Customer Reviews

The Dyke and the Dybbuk: A Novel

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

You don't need to be a Jewish lesbian to enjoy the strong female characters [Gay sex is kept to a descriptive minimum] and the spin on jewish mysticism and folklore that is presented in this book. Who would take offense to corporate politics displacing Sheol or the dybbuk's attempts to modernize haunting in the 21st century? The dybbuk comments on the holocaust are priceless as is the sly treatment of evil and the afterlife in the book. Very Jewish! By the way, I will never look at the Hasidim the same way again...

considering this is my first delve into lesbian and jewish literature, i was quite impressed. the book gave a whole new outlook on evil spirits and demons and gave jewish lesbians an interesting perspective. the only reason the book didnt get 5/5 stars from me is that the ending could've been a little stronger. other than that, the book was wonderful!

Ellen Galford's quick wit and sense of historicity make this novel a truly delightful romp through 20th cen. London lesbian, ultraorthodox Jewish and 19th cen. Eastern European Jewish life.

Galford is as witty and literary as Jeanette Winterson, with a Jewish twist and without Winterson's arrogance. Brava, Galford! --Valerie K.

I read this book excited by the idea of contemporary feminist Jewish folklore. I expected a kind of lesbian retake of the Jewish classic folktale "The Dybuk". Though the story is funny, it fails as modern folklore because the author has confused her folklore archtypes. A dybuk is the tormented spirit of person who died usually under strange circumstances. The souls of these dead posses a living person. Kokos, the "dybuk" in this story is really a demon, like her lover Lilith. Demons occupy a separate place in Jewish folklore. Too bad, the story would have been that much better if the author had gotten her folklore characters right.