I liked the characters and the pacing. I really enjoyed being immersed in the Jewish culture and beliefs of the characters.
For me, the ending felt sudden but I think it is meant to be more open ended.

The folklore was interesting, but the pace was a bit off for me - it felt like a lot of important pieces were introduced too close to the end.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book but I got more involved the further I read. There were some interesting twists and turns as the book went further into the story.

As much as I enjoyed When the Angels Left the Old Country, I think I liked the Forbidden Book more. It's a completely different type of story but with similar themes and vibes. A young woman escapes her father's house on the day of her aranged marriage and quickly finds herself entangled in the search for a magical, mythical book, a print shop worker who prints illegal, political pamphlets, and a battle between the angels of death and a small village. Sorel/Isser must solve a murder, avoid their families, and more. Fabulous pacing, unique characters, and beautfiul prose. 10/10 highly recommend.

Una lectura algo complicada por todas las palabras nuevas que no conocía, sin embargo eso lo hizo interesante para mi.

A pesar de tener una trama interesante siento que fue un libro confuso, los cambios de narrador se sentían muy abruptos y aunque con forme avanza la trama se va entendiendo el porqué de esto, si complica la lectura.

El libro es publicitado con una protagonista "genderqueen lesbian", entiendo el porqué del genderqueen, aunque una persona que sepa más del tema podría realmente comentar en eso, sin embargo, si esperas leer una historia con romance FF no creo que esta sea tu lectura, a pesar de que si dan pistas de la sexualidad de la protagonista es un tema que no se explora realmente y no tiene mucha importancia en la trama.

El final del libro siento que dejó mucho que desear, los últimos capítulos los sentí muy apresurados y el final bastante abrupto que pareciera que no termina.
En general es un buen libro, simplemente no fue para mi.

Thank you to NetGalley and Levine Querido for the eARC!

3.5 rounded up. I really enjoyed “When The Angels Left The Old County.—it was one of my faves of 2023–and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to read Sacha Lamb’s sophomore novel. The magical elements are sparse in the beginning, which made me worry I would find it too dry to continue, but I stuck around for the relatively quick pacing. In some ways, I’m glad I did. This is an interesting queer take on dybbuks, and since Sacha Lamb’s debut, I’ve loved how they intertwine gender into different supernatural and religious concepts. (Although at times, this can lean more towards the allegorical side.) The marketing banks on the queer rep, though, which I think is slightly misleading as it’s handled in a more complex(and subtle?) way inside the context of the historical setting. And for those who are looking forward to the promised lesbianism, there’s not much of it.

Although there was political tension, literary censorship and murder tied into the story’s plot, the writing style still maintained a cozy, fable feel. It complimented some of the fantastical elements well. I’m not a history nerd, but the 19th-century Russia setting felt immersive and seemed to be very researched. I also liked the sprinklings of Yiddish throughout. (I was alright with using Google, but I’m curious to see if there will be a glossary in the finished version of this book, like Lamb’s debut.)

The POV changes are slightly confusing. While the logic of them was explained towards the middle of the book, when it wasn’t just flashbacks anymore, it could be hard to keep up with who was who. The ending was also very abrupt, and had me wondering if I was missing a couple of details or pages in my digital copy. It’s a major reason why I lowered my rating, especially because I think it squashed some of Sorel’s potential as a character. But I will also have to read the finished version and see how it is edited.

This was a nice and cosy tale (wait, can I call it cosy when there´s murder involved?).
I liked the narration, which read very YA and fast. And I learned quite a few terms and traditions about Jews. Also, the ambiance was very well done, it was a sort of historical thing but I got the sense, as I read, that something dark was about to happen (or that, in fact, happened before). Loved the characters, the leyend and their quest to first find the missing boy and then retrieve the book he stole before dissapearing. Maybe the end was a bit rushed and I was like, wouldn´t they have faced more perils given all that happened? And what a plot twist if Sam or Sorel´s father were the villains (well, Kalman was, in a way). But then again, it´s very YA. So no complains there.
I give this a 3 because I think I missed something (might have missed something). There´s no romance in this story, but we got a protagonist who dresses as a boy (pretends to be one as to escape her pursuers). And here I could go and say, maybe she´s non binary? I think that´s the intention of the book. But, you see, you get to a point in the story where the spirit of Isser talks through Sorel. So I wonder, are we sure that what Sorel thinks is not conditioned by Isser? That´s where my confussion comes from, probably because the story ends in a place where Sorel can have a new beginning and be whoever she wants to be (but we don´t see what becomes of her).

