3.5
Thank you to Atria Books for sending me a ARC of this book to read and review! When I first heard about this book I was greatly intrigued and interested in how the narrative was going to be focused. I thought Raizl was a really dynamic and complex character. One of the parts that stood out to me most was her choices and her inner struggle to decide to adhere to her faith or her desire. I also loved seeing all the Yiddish on the page and how it was used in tandem with the overall structure of the book. However, I don't think this necessarily brought out anything positive about the Hasidic community which is hard because the media already portrays it so harshly. I liked the brevity of the this book up until the end. I was so confused when there was nothing left and I feel like Raizl's whole journey was forgotten in the last chapter. This book was intense and provocative, but it also felt like it was lacking something, either warmth or connection, I'm not entirely sure. While the concept did stand out to me, I think at some points it just felt overwhelming.

When I first heard about the book Shmutz by Felicia Berliner, I was concerned that it would be yet another story that leans into the “religious Jews are oppressed” trope, as this is a book about a young women living in a very strict Hasidic community. I was pleased that while life in the community is shown as sheltered and not without difficulties, Raizl did not want to leave. Rather, she wanted to stay and be herself within the community. ⁣I appreciated the description of how, when Raizl received a computer for school, she was able to stumble into inappropriate internet content. She didn’t set out to find it but her natural curiosity about the things she was never taught led her there. It was understandable how an addiction could easily develop. I thought her discovery of her sexuality was important and portrayed positively. I was left wondering how she will move on from her internet use and whether her husband will understand her needs. The ending was a little ambiguous and makes us wonder about how Raizl is doing now. ⁣As a side note, I have seen this book compared to Milk Fed, and while they both include religious Jews, I felt that this book portrayed the community more accurately, while Milk Fed was misleading when it explained some of the laws. This does have a similar feel to that book though. ⁣There is a lot of Yiddish in this book and it does contain a glossary, but I was impressed with how much of it I understood! Shmutz itself is a Yiddish word meaning dirt.

I just want to start off by saying the cover? Shoutout to the designer because that is so clever with the hamentaschen.

Shmutz is a coming of age story about finding yourself in a religious sect that honestly doesn’t get a lot of representation. It felt authentic with Raizl speaking in Yiddish with her family. It’s easy to pick up through context clues, but there is a glossary at the end of the book.

The story follows Raizl as she balances school, therapy, and arranged dates. In these settings you get to see different layers of Raizl unfold such as her taking risks. Risks like wearing a pair of jeans and eating bacon (with cheese!). We also see Raizl interacting with her peers who aren’t Jewish.

The reason why I gave this 4 stars is because I really wanted an epilogue. The way the book ended it would’ve been interesting to read a bit about Raizl after the final event just based on the way the book culminated. (I’m doing my best to explain without spoiling). I was just eager for more of her journey.

Overall, Shmutz is an incredible debut novel that’s clever and heartfelt. I absolutely cannot wait to read what Felicia Berliner puts out next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found Schmutz by Felicia Berliner equal parts fascinating and disconcerting. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it per se - it made me deeply uncomfortable! - but I valued, admired, and appreciated it, and am glad it exists. It's unusual, clever, and provocative, both in the sexual sense and the thought-provoking one.

I finished it about a week ago, and what I remember most vividly is the stark contrast between the increasingly intense porn Raizl finds herself drawn to and the limits of her language and knowledge to describe what she's seeing and feeling. There's one scene where she's describing the men and women in her videos - in the most intensely sexual situations imaginable - in almost absurdly sexless geometric terms. There was something so guileless about her, but - as with many areas of her life - she's determined to understand.

Overall, this book was less funny and more complex than I'd expected based on the description; it resisted easy definitions or judgements. By the end, I genuinely wasn't sure what I wanted for Raizl - there's no obvious path forward, and frankly no real way for her to integrate the wildly disparate things she cares about into one life - but I was left just slightly more hopeful than fearful.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for my ARC.

This book gives us a refreshing perspective and left me wishing I knew more about the unique and deeply rooted culture of Hadisic Jewish people and their values. Raizl was a compassionate character and I really rooted for her in her journey toward self-discovery and defining her identity. I think the cheeky cover and the synopsis might lead most to believe this is a happy-go-lucky coming-of-age-esque novel, but that's not how I felt it landed. This was great read!

This was not the type of book I usually read, however, I will say it was very well written and I enjoyed it a lot. Raizl is a young Hasidic jewish woman, she manages to talk her father (with the help of her mother) into letting her go to college, something most woman of her culture are not permitted to do. But Raizl is smart, and she currently works for a store that makes diamond jewelry as a junior account type, going to college means she may receive a pay raise, and at the prices of rent in New York, every bit helps. Raizl is permitted the use of a laptop computer for her studies, and this is partly her downfall, the laptop has internet access and with the help of a librarian, she's able to find google and YouTube. In short order she becomes addicted to porn and is staying up until all hours of the night watching. She's also still going to college, working and doing her chores, she doesn't have a lot of spare time. She is also seeing a therapist to help her with her fear of getting married, she has gone on a few arranged dates and her parents are getting anxious she won't find a suitable man. Keeping all these (ahem) balls in the air proves difficult and she's put on academic probation and has to leave college, which means she loses access to her laptop. There is a lot going on in this book and I am just skimming the surface, I would highly recommend it, there are a lot of yiddish words that are either explained or there is a glossary at the end. Thank you to #Netgalley and #Atria for the ARC.

