Book Review: Goyhood – Reuven Fenton

Book Review: Goyhood – Reuven Fenton

Funny, poignant, and revelatory while plumbing the emotional depths of the relationship between estranged brothers,  Goyhood  examines what happens when one becomes unmoored from a comfortable, spiritual existence and must decide whether coincidence is in fact destiny.

When Mayer (née Marty) Belkin fled small town Georgia for Brooklyn nearly thirty years ago, he thought he’d left his wasted youth behind. Now he’s a Talmud scholar married into one of the greatest rabbinical families in the world – a dirt poor country boy reinvented in the image of God.

But his mother’s untimely death brings a shocking Mayer and his ne’er-do-well twin brother David aren’t, in fact, Jewish. Traumatized and spiritually bereft, Mayer’s only recourse is to convert to Judaism. But the earliest date he can get is a week from now. What are two estranged brothers to do in the interim?

So begins the Belkins’ Rumspringa through America’s Deep South with Mom’s ashes in tow, plus two an insightful Instagram influencer named Charlayne Valentine and Popeye, a one-eyed dog. As the crew gets tangled up in a series of increasingly surreal adventures, Mayer grapples with a God who betrayed him and an emotionally withdrawn wife in Brooklyn who has yet to learn her husband is a counterfeit Jew.

I was ecstatic when I received Goyhood in my mail as an ARC, by none other than Reuven Fenton! He is a New York Post reporter and an amazing author. He has gained national acclaim for his exclusive reporting on a variety of national stories. Eager to dive in, I couldn’t wait to explore a genre that was entirely new to me.

Goyhood is a soulful, heartfelt, incredible novel that dives deep into the relationship between 2 brothers, David and Marty Belkin. They are both opposites, Marty studied the Talmud in New York, and David went down a completely different path, full of drugs, women, and schemes. Marty aka Mayer is a Talmud scholar who dives into his roots after finding out that he and his brother aren’t Jewish, a product of the devastating passing of his mother.

This meant that Marty and his wife Sarah were not married officially under Jewish law. To establish a marriage, Marty had to convert to Judaism, but the earliest date he could get was a week from then. Following this life-changing revelation, in the interim, the twin brothers embark on different journeys leaning into their faiths and beliefs. The road trip is full of new experiences, a one-eyed dog, a social media influencer, all with their mother’s ashes.

This compelling read is nothing like I have dove into in the past. It is a witty account of faith, identity, and familial relationships. I was engrossed from the beginning till the end. I especially loved Marty’s character. It was interesting to learn more about Jewish culture through his story. The realistic descriptions made the road trip extremely vivid to my imagination, Reuven’s writing was truly cinematic. The character development throughout the book is truly amazing to read, it was fascinating to see the sibling and family dynamics in this quirky read. Obviously, as a pet owner myself, I adored Popeye, the one-eyed dog, he was adorable, he had been rescued by David from his time in prison.

The road trip itself was transforming, it helped the brothers open their minds to the world, and really introspect the current events surrounding their challenging life. After they found out that the past 3 decades had been a lie, their whole world turned upside down, especially for Marty. Which is why this road trip meant a lot to them. It was interesting to delve deeper into Marty and David’s bond, as throughout the trip, David pushed himself to develop a closer relationship, but Marty was unwilling to reciprocate the energy given. It was pleasant to see their relationship flourish. Moreover, I enjoyed the humor which was sprinkled throughout the book, making it a vicarious read.

“You know how sometimes you don’t appreciate the constants in your life until they’re not there?” ~ Reuven Fenton, Goyhood

Honestly, the only thing I struggled with were the Biblical references and a couple of Jewish terms for example, Goy means non-jew, so I found myself searching up some words here and there.

In conclusion, this off-beat quirky, poignant, hilarious, and endearing book was an excellent read if you are in a reading slump! It is full of heart, and the writing style is immaculate and very engaging. It explored identity, self-discovery, family relationships, sibling dynamics, and how it is when it comes to finding belonging in religious values. Overall, I recommend this book 100% for anyone looking for a fun, quick read to enjoy!

Goyhood is being released on May 28, 2024 – go preorder it on Amazon!