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

On the night before her wedding, 17-year-old Sorel leaps from a window and runs away from her life. To keep from being discovered, she takes on the male identity of Isser Jacobs — but it soon becomes clear that there is a real Isser Jacobs, and people want him dead. Her mistaken identity takes Sorel into the dark underworld of her small city in the Pale of Settlement, where smugglers, forgers, and wicked angels fight for control of the Jewish community. In order to make it out, Sorel must discover who Isser Jacobs really is — and who she wants to be

I was unsure what to expect when reading "The Forbidden Book" as I had not read Lamb's writing before. The Forbidden Book was an exciting adventure of a book. The main character is a Jewish, Genderqueer lesibian, and the book fully dives into exploring her/their identity. A must read.

Very absorbing and I was completely caught up in the mystery! The ending was a little rushed, but overall this was a very satisfying read.

Readers approaching this from a strictly "I heard it has lesbians and knives!!" standpoint will probably be disappointed. Lamb's complex characters and rich historical setting offer more nuance and subtlety than the advertising copy indicates. The writing feels timeless and immersive.

The Forbidden Book by Sacha Lamb is a slow paced story centering Jewish folklore. This book would have benefited from being edited into a shorter book to help the pacing. It's also unclear at times who's perspective each chapter is from and whether it is in the past or present timeline of the story.

This is an adventurous magical historical fantasy that I liked a lot!

It took a little bit for me to get into it, but I love the characters and there’s a lot of detail in the historical setting. I love YA stories with no romance, and I LOVE the lesbian-with-an-annoying-ghost-in-her-head trope!!! Perfect surprise just for me!

I did find that it ended a bit suddenly for me - I wanted a bit more detail out of of the ending! But I also guess I appreciate the way we don’t find out the details the same way Sorel slipped out of her life in the beginning.

I was really eager to see what Sacha Lamb has in store for you: their debut novel, When Angels Left the Old Country, has been an absolute delight, and I was definitely up for more queered up Ashkenazi folk-tale inspired stories. When I saw the ARC for Forbidden book offered on Netgalley, I immediately jumped at the chance to read it.

Good news is: it's another very good book from Sacha Lamb! I didn't love it as much as I loved the Angels - largely because there was so much in Angels that resonated with me personally - but I had a good time reading The Forbidden Book. It has a lot of similar strengths: worry not about if there is enough amounts of queered up Ashkenazi folklore! in that sense, it's very consistent; strong character work; excellent interplay of the human drama with the supernatural one. What was the biggest difference, I think, is that where the debut novel had a lot of forward momentum, this one, if drawn as a vector, would be a meandering line that keeps circling around the same three locations. It makes sense for the kind of story it is, but I found that less enjoyable than "onwards!" vector of the Angels. If the Angels were compared plenty to Good Omens, I would say this one sits closer on in spirit to Francis Hardinge's novels: strong prose, a lot of (justified) female (and genderqueer) anger from hardy protagonists, and a strong sense of place full of dark corners.

Sacha Lamb's "When The Angels Left The Old Country" is one of my all-time favourites, so when I got a chance to read an ARC of The Forbidden Book I was elated, but also nervous, because how does someone follow up a book like that?
With a knife-wielding, genderqueer, possessed runaway lesbian, of course.

The Forbidden Book follows Sorel as she jumps out the window the night before her wedding and into a murder mystery involving smugglers, illegal pamphlets, a religious and political power struggle as well as angels of death. Accompanied by a dybbuk she'll discover more about the world she's been kept apart from as well as about who she is and who she wants to become.

The Forbidden Book is another fantastical exploration of history, Jewish mysticism, and queer identity, but it is also definitely not just a retread of Lamb's previous novel. The setting feels rich, the characters deep, and the mystical elements superb. My main criticism is that I feel the story would have benefited from being longer. I don't know if I'd call it rushed but giving Sorel a bit more time to breathe, especially in the conclusion, would have been appreciated. I also personally would have liked to see more of the political pamphlet side, but that is very much a me thing.

