I love finding books that stick with me. Ones that have me staring at the silverware drawer and recalling pieces of the story weeks later.
THE WAY BACK is one of my favorite reads this year. It’s stunning. The writing is lyrical, atmospheric, and rich in Jewish folklore. If you read The Graveyard Book and wanted more, then you’ll likely enjoy this novel. This is one of those books that I wanted to put in my pocket and snack on so I could savor it in pieces.
In THE WAY BACK Yehuda Leib and Bluma each struggle with grief and loss. Bluma tries her best to escape Death after her grandmother’s own violent struggle with the entity while Yehuda Leib rushes headlong toward it after the unfortunate death of his father. Both journey through the Far Country and treat with demons on their quest to overcome Death.
This is a Young Adult novel with some upper Middle-Grade crossover. Some readers unfamiliar with Hebrew may find aspects of this novel challenging, I received an ARC through Netgalley, so I hope that final versions will include Hebrew translations in either a footnote or in the back. I’m extremely rusty on my Hebrew and had to just bookmark the pages to translate later when I had time. That said, it’s only a few lines, so it’s not a huge impact on the story.
I’ll be making a special trip to pick up a hardcover copy of this book very soon.

As I’m sure most of us can agree, as a reader we love any and all stories. For me my first love was classic fairy tales and folklore so when I saw The Way Back on NetGalley advertised as a historical fantasy brushing the realms of folklore I had to beg for the copy. I was thrilled to receive it and enjoyed every single page.

The Way Back follows a boy named Yehuda Leib and a girl named Bluma as they both chase after the Angel of Death for their own reasons. For Eastern European Jews there is the belief that demons have a land of their own: a Far Country peopled with the souls of the transient dead, governed by demonic dukes, barons, and earls.

In their adventures we see Yehuda and Bluma struggle towards their goals and face the realities of the realm they find themselves in. I loved the fantastical elements of the story and loved the rich descriptions and interwoven details throughout the book.

I admit that I am not Jewish and while I know some folklore originating from the Jewish faith I cannot claim to know enough to feel a connection to parts of the story I’m sure others will pick up on if they are more versed in that faith. I was, however, drawn to the emotions and culture of the characters as they struggled through their journey and I began researching a bit after finishing the book which speaks to the author’s ability to transcend across religious and cultural lines.

The writing style was beautiful and I cannot say much more than that. I was in love with every single word choice, not once wrinkling my nose at the pace of the sentence, the punctuation or description. I find this to be rare as we all have styles we prefer and while I’ve never read anything by Gavriel Savit before it did feel a bit like “coming home” when I was reading.

If I had to complain about anything in this story it was that I didn’t feel like I knew the characters as well as you may find in other novels. I wanted to know more about Yehuda and Bluma, I wanted to know more of their backstories so that I may have connected to them a bit better. While I still cared for each of them immensely I felt like I still had hundreds of questions for each of them by the time I finished reading the book.

While the overall pace of the story may feel slow for some to me it felt like a proper immersion into the world I was entering. Perhaps that is all to do with timing of when I picked up the book, the mood I was in, etc. but I enjoyed the pace though same may deem it slow to start.

If you love folklore, fantasy and tales of people struggling to overcome many challenges you will definitely enjoy The Way Back. I would say this may be better classified as more Middle Grade than Young Adult but readers of both age groups will be able to enjoy this story (and myself at thirty-one years enjoyed it very much indeed.)

Thank you to NetGalley, Knopf Books for Young Readers and Gavriel Savit for the chance to read the ARC of this wonderful story.

This book is/was a difficult read for me. Normally I get really excited when books are referenced to other authors whose books are similar. In this case, this book was not very fluid or for the first 25% I was rather bored with it.

I liked the history and how everything interconnected, but when 'Death' arrived on the scene, the visualization of what was going on in the various scenes became a confused mess for me.

Others appeared to really enjoy this book, and perhaps it was one of those where it was me not the book.

If you enjoy a mixture of folklore then you would certainly enjoy this book.

Yehuda Leib and Bluma are two regular Jewish kids, living in Eastern Europe. But when they both encounter Death, they find themselves in the Far Country, one running from Death and one toward it. Can they survive the horde of demons that want to capture and use them?

I received an advanced reading copy of The Way Back in exchange for an honest review.

