn't seem to be moving forward in any particular direction. Maybe one day I'll finish it, but I doubt it... "

" Beautifully written but ultimately depressing. I could have used a little more All of a Kind Family joie de vivre. "

" Not terribly well written, but a good portrayal of the struggle to individuate from a religious subculture. As the granddaugher of an orthodox rabbi, many of the difficulties in the protagonist's life sounded like things I had heard from my mother. "

" A beautiful book about an Orthodox Jewish girl, daughter of a rabbi, coming of age and trying to reconcile her adolescent feelings (and her desire to be a lifeguard) with her deeply rooted love for the tradition she grew up in. "

" I read this book back in high school and I really enjoyed the story. I wanted to find more like it, but at the time I couldn't. "

" Interesting to me more as an insight into Hasidic Jews than as a piece of literature. It was full of tension between the adolescent protagonist and her parents Orthodox ways and made me feel a bit stressed. "

" typical portrayal of chassidic people. you didnt feel like the heroine "grew up" even though this was supposed to be a coming of age kind of book. she felt to me like as much of a petulant child in the end as she did in the beginning. "

" This is the story of a young Hasidic Jewish girl. This girl loves to read and becomes a lifeguard. She is eventually in an arranged marriage. She then divorces. "

" Story of a young woman growing up in an Orthodox Jewish family, who loves to read and how growing up Jewish affects what she can read, wear, eat etc. Amazing stuff I never knew plus the struggles all women face to be their own person not just so and so's daughter or wife. "

" Interesting, easy to read, but I was disappointed by the end. "

" A fascinating look into the life of the Hasidic community. While I couldn't completely empathize with Rachel, I did find myself aching for her as she yearned to be free of the Orthodox rules by which she was born and bound. "

" This novel provided an interesting perspective on the Hassidic culture and the struggles of the main charcter, Rachel, to live within its confines, while wanting to be part of a more mainstream culture. I enjoyed the spunkiness of her voice and actions, but was disappointed with the book's ending. "

" A bit of a slow read. Hits close to home for me. I love it when i can relate to a book. "

" Read this a while ago but found it interesting because the author grew up in Monsey. "