OK, so the book is about this Hasidic kid who fights his way out of aesthetic blindess.
He is poor. He is suppressed. Nobody understands him. He is also a lousy Jew.

Why, you may ask, is he a lousy Jew?

Well, to begin with, if the only way he could express grief was to drag in a crucifix, while there are hundreds, no, millions of Jewish subjects he could have called on, then yes, I would say he is a bad Jew. He hasn't understood the point either of art or of Judaism. Does he seriously think the only thing to learn about in art is nudes? This whole book could not have been written if he'd been a violinist.

I must say that the whole business of his uncle dying and the mother having a serious breakdown, not eating, not talking, just sitting there looking like death day after day after day after day... OK, so she didn't get the whole shiva thing, did she? You're not supposed to go overboard like that, and she probably didn't.

Actually, I found his parents tried to be a little understanding. His father even finally managed to deal with the nudes. How on earth did anyone expect him to deal with a crucifix, with himself and his wife in the picture with it? It's a miracle they didn't kill him.

You mean to tell me that there's a single Jew in all of NYC that talks only in monosyllables and doesn't answer questions, the way Asher does? Example:

In the book:
Prof: You will take French.
Asher: Why?
Prof: Because the rabbi wants you to learn French.
Asher: *silent*
Prof: *staring down at Asher sternly*: Asher Lev, you will learn French.
Asher: Yes.
Prof: You will take four years of French.
Asher: Yes.
Prof: You will get good marks in French.
Asher: Yes.
Prof: OK, goodday.

OK, here's what DID happen:
Prof: You will take French.
Asher: Why?
Prof: Because the rabbi wants you to learn French.
Asher: But I don't want to learn French.
Prof: The rabbi wants you to. So you'd better.
Asher: Give me one good reason why I should take French. I've got so much else to do. Seriously, do I have to?...
Prof: ......
Asher: .......
Prof: ......

Admittedly, if you're not Jewish, you're probably not going to get the fakeness of the whole thing. Asher Lev is not a Jew, is not a person, has zero backbone. It's hard to believe he's such an awesome artist because he doesn't have one single creative idea in his head. The book is badly written (by the way, it's weird how they keep calling him his whole name all the time) and it's very pretentious.

For anti-Semites, this book is a field day. So yeah, if you want to hate Jews, please, by all means, read the book, but don't think you'll know very much more about them than you did when you started reading.

Let me start by saying Chaim Potok is my favorite author - so my review may be slightly bias....but judging the favorable reviews his books receive my opinion may be the norm. The emotions and passion conveyed in his writing is nothing short of masterful - Chaim Potok is truly an author that has mastered his craft. And while I can spend this whole review speaking only of the man, let's break away for awhile and discuss his work, shall we?

My Name is Asher Lev, simply put, is about a young boy who has been given the gift of artistic expression and quickly learns of the sacrifices he must make for his voice to be heard. But instead of being simple, let's delve into what makes this book so special. Imagine if you will, the life of an Hasidic Jew living in New York shortly after World War II and trying to reestablish the Jewish culture's heritage. Aryeh Lev is young Asher's father and a Rabbi that hails from a long line of devote Chasidic Rabbis. It is Aryeh's mission to restore what was almost completely destroyed during the war and wishes his son, Asher, continues this daunting task. Yet, from the beginning, it is apparent that Aryeh has little, if any, compassion for his son or involvement in his direction.

Asher's mother, Rivkah, on the other hand, begins her child's upbringing by reaffirming Aryeh's convictions. It isn't until her brother's death that she sheds the traditional model of a Jewish wife and grows independent. Her first step toward pursuing her interests is by attending school and achieving a PhD in political science. It is Asher's mother that pushes and guides him to let the world hear his artistic voice. But the biggest role in this budding artist's future was made by Yudel Krinsky, who introduces young Asher to the prominet Jewish artist, Jacob Kahn. Under his guidance, Asher finds the road that leads to his voice being heard, while understanding how to balance truth, faith, and self-gratification through the stroke of a paint brush.

I have never been one to read a book more than once, but after reading it for a course in college, I decided to read it again for pleasure. Absolutely phenomenal book. My heart breaks for Asher Lev and how he must live as an outsider in his world because of his artistic abilities from the Other Side.

Following are two reviews written collectively by the students of my High School Junior Literature class, Spring 2008. The class gave the novel 3 stars, and this is how they expressed their thoughts:

1. "My name is Asher Lev" allows readers to imagine what life is like being a Hasidic Jew that has a fascination with art. Asher Lev turns out to be a very complex character. He goes against Hasidic tradition, his community, and his own father and does what he decides is best. Other conflicts are very interesting to get into; it's not only the usual conflict with one another, but also with religion, one self, a whole community, and even a mentor. As the novel progresses, you see art the way Asher sees it; something beautiful and amazing. In the end, who will he choose? Will he choose his community, family, and religion? Or will he decide to stick with what he knows best, being a painter?

2. Asher Lev is a book that teaches the beauty of life, love, art, and religion. It's about a boy named Asher Lev who has an incredible artistic gift but cannot express it because of his religion. What lies ahead of him are many challenges that will test himself as a religious person and an artist. The main character Asher Lev is very complex and will continue to develop throughout the story. Even though the book is about a Hasidic Jew trying to be an artist, it's also about finding oneself and others finding themselves through you. In this novel you will learn about how the Hasidic Jews live and what their way of life is like. Although Asher is trying to discover himself, he also has to watch out what he does because something drastic could happen to him or the community. You will find many intriguing experiences in this novel, whether they be good or bad. Watch as the story unfolds and this brave character develops into the person that he is. Once you're done reading this book, it will leave you wanting to know more.

Chaim Potok knows how to portray complex relationships. Asher's artistic gift is seemingly at odd with his Hasidic Jewish faith and definately at odds with his father who does not understand this gift. The sacrifices Asher makes for his gift and the artistic processes are so accurately portrayed that you have an insight into a tortured soul. This is a beautiful novel.