The city beautiful

Title:

The city beautiful

Author:

Summary:

"Death lurks around every corner in this unforgettable Jewish historical fantasy about a city, a boy, and the shadows of the past that bind them both together. Chicago, 1893. For Alter Rosen, this is the land of opportunity, and he dreams of the day he'll have enough money to bring his mother and sisters to America, freeing them from the oppression they face in his native Romania. But when Alter's best friend, Yakov, becomes the latest victim in a long line of murdered Jewish boys, his dream begins to slip away. While the rest of the city is busy celebrating the World's Fair, Alter is now living a nightmare: possessed by Yakov's dybbuk, he is plunged into a world of corruption and deceit, and thrown back into the arms of a dangerous boy from his past. A boy who means more to Alter than anyone knows. Now, with only days to spare until the dybbuk takes over Alter's body completely, the two boys must race to track down the killer--before the killer claims them next"-- Amazon.com.

Physical Description:

462 pages ; 22 cm

Genre:

Fantasy fiction.

Thrillers (Fiction)

Subject Term:

Boys -- Fiction.

Gay teenagers -- Fiction.

Jews -- Crimes against -- Fiction.

Dybbuk -- Fiction.

Spirit possession -- Fiction.

Serial murderers -- Fiction.

Friendship -- Fiction.

Jews -- Fiction.

Immigrants -- Fiction.

Geographic Term:

Chicago (Ill.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction.

Publisher:

Inkyard Press,

Publication Date:

2021

ISBN:

9781335402509

Publication Information:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada : Inkyard Press, [2021]

Award Note:

Sydney Taylor Book Award, Young Adult, 2022

Call Number:

YA POLYDOROS

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003585984	Young Adult	POLYDOROS	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Winner of the 2022 Sydney Taylor Book Award for Young Adult

2022 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel finalist

2021 National Jewish Book Award finalist

A Lambda Literary Award finalist

2021 Bram Stoker Award Preliminary Ballot for Young Adult Novels

A New York Public Library Best Book for Teens 2021

"An achingly rendered exploration of queer desire, grief, and the inexorable scars of the past." --Katy Rose Pool, author of There Will Come A Darkness

Death lurks around every corner in this unforgettable Jewish historical fantasy about a city, a boy, and the shadows of the past that bind them both together.

Chicago, 1893. For Alter Rosen, this is the land of opportunity, and he dreams of the day he'll have enough money to bring his mother and sisters to America, freeing them from the oppression they face in his native Romania.

But when Alter's best friend, Yakov, becomes the latest victim in a long line of murdered Jewish boys, his dream begins to slip away. While the rest of the city is busy celebrating the World's Fair, Alter is now living a nightmare: possessed by Yakov's dybbuk, he is plunged into a world of corruption and deceit, and thrown back into the arms of a dangerous boy from his past. A boy who means more to Alter than anyone knows.

Now, with only days to spare until the dybbuk takes over Alter's body completely, the two boys must race to track down the killer--before the killer claims them next.

"Chillingly sinister, warmly familiar, and breathtakingly transportive, The City Beautiful is the haunting, queer Jewish historical thriller of my darkest dreams."--Dahlia Adler, creator of LGBTQreads and editor of That Way Madness Lies

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 9 Up--It's 1893 in Chicago during the World's Fair and Jewish Romanian immigrant Alter Rosen, born sick and named to confuse the Angel of Death, finds himself in the middle of a murder mystery. Jewish boys all around the city have gone missing and been found murdered. Yakov, his close friend and roommate, is the most recent to be found dead. Strange things begin happening to Alter and he discovers that he's possessed by Yakov's dybbuk--a spirit that occupies a person's soul until they accomplish a goal. In this case, the goal is tracking down Yakov's killer, and Alter must do so before the dybbuk takes over entirely. Frankie, an alluring and dangerous boy from Alter's first arrival in Chicago reappears in his life. The two begin to hunt for the killer before they're targeted next and the dybbuk fully takes over. Polydoros doesn't hold back with this heavy, dark, and gritty story that explores the immigrant experience in a unique way. While firmly a historical fiction title, this genre-bending novel is also equal parts thriller and fantasy. Featuring a queer protagonist, it is deeply layered with Jewish myth, immigration, racism, and anti-Semitism. While scenes of violence, drowning, and slaughterhouses are incredibly vivid, some readers may find the descriptions too intense. Yiddish is woven throughout the dialogue and while context helps, a glossary would be beneficial. VERDICT A wild ride of a queer gothic fantasy that's a must-have for YA fantasy collections.--Alicia Kalan, The Northwest Sch., Seattle

Publisher's Weekly Review

Polydoros (the Assassin Fall series) seamlessly blends a murder mystery with Jewish folklore in this haunting historical fantasy. Alter Rosen, a 17-year-old Jewish immigrant to America, works as an apprentice typesetter, trying to scrape together enough money to bring his mother and sisters over from Romania. But Jewish teenage boys keep turning up dead while Chicago enjoys its grand World's Fair, and when Yakov, Alter's roommate and secret crush, becomes one of the victims, usually unassuming Alter must find a way to bring Yakov's spirit peace--or risk his dybbuk taking over. Alter's search for the killer reunites him with bold and charming Frankie, a fellow Jewish immigrant who's willing to steal and gamble for success and stability. Polydoros offers an unflinching depiction of anti-Semitism abroad and in Chicago while capturing Jewish intra-communal tensions with nuance. Readers looking for finely wrought historical fiction with fully realized characters and a thrilling pursuit of justice are sure to be satisfied by Alter's story. Ages 13--up. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary. (Sept.)