Aviva vs. the Dybbuk by Mari Lowe

Abstract

Reviewed by: Aviva vs. the Dybbuk by Mari Lowe April Spisak Lowe, Mari Aviva vs. the Dybbuk. Levine Querido, 2022 [176p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781646141258 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781646141524 $17.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 6-8 Aviva has an antagonistic relationship with the mischievous dybbuk (a restless soul who seeks resolution of some sort) in the mikvah her mother takes care of, but at the same time the creature has almost been her only friend, or at least near constant companion, since her father died. For years, she and her mother have been in a holding pattern of grief, refusing charitable offers and friendly overtures from their close-knit Jewish community, but a required school project turns out to be the necessary catalyst to help both of them move forward with their lives. Antisemitic acts run through the novel, and one particularly cruel incident is so traumatic that Aviva's reliability as our narrator is called into question as the story progresses—it's a powerful and surprising heel turn, crafted in a way to raise questions but not turn the reader against Aviva. The experience of grief as a suffocating fog is described with grace and thoughtfulness, and the ways in which each person copes are given equal validity (Aviva has deep sympathy for her mom's inability to leave their home). Novels focusing on contemporary Orthodox Jewish communities are rare; other than a glossary, Lowe trusts the reader to piece together the cultural and religious elements that are the most important elements in Aviva's life. Copyright © 2021 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois