Allen Hoffman

I think Hoffman was aiming for a book filled with magic realism. He was close but no cigar.

some characters are well developed, some of the dialogue good as well.

Because the plot is excellent, and some characters captivating I was hoping for a winner, a new favorite BUT found instead a disconnectedness. The scene of the Rebbe coming out of his room after 5 years on Tisha B'Av and behaving like a frog because of what Itzik said was magical. But everything in the scene between Faigie and Matti is awful; just sucked the potential beauty of the novel out.… (más)