Five Reasons to Read This Book

One. This book is simply unapologetically Jewish. It doesn’t coddle you, doesn’t stop to think if you’re comfortable with all the elements of Jewish culture it throws at you. Because you’re not the main character here – the Jewish boys and girls are. And they all know what they’re talking about, so no one stops to explain things and context, and hidden meanings. It feels very natural, in the sense that we’re just observers visiting their world where they understand everything and act like it. There’s a glossary at the end for all the readers who need some explanations.

Two. This is related to the first point somewhat, but the Jewish culture in this book shines through more than words the characters use. It’s in the fact that Alter volunteers at Chevra Kadisha where he helps prepare bodies for burial; in the very main plot being about Alter getting possessed by a dybbuk, a malevolent spirit from Jewish folklore; it’s, sadly, in the overpowering antisemitism of some characters; in the stories of all those boys we’re introduced to who came to the United States from Eastern Europe.

Three. The writing works in favour of this being a gothic murder mystery. It’s very atmospheric, making the reader feel as if we’re actually walking around the streets of old Chicago, scared of getting robbed, afraid of not being able to put together a meal of something other than potatoes. Terrified of not surviving the night. The beautiful words bring us closer to the past, create a very specific atmosphere of fear and wonder, of shame and pride.

Four. The book talks a lot about family, it’s pretty much one of the main themes. But not just the biological kind, those people who share your blood. It treats as family the people you meet along the way, who you choose to bring closer and protect, and love. The conversations about family are not all in one shade, either. Some characters, like Alter, had difficult relationships with their parents, where love mixed with resentment almost; some lost their families, some set out to avenge them, some want to forget them.

Five. Again, something tied to how Jewish the book is, but Alter struggles a lot with internalised homophobia. It’s always on his mind both because the society as a whole treats gay people the way it does, but also specifically because there are verses in the Talmud which condemn gay love and which we was made to study. But the book actually uses that to its advantage, finds a way to explain how it’s the homophobes who twisted certain words in those holy lines to fit their narrative. It uses religion to reason away religion-based internalised homophobia.

Aden Polydoros's The City Beautiful is an incredible Young Adult historical fantasy set in Chicago around the time of the 1893 World's Fair. Alter Rosen is a young Jewish immigrant from Romania working hard to bring his family to America. After the death of his close friend Yakov, Alter begins to believe he, and several other young Jewish boys were murdered, possibly by the same person. As Alter attempts to unravel the mystery of his friend's death, he becomes possessed by Yakov's dybbuk, beginning a race to track down the murderer before he is possessed completely. The City Beautiful works both as a historical fiction story and a fantasy. It is steeped in Jewish folklore and religion and features excellent gay representation in the main character and his love interest. The City Beautiful is highly recommended for anyone interested in historical fiction or looking for Jewish representation in young adult literature.

UM THIS WAS SO GOOD. Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an E-arc, I can't wait to put this in customers' hands when it comes out!

This book has a lot of pretty common themes - a murder mystery/serial killer, a 'steampunk' historical setting, etc. However, it's all brought to the next level with the inclusion of an amazing Jewish main character, Alter, who was absolutely exceptional to read from. There is some horrifying anti-Semitism in this story, but in a way that felt very accurate to the time. There's also some excellent Jewish folklore/mythology woven in, which I cannot speak to in terms of representation but which was wonderful to learn about.

I can't even quite put into words why I loved this so much, but it was genuinely wonderful and I am still thinking about Alter days later!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for giving me an ARC! That doesn't affect my review in any way.

First: yes this is a 3 stars from me, but I legit think its just a me thing and not a book thing. I can tell a lot of the YA audience is already loving it, so obviously it just didn't click with me.

My favorite part of the book was probably Raizel and I wish we got more of her! I also did like the mystery element that is what is pushing the story forward throughout. Even though that is our main conflict it felt like the novel was split 50/50 between the plot and character growth for Alter. That isn't a bad thing! However I was hoping for more leaning on the mystery side and less on the character side.

