Dov Zeller

I received a free ebook copy of The Right Thing to Do at the Time in exchange for my honest review.

I believe I would have enjoyed this novel far more if I hadn't known it was meant to be a Pride and Prejudice retelling. While there are parallels, it isn't a perfect match to the original, and I spent stressful amount of time trying to work out who was who as the story moved forward slowly and characters eventually became introduced.

The Right Thing to Do at the Time employs a dry Jewish humor that I did find quite enjoyable, with ample footnotes to translate the Yiddish bits. Additionally, Itche and Ari's friendship is heartwarming and frankly is what makes the book worth the read. Itche and Ari have been friends since summer camp, both outcast; Ari was forced to sleep in a tent outside (the boys called it his "apartment") instead of a cabin because he was trans. They are supportive of each other in all ways, basically family, and it's excellent.

There is a lot of transphobia in this book. Ari's bubbie refuses to use his real name, his father makes a weird comment about everyone accepting the genitals God gave them, many people stare at his crotch inappropriately or make gross comments about trans people in general, and there's a trans-antagonistic confrontation near the end that left me in tears. This isn't to say it isn't accurate to life, but it's worth noting. Ari's family -- and the cast of characters generally, excepting Itche -- all left me rather fermished.… (lisätietoja)

Sometimes a book just doesn't work for you but it doesn't necessarily mean the book is bad, it just wasn't right for you. I just never felt like I connected with any of the characters or their story lines. Indifference is a worse feeling to have than hating the characters because unlikable characters can be entertaining. I never felt invested in the story, even from the beginning. It's a shame though because it did have elements I normally enjoy in books but for whatever reason as a whole the book didn't work. Hopefully others will have a better reading experience with it.

I won a free copy of this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers. All views expressed are my honest opinion.… (lisätietoja)