The Mystics of Mile End: A Novel | 
pickThere‘s a strong push-pull between Jewish mysticism and academic intellectualism in this story about family, grief and a longing to find meaning in life. Set in the Mile End neighbourhood of contemporary Montreal, each section of this novel shifts to a different viewpoint and decade, slowly developing the three central characters as well as a larger cast. Plot takes a backseat & lets the people, language and ideas shine. #lesbian #LGBTQ #Canadian
When I climbed into the branches, I saw that they bore a luminous kind of fruit. Except that it wasn‘t fruit, exactly. It was books, and the books too were made of light. There was no breeze, but the pages were rustling, and they looked delicious. Irresistible. I slithered across a branch and plucked a book off its stem. I took a bite — and my eyes popped open.
…she laughed a vermillion laugh, feral & throaty, her mouth stained red. I kissed her there & the colour spread—she was amaranth, cadmium, cerulean, heliotrope, atomic tangerine—& I pulled her into bed & inside the walls were raining, paint was pouring down, & outside the sky was darkening to a deep pitch black. In the morning, when I held the mirror up, she wept the impossible tears of one who has never known what it is to see her own body.
That Friday, Dad left a message on the answering machine. He wouldn‘t be coming home until very late because of another university thing. We decided that this time we would make pizza for dinner, so Sammy started slicing the cheese and I started opening the packages of Nibs and Gummy Bears.
pickSet in the Mile End neighborhood of Montreal, where Hasidic Jews live intertwined with hipsters, two siblings are making sense of their own identities in the context of parental loss, being called back to religious practice, and more. The characters are vivid and it goes deep into some Jewish mystic beliefs.
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Thanks to @CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian for the recommendation at the start of the year!
Phew! During an ice storm and probably my only snow day, we were without power for 30 hours. It has made for a chilly time but I got a lot of reading done (three of these I read the first 50 pages of but I read the other four!)
#Riotgrams Day 20! It was too hard to pick one #FavoriteCover so I picked five. The one on the top right I haven't read yet but all the others are all actually favourite reads as well! All by queer authors too. #QueerBooks
#Riotgrams Day 13 #PinkCovers! I'm actually surprised how many books I own with pink covers!. A COMPLICATED KINDNESS is one of my all-time favourites and THE MYSTICS OF MILE END was one of the best books I read last year. (Blog review: HTTPS://caseythecanadianlesbrarian.wordpress.com/2016/04/27/but-how-i-suddenly-loved-the-question-looking-for-answers-about-love-spirituality-and-family-in-sigal-samuels-the-mystics-of-mile-end/)
pickIn the early pages, I thought this would be a 3 star book. As I went on, I bumped it up to 4. By the final section and the last pages, it was a definite 5. The different narrator voices are done very well, the writing is lovely, heavy or light in the right places. I was very moved by some parts, feeling the same emotions as the characters, which is just A++ for an author! Def a new fave, looking forward to more from her! 5/5 ⭐️
pickSteeped in Jewish family and mysticism, this book asks the deep questions about life's meaning and interpersonal communication. Also delves into science and literature along the way, making it a potpourri of geekiness. :p. A little purple, but lots of appeal.
pickAnother book brimming with layers. A revelation at the end made me go right back to the beginning and start it again.
It was as if, by listening to the static embedded in musical notes, dial tones ... she believed she could attain enlightenment. An enlightenment I already knew would never be mine. There was no secret chord I could play to please the Lord.