The Way Back is a fantasy novel by Gavriel Savit. It’s a novel that blends history, magic, and Jewish tradition. It’s also one of those novels that seems deceptively easy, but has so many layers to it once you start thinking about it. The novel’s language was simple, almost fairy-tale like, yet beautiful. In fact, I think the language would make this the perfect novel for a variety of ages, so while I’m going to call this young adult, I think middle-grade readers would be able to appreciate and enjoy it too.

This is a very difficult novel to review for me. The depth of it was fascinating, but it took me a while to understand what the main plot was. But I kind of liked that. It felt… I want to say it felt more organic. Most novels nowadays have a very straightforward plot, but it’s true that life in general isn’t straightforward, and the Far Country isn’t straightforward either. There’s chaos, and sometimes you seem to be going down one path, but then find yourself going down another. In fact, there’s several moments in the book where stuff like this gets brought up by the characters.

For characters we have Yehuda Leib and Bluma, both of whom find themselves in the Far Country after a series of wrong turns. And while they both end up in the same place, they couldn’t be more different. They spend a large part of the novel separated, actually, but even when they’re together, it’s obvious that they’re both completely different. The choices they make, the paths they take, everything. It just serves to highlight each of their qualities, and I thought both of them are easy to identify with, despite their differences. I found moments where I understood each of them, although I connected more with Yehuda Leib than Bluma, to be completely honest.

But the best part of this novel was the description of the Far Country. Every part of it came to life in Savit’s narration. I could see the demons, could hear the crunch of the snow, I could practically feel how the places would approach based on the traveler’s intention. It was spectacular to spend time here, and even when Savit took me to the little villages nearby, in our world, they just felt so realistic. And it’s not because of all the description, but more like the tone of the narrative, everything sort of came together to create a the feeling of actually living through this novel. It was so well done!

The Way Back will be released on November 17. You can pre-order your copy from Penguin Random House here.

This is a story that is visually amazing! Even though its in book form you will dive right in and be taken away to a new world that is breathtaking! I love this story so much! The characters are just amazing and will keep you reading until the last page.

This was a seriously good, but challenging read.

This rich tale based on folklore and myths takes us into a world of demons and other supernaturals. The narrative, and the slow pacing may put off the anxious readers looking for something in your face scary and fast-paced.

We follow two young people who are after the Angel of Death for two different reasons. Bluma, who had stolen something from Death is an entirely different emotional state than Yehuda Leib who is trying to retrive something that's been taken from him. Both leave their villages on this mission and they soon intertwine.

I am drawn toward folklore of any kind. I love opening myself up to other cultures and other myths. It was refreshing to have one from the Jewish perspective. I think this book is a gem amongst it's peers. But perhaps that was my downfall, as well. I know next to nothing about Jewish folklore and that may have distanced me more than I was with the characetrs. I'll explain that below.

What I wished for was a little more backstory on both characters. I felt distanced, disconnected. While Yehuba had a bit of a past, we learned next to nothing about Bluma and why she had done what she'd done and reacted the way she reacted. Some reviewers will call this, "caring about the characters" and while I did feel something, I was not 100% invested.

This is a middle-grade book, and certainly one that sets itself apart. I applaud the author for his wonderful prose and storytelling. At its core, this is a book about love, loss, and grief and I think it will resonate with many people.

I recieved an arc from NetGalley.

The Way Back very lyrical and fairytale like, and it was lovely to read a story about Jewish culture that wasn’t about the Holocaust. I feel like they are few and far between. It took me a while to get into it but then I was hooked by the creepiness of it. That being said, I found some of the plot confusing and was lost a lot of the time. I don’t know if it was the writing style or just the nature of the vague world of the Far Country. I felt like it was reminiscent of The Cruel Prince and The Book Thief, with the whimsical writing and dangerous world of magic, as well as Death being a major character.

Even as someone that knows little to no information about Jewish people and their beliefs, this books was easy to follow along with and is really excellent at puling you in to keep reading more. I had the hardest time putting the story down, actually, and finished within a day. Interesting book I'd definitely recommend to someone looking for something different than the main stream stuff that's popular.

Intricate, layered journey through the land of demons. For lovers of complicated fantasy. The beginning has somewhat jumpy pacing; I had trouble connecting with the characters.

