Joy Comes In The Morning

Rating:
Summary: Another "charming" book for high school readers
Review: I bought this book after reading a very positive review in the New York Times, especially since I thought a lot of Rosen's book, The Talmud and the Internet. What I got was a book appropriate for a "sensitive" 10th grade Jewish girl or a Jewish grandmother. (By the way, I am Jewish.) Given the significant number of well-written books, it is somewhat distressing that a clunky book like this is treated as adult literature. There is an audience for this book, just as there was an audience for Barry Manilow records. If Barry's singing touched you, you likely will enjoy this book.

Rating:
Summary: Rabbis are people, too
Review: I loved this book. I loved that the main character was a woman rabbi. I loved that the author allowed her to be a human being and not a cardboard stereotype. I loved the "coincidences" in the story, and especially that some of my own beliefs and even quotes that I love were in this book. This book resonated in me on several levels. The only part I had trouble with was when the rabbi's boyfriend conducted a funeral, but that was mild. I felt this book had a lot of spirituality and love, and was, in an everyday way, very mystical. I couldn't put it down.

Rating:
Summary: A beautifully crafted novel
Review: The parallel stories of Deborah and Lev do not scape surfaces; they plow into the emotional history of two very complex individuals and their families. Additionally, Rosen creates some of the loveliest metaphors I've read in years. For anyone who appreciates rich prose and a well-developed story, this is the novel to read.