2.5 Stars

I read up until 27% of the way through the book, it wasn’t bad but I started to lose interest. I do have some familiarity with jewish orthodox culture from not reading books but being jewish myself. Aspects of that culture to tend to frustrate me but I do love that Raizl is able to have a bit more freedom with going to school for accounting and getting to meet new people. I did want to have more storyline relating to her sexuality and how she discovered adult films. Which are probably in the book later on but I just couldn’t continue reading at the moment. I am curious to read the author’s future works, she has a great writing style and sense of humour.

Tried to get into this for a few chapters but couldn't get into it for some reason. I just couldn't get into the storyline and the character's well being.

Thanks to the good folks at NetGalley for a chance to read an ARC.

This book leaves me feeling totally farmisht!

this was an interesting take on the Hasidic community and it’s culture, specifically in regards to technology. it was fascinating how the author symbolized the horrors of tech by going to the extreme with the pornography addiction. Ultimately it fell flat to me, though the last 25% was great! I just wish we saw more character development.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It was several weeks or months after my request that I was approved, 1 of the reasons the review is so close to pub date. The cover of the book drew me in, but this is not a cute fluffy book.

My Jewish background helped me understand both some of the Yiddish words and the tradition and culture, but Schmutz is about a Chasedic girl named Raizl. Think ultra Orthodox and very old fashioned clothing and gender roles. Raizl has a head for numbers and has been given permission to study accounting at college, at least until the matchmaker finds her a husband, because she is 18 1/2 years old. Because Raizl was given a laptop with her full ride to fictional Cohen College, she discovers the internet and porn. She has started therapy because of this secret addiction that is causing her to fear a match for arranged marriage. The more interesting aspect of the book to me was her interactions at secular college with the friends she's made, who accept her because they are "goth". We learn a lot about Raizl's porn videos, more than I really needed described. The thing she probably didn't discern is the human trafficking that goes on and in pornography, you don't know if there's consent or crime taking place with younger looking "actors". I wish this had been addressed in some way.

There's also an uncomfortable scene where a Black student states that Jews are racists, or Anti Black. Not because there isn't truth, but our Raizl is very naive in the world despite her secret porn addiction. Nor would it be untrue to say it goes both ways at times, when there's ignorance and lack of understanding. The Chasedic community doesn't even consider "regular" Jews to really be Jews, we are goyim to them. And yet Raizl experiments with eating bacon, wearing jeans and somewhat sheer v neck sweater. She contemplates leaving her family but gets scared off and goes back, then accepts a match and gets engaged to a man who seems the best she can do, although he lays down the law, no computer in the home. So she gets to work to support his rabbinical studies but only for that reason.
She does do something to tie her to the modern world secretly which was a nice touch. The writer does do her best to sell the idea of a romantic arranged marriage wedding but....no, sorry.

3/5☆ TW for graphic explanations of porn, including S&M, a scene that's a touch problematic w consent.

Raizl has a problem: she wants to be a good Jewish girl and get married, but she's addicted to porn. After being permitted to enter college to study accounting and being given a laptop through her scholarship, Raizl happened to fall into the world of online porn. As her addiction grows and her grades slip, Raizl has to confront her fears and doubts surrounding her faith and what she wants for her future.

I loved this book! Raizl was such an intriguing character. She was curious and smart, eager and funny. As a Chasidic Jewish person, she'd led such a sheltered life. The people she saw the most were her family members and members of her community. But she'd always felt different. When she gets the chance to step outside of her circle to experience new things, she's overwhelmed but excited. Raizl was such a funny character; she came up with her own form of Yiddish called Raizlish, and it was hilarious to see her form words for "smutty" things. There was so much heart in her character, and while I loved her highs, her lows hurt so much. It was painful to see her push against the confines of the religion and lifestyle that she loves so much, to try to make a place for herself and her new beliefs. The pushback she got from her family were particularly painful to read about, especially from her father. I wish that Raizl would have stood up to him more, but I understand why she didn't. It was bittersweet to witness.

The only reason that I did not give Shmutz 5 stars was purely because of the ending. I have no qualms with Raizl's decisions because ultimately they were hers to make and she seemed happy. But the last few pages were a little rushed and ended in a weird way. The ending felt a little unfinished, and I would have liked a little more insight into what it meant. Other than that small thing, I highly recommend Shmutz, and I can't wait to see what Felicia Berliner writes next!

