Sunday, January 13, 2013

When we were bad: Charlotte Mendelson




I struggled at first to get into this book.  So many characters, all equally important as the story unfolds.  All so flawed.  All so Jewish.  That isn’t a criticism.  Just an observation that understanding the Rubin family (and all the characters are family members) means getting to grips a bit with what it means to be Jewish too.

I persisted.  It was worth it.

The lives of every family member begin to unravel as son Leo’s life very publicly does, the day he leaves his wife-to-be some 4 minutes before they take their vows. It turns out that he isn’t the only one in inner turmoil. 

By turns funny, touching and embarrassing, I was engaged with every character, despite their many and obvious flaws, long before the conclusion of the book.

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