Exodus

A Memoir

By: Deborah Feldman

Narrated by: Deborah Feldman

Deborah Feldman, author of the explosive New York Times–bestselling memoir Unorthodox, returns with an extraordinary follow-up that traces her new life as an independent young woman and single mother, and her search for an authentic and personal Jewish identity.

Critic reviews

Praise for Exodus

“One woman's search to understand herself and her Jewish heritage. . . . Rich in details of Jewish life and the lives of her grandparents in the World War II era, [Feldman] sensitively portrays the inner struggles of accepting the pervasive feeling of survivor guilt and her own desires to understand the woman she was becoming. . . . An enthralling account of how one Orthodox Jewish woman turned her back on her religion and found genuineness and validity in her new life.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Feldman’s journey is undeniably and explicitly Jewish, but the aching need to find both a welcoming community and a sense of individuality is one that readers from all walks of life will be able to identify with. Those left unsatisfied with the abrupt ending to Unorthodox will enjoy the more hopeful conclusion to Feldman’s second book as well as her more mature and increasingly eloquent writing style.”—Booklist

“Overall, Exodus is a satisfying sequel to Unorthodox, which shows how Deborah Feldman went on to the next step after getting her own freedom from the bonds of a strictly insular society. . . . [A] chronicle of a continuing journey of self-discovery . . . There are many satisfying finds and revelations along the road, but there are also plenty of bumps, frustrations, disappointments, and pitfalls, which is expected when one spends their formative years being closed off from the rest of the outside world, and is confined to the boundaries of a Brooklyn neighborhood. . . . This book is more about the liberation of Deborah Feldman, and how she copes with this newfound sense of freedom and self-discovery, that can be a shock to some, or a declaration of independence for others.”—Stuart Nulman, Montreal Times

“In her first memoir, Unorthodox, Feldman made the courageous choice to cut off ties with her family and the Satmar community of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. . . . Now a divorced woman in her twenties, Feldman chronicles the next phase of her life in her new book [Exodus]. . . . A quest of self-discovery . . . Some of the most powerful scenes come when Feldman retraces the path of her female ancestors in Hungary and confronts the anti-Semitism of contemporary Europe. . . . Feldman ultimately discovers that her rightful place is wherever she happens to be.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Unorthodox“ is much better

I picked this up based on Audible’s recommendation after I immensely enjoyed “Unorthodox”. Despite being by the same author and being read by her (like the prior audiobook was), this one seems detached and distant, as if it is telling about someone else, and certainly not drawing the reader into the story. It feels more like a report ‘about the events’ than the captivating and personal experience relayed in the prior book. Too bad, since is an important piece.

Much better than Unorthodox

A more mature Deborah writes this book and, while still emphasizing unfairness, gives us interesting examples of different cultures. Overall, her journey is more positive. Her mispronunciation of some words is distracting and surprising for someone who prides herself on her English.

Liked

I enjoyed this book. it was honest and insightful. thanks for sharing deborah. I can see how some could give a more negative review because of judgement on how the author lived or thought.

Obnoxious

I loved Unorthodox, but this book Was obnoxious. The relationships she’s entered and her obsession with making every single tiny detail in her life about about being Jewish even though she made such a big deal of leaving her religion was just like, shuuuut up already. I couldn’t even finish it

Exodus from Unorthodoc

Really enjoyed finding out what happened after Deborah left Berlin and how her life outside came together from within.