Such an tragic emotional journey! Words are difficult to describe the feelings evoked from this story, only I wished for a better ending because I felt so attached to the women in this story. It was such an eye opener to a world of people that I never knew before. I always start on page 1 of any book - this time I wish I knew that there was a glossary at the end of the book with translations to some of words. ( )

Interesting, nonjudgmental depiction of Satmar family. Kept at a distance from characters, but still cared deeply for them. Enjoyed this style of writing ( )

I Am Forbidden by Anouk Markovits is an intimate and tender revelation of the private and reverent world of the strict Hasidic sect, the Satmar. This generational story is both a delicate and harsh division in one family whose one polar opposite is deeply rooted in the full conviction of its piety, complete obedience, and practice of its extreme spiritual traditions to the other spectrum of yearning for independence through secularism and modernity.

The narrative is beautifully written, a clear and tender exposition that reads naturally and easily without the difficulty that is sometimes associated with getting through a text. Markovits writes with light lyricism and vulnerable honesty that her characters, though flawed, render the reader deeply empathetic.

Zalman Stern’s character is synonymous with his name, a serious, committed, and devout man of the Torah and the Hasidic law, honouring always its doctrine as the first and foremost priority in his life—or rather, embodying in the best way he can, a lifestyle that is worthy in honouring HaShem.

Hannah is Zalman’s dutiful and honourable wife, a loving and humble matriarch, obedient in accordance to the role of wife and mother in the Satmar community.

But the tension in the novel as well as in the Stern family begins with the gradual disintegration of faith by Atara, daughter of Zalman and Hannah and the further observance and spiritual conviction of Mila, their adopted daughter.

As the two young women make their separate choices between selfless abandon into the faith and the difficult decision to abandon family and its beliefs, the story delves deeper into a territory of which there are no black and white, clear, or simple answers—whether they be from the literal translations of the Torah or the social acceptability and constructs of secularism...

To read more of this review, you can visit The Bibliotaphe's Closet blog: http://zaraalexis.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/i-am-forbidden-a-review/

Zara D. Garcia-Alvarez ( )

It is difficult to span many generations of a family's life in a single novel. The author of this book makes a valiant effort to do so, but ultimately falls short. Certain years/events are brought richly to life, while others rush by with barely a glance. That style didn't serve the story particularly well. In short, this book was not as good as I'd hoped it would be. ( )

The book explores many different types of "forbidden"---people, objects, and actions at various times and places---and the consequences of being, interacting with, and doing that which is forbidden. There is a short glossary at the end of the book, which includes some categories of forbidden-ness---muktza, apikores, and challilah, but, surprisingly, not niddah or mamzer or herem or treif. The "forbidden" of the title is both an adjective and an active verb. ( )