The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman

There is one universal piece of writing advice that just about everyone agrees on: do not read your reviews. It is a one way ticket to despair – one star reviews for shipping damage, not getting reviews at all, and direct assaults against the writer – are all sadly common. But the real crux of the matter is that these are reader spaces and the writer just doesn’t belong in them unless invited. As a reader, I enjoy poking around reviews and am much more easily able to discard the egregious ones. When browsing some early reviews (trade and public) for Mari Lowe’s sophomore effort The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman, I found they highlighted exactly why such a book is needed.

Lowe has once again set her book in an ultra orthodox Jewish community, just as she did for her debut Aviva and the Dybbuk. The reviews – which are largely complimentary- display how very little most readers know about this population. There was confusion about why kids loved rollerblading so much, comments both pro and anti the time spent on religious exposition, and an overall fascination by the schooling system. As someone familiar with ultra orthodox Judaism, none of those things surprised me at all or even seemed worthy of comment. What did surprise me was seeing that reviewers thought all the characters were white, whereas several of them read as potentially sephardic or mizrahi Jews of color to me. Perhaps I just have a more broad view of orthodox communities.

Ultra orthodox communities restrict the use of cell phones and email. There is extremely limited access to TV or video games in Shaindy’s milieu. She, and children like her, need something to do. This is why rollerblading is very much alive and well in these communities. Similarly, an exploration of Jewish repentance is necessary exposition because it is so wildly different from the Christian version. Thanks to Christian hegemony we are all familiar with phrases like “Jesus died for our sins,” or the way a third act grovel works in a typical romance novel. However, Jewish repentance requires not just regret and forgiveness from God, it also demands the acquisition of forgiveness from the harmed individuals and concrete steps towards reparative action or a refusal to commit the sin again in a similar situation.

It is crucial the reader approach the book with that knowledge because repentance becomes truly necessary for Shaindy. She has long been the subject of benign neglect by her classmates and is thrilled to be given attention by her popular neighbor Gayil, even if it means assisting in a series of increasingly distressing pranks. Not only is Shaindy uncomfortable with the effects these pranks are having on the other girls, she begins to fear the fall out for herself. There’s a nice twist I won’t ruin, but let’s just say that as the holiday of repentance – Yom Kippur- approaches, Shaindy is in a position to both forgive and be forgiven. 

Orthodox readers will enjoy rolling their eyes right along with Gayil when the school principle gives a speech comparing Jewish student to Princesses and insisting they behave with a commensurate level of decorum. Seriously – that line has been going around since time immemorial and has very much lost its effectiveness in this age of democracy. Yet principles still insist on using it. It also has some visible effects on Gayil who suffers under the constant demands for perfection in a community where ones reputation is everything. I loved the descriptions of a community where “kids rule the streets” and a shul can be found on every other block. General public readers will sink right into Shaindy’s internal journey. Who doesn’t want to be recognized by their classmates? Who wouldn’t want attention from the most popular girl in school? Shaindy’s accessible emotional landsacpe will provide an easy inlet for anyone into this new world.

It is in the character of Gayil where I felt things coming apart a little. Since we cannot spend any time in her head – I realize this is necessary due to the nature of the plot twists – Gayil comes across as quite possibly sociopathic. I don’t believe all character in a book, even a MG book, need to have a tidy arc of repentance and improvement. Nor will they necessarily suffer consequences for their actions. The world doesn’t work that way. However, the reader is asked to have some sympathy for Gayil and it is really hard to do so. Her actions were not mistakes. They took meticulous planning and Gayil shows almost no remorse for the harm she has caused. Her only move towards reconciliation comes when she is threatened, and her actions are way out of proportion to the offenses she perceives herself as having received. I was proud of Shaindy for how she ended the book but I was thoroughly confused by Gayil. Perhaps she needs her own sequel.

At this point, I would be remiss if I did not point out that once again, Lowe has slayed me with her dedication. Before I even opened the book I felt like I was both seen and given an insight into the authors’ humor and grace. She addresses sixth graders everywhere with the old Hebrew adage “Gam Zeh Yaavor,” which loosely translates to “this too shall pass.” I laughed until I cried. Only a teacher and Jewish school graduate could truly understand how much kids in that awkwardly difficult year need those words of wisdom, how huge every difficulty seems at that time, and how trivial they now seem in the lens of hindsight. I will echo her sentiments. To all my readers currently struggling- this too shall pass, and as the book shows, there is the potential for all your mistakes to be forgiven. 

Ultra orthodox communities have their own printing presses and publishing imprints. I have enjoyed stories like this one printed there. However, in bravely taking her words to a mainstream publisher Lowe once again shows that our stories are valuable to the world. That Jewish themes like forgiveness and reparative action are universal. It’s good that reviewers are both confused and delighted by this, because we are a confusing and delightful people. I look forward to Lowe’s next work where I can once again feel seen.

BookishlyJewish received a physical arc of this book from the publisher after we wrote in to request one from the publisher.

Find It: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon

---