On the surface, a book about a Hasidic Jew who is addicted to porn. While provocative, the book is really a coming of age of a woman trying to figure out where she fits in. She doesn’t quite feel right with the hassids, with the students at her college, so where does she belong. She ends up befriending a group of Goths, goes in family run set ups to find her mate and sees a therapist: my favorite parts of this were the revelations at how different and new life was outside of her religious life. I thought the writing was astute and I enjoyed the book from start to finish. It was sort of a cross between milk fed and a that book about the Hasidic woman leaving her life though here our heroine actually likes her traditional life and finds it beautiful and pure. A wholly different perspective I wouldn’t have known otherwise!

I thought this was an interesting book. I felt badly for Raizl for being torn in two directions between her faith and her compulsion. It was darker than I expected. Thanks for letting me check it out!

So pleased that works like this are coming out and are accessible! To be honest this wasn’t what I needed to read at this time, but surely this is a novel many folks need to find!

I am not Hasidic or Jewish at all, but this was a deeply moving novel about privacy, sexuality, religion, culture, and relationships. (Also the cover with a hamentaschen is so clever.)
The opening, framing Raizl trying to stop her addition by visiting a doctor familiar with Hasidic tradition, pushes us right into her mindset. The use of Yiddish, for those like me who are unfamiliar, helped to immerse me in the story. For anyone who wants to think through their own sexuality and learn about another culture, I suggest this book.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know that I can say I liked this book, but I certainly found it interesting.

We follow Raizl as she tries to find herself. She lives in a Hasidic community and uses a laptop for school, despite her family's protest, and discovers the world of porn. We follow Raizl down the rabbit hole as she loses herself in the videos and is full of shame, rage, and other emotions that erupt in her life. The story feels sad and unpleasant at times, but also very real. We see Raizl struggle with her own feelings and how her perception impacts her relationship with her community and those around her.

It's a sort of melancholy read with dark humor.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this digital ARC of Shmutz.

Being raised Jewish, and a fond love for the yiddish language - This book called to me based on the cover alone (I mean any Jewish person would be drawn to it LOL) then add a Hamantaschen cookie to the front - SOLD!

Based on the description, I expected a funny coming of age novel about Raizl, the MC, who's living in a very strict and conservative Hasidic Community. While dabbling on the internet she stumbles upon the world of porn and soon becomes addicted. This book will take you on an emotional roller coaster of laughter, sympathy and love for Raizl. You experience the struggle between wanting to stay devoted to her religion and family, but also battling her new found love for porn.

While all this sounds like a making for a great book, it still fell short for me.

The word Shmutz has been a part of my vocabulary for as long as I remember. The book Shmutz by Felicia Berliner brings a whole new meaning to this innocent word, and in a new context for me. Shmutz, the Yiddish word for dirty, follows Raizl, a member of the Brooklyn Hasidic community who has a secret: she is addicted to porn. Raizl is simultaneously trying to stop this addiction while also trying to fit in to her community.

I have a lot to say about this book, so here we go!

This book is written almost like a book of short stories that are all interconnected, and for me I really enjoyed it. This style made the book a quick read, while also providing a physical example of Raizl’s own disjointed thoughts and beliefs.

There have been so many negative portrayals of the Orthodox Jewish community in the media, that it is a breath of fresh air to see a girl who loves her religion and people. You may think this book shows a negative view of a girl trying to put herself into a small box, but everything that Raizl goes through can be seen in so many other communities, not just religious ones. Raizl feels ‘other’ but still wants to be an active member in her faith and is trying to find her place. While this book is overtly Jewish, the subtle things are what make it special. Raizl’s quest for knowledge is a pillar of the Jewish faith, and the fact that she questions everything, including religious laws, is a very appropriate response to her journey. Raizl’s realization of who she is as a woman and a person of faith culminates in an excellent ending that brought the story full circle.

To keep in mind: This book mainly focuses on Raizl’s addiction to porn and how she tries to balance that with her community expectations. The book reads like a stream of consciousness, which means a non-filtered look into the brain of an addict. If you are sensitive to anything revolving porn, sex, or innappropriate language, you may not like this book. The one thing I think that could be improved is that we go on this long journey with Raizl, that transitions abruptly to the ending portion. I wish we could have had more time to digest the ending portion of the book because it feels like her addiction just disappeared, but I did enjoy the final scene in the book with Moishe that showed her autonomy of accepting who she is.

This was a hard book to read emotionally, but was one that I could not put down. I loved the characters, and the feelings that they express are so raw, and just plain human. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for something different to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Shmutz comes out July 19!

Thank you very much to Atria Books and Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was first drawn to Shmutz by the cover and plot, which was unlike any other book I have read. It did not disappoint! It’s hard to believe this is Felicia Berliner’s first novel, as the world that was built through Raizl’s eyes and inner dialogue was both complex and compelling. At no point did I predict what would happen next; even when Raizl made surprising choices, I ultimately understood her reasons and, by the end of the book, felt I had a more complete understanding of her as a person.

I wish I would have realized there was a glossary of Yiddish words at the end of the book; I definitely missed some context but was still able to understand the plot and dialogue. Overall, I recommend this thoughtful and smart read — I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for Berliner’s future novels.