The Romance Reader, by Pearl Abraham (1995)
The Romance Reader, by Pearl Abraham, is a coming of age story told from the perspective of a young Hasidic girl. Rachel Benjamin is the daughter of a visionary rabbi of a very small community somewhere in New York State. She is the eldest of 7 children, and as the eldest, is expected to tend to the younger children.
Also, as the daughter of a Hasadic rabbi, she is expected to be an example in the community. She loves to read secular books, especially gothic romance novels. She knows that her parents would disapprove, and so work out a scheme to get a library card so she can check out her beloved novels.
She finds ways to rebel against the stringent rules imposed by her father. Although she attends a religious school, her classmates wear clothing that is more “modern”. Rachel develops a scheme allowing her to wear shear stockings at school, instead of the thick, seamed opaque tights that her parents insist are more modest.
When her mother goes to Israel and her father goes to South America, 15-year old Rachel is left in charge of the household. She and her younger sister, Leah, decided to take a class in lifeguarding so that they can work and earn money over the summer. (Somehow, they had learned how to swim and were strong swimmers). Their only concern is whether or not they will be able to continue the class once their parents return. They decide that their best course of action is to remind their father that lifeguarding will, indeed, save lives. The parents, however, are more concerned about the girls wearing bathing suits.
As Rachel nears her 18th birthday, she knows she is expected to marry. From her readings, she has fantasies of being with a man. She isn’t eager, however, to step into the life of an arranged marriage that is expected of her in her restrictive community.
Her rebellion and struggles are what all young women go through, except that her family is deeply religious and have certain expectations that she is not sure she is able to meet.
Read: March 15, 2020
3 Stars
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