I wanted to love this book. I really did. The writing is gorgeous. The folklore is woven together so well and brings to light a lot of Jewish mythology/demonology that is generally not acknowledged or represented in mainstream books for young people. My problem was with the main characters. Bluma and Yehuda Leib are both chasing the Angel of Death for different reasons. Unfortunately, we don't learn much about them before their quests begin. Yehuda Leib has a bit more back story, some of which is revealed along the way, which is fine. I understood his motivation. I had a harder time understanding why Bluma reacted the way she did and why she made her series of choices throughout the book. I would have given this 5 stars if I'd been able to care about the characters more. I'm also not sure what ages to suggest this book for. The best I can say is middle schoolers and up who can appreciate literary writing.

Fabulous, But Challenging

This is a marvelous and richly imagined tale of adventure and suspense. But the very richness of the narrative, the supernatural setting, and the cultural connections can make reading some parts of the book rather daunting.

Basically, we follow our two heroes, Yehuda Leib and Bluma, as they travel through a "Far Country" underworld of demons, spirits and folk characters. Both children have suffered the loss of a loved one, and overcoming their grief and anger, while trying to return home, (the "Way Back" of the title), is the subtext that keeps the narrative wheels turning.

The book takes quite a while to get going. We spend a lot of time meeting our heroes and wandering the streets of their home, the little shtetl of Tupik. This part of the book is practically a course in the culture of Eastern European Jews of a certain time, and is beautifully rendered and fascinating, but it presents a slow opening to what is billed as a middle grade fantasy adventure. It sets the tone nicely, (being just a touch formal and arch), but does require some patience on the reader's part.

Once Death shows up, and each kid hero is launched into the unknown, the tale takes off. The heroes have differing motives and goals as they quest about, but eventually they meet up and develop a compelling and tender partnership. Death is both terrifying and a bit of a frazzled klutz, and this two-sided portrayal is playful and true to various different older folk traditions. From here on the heart of the book is presented in a sort of Alice's Adventures style with events, meetings, situations, and developments piling on top of each other and sending the two heroes every which way. Some scenes are played for humor, some for terror, some for awe, and some for general mystic and fabulous window dressing.

The tale is well written, with some stunning scenes and a good deal of arresting word play. Memorable characters abound. The entire tale has a storyteller feel, and by that I mean it feels like the tidied up transcript of a story that started out as an oral, or told, tale. You can almost hear this being spoken and performed as you read.

You know, all those middle grade books with Roman and Greek and Egyptian gods or Arthurian figures are certainly fine and entertaining. But this book affords the reader an exciting introduction to an entirely distinct and satisfyingly rich body of lore. For that, and because it stands in any event as a ripping adventure, it is a wonderful and unique find.

(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

The Way Back is hands down my favorite book of 2020. It is absolutely fantastic. The atmosphere is so creepy and wonderful, the characters deep and thoughtful, and the plot is unforgettable. It basically tells the story of two young adults who end up running from Death into this place called the Far Country and what they have to do to get back out. Their stories overlap in such a cool way, but especially near the end. This book has it all, including a wheelchair made from human fingernails (still attached mind you). This is the best book of 2020 so far. Fantastic!

This was a unique reading experience. It had a very classic fairytale feeling to the style, which when mingled with Jewish folklore (which I have very little reading experience with) made for something really special. It's quite the epic middle grade adventure as the young characters set off to face Death. The characters are well drawn and really drive the story. The fantasy parts of the story are absolutely gripping and held me enthralled, keeping me turning pages and reading well past bed time. I loved the creepy vibe.

A beautiful and different story. Very much a fable or folk tale feel. I found the book and it's two main characters, Yehuda Leib and Bluma, well defined. At the core, a book about self, life, death and grief, I enjoyed the unique voice.

The Way Back is Neil Gaiman's <i> Neverwhere </i> by way of Gregory Maguire's <i> Egg and Spoon </i>, rich with Jewish folkore and a wintery atmosphere that is all its own/ It is one of those stories where the targeted age bracket is difficult to qualify: while you could technically argue that it is a middle grade novel, the heavy themes of loss and grief and death and the impressive commentary about said themes make it a novel that will surely resound with adults as well.

The story follows a boy named Yehuda Leib and a girl named Bluma as they are accidentally thrust from their everyday lives into the twisted afterlife of the Far Country, squabbled over by factions of demons and ruled by the all-powerful Angel of Death. My favorite parts of the novel were actually the ones that leaned most heavily into the fantastical elements: Yehuda exploring Lord Mammon's Treasure Hoard, Yehuda and Bluma searching for information in Dantalion's realm, and Bluma's interactions with the insidious Lileen. While I also enjoyed the extended metaphor of grief and healing spread throughout, I think the novel could have also done with more of these eye-popping, extraordinary elements.

