I don’t really know how to talk about this book. I liked it a lot, but otherwise I don’t really have a lot of opinions on it like I usually would. It was a bit slow to start off and had a lot of exposition just to make sure the reader knows about the village and the backstories of the characters. Once I got into it though, the demons and lore were really interesting to me, if not a little confusing. For a very long time it was really unclear to me what the goals of each character were, but by the end I think I knew most of them. I thought the characters, whether humans, demons, or Death, were fascinating and their actions seemed to make sense at least.
I really don’t know what this book is similar to. I don’t usually read anything like it, but it’s a historical fantasy with a lot of travel throughout realms and demons with various goals.

I am drawn towards tales of folklore at times. And this one promises to engage that intent as Bluma and Yehuda Leib have their paths continually crossing as they journey to face off Death. Bluma's begins when she witnesses Death coming and going from claiming her grandmother. Yehuda Leib first meets Death as he/she is coming to their small town. He guides Death to the village. But, then he encounters him/her soon enough when facing off with a potential 'villain' which turns out to be his long lost father.

Thus embarks their journey. Both seeking to dispatch Death as they think it is the only way to secure what they desire.


For some reason I can't put my finger upon, this title did not fully engage my senses in a reckless abandon that a captivating story tends to do. Maybe a better understanding of Jewish folklore would have helped prior to reading. Because the desire to learn more has been ignited in me.

Still a good read overall. Just not off the charts.

What a pleasant surprise this book turned out to be! I anticipated enjoying it, particularly as I have a soft spot for mythology and folklore, Mythology was my first foray into fantasy as a child, and I have loved it ever since. However, I also acknowledge that my own lack of understanding or experience with Jewish folklore puts me at a disadvantage when approaching something like this. It is easier to leap into a mythological world when you are familiar with the god(s), monsters, and heroes and I was a touch nervous that I would get lost trying to keep track of the demons and rules at play here.

I am delighted to say that while "The Way Back" certainly gives the reader plenty of detail and briefing on the different demons involved, it also gives you everything you need to know. The book opens with Yehuda Leib, a boy without a father trying to make sense of his place in society, and Bluma, a baker's daughter living a normal life, finding their worlds upended. Bluma accidentally encounters Death as he/she collects her grandmother's soul and must deal with the fallout of having seen Death's face. Yehuda Leib finds himself chasing happiness by trying to save his father from Death, imagining a world where he is no longer considered an outcast for being born a bastard. The lengths to which they must go, and where to draw the line when pursuing an outcome you desire, become the major plot points and meaningful takeaways.

Mr. Savit's writing is beautiful and engaging, if a bit removed from the characters in classic fairy tale style. While we certainly dwell in the minds of our two main characters, there are not long diatribes about how and what they are feeling. The reader is asked to fill in some details which can be at points engaging and frustrating. Be that as it may, Mr. Savit's pictures are vivid and the Far Country, the land of demons, is both electrifying and terrifying.

I strongly recommend this for readers who enjoy books with large scope and particularly who enjoy mythology. This is not a mythological paradigm that seems to have a large backlist (unlike Greek and Roman mythology, for example), but it definitely should. I would eagerly return to this world and further explore the scheming of Mammon, the warring of Dumah, and the Sisterhood of Lilith. "The Way Back" is immersive and engaging, a truly enjoyable trip to a new world.

This was a wonderful read! Very atmospheric. It gave me The Bear and the Nightingale vibes but Young Adult. I rarely find myself loving YA novels but this one is definitely the best one I've read this year so far. I highly recommend it to those who like slow, atmospheric, character driven reads or those who like stories inspired by Eastern European folklore.

The Way Back is unlike any other book I've read. The prose has a fairy tale quality that I love and weaves Jewish folklore and traditional elements into the story. The characters journey to the Far Country and face Death, which has always been one of my all-time favorite tropes in fiction. Truly, the story is hard to describe because the description sounds mundane and this book is anything but. If you're on the fence, give it chance. It may surprise you as it did me.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book just wasn't for me. The writing style for some reason just seemed off to me and it was hard for me to connect with the characters as I was distracted by the writing style. I won't be posting a starred review because I didn't finish this book and I also feel like the story this book follows sounds absolutely breathtaking, it just wasn't the one for me.

The Way Back is inspired by Jewish folklore, and according to the acknowledgements in the back, my current favorite musical, Hadestown, Readers will find plenty of both in this story, which revolves around two young characters as they attempt to run from Death. They travel through the Far Country, which is an underworld-like setting that is plagued by scheming demons and twists and turns. There were times when this book reminded me of The Book Thief, but it didn't feel grounded in the same way, with a narrative that didn't seem to have a clear purpose. I had a hard time connecting with the two protagonists, Yehuda Leib and Bluma, although I think that their determination and growth throughout the story will feel connected to these two young people adrift.
While I am looking for something more contemporary, I think that readers that enjoy historical settings (ala Fiddler on the Roof, maybe?) and folklore will appreciate the lovely prose created by Savit in this story.

The comparisons to Gaiman, Pullman, and others in the book's blurb are more than earned - this novel is a fantastically spooky middle-grade adventure! The rare and charming framing device of Jewish folklore was engaging and enjoyable, and the care with which the author lovingly interrogates these tropes. Amidst a sea of incredibly average middle-grade fantasy, this book is an utter treat and not something to be missed by fans of middle-grade fantasy.

Set in the tiny fictional Jewish shtetl of Tupik, this fantastical tale pits a young boy, Yehuda Leib, and a girl named Bluma, against Death itself, encountering a bunch of other demons and spirits on their journey to the Far Country to reclaim what they have lost. The two children have plenty of grit and determination, however, and let nothing stand in their way. The story is quite reminiscent of those by Neil Gaiman, but with a Jewish setting and tales from Jewish folklore to make it distinctive.

Savit’s writing is excellent, and fans of his previous work won’t be disappointed with this book.

I really enjoyed this. It had that Neil Gaiman fairy tale feel to it. It has a lot of Russian Jewish tradition/folklore in it. It's hard to summarize just what it's about, except to say it's the story of two young people facing death together. Of course, that is an actual facing of Death, in person, in his own realm. Yehuda Leib and Bluma both travel to the Far Country (the other side, if you will), meet and deal with demons, return to the land of the living, then return to the Far Country to face Death. My description doesn't really do it justice, but it was quite well written and the story kept you going. I will definitely be purchasing this for my library.

This was an intriguing read! The world building, writing style and characters were magnets that kept me reading … and thus late to work. But the story was completely worth it. I look forward to more from this author. Perfect for fans of Slavic and Jewish lore.