Intentions
Fifteen-year-old Rachel overhears her rabbi—a man for whom she has respect and appreciation—having sex in the synagogue with a woman he’s counseling. Rachel is devastated, and her sudden cynicism is compounded by the fact that her parents’ marriage seems to be foundering. Struggling with feelings of anger and isolation—her best friend has grown more and more distant—she finds herself thinking about the Jewish principle of “intent” and its relationship to behavior. The irony is that Rachel makes several stunningly bad decisions of her own and then tries to avoid the consequences, even as she continues to judge others. She’s even torn between two boys who seem to represent the good (Jake) and the bad (Adam), although she discovers they, like everything else, can’t be so easily labeled. Rachel is vividly believable, from her language, which often spirals into profanity, to her questionable decision-making, to her inconsistent ability to see beyond herself. But she is also generally well-intentioned, and her poor decision-making exists side by side with thoughtful and courageous acts. Deborah Heiligman’s novel has plenty of drama but it’s also funny—surprisingly so at times—and this, too, as Rachel discovers, is part of what life can deliver. ©2012 Cooperative Children's Book Center
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 14 and older
Age Range:
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
Anger
Behavior
Decisions and Consequences
Faith, Spirituality and Religion
Families
Feelings/Emotions
Humor
Jewish People
Diversity subject:
Jewish
Publisher:
Alfred A. Knopf
Publish Year: 2012
Pages: 263
ISBN: 9780375868610
CCBC Location: Fiction, Heiligman