The Chosen Reuven

The Chosen
The Chosen is about these 2 Jewish boys, but even though they are both Jewish they come from different cultures. Reuven Malter is a orthodox jew while Danny Saunders is a Hasidic. They both come from very different homes. During the book many things happen between them and make their friendship hard at some points. Eventually they get through the hardships in their friendship just before they both go their separate ways.
In the beginning of the book, they meet at a baseball game, their teams playing against each other. Danny hits a baseball into Reuven’s face making him going into the hospital. While Danny visited him in the eye ward, their friendship developed. Reuven finds out that his father was helping Danny with reading behind Reb Saunders’ back; because of his culture it is against the “rules” to read anything other than the Talmud or any other religious books. In the later chapters we find out that Mr. Malter agrees with Zionist, while Reb Saunders is an anti-Zionist, which caused a hardship in the boys’ friendship because Reb told Danny that he can’t talk to, be seen with, or even listen to Reuven because

of Mr. Malter’s speech he gave at a rally. Eventually Reb ends up changing his mind about them not being friends just before they both go their separate ways.
The language was very hard to read and it was a slow read for me.

The text eventually got easier at some points but it was still difficult. There were very descriptive parts during the book when every time Danny would walk the author would say that “His metal capped shoes tapped against the sidewalk.” (Potok pg. 213). Every time they were in Reb Saunders study he would say “Reb Saunders sat in his straight-backed red leather chair surrounded by books and the musty odor of old bindings” (Potok pg. 195). When the boys were in Reb’s study studying Talmud he was very descriptive with how the light peered into the room from the window and how many people were always there waiting for him. When they were in the synagogue on Shabbat to hear the service, the way he described it made it feel like I was right there sitting next to Reuven and

Danny.
The plot was very believable the author made sure to add that the war was going on and Hitler’s cruel actions. There wasn’t very much suspense in the reading or foreshadowing. There were twists though. When Reb told Danny he can’t hang out with or be friends with Reuven because of his father’s views on Zionism. I didn’t really like the ending they really didn’t give much detail about Reuven’s life or about how his mother passed. I wish it would’ve gone farther into where Reuven was going and not only Danny.
In conclusion, the book was slightly difficult to read with all the religious books and people in it. It was also a very slow read for me because I would get lost during the synagogue scene when Reb is quizzing Danny. The book had a good story line just not my cup of tea. Eventually it went by faster during the non religious parts of the book and I enjoyed some of it. Overall I would recommend this book if you are religious then you would understand more.