The Romance Reader

By: Pearl Abraham

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Synopsis: Rachel and sister Leah are teenage Chassidus Jews. Their father is a rabbi who is initially without a synagogue and a dreamer. Their mother has 7 children. Follow Rachel, with Leah often in cahoots, as she rebels against many of the rules and expectations she faces. She reads romance novels, eats unkosher (trafe) candy, sneaks around, wears opaque hose that don't have seams, later wears sheer hose, and develops a reputation of trying to be "too modern." She fights against the usual matchmaking for a husband, and that her head will be shaved, and she will be expected to wear a wig with a kerchief over that. There are many Yiddish and Hebrew and general "Jewish" vocabulary words used, but no glossary. If you're not Jewish, you may want to have someone to ask about some of the words, although many can be understood by context. This novel is a wonderful and mostly glimpse into a Chassidic culture not often available to the public. (The author herself grew up Chassidic.)