The Chosen book review.

I know, I know. I said that I would start posting short stories, but I need you to be patient. I've been super busy, and it is the end of the term, so I barley have enough time to get dressed in the morning. This week, I read the books The Chosen and I finished October Sky. It was a lot of reading, but I did it. A little lesson for the future, when you need to read two books for two different classes, don't procrastinate. So I wrote a summary for The Chosen, and I felt obliged to share it to you.

I thought this book was very interesting in many ways. The Chosen starts out in the neighborhood of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York in the early summer of 1944 to fall, 1950 (the ending of World War 2). Reuven, our Jewish narrator, meets his unlikely friend at a softball game, where Reuven takes a line drive to the face after he pitches to Danny Saunders, and ends up in the hospital. There, he meets Tony Savo (a former boxer who had his eye removed), and Billy Merrit, who was blinded after a car accident. Danny comes to say he is sorry, and the two become friends and teach each other all sorts of lessons. For a time, Danny’s father, does not allow them to be friends, but then he after permits the friendship. The two finish high school together. Reuven finds out that Danny has been accepted to graduate programs in psychology, but his father Reb Saunders expects him to take over the ownership of his Hasidic community. Reuven finds out that Danny’s father does not talk to him directly (speaks to him through Reuven), and has raised his son in silence. Later Reb confronts Danny and tells him he did it to help him have a compassionate soul. Reuven and Danny graduate from Hirsch College; Danny goes on to Columbia University for graduate school, and the two say their goodbyes.

One of the main themes that I picked up in this story is the use of eyes and eyeglasses, which symbolizes the perception of the world and of oneself. After injuring his eye, Reuven gets a better thankfulness for his sight. At the beginning of their friendship, Danny works with Reuven to get him to have a better outlook on life and a better willingness to open his eyes to the world. This book also uses foreshadowing frequently throughout the book.

The characters in this book include Reuven Malter and Danny Saunders (our Jewish
friends), David Malter; an orthodox Jew, and Reuven’s father and mentor to Reuven and Danny. Reb Saunders, Danny’s father, who is a patriarch of the Hasidic dynasty, and who has raised his son in silence. Levi Saunders; Danny’s younger brother. Mr. Galanter, the gym instructor at Reuven’s school. There are many other characters worth mentioning, but I’ll leave it at that.

This book was pretty interesting, I found it a little hard to get into and had some very confusing Jewish terms that I had to look up, but I am still glad I read it. I would recommend it to anyone who can appreciate a good piece of literature and isn’t afraid to read a book they normally wouldn’t.

Well, that's my review. I hoped you liked it. Yes, I know this book review is on goodreads, but why can't I use it for this also? Well, until next week, goodbye.