As it is, Lamb builds fantastic worlds that I wouldn't mind spending a little more time in, and I definitely look forward to rereading the finished book - out October 2024!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Levine Querido for providing the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While I love the concept for this book, I was not able to finish. I think that the storyline is very good, and that the subject is very topical, but the pacing was not right for me, it felt a bit rushed and I did not feel like I could connect with the characters. I think if anyone is looking for a quick read that explores the hardships faced by the Jewish community, all while exploring sexuality, I think this would be a great book for them.

Sacha Lamb does it again! I loved "When the Angels Left the Old Country," a superb queer story about Jewish life and culture and movement across the world, and The Forbidden Book is almost as good. Really, I just want it to be a little longer, to resolve a few more things at the end, to expand just a little on the folklore of angels and dybbuks and the demons of Jewish lore. The description of Jewish life in the Pale of Settlement under Russian occupation is breathtaking in its scope and detail, the characters are rich and deep, and seeing (and learning) a little Yiddish throughout is wonderful. Join Sorel in her escape from an unwanted arranged marriage into the forest and towns, where as a boy she's working to stay alive, not get found out, and find justice for the real boy whose name she has adopted.. Learn the secrets of magic and printing presses and how to foment rebellion and how to run like a fox. Be enchanted by this terrific book.

After reading Angels, I was so excited for this book to come out. I’m so thankful that I got a copy from Netgalley. I will say it didn’t touch my heartstrings as much as Angels, but the world building was amazing and the characters were so smart and well developed.

On the night before her wedding, 17-year-old Sorel leaps from a window and runs away from her life. To keep from being discovered, she takes on the male identity of Isser Jacobs — but it soon becomes clear that there is a real Isser Jacobs, and people want him dead. Her mistaken identity takes Sorel into the dark underworld of her small city, where smugglers, forgers, and wicked angels fight for control of the Jewish community. In order to make it out, Sorel must discover who Isser Jacobs really is — and who she wants to be.

Thank you @netgalley and @sachalamb.author for this ARC! This was a super fun read! I loved the queer representation and the Jewish folklore in this story. If anything I wish the book was longer so the reader could enjoy more of the adventure and escapades of Sorel, Adela, and Isser. The pace was excellent and this was a super quick read for me as I wanted to find out what would happen. The magical elements were so cool and I loved the incorporation of Jewish culture and stories. I also really enjoyed the historical Russian setting. This book was really well researched and very enjoyable. The Forbidden Book will be published on October 1–check it out!

Refreshing premise, great rep, satisfying development, and overall a captivating read. I'd would recommend it for fans of fantasy and historical fiction who are drawn to stories that explore themes of identity, survival and hope, particularly those who appreciate complex characters, intricate world-building and a richly detailed historical setting. I've already added the other book by this author to my tbr. Thank you, NetGalley for the arc!

this was a really atmospheric and pacey adventure through historical jewish folklore. sacha lamb does an incredible job at blending the jewish vernacular and cultural experience in this book to make it easily comprehensible to someone with little background without sacrificing any of my attention in the book. their writing style also really stands out generally, foreshadowing twists without giving enough away that i was taken by surprise while simultaneously feeling like yep this makes sense.

this book could have done with being 50 pages longer though, because it meanders through its story a little bit at the start, then gets to the dénouement and kind of just ends straight after. i would have loved to see what happened to sorel and isser and adela after this was all over. overall though, a lovely short escapade that i very much recommend!

A runaway bride, a dybbuk, and long-buried magic in a small city in the Pale of Settlement. I was a bit disappointed after Lamb's debut novel, the excellent When the Angels Left the Old Country. This one moves more slowly, and Sorel spends a lot of time flailing around without much to show for it. But it is nonetheless a joy to read queer Jewish fantasy that is clearly written for us, with liberal use of Yiddish terms and perfectly integrated Jewish custom and ritual. And there are some lovely character moments. I will buy this book when it comes out, because I expect I'll want to re-read it more than once.
[Review copy via Netgalley]