Yes, there is queer romance in this, but I wouldn't go out to grab this JUST for the romance aspect. It isn't a major plot element, though it is quite clear that they are together. There are only a few scenes that I would call "romantic". This isn't a critique either, just a warning for those getting this. It IS mostly focused on the mystery/character as I stated. There is romance, but it is definitely like the C or D plot. Not the main focus.

Honestly where I think this wasn't a hit for me was pacing (and again the fact that I just don't think this worked for me). There were a few points where I felt like it had been awhile since the plot had gotten a push so certain parts did definitely feel much slower compared to the rest. Whereas for me, also the big climatic final chapters ALSO felt kinda sluggish to read. Maybe its just a me thing but I just wasn't getting as much OOMPF as I was hoping. Another issue is the fact the possession isn't explictly stated until the book is almost half over. That is a LONG time for a synopsis point to not be hit/addressed. Like yes we know something is amiss, but it felt so obvious because we as readers know what the problem is. And yet our main cast hadn't gotten to that point yet. I think part of it is just the length which made it feel like it took extra long. (The book is almost 500 pages so 40% is roughly 200 pages in, and we still hadn't gotten possession confirmation).

This was an entertaining and informative time, but I don't know if I'll read it again (actually, who knows maybe now that I am more aware of the plot focus I'd be able to enjoy it more???).

Definitely pick this up if you want to read historical fiction focused on Jewish characters, with a spooky mystery that also manages to hit on some heavy themes.

The American Dream was little more than an illusion for so many European immigrants who came to these shores in the late 19th century, in search of a better life. Fleeing religious persecution, famine, economic hardships, so many left their homes and families behind to make the long journey across the Atlantic with the hope of finding prosperity and attaining the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness promised by the founders. What so many discovered instead was more discrimination, hate, poverty, and exploitation (and the more things change, the more they stay the same). Author Aden Polydoros writes in the final chapter of this brilliant and beautiful book: “. . . don’t be deceived, those walls aren’t polished marble, they’re particle-board, sawdust, and plaster, colored white with lead.” His protagonist, Alter Rosen, was speaking of what remained of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair at the time, but it served as a fitting metaphor for the façade of the goldene medina—the golden land—and the reality of what lied beneath.

The City Beautiful is part gaslamp fantasy and part murder mystery with strong historical roots based in the factual—what life was like for Jewish immigrants living in the ghetto tenements on Maxwell Street in Chicago; workers rebelling against long hours, dangerous—sometimes deadly—working conditions, for so little pay; and the ways in which Alter struggled between assimilation and remaining true to his faith. Alter wears his sidelocks short and tucked behind his ears, his tzitzis under his shirt and waistcoat and tucked into his pants, and he wears a cap rather than a yarmulke in public more often than not to avoid the slurs he’s so familiar with. And there was, in fact, a serial killer who terrorized the Chicago World’s Fair, known as this country’s first serial murderer, a man named H.H. Holmes, dubbed the American Ripper. The killer in this novel, however, is preying solely upon young Jewish men for reasons that chilled me to the bone when his motive was revealed.

Alter is a young man whose responsibilities and burdens are numerous. At seventeen, he’s working to send every penny he doesn’t need to live on back to Romania to his mother and two sisters so they, too, can make the trip to America. His own journey to Chicago was not without its share of strife and heartbreak, and Polydoros renders it tenderly into who Alter has become in the years since he arrived, alone and frightened. Fate, it would seem, brought Frankie Portnoy into Alter’s orbit, giving him a place to stay, a family of sorts, and, more importantly, a means of earning money, even if it wasn’t what one would call honest work. Alter breaking away from a life of petty crime was a turning point where he wagered that he could be faithful to himself and his religion, be a “good mensch”, find gainful employment, and still earn enough money to pay for his family’s passage to America.

Human remains begin to appear in various locations, with more boys missing, which is terrifying to say the least, but it hits home in a profoundly personal way when one of Alter’s roommates, Yakov Kogan, a boy Alter had secretly fallen in love with, is found drowned in a lake at the Fair. The police leap to the conclusion of accident (or suicide), thanks to a lack of interest and because it was the easy explanation, but Alter has reason to believe otherwise after he attends Yakov’s body in the traditional ritual to prepare him for burial. What happens when Yakov is lowered into the mikveh is intense, sharply written, and sends Alter on a course of discovery that puts him on a path straight into danger and death. It also introduces the paranormal/fantasy element to the story, which was not only touching and poignant but frightening as well. That Alter and Frankie begin to grow close again while searching for Yakov’s killer introduces a tenderness to the story that was moving and welcome, but not at all easy.

