My Name Is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of My Name Is Asher Lev
Book Review: Entrancing vision of childhood, art and religion
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is entrancing. Firstly, there is the kind of sensitive and skilfully-written depiction of a child's mind and experience which marks out an author as superbly gifted. Then, there are the specific contexts and complications of that child's world. Asher Lev is a child who has what seems to be an innate artistic gift, and he is also the child of strict Orthodox Jewish parents. His talent and his religion create the setting for the novel, the story of his growing-up, which is in many places an intensely painful story. I don't think I have come across a novel which writes better about visual art: the paintings are described but not over-described; their force becomes clear through the writing. As well as evoking the experience of childhood and the experience of art, it is one of those books which takes the reader inside a cultural setting in a quite haunting way; the various elements of Judaism and of Jewish history and loyalties create the context for the story but are evoked without didacticism. Altogether a haunting book.Book Review: A journey through art - and religion?
Summary: 5 Stars
My Name is Asher Lev is one of those books that you come across once in a lifetime - if you are lucky. The book charts Asher Lev growing up in a very strict Hassidic community, endowed with a God given artistic talent that is entirely at odds with the beliefs of his family and his people.The conundrum that Lev faces is that he is at all times a devout and scholastically outstanding Hassid, and yet at the same time a brilliant artist, who intially tries to deny his talent before growing to embrace it.The quality of this book is that it shows equal sympathy for, on the one hand, Lev's artistic journey and on the other hand, his religious struggle. Just as importantly, Potok brilliantly depicts the context of the community and family. In particular, as with other Potok books, the father-son relationship is lovingly drawn, showing both the pride and pain that arises here.
This is a book to treasure, to read and to re-read, and which will shed new insight each time.
Book Review: An earnest if flawed book
Summary: 4 Stars
Firstly DON'T READ THE BACK COVER! For some stupid reason the publishers blab something that will kill the enjoyment of the book stone dead if you read it. (It really did for me anyway). So just read the backcover when you've finished the book.
I think this book is earnestly written. It is a bit repetitive at times, and also slow in places. But that is only because we have come now to expect a faster pace in literature which is not always a good thing.
The style here allows you to really feel by the end that you have lived through a part of the protagonists life. And you cannot help but develop an affection for that life.
"My name is Asher Lev" is a good account of a person with a gift and the impact that has on themselves and those around them. It's easy to read and has a lot of charm. There is humour, sadness, reflection and insight in here giving weight to the story. And it is story that is definitely worth a read.
Book Review: a gem
Summary: 4 Stars
I really liked this novel.
If a friend asked me to give an example of a good novel, this would be it.
The subject is "everyday" in the sense that you could imagine that, yes, such a person and the people he relates to could really exist. Also the events, problems, and conflicts that his particular situation throws up are "real life", in that you think with, and suffer with, and hope and dream with the main character (it is about an orthodox Jew who, as he is growing up, tries to carve out a way of life for himself which is at odds with his background).
All the important characters are believable. They all have their faults as well as their good points, but what comes across is that the author has treated them with respect, and made them human.
As the story unfolds, there is a movement towards a final ending, confrontation, or perhaps resolution if you will. What goes before - the preceding events - are material to what happens at the end. And so, I disagree about the writing being repetitious. I think the different parts of the story balance each other well. In fact, it is a finely crafted story, where each bit contributes to the whole - and I don't think you can improve on it by editing out "repetitions". Perhaps you could say that the story has been crafted with as much care, as Asher Lev invested in his paintings.
Highly reccommended
Book Review: A beautful story
Summary: 5 Stars
Asher Lev introduces himself in the opening lines of his story. He is an observant Jew, he is the talk of the town following the exhibiting of his painting Brooklyn Crucifixion - not only do observant Jews not paint crucifixions, they do not paint at all - he is viewed as a traitor.
The still very young Asher Lev then begins to recount his life that lead to this predicament. He starts from when he was about four years old, an ordinary Brooklyn lad the only son born to a scholarly Hasidic family. But it is soon evident that he has a remarkable talent fro drawing. The story follows the difficult realisation of the talent which leads him to great critical acclaim, but ostracism from is family and home.
Having truly enjoyed Chaim Potok's The Chosen and its sequel The Promise I immediately sought out more of his writing. I was not disappointed; this is a beautiful story, Asher is a fine boy who loves his family and respects his elders, but he cannot deny what is inside him, his need to create. The characters in the story are sincere and caring, even if they do want different things for Asher Lev. The writing is excellent, Chaim Potok has a very appealing style, and I especially like the manner in which Asher relates his conversations. There is sequel which having enjoyed this so much this I am compelled to read.