This book will have special meaning for those of us of the Jewish faith. I wasn't Jewish, though, until I got about a hundred pages in. Regardless of faith, this is a book about faith - just in an entirely different manner than anyone is accustomed to. Parts are hilariously, read out loud funny. Parts are brutally violent. Other parts will be described by the entire range of emotions.
Please read Amazon's Product Description (click on Editorial Reviews above). Read it very carefully. Nothing more needs to be said about the plot. You will be spending many hours within that briefly but deceptively described universe.
Two words of advice: Hang on! While this has some debut novel glitches, you'll quickly forgive Levin. This is an amazingly imagined story. How can it not be when the main character is the messiah, or potential messiah, or neither? At ten, even potential is impressive. And our hero, Gurion, at that mere ten, is already a leader of men (or boys who will be men).
Of course, this will be compared with David Foster Wallace's 'Infinite Jest'; and rightly so. And, I loved 'Infinite Jest'. But, this is not 'Infinite Jest'. Though much of this rambles, it is the poster-child of organization compared to the other. With about nine-hundred fewer footnotes, and the few that are here are on the same page as the text, the reader is spared the constant interruptions.
Levin's juxtaposition of the scholarly boys and the delinquent students of the Cage allows divergent threads, and moralities, to run throughout the book. I found myself liking and disliking the same characters several times each. Gurion's parents will do more than just raise some eyebrows. His girlfriend, too, is a gem. The rest of the gang of kids is just way too believably unbelievable (or the other way around).
We are with Gurion for only four days, or all ten of his years, or even more. But, the four days worth of hours are filled with ages worth of issues. Don't be fooled by the age of the characters. This is very much an adult book. There is violence and there is language enough to peel paint from a school bus. If either bother you, don't read it.
This book is filled with Gurion's being an Israelite (in Chicago) and his relationship with his religion and the world. His place in his small part of the world is something to behold; his relationship with other students is unique; and his ability to get through the four days is remarkable. I truly hope that reviewers do not even hint at the ending - it is to be experienced at the end of more than a thousand pages, not given away in a few paragraphs.
Despite a few growing pains of Levin the writer, this is a five star book all the way. May the next one not be as long - but only so we can have it sooner. This is well worth the investment of time required. And, 'The Instructions' is one I won't forget. Grab it.