The City Beautiful is exquisite in its storytelling, its characterizations, and the ways in which Aden Polydoros grounds his readers in the time and place, the sights and sounds and smells, and gives us the opportunity to think about and feel for the history as it unfolded and to admire the courage of those who came before us in search of an ideal that was crafted for some but not for others.

1893. America is still the land of opportunity for those who want to immigrate and better they and their families' lives... right??

Alter Rosen believes so, until one day his best friend, Yakov, becomes the latest in a chain of brutal murders targeting young Jewish men in Chicago. Following Yakov's death, Alter becomes possessed by Yakov's dybbuk, or spirit. Alter is plunged into a world of fear and greed, corruption and dreams. Along with someone from his past who Alter hoped to never see again, Alter must race time to discover the killer before he or someone else he loves is next to die.

This book was an excellent, mysterious, historical fiction LGBTQ romance with a paranormal twist. It literally checks all of those boxes, and does it so well! An absolute must-read.

4.5 Stars

Content Warnings at end of book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for an arc of this book.

When Alter's roommate ends up dead during the World's Fair in 1893 Chicago, Alter knows that it wasn't the accident the police are claiming it was. A string of deaths and disappearances of young Jewish boys are cropping up over the city. To make matters worse, ever since his friend's death, Alter has been experiencing hallucinations and black outs that leave all-too-real marks on his body. He is determined to find out what really happened and put his friend's spirit to rest.

Wow, this book was mysterious and tense throughout! It took me a little ways to get into it, but once I did I was completely addicted! Alter is such a sympathetic character and I loved following his point of view as he discovered what was really going on in the City. I also....I am in love with Frankie. I'm sorry, but he is perfect. He is like.... a slightly-less-traumatized Kaz Brekker but also gay. Yup. I'm in love.

The prose in this book was beautiful and I truly loved it!

Pub Date: Oct 5, 2021

Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Antisemitism, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Hate crime
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Genocide, Death of parent, Rape, and Pedophilia

This is an interesting and creative work of historical fiction. Set around the time of the World’s Fair in Chicago in the 1890s, it follows Alter Rosen. Alter immigrated to Chicago from Romania, and he he has been working ever since to afford for his mother and sisters to travel to the United States as well. All seems on track until Alter’s close friend and roommate is murdered, the latest in a string of young Jewish men. As Alter seeks to unravel the mystery of what happened to his friend and the others, he finds himself drawn deeper into the underbelly of Chicago — all while feeling that he is being driven internally by a force outside himself that is putting him and those closest to him in great danger.

This was an enjoyable read. I liked the historical context and how that was weaved through the story. The thriller elements kept me fully engaged.

Recommended!

This novel is *incredibly* good. Starring a queer, Jewish narrator who has immigrated from Romania and is now living in in 1893 Chicago, this is an intense historical/paranormal thriller that's incredibly hard to put down -- even when I figured out the culprit, I was frantically turning pages to see what would happen on the way to our protagonist Alter figuring it out. Everything in this story comes out of its Jewishness in a way that I don't find in a lot of fiction (especially, as the author pointed out, in fiction that's not explicitly about the Holocaust). It's an unflinching look at antisemitism, at diaspora, at the feelings of not belonging or of being othered in whatever land you're in. But it has hope in here too, it has *community*, and it has care for each other, living and dead.

I'd recommend this to pretty much everyone I now. Really a fantastic read. Alter is a great protagonist, and Frankie and Raizel both had me completely charmed by them. (Definitely also read the author notes at the end for a look into the research.)

This book is incredible. The City Beautiful is a blend of historical fantasy and a murder mystery, told from a Jewish perspective, and queer. It is so many things, so many elements, but it works together so harmoniously.

