Frum books | Imamother

PeanutMama

Fri, Jun 12 2020, 3:07 pm

Anybody else notice that frum books have things in common with each other?

Like they’re almost all the same.

For example
Regular Girl meets Lonely Girl (Who is usually shy/awkward/is being bullied/has problems in her personal life)
Lonely Girl and Regular Girl become close friends
We realize that Regular Girl has problems too
Lonely Girl and Regular Girl overcome their problems (either together or separately)
They are happy at the end

Like blahhhhh

The best book I’ve read was called Freedom to Be by Chaya David.

What else have y’all noticed??

youngishbear

Fri, Jun 12 2020, 3:21 pm

Frum novels have about three templates. Here are fun threads on the topic.

https://www.imamother.com/foru.....51525

And

https://www.imamother.com/foru.....89515

giselle

Fri, Jun 12 2020, 3:29 pm

Honestly you can’t compare Jewish novels and secular novels. If you’re used to reading secular novels (I mean you collectively, including myself) you likely will not enjoy Jewish novels as much.. there’s too much they won’t/can’t include. Although - I haven’t read any new Jewish books recently, but reading the serials in some of the Jewish magazines, I see they discuss topics that would have been taboo back in the day. So perhaps they are getting more interesting. Still can’t compare the writing style and level though.

paperflowers

Fri, Jun 12 2020, 4:15 pm

I don’t recall that particular template, but I get the sentiment.

The template you gave reminds me of every Disney Channel movie ever. Popular kid is good at hobby a. Popular kid tries hobby b. Everybody hates him. He makes friend with peers from old hobby and new hobby. Happily ever after.

All the same. But I still really enjoyed watching them!

mommyhood

Fri, Jun 12 2020, 4:25 pm

Freedom to be was a great book, but pretty risqué for the frum world it even comes with a disclaimer on the back and fits the other super popular genre of the OTD teen ending happily ever after.
I happen to enjoy the typical frum novel but there is an occasional less typical one that I really like. Some of my favorites are Promise me Jerusalem, Forever Forward and Normal Like Me.

zaq

Fri, Jun 12 2020, 4:29 pm

What you say, OP, can be said about virtually any genre fiction from boy-meets-girl to murder mystery. Read enough of them and they all sound the same.

What I've noticed about most frum fiction is how badly it's written, with poor grammar and big words thrown in for effect and used the wrong way. (I enjoy the challenge of figuring out what word they meant.) There's been some improvement since the dawn of English-language frum fiction but good it's not. If Shocken can have editors who know their business, why can't Feldheim etc.?

The problem is especially egregious in children's books, since reading is an important pathway for learning language skills: not only grammar and spelling but also usage, syntax and style. Scratch any good writer and you'll find an avid reader--of NONfrum literature.

RuralIma

Fri, Jun 12 2020, 4:42 pm

I've only read a couple of frum books after decades of reading classics and other secular books and I wasn't a fan. The one I read was about a girl who grew up secular and went to seminary but somehow even though she had a completely secular upbringing she could read Hebrew perfectly? I am sure there are good frum books out there but the writing is not my cup of tea. Most secular books I have read would have been perfectly fine for a frum audience with the added benefit of good writing.

BH Yom Yom

Fri, Jun 12 2020, 5:37 pm

BetsyTacy wrote:

Does fanfic count? I really enjoyed the Anthony Goldstein fanfic.

I came across the Anthony Goldstein fanfic by Laazov (?) and loved it! Very well-done.

In terms of frum books I've enjoyed - Search My Heart by Sarah Birnhack, Sun Inside Rain by M. Bassara, and I'm reading EG Schwartz's new book, A Veiled Truth (Fish Kirschenbaum's Guide to Life and Wedding Management.) But when I'm in the mood for more sophisticated language, style, syntax and content development, it's non-Jewish memoirs (or quality fiction) all the way.

chocolate moose

Sun, Jun 14 2020, 9:54 am

Years ago there were very few book from which to choose. The villian was always non Jewish, remember?

It's better now but I don't know if frum books will ever catch up to mainstream books.

freilich

Sun, Jun 14 2020, 9:56 am

Stars wrote:

People think you can naturally be good writer and churn out books.

Spoiler alert: the above is not true.

This! It’s so annoying to read some of the books today! Oh my.

Used to be, when you read a book, it was a give that it will be well written. Now it’s far from it.

freilich

Sun, Jun 14 2020, 10:01 am

mommyhood wrote:

[b]
Never heard of Forever Forward. Who is the author?

mamma llama

Sun, Jun 14 2020, 10:01 am

freilich wrote:

This! It’s so annoying to read some of the books today! Oh my.

Used to be, when you read a book, it was a give that it will be well written. Now it’s far from it.

This goes for frum and secular books.

Also, I've learned that you CAN judge a book by its cover! Study