The Forbidden Book
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Levine Querido
Published:21st Nov '24
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Set against a backdrop of literary censorship and growing Jewish political consciousness, Printz Honor and Stonewall award-winner Sacha Lamb's sophomore novel is a soaring exploration of identity, survival, and ultimately, hope.
On the night before her wedding, 17-year-old Sorel leaps from a window and runs away from her life. To keep from being discovered, she takes on the male identity of Isser Jacobs — but it soon becomes clear that there is a real Isser Jacobs, and people want him dead. Her mistaken identity takes Sorel into the dark underworld of her small city in the Pale of Settlement, where smugglers, forgers, and wicked angels fight for control of the Jewish community. In order to make it out, Sorel must discover who Isser Jacobs really is — and who she wants to be.
P R A I S E
Best of the Year: Boston Globe • The Horn Book
"Thrums with fervent tension… steeped in Jewish folklore, queer awakening, and a reckoning of body and spirit…offers a fresh way into the messy tangle of gender, its freedoms, and its restrictions.”
—Reactor
"Rooted in Jewish history and brimming with magic, The Forbidden Book is at once a heart-pounding mystery and a poignant tale of identity and found family. Whatever the opposite of forbidden is (mandatory?) that's what The Forbidden Book should be."
-—Isaac Blum, Morris Award Winning author of The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen
★ “Unique and absorbing…page-turning and attention-grabbing…There are many gripping twists and turns, along with dubious motivations, questions of faith and orthodoxy, friendship, identity (gender and otherwise)—and a stolen book that was ‘written by an angel, with its own hand.’”
—Horn Book (starred)
★ “A precise and deliberate storyteller… Lamb creates a historical fantasy world that is both deeply lived-in and immersive. This is a story that will undoubtedly possess more advanced readers from beginning to end.”
—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred)
"The Forbidden Book is the perfect follow up to the masterpiece that was When the Angels Left the Old Country... Steeped in Jewish folklore and magic, I could not put this book down. The characters are all amazing—Sorel is...
"Rooted in Jewish history and brimming with magic, The Forbidden Book is at once a heart-pounding mystery and a poignant tale of identity and found family. Whatever the opposite of forbidden is (mandatory?) that's what The Forbidden Book should be." - Isaac Blum, Morris Award Winning author of The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen
“Captivating… wonder-filled. Sorel is swept into a mystery involving stolen magic and a probable murder... Her growing affection for Adela is an electric undercurrent to her story of defiance, bravery, and unexpected friendships.” – Foreword
“Fascinating.” – Kirkus
[STAR] “Unique and absorbing…page-turning and attention-grabbing… There are many gripping twists and turns, along with dubious motivations, questions of faith and orthodoxy, friendship, identity (gender and otherwise)—and a stolen book that was ‘written by an angel, with its own hand.’” – Horn Book (starred)
[STAR] “A precise and deliberate storyteller… Lamb creates a historical fantasy world that is both deeply lived-in and immersive. This is a story that will undoubtedly possess more advanced readers from beginning to end.” – Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred)
"Lamb packs their swift sophomore effort with adventure, folklore, and Jewish mysticism: Sorel and her companions must not only confront people who wish them ill but also face existential questions regarding angels and the future." – Publishers Weekly
"With a delightful folkloric cadence that gives a classic Disney tone combined with a high-stakes tale of intrigue, everything about Sorel’s story has wide appeal. Heavily underrepresented Jewish mythology and the prolific use of untranslated Yiddish take the classic girl-impersonating-boy trope to interesting places, with the added twist of acknowledged queerness. Overall, an easily accessible bridge to YA that remains a fantastic adventure for readers of all ages." – Booklist
"Full of magic, mystery, passion, and friendship, it’s a story that readers of all ages will appreciate… There is nothing missing from this master stroke of literature." – Jewish Book Council
"The Forbidden Book is the perfect follow up to the masterpiece that was When the Angels Left the Old Country... Steeped in Jewish folklore and magic, I could not put this book down. The characters are all amazing—Sorel is brash in the best way, and I love them, and the ending had the perfect pay off." – Katherine Nazzaro, Porter Square Books, Boston MA
"A gripping plot, intriguing protagonist, and unforgettable secondary characters make pages fly." – The Boston Globe
"Thrums with fervent tension…steeped in Jewish folklore, queer awakening, and a reckoning of body and spirit…offers a fresh way into the messy tangle of gender, its freedoms, and its restrictions.” – Reactor
- Commended for Sydney Taylor Book Award (Young Adult) 2025
ISBN: 9781646144563
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
256 pages