Alter came to America with his father to escape the antisemitism of Romania, but en route his father caught typhus and died. Because Alter wasn’t able to observe proper burial rituals, on Maxwell Street he volunteers at his Shul’s Chevra Kadisha, burial society who take care of the bodies of the deceased and prepare them for burial. He’s found friends and a community, but at his core Alter’s goal is to save up enough that he can bring his mother and younger sisters to America with him.

On the Fourth of July, Alter and his friend/roommate Yakov go to see the World’s Fair in Chicago,and after separating Yakov is murdered. The police are ambivalent towards the death of a young Jewish man and have been ambivalent towards the disappearances of several other Jewish men, and because it is ruled an accident the Chevra Kadisha prepare his body. During the ritual purification in the mikveh, Alter falls in because he thinks he sees Yakov move, and ends up getting possessed by his dybbuk. Trying to figure out why he’s seeing visions, Alter reconnects with his friend Frankie who is a thief and has done more to assimilate into America.

This book is so layered and I’m just thinking of all the elements that stand out to me. The discussions of assimilation and how becoming more American equates to losing elements of Jewish identity. How antisemitism and pogroms and Jewish people being expelled from lands is such a recurring part of our shared history. The different ways Judaism is practiced and the ways Jewishness is visible. Not even getting into the actual story, I loved how deeply Jewish this was and how much Alter’s Jewishness and the mysticism and beliefs of Judaism made up so much of the fantastical elements, and the way those elements felt less fantastical and more a part of the world, the belief system. I’m trying to say, and probably doing a poor job of it, that this felt less like a fantasy (in a good way) because the fantastical elements were woven in so smoothly to the contemporary world and the experiences of the characters.

I also loved the setting of the World’s Fair, and the way Polydoros shows both how it was a fantastic experience for many people, but it was also a fantasy created to show the splendor of America, how America was superior to all the other places represented. There were several lines I marked that expressed the duality of the World’s Fair and how, despite it being a glittering white city, it also had many shadows and terrible things happened there.

This book is just phenomenal and I look forward to more from Aden Polydoros. The City Beautiful is sometimes hard to read and doesn’t shy away from showing the dark parts of Jewish history, thought that was never the focus. At its center, this is a story of survival and perseverance and family, blood and of choice. It weaves together these elements into a story that I couldn’t put down, and the ending was so satisfying on so many levels. Wholeheartedly recommend!

Content warnings: child sexual abuse, violence, gore, antisemitism, racism

This book is gay af, mysterious, and atmospheric to the core. I adored it. It's not always an easy thing to read but it is an important story. Jewish main characters and Jewish stories are sorely needed, even in 2021.

My only criticisms are that 1) I feel like it could have been a bit shorter and 2) I probably would have enjoyed the audiobook version better because there are phrases in Yiddish, German, Russian, and Romanian that would translate better in my own head that way.

Thank you to NetGalley for a preview copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved the way this title wound mystery, history, and spirituality alongside each other to create a detailed, at times almost modern feeling (despite the historical setting and fantasy elements), story. Definitely will be recommending this one to friends and young adults.

A stunning addition to the canon of magical-realist Jewish immigrant literature. Juxtaposed with the gritty realities of anti-Semitism and worker exploitation in 1890s Chicago, the fantastical element of the dybbuk is fully believable as one more element of the parallel world that these characters live in--the traditions, values, and generational burdens that they keep hidden from an uncaring Gentile society. I would describe this book as Isaac Bashevis Singer meets Oliver Twist but make it gay. In other words, everything I love! The pace never flags and the characters are complex and sympathetic.

The Yiddish expressions throughout the book took me back to my childhood on New York's Lower East Side. It was an original choice to set this book in the Midwest rather than NYC. I enjoyed learning about Jewish history in other parts of the country.

A few of the characters' observations felt anachronistic to me. I could stretch my imagination around Frankie having enough Biblical literacy to interpret Leviticus, but I don't think he would have used the term "consent" in 1893 to distinguish good from bad sex between men. Alter's analysis of the Eurocentrism of the World's Fair layout also seemed out of place for the time period.

