BOOK REVIEW: Goyhood by Reuven Fenton

Today’s book review is for Goyhood by Reuven Fenton, a contemporary fiction novel about estranged twin brothers reconnecting after the death of their mother. 

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Book Synopsis

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 revelation: 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 tagalongs: 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up in a series of increasingly surreal adventures, Mayer grapples with a God who betrayed him and an emotionally withdrawn wife in Brooklyn who has yet to learn her husband is a counterfeit Jew. From Amazon.

“Goyhood, he thought – the state of rebounding from one travesty to the next.” 

The Basics

Category: Fiction

Tags: Fiction, Family, Jewish, Road Trip

Author: Reuven Fenton

Publisher: Simon and Shuster, May 2024

Where to Find: Amazon

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

**Spoilers Ahead**

After the sudden death of their mother, twin brothers Mayer and David discover that they aren’t actually Jewish. Seizing the opportunity to reconnect with his estranged brother, David suggests a road trip across the American South. Bringing their mom’s ashes with them on the journey,  they encounter many different challenges, conflicts, and adventures. 

Thanks to author Reuven Fenton, I received an ARC of Goyhood and discovered a wonderful story about two middle aged Jewish men finding their identity. He described the book as “a quick read with lots of humor and thought” and believed I would enjoy it and he was absolutely right! This book was such a fun read and had me laughing out loud multiple times.

“For years I wanted to come clean. But whenever I came close, I thought of all the good things Judaism brought to our lives.” 

So Let’s Get Into it…

At the age of thirteen, twins Mayer and David are told by their mother that they are Jewish – and their reactions couldn’t be more different.  Mayer completely embraced his newfound identity and the Jewish faith. He left Georgia and his family behind to devote his life to studying the Torah. David decided to not practice Judaism, and remained behind with their mother.

“A casual observer would have to look twice to believe the men shared DNA, let alone were twins.”

Fast forward to their adult lives and their differences have grown more prominent. While Mayer is a devout Orthodox Jew, David is a devout investor – specifically in an E-cigarette company, whose dividends made him a millionaire. When Mayer gets a call that his mother committed suicide, he leaves New York City to return to his childhood home in Georgia for the funeral. Reunited at their childhood home, Rabbi Kugel lets Mayer and David know that their mother left them a note.  She reveals that while the twins were raised as part of the Jewish community, she herself wasn’t technically Jewish – meaning they weren’t either! Mayer, having spent the majority of his life studying and practicing Judaism, has a complete breakdown.

“God put him on one path, only to divert him to another. What had been the point of the first path?” 

After briefly fainting, Mayer decides that he has to convert to Judaism as soon as possible before continuing his life in New York City.  Unfortunately, the soonest he can be converted to Judaism is one week – and that is with Rabbi Kugel asking for a favor. To Mayer, his marriage and his life are a sham in the eyes of his religion. He doesn’t understand why God would do this to him. Seeing Mayer in the midst of an identity crisis, David suggests that they take a road trip through the American South and find a place to spread their mother’s ashes. Mayer agrees, hoping to make the most of the week he has to wait until his conversion!! 

“I can’t speak for God. I just think it’s no coincidence that two hours after you get the worst news of your life, you find yourself with a whole week to do pretty much whatever you want.”

Joined by adventurous social media influencer Charlayne and one-eyed dog Popeye along the way, the trip is anything but typical! Their journey includes a brief run-in with the law, , an “explosive” confrontation with a fireworks store employee, exposing a rotten celebrity with vigilante justice, and many more stories that are both hilarious and heartwarming. I found this book to be extremely funny, and it is guaranteed to make you smile.

The story concludes with an epilogue that ties everything together, and I was so happy to see how far the brothers had come in – in their relationship with each other, their faith, and themselves!

“I’ll confess to one thing. I did see an opportunity when Mom died – to reconnect with my twin brother, whom I never stopped loving. That’s all I wanted, I swear. I never wanted to lead you astray. I just wanted to have fun with you and show you the world a little bit.” 

So… Bookmark or Bin it?

Conclusion: Bookmark it

I adored the dynamic between the two brothers Mayer and David, and grew to love both characters for different reasons (which I’ll let you the reader discover!). My favorite character was Charlayne, and Popeye (the dog) was the perfect sidekick 🐶 With witty dialogue and interactions, I kept thinking this book would be perfect for a TV adaptation! I learned a lot about Judaism, and Fenton did a great job describing Jewish teachings and using Hebrew dialogue in a manner that was accessible to those who don’t practice (aka Goys!)

Fun Extra Tidbit

“Goy” is a term used by Jewish people for a gentile or a non-Jewish person. Goyhood is the debut novel of Reuven Fenton, who works as a reporter for the New York Post.

Thanks so much for reading my book review for Goyhood by Reuven Fenton! Now it’s your turn! Have you read this novel or any other works by Fenton and if so, what are your thoughts? Please feel free to share in the comments below!

Happy reading 😊