My other favorite aspect of the novel was how richly it connected to Jewish culture and history. I am half-Jewish by way of my father and was raised attending Synagogue on occasion and celebrating the High Holidays with my extended family. I find this story to be a gorgeous love-letter to Judiasm as much as it is anything else.. On a personal note, my deeply religious Jewish grandfather recently passed away, and I was struck by how much I saw the process of grief and morning, both personally and culturally, by myself and my family reflected within these pages. This was a very cathartic novel, and I am grateful to Savit for the surprising tenderness he injects into tragedy.

I'm not really drawn to give a review for this one as it was sort of nothing to recommend in particular, and I'm sure there are reviewers who are much more interested in giving their thoughts.

I don’t really know how to talk about this book. I liked it a lot, but otherwise I don’t really have a lot of opinions on it like I usually would. It was a bit slow to start off and had a lot of exposition just to make sure the reader knows about the village and the backstories of the characters. Once I got into it though, the demons and lore were really interesting to me, if not a little confusing. For a very long time it was really unclear to me what the goals of each character were, but by the end I think I knew most of them. I thought the characters, whether humans, demons, or Death, were fascinating and their actions seemed to make sense at least.
I really don’t know what this book is similar to. I don’t usually read anything like it, but it’s a historical fantasy with a lot of travel throughout realms and demons with various goals.

I am drawn towards tales of folklore at times. And this one promises to engage that intent as Bluma and Yehuda Leib have their paths continually crossing as they journey to face off Death. Bluma's begins when she witnesses Death coming and going from claiming her grandmother. Yehuda Leib first meets Death as he/she is coming to their small town. He guides Death to the village. But, then he encounters him/her soon enough when facing off with a potential 'villain' which turns out to be his long lost father.

Thus embarks their journey. Both seeking to dispatch Death as they think it is the only way to secure what they desire.


For some reason I can't put my finger upon, this title did not fully engage my senses in a reckless abandon that a captivating story tends to do. Maybe a better understanding of Jewish folklore would have helped prior to reading. Because the desire to learn more has been ignited in me.

Still a good read overall. Just not off the charts.

What a pleasant surprise this book turned out to be! I anticipated enjoying it, particularly as I have a soft spot for mythology and folklore, Mythology was my first foray into fantasy as a child, and I have loved it ever since. However, I also acknowledge that my own lack of understanding or experience with Jewish folklore puts me at a disadvantage when approaching something like this. It is easier to leap into a mythological world when you are familiar with the god(s), monsters, and heroes and I was a touch nervous that I would get lost trying to keep track of the demons and rules at play here.

I am delighted to say that while "The Way Back" certainly gives the reader plenty of detail and briefing on the different demons involved, it also gives you everything you need to know. The book opens with Yehuda Leib, a boy without a father trying to make sense of his place in society, and Bluma, a baker's daughter living a normal life, finding their worlds upended. Bluma accidentally encounters Death as he/she collects her grandmother's soul and must deal with the fallout of having seen Death's face. Yehuda Leib finds himself chasing happiness by trying to save his father from Death, imagining a world where he is no longer considered an outcast for being born a bastard. The lengths to which they must go, and where to draw the line when pursuing an outcome you desire, become the major plot points and meaningful takeaways.

Mr. Savit's writing is beautiful and engaging, if a bit removed from the characters in classic fairy tale style. While we certainly dwell in the minds of our two main characters, there are not long diatribes about how and what they are feeling. The reader is asked to fill in some details which can be at points engaging and frustrating. Be that as it may, Mr. Savit's pictures are vivid and the Far Country, the land of demons, is both electrifying and terrifying.

I strongly recommend this for readers who enjoy books with large scope and particularly who enjoy mythology. This is not a mythological paradigm that seems to have a large backlist (unlike Greek and Roman mythology, for example), but it definitely should. I would eagerly return to this world and further explore the scheming of Mammon, the warring of Dumah, and the Sisterhood of Lilith. "The Way Back" is immersive and engaging, a truly enjoyable trip to a new world.

This was a wonderful read! Very atmospheric. It gave me The Bear and the Nightingale vibes but Young Adult. I rarely find myself loving YA novels but this one is definitely the best one I've read this year so far. I highly recommend it to those who like slow, atmospheric, character driven reads or those who like stories inspired by Eastern European folklore.