I wish I could rate this book higher. The theme is pervasive worldwide wide antisemitism which is immensely concerning at this time. Ethan and Ella, a young Jewish couple meet , fall in love, marry and have a son, Michael. Living in a big city ( which is deftly described and reminded me of New York) they go about daily life until life starts falling apart. First Israel is sucked into a black hole. Planes disappear in flight- black hole again. Everything familiar deteriorates and becomes unrecognizable. Jews once again is history are the scapegoats and are forced to relocate into the city ghetto, dubbed “The Pale.” Jews are restricted from jobs, schools and stores, reminiscent of Nazi Germany. In many ways this has become the fear of the world Jewish population based upon the disturbing uptick of antisemitic actions and rhetoric coupled with the world wide rise to power of virulent antisemites.
These concerns are timely, accurate and very troubling. The topic is important . Yet I found myself reading in a rush to finish, not because I was so engaged with the storyline but because sci fi intrusions often split off on tangents that were disruptive to plot and also very difficult to interpret. It’s likely the author used symbolism to make his point ie israel falling into a black hole is representative of the isolation of Israel in the current abyss of world politics. I did not enjoy those parts. Disturbing and dark, this book is a cautionary tale of what will happen if hatred continues to flourish.
Benjamin Resnick is a rabbi who has something valuable and necessary to say. There is a lot of substance within the pages for an engaging book club discussion. Three stars for a book that is worth reading if you can read past its flaws. Many thanks to Netgalley and Avid Reader Press/ Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for my review. It was published a few days ago and is available now

Next stop is a masterpiece that I am still processing and likely to continue to reflect upon for a long time. It is one of the most unique stories I’ve ever read and yet I found it to be completely relatable. It is deeply Jewish.

I am a big fan of post-apocalyptic and dystopian novels, thus I was fascinated reading one with a Jewish lens and that addresses the many heads of antisemitism.

Currently antisemitism is at an all-time high. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I found that Next Stop, although a work of fiction, closely resembles many aspects of our real world. Israel is sucked up by a black hole. Jews around the world have lost their friends, their family, their homeland. And yet, it is the Jews that are the world’s Problem. It is the Jews who are to blame. And it is the Jews who must be dealt with.

Set against a backdrop of antisemitism that permeates every aspect of society, we get a story of a Jewish family, trying to live a meaningful life, trying to live Jewishly, trying to live. Danger lurks around most corners. Stretches of dark times are peppered with rare moments of joy (it is so incredibly Jewish to find light in the dark). And despite the instability of the world, the uncertainty of the future, the Jewish characters continue on and hold onto their traditions.

Smartly written, quirky and dare I say miraculous, this is a book you’ll want to read with a friend or a book club. It has raised so many questions in my mind and I have a burning need to discuss them. I don’t doubt that there are aspects of this novel I haven’t grasped, that went over my head. So please read this and then come find me so we can analyze and debate everything and anything we think this book means.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Avid Reader Press and NetGalley for the ARC. Next Stop will be out 9/10.