im really enjoying beyond the pale so far… though im glad i just happened to read here where we live is our country first cus it’s given me so much more context about what was actually happening in the pale of settlement at this time. chava’s two brothers argue ideologies with one ultimately abandoning the family for palestine and the other getting kicked out of the house for being a secular bundist and arguing with their rabbi father. it’s obvious chava is going to take after her bundist brother but i do wish it was a Little more critical of zionism; but i also understand we’re reading from chava’s POV and she’s only 11 and doesn’t fully comprehend what her brothers are arguing about or even know anything about palestine beyond the zionist propaganda she’s heard. but i really appreciate the author only ever referring to it as palestine, and overall it’s clear she’s committed to an accurate depiction of what the average jewish family would have gone through in the pale while still advocating for palestine with chava aligning with the bundist ideals instead.
my favorite part so far was with gutke tho when she goes to her very first dyke party and meets a hot butch who immediately asks her if she reads marx