I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"The City Beautiful" is a hauntingly well written historical fantasy that I think be captivating for a large demographic! I wouldn't call it an easy read because of the subject matter it covers but it is a read that is engaging. I didn't notice how long it took me to read this book because I was enjoying it so much. It is one of the few novels I've come across that represents a Jewish character with a storyline not revolving around WWII. I overall enjoyed it and it'll be stuck in my head for a while.

Set during the World’s Fair in 1893, this atmospheric, queer Jewish historical fantasy infuses real-life events with a dark murder mystery. I’ve read several of this author’s other books, and The City Beautiful was on my list of most anticipated releases this year. It surpassed my expectations.

After tragically losing his father during the journey to America, Alter falls in with the wrong crowd is soon scraping by robbing others. It’s not something he’s proud of, and after a particularly unsettling experience he leaves his criminal days behind and gets an honest job. He works long, hard hours to save enough money to bring his mother and sisters over from Romania. When his best friend, Yakov is the latest victim in a string of murdered Jewish boys, Alter finds himself in the middle of a mystery not many seem to care about. The police aren’t much help and the newspapers all but dismiss the murders, but he refuses to let his Yakov’s death go ignored and unsolved. With the help of his friends Frankie and Raizel, Alter is determined to discover who’s responsible. Yakov’s dybbuk is equally determined and possesses Alter’s body. Time is of the essence in discovering the identity of the murderer because former friend or not, two souls can’t inhabit one body for long and the possession takes a toll on Alter.

Sadly lacking in knowledge of Judaism, learning more about Jewish customs and traditions was incredibly compelling and enlightening. A glossary is included at the end of the book for help with some of the terminology. The author skillfully weaves those customs and traditions along with historic details involving Jewish immigration during that time into the story. He also touches on the racist themes of the World’s Fair and how The White City wasn’t the utopia the organizers portrayed.

This novel is dark and disturbing at times, but it’s also a beautiful story of love, friendship, community, and justice. As a trigger warning, it doesn’t shy away from the ugliness of anti-Semitism and social inequities so be prepared. I can’t wait to see what this author does next – he’s been on my auto-buy list for years.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Death lurks around every corner in this unforgettable Jewish historical fantasy about a city, a boy, and the shadows of the past that bind them both together.

What an absolute delight of a book.
Set with the backdrop of the Chicago World Fair Polydoros gives us queer horror in such a fantastic way. Besides the horror of having his body taken over by his friends dybbuk - Alter is also having to face the trauma of his own past to discover how to save his future.

The main cast of characters are so great and have such a great dynamic with one another. I can't wait to see what else Polydoros does!

A queer historical fantasy rooted and steeped in Jewish culture? Yes please!
Told from the perspective of a young immigrant, this book fills a hole in YA literature- books with and about Jewish teens NOT pertaining to WWII and/or the Holocaust.
Fantasy in that some more mystical aspects of Hebrew beliefs are employed, historically accurate, and did I mention queer?
10/10, will happily read again.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a good read, it had a gripping story. It's not always an easy read, due to the subject matter, but it's a book I'm glad that I read. I didn't connect with the writing itself as much as I wanted to, but overall, it was a well-written, gripping story.

Thank you for this opportunity to review this book!

This is one of those books that makes you feel every single emotion while reading it. Every element is executed perfectly. I thought the pace was great, I was on the edge of my seat the entire book. The plot is so devastatingly good I just had to put the book down in intervals just so I could catch my breathe. I feel like I just watched an entire movie at the theater because I was so sucked into this world and couldn’t look away. SUCH a good read!

I liked learning more about Jewish customs and traditions, and the treatment of many Jewish immigrants in the late 1800’s. The plot of this story was fabulous. It was fresh, and dark, and really well done. Unfortunately, there was also a lot of unnecessary things, not vital to the development of the story, that really slowed down the pace. I found myself skimming, a lot. I just wanted to get beyond a lot of parts and get to the meat of the story. Every time I really started to get into the plot, I was pulled back out with more unnecessary threads. I liked the fantasy/ Jewish folklore aspect of the dybbuk. I liked the characters and the character development. The author did a great job at painting the time and setting for you. It was a great concept for a story and very interesting.

Thank you to Net Galley and Inkyard Press for a digital copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #TheCityBeautiful