I found this book very emotional, it’s beautifully written. I enjoy Fantasy and historical fiction and this is the perfect mash up of these genres. A blend a Jewish folklore and Angels, mixes with the holocaust, the description grabbed me and I was intrigued to read this book. It didn’t disappoint. Well worth a read.

This was a good read for me. It was a bit difficult get into and after having four false starts I was able to get into it and I really liked it.

Ten-year-old Uriel has always been an outcast. Born mute in a Jewish village known for its choir, he escapes into old stories of his people, stories of angels and monsters. But when the fires of the Holocaust consume his village, he learns that the stories he writes in his golden notebook are terrifyingly real.

Great read that incorporates historical fiction, Jewish folklore.

The aspects of Jewish folklore and religion and woven together delicately with the fantasy elements of the story.

I think this is a book I will read again as I really enjoyed the story and the characters within it.

The Book of Uriel begins in World War II Poland, when a Jewish village is destroyed, and its people slaughtered. A little mute boy, Uriel, somehow survives. Unable to speak, Uriel has always written in his notebook stories of angels and demons. Uwe, a linguist for the Nazis, rescues Uriel and keeps the child hidden in his room. When Uriel realizes he can see angels and they ask him to help free the Archangel Michael in a series of impossible quests.

I also loved the mix of the supernatural with historical events. While Uwe is facing Nazis and trying to help survivors and plan a coup, Uriel is finding supernatural objects to help free Michael and uncovering centuries old magic. Overall, a dark book that shows WWII in all its harsh truth, but tucks beacons of hope within a little mute boy with a beautiful soul who can see angels.

This book was so unique and original, I do not know what I was expecting but this way surpassed any preconceptions I originally had. It was exceeding well written and weaves in beautiful elements of Jewish faith and folklore throughout the book. The main character is mute but not speechless, as he knows how to communicate in other ways. I really loved this book.

What is there to say about this book? The text grabbed me from the first paragraph and although this was shocking, the power of the images and writing made it impossible to stop reading. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I might not recommend it for my learners, I will certainly make reference to parts of the story. Well done. Many thanks to the author for such a beautifully written tale. Thanks also to the publishers for their courage in publishing this book and especially netgalley for an ARC of this amazing publication.

I loved this book! It's well written and gives a unique perspective to Poland during World War Two. I thought the interplay between all the main characters was realistic and entertaining. I will definitely read Hoffman again.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book where the horrors of the holocaust are mixed with a fantasy world in a superb way.
Uriel is a perfect character to which everyone will connect.

I have deeply mixed feelings about The Book of Uriel. The premise has a great deal of promise: Uriel, a young, mute boy, the only survivor of a pogrom in Nazi-occupied Poland, is charged by angels with the task of finding Michael, the guardian angel of the Jewish people, who has been kidnapped by the fallen angel Samael. Uwe, and unwillingly conscripted translator for Nazi forces manages to provide shelter for Uriel and develops his own means of resistance, unaware of Uriel's mission.

With a deft hand, this kind of magical realism could lead to a genuinely profound exploration of the struggle between good and evil—on a cosmic level and a mortal one. The problem is that Hoffman creates too many unlikely coincidences even for the world of magical realism. Samael sets Uriel a set of tasks that will free Michael. Capture a mythical, rock-eating beast that Solomon purportedly employed when building temples and palaces? OK, maybe. But then realizing that capturing this creature will require the recovery of the cloak of Elijah the Prophet? And finding that cloak in a pile of remnants from a genocidal Nazi attack on a local Jewish community? The number of sacred relics Uriel hunts down—and finds—in one small corner of Poland is just too unbelievable, even for magical realism.

The book offers an engaging read, but I was aware again and again of opportunities missed and credibility strained as I worked my way through it.

I received a free electronic ARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.

I would first off like to say this is the first time reading a book like this and it was a very interesting read for me. I loved the friendship between Uriel (a 10-year-old Jewish boy) and Uwe ( A german linguist who is assigned to work with a major that runs the control police). Uriel is such a smart kid and it amazes me throughout the story how brave he was. It amazes me how brave he is too after everything he has witnessed he still manages to keep his head held up high. I also loved how the Angels were a part of this story and how much historical fiction and Jewish Heritage ( which I don`t know a lot about but was very impressed with how it was described in the book). Overall, I enjoyed this book very much and would recommend reading this book to anyone who is interested in historical fiction and the supernatural.

Rated this book a sold 5 stars read it in one whole day and was hooked from the very beginning that is how good this book is. This is one of those books that you just go into without knowing very much but come out of it having had an experience.

Hoffman's "The Book of Uriel" combines history and Jewish mysticism in a fantasy tale about the Holocaust, the best and worst of the Angels, and the indomitable strength and resiliency of the human spirit. Told through the eyes of a ten-year-old child, mute from birth, and never fully accepted by his peers, Uriel's innocence shines through on every page. This is particularly true after he meets the Angels, assumes his power of invisibility, and duels with the Angel of Death. The concept in less able hands would have been sure to fail, but Hoffman brings a ring of absolute authenticity to every page. This is a beautifully-written story, well-balanced, and heartfelt. Never forget there aren't any monsters, just men and women and a world of choices.

I love a book that combines Jewish history and fantasy into one. Nicely crafted story with a nice protagonist.

The Book of Uriel is a well written, steadily paced novel aimed at middle schoolers. The protagonist reveals his personality bit by bit, and would make an amazing character to analyze in depth. The author also does a good job of showing how even though the Nazis did terrible things, they are still people who love their families. That said, does it humanize them too much? Part of me feels that this novel concept would work well for older grades, but the level of writing is aimed at younger children who may not be able to fully grasp the finer details of human nature.

All that said, this is a novel that deals with tough subject matter while making it approachable for younger kids. This would pair well with other notable Holocaust literature, and provide a bit of a different view on the events.

I know this book has been compared (positively) to The Book Thief which I have never read so I will just say it is a delight blending history and fantasy in a very intriguing and engaging manner, I love reading a book and learning new things and this book satisfies that requirement completely