The follow-up to Unorthodox (the basis for the award-winning Netflix series), now updated with new material—the story of what happened in the years after Deborah Feldman left a religious sect in Williamsburg in order to forge her own path in the world.
[Feldman's] resolve and unwavering quest to fill the space left when she fled her repressive Hasidic community are impressive ... She demonstrates her commitment as well as her anxiety, and those new to Feldman's story will catch up easily ... inspiring.
... is in many ways intriguing and intellectually satisfying, but for fans of the Netflix series and for readers who prefer an exciting, plot-driven story presented in simple, straightforward prose, it may disappoint. Her biggest fans, on the other hand, the ones who read everything she writes, may be surprised to realize they have seen quite a bit of this story before ... She has also embraced a much more intellectual and philosophical approach to thinking about her life, reflected in a dramatically different prose style ... While Exodus, Revisited is nowhere near as crowd-friendly a cultural product as the Netflix series, it raises hard questions that are important to many people.
Feldman’s story might be already well-known to readers; her previous memoir was the basis of the Netflix series Unorthodox. Her newest book is equally riveting ... Feldman has a gift for making prose poems of small events ... Not only is the book beautifully written, but it deals with some of the most profound human emotions: longing to know one’s origins; anger at injustice; and romantic and parental love. Feldman’s analytic mind is particularly keen here, as when she details the complex emotions she experienced while watching the trial of a Nazi in a German court ... A barebones description of the storyline doesn’t even begin to do justice to this magnificent piece of literature, which will stand the test of time. Like Feldman’s previous book, this is another captivating memoir that will find a wide audience.
