The End of the Jews ~ Adam Mansbach

In The End of the Jews, Adam Mansbach draws some interesting characters that kept me looking forward to picking up the book and spending more time with them. Tristan Brodsky represents the hope of his Jewish family for success and economic security amidst the backdrop of the depression in the Bronx. Brodksy is drawn to self-expression rather than a ‘profession’, to black culture, especially jazz and to the writing life. He becomes a controversial figure, rejecting some facets of Jewish culture while embracing others. He marries Amalia, a gifted poet, who over the years is forced to sublimate her ambitions and character in the service of her husband’s over weaning personality. Amalia has a complimentary character as well who has dedicated her entire adult life to the art of her “genius” jazz-man significant other.

Tristan’s grandson Tris in many ways represents an updated version of his grandfather. Tris is drawn to black culture as was his grandfather, in his era as represented by graffiti art, and hip-hop. Later, he turns to writing as a more orthodox and accepted mode of self expression.

The third character who is represented in most of the rest of the narrative structure, is Nina. Nina Hricek, the daughter of a Jewish woman has grown up in Soviet dominated Czechoslovakia and has discovered photography as her personal form of self-expression. When a touring American jazz group comes to Prague, Nina free lances to document their performances and connects with the group with whom she illegally flees the country.

Nina is the third character of Jewish heritage who is in one way or another drawn to black culture. A curious fact that Mansbach tries hard to make significant. Nina later takes up with Tris to bring the three main characters into the same orbit.

This novel was a pleasure to read, because the characters were well written, interesting and engaging. Their internal struggles and motivations compel the reader to care and want to find out how they end up. Mansbach though, means to have the actions of his characters tie together ‘themes’ to raise the “literary” level of his novel. Here is where he is much less successful. This hump he just didn’t get over. Consequently, for me Mansbach’s book was, while entertaining, only half-successful.

♦♦♦⁄ ♦♦♦♦♦