1 of 1 copy available
Seventeen-year-old Chanie Altman lives the protected life of a Lubavitcher Hasidic girl in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York, in 1991. Religion is the most important aspect of her life, and, like other Lubavitcher girls, she is expected to attend a seminary and to marry as soon as she graduates from high school. But Chanie has a beautiful voice and dreams of becoming an opera singer - a profession forbidden to a Hasidic girl. When she meets David, a non-Hasidic Jewish boy, he opens the portals to the world outside her fundamentalist community. The Crown Heights riots break out, and the Lubavitchers are put under siege by their African-American neighbors. A tragedy occurs. Will Chanie stay in the fundamentalist community she has always known in a life that has been prescribed for her, or will she leave it behind to follow her dreams?
-
Creators
-
Publisher
-
Release date
April 8, 2014 -
Formats
-
OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780887769825
-
EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780887769825
- File size: 2157 KB
-
-
Languages
- English
-
Reviews
-
June 1, 2014
Gr 9 Up-What does it mean to become an adult? For Chanie, a Hasidic Jew living in Crown Heights, Brooklyn in the early 1990s, it means marriage and a full commitment to her religion and culture. Chanie has always been curious as to why she can and cannot do certain things, curiosity that is not encouraged by her parents, especially her mother. Her interest in the world outside is enhanced when she meets David. Knowing of Chanie's immense musical talent, he encourages her to apply to Juliard-where she gets accepted- and to focus on herself instead of everyone else. Chanie's choice for her future becomes overshadowed by her terminally ill brother's death and the infamous 1991 Crown Heights riot, in which she witnesses the horrific attacks against Jewish homes, property, and people. Wiseman is known for choosing unique time periods in Jewish history for her books. She authentically portrays a young woman torn between two worlds. Readers of all backgrounds will be able to empathize with Chanie, and while some readers may disagree with her choices, the ending is believable. Some of the dialogue seems contrived at times, and the explanations about Hasidic culture and rituals could have been woven into the story more seamlessly. Recommended for libraries looking to enhance their collections about cultural groups and self-identity.-Marissa Lieberman, East Orange Public Library, NJ
Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
-
July 1, 2014
Hasidic teen Chanie is torn between following the expected path (seminary, marriage) and pursuing her dream of becoming a singer. The book is set in Crown Heights in 1991, and the shadow of the race riot looms over the story, even as Chanie (secretly) befriends an African American girl and starts seeing a non-Hasidic boy. The story's a bit overstuffed but engaging nonetheless.(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
-