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Closer to Fine: A Novel
Closer to Fine is the story of Rachel Levine, a young, Jewish, bisexual woman finding her adult footing in a world full of uncertainties. Rachel has many teachers along the way—a stubborn grandfather, a progressive rabbi, a worldly girlfriend, a wise supervisor, and an insightful therapist—but in the end, it is her own anxiety that is the best teacher of all. As Rachel learns that accepting that which she cannot control is the mark of true growth, she becomes ever more connected to the people who matter most in her life.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2021
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104 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 22, 2022
This book hit a lot of my boxes in the “representation” game. It’s about a Jewish woman of the Conservative movement, and she’s queer from the East Coast, and it’s the nineties (I definitely recognized some music quotes, even though I’m a little over a decade younger than Rachel. There’s another rep note—we’re both Rachels! :P)
Rachel Levine, in this case, moves to Boston for a graduate program in psychology. She moves in with her grandfather, or Zayde, going by the Yiddish. Zayde is a socially conservative man attending an increasingly progressive Conservative Jewish shul. When Rachel enters the picture in 1995, his shul has hired its first female rabbi. What times! And she’s on a mission to make the synagogue more inclusive to interfaith family. The rep just keeps coming. More distantly, her brother has OCD, which is what prompts Rachel to study psychology in the first place; and her mother has been a source of drama since Rachel came out to her. She’s mostly terrified that Rachel will let the news slip to Zayde.
Which could be a legitimate point, because at Zayde’s shul, Rachel meets and begins secretly dating a fellow female congregant named Liz. Through her studies, she’s also counseling a young closeted college student named Charlie. She’s coming into her queer young adulthood!
But a major thrust of the novel is learning to deal with uncertainty. As Rachel hurtles towards the future, it’s still up in the air what might last. Especially since she’s bisexual, and dating a lesbian who, like many people in the gay community, unfortunately, treats the “bi” identity as a little bit of the stepchild. This is the major crux in the queer community of this novel: whether bi people can be included. It’s a reminder of the nineties setting, where at least in this enclave, there are no nods to gender queerness. This is something Rosenfeld discussed at the book chat where I found out about her novel: https://jewishdc.wordpress.com/2021/06/
Bisexuality, in this novel and arguably elsewhere, is seen as a special type of promiscuity—as if being attracted to both men and women means you are more likely to cheat. The gay community (as personified by a lesbian couple in this book) is also wary of bi people fitting into two identities—if you’re with the different gender you’re in the straight world, and if you’re with the same gender you’re in the gay one. Tellingly enough, this novel ends in 2019, at Rachel’s son’s bar mitzvah. We know she’s married, but the gender of her spouse is never given. This, to me, feels like Rosenfeld’s assertion that bi-paranoia is obsolete. It doesn’t matter, at the end of the day, which gender Rachel “chooses” for a spouse. Her sexual identity remains a reality of her life, despite any “gay” or “straight” societal conventionality. Extra props from me that Judaism is still a bit part of her identity as well (aided, surely, by the much increased normalization of women welcomed into religious roles within most denominations of Judaism.)
What I didn’t like so much about this novel was the present tense voice. There were too many sweeping scenes for the immediate tense to not feel a little bit off. Also, the framing device from 2019 made 1995-in-present-tense feel a little jarring. To be fair, I wish Rosenfeld would’ve done away with the framing device. It took attention away from the real story.
There’s also too much passive voice, too much exposition, and too much telegraphing of Rachel’s interior life, rather than having it play out more organically. All of this made the characters seem a little more flat, too. In general I liked the story, but I wish it was better executed.
Still, I’m glad to have finally read a She Writes Press book (I think this is my first?) after listening to the publisher, Brooke Warner, on the Write-Minded podcast for years. :P But mostly I’m still feklempt over this particular dive into Judaism. It’s rare to see a portrayal of progressively religious Jewish practice in America, even if it’s just a significant subplot. Mazel tov.
Rachel Levine, in this case, moves to Boston for a graduate program in psychology. She moves in with her grandfather, or Zayde, going by the Yiddish. Zayde is a socially conservative man attending an increasingly progressive Conservative Jewish shul. When Rachel enters the picture in 1995, his shul has hired its first female rabbi. What times! And she’s on a mission to make the synagogue more inclusive to interfaith family. The rep just keeps coming. More distantly, her brother has OCD, which is what prompts Rachel to study psychology in the first place; and her mother has been a source of drama since Rachel came out to her. She’s mostly terrified that Rachel will let the news slip to Zayde.
Which could be a legitimate point, because at Zayde’s shul, Rachel meets and begins secretly dating a fellow female congregant named Liz. Through her studies, she’s also counseling a young closeted college student named Charlie. She’s coming into her queer young adulthood!
But a major thrust of the novel is learning to deal with uncertainty. As Rachel hurtles towards the future, it’s still up in the air what might last. Especially since she’s bisexual, and dating a lesbian who, like many people in the gay community, unfortunately, treats the “bi” identity as a little bit of the stepchild. This is the major crux in the queer community of this novel: whether bi people can be included. It’s a reminder of the nineties setting, where at least in this enclave, there are no nods to gender queerness. This is something Rosenfeld discussed at the book chat where I found out about her novel: https://jewishdc.wordpress.com/2021/06/
Bisexuality, in this novel and arguably elsewhere, is seen as a special type of promiscuity—as if being attracted to both men and women means you are more likely to cheat. The gay community (as personified by a lesbian couple in this book) is also wary of bi people fitting into two identities—if you’re with the different gender you’re in the straight world, and if you’re with the same gender you’re in the gay one. Tellingly enough, this novel ends in 2019, at Rachel’s son’s bar mitzvah. We know she’s married, but the gender of her spouse is never given. This, to me, feels like Rosenfeld’s assertion that bi-paranoia is obsolete. It doesn’t matter, at the end of the day, which gender Rachel “chooses” for a spouse. Her sexual identity remains a reality of her life, despite any “gay” or “straight” societal conventionality. Extra props from me that Judaism is still a bit part of her identity as well (aided, surely, by the much increased normalization of women welcomed into religious roles within most denominations of Judaism.)
What I didn’t like so much about this novel was the present tense voice. There were too many sweeping scenes for the immediate tense to not feel a little bit off. Also, the framing device from 2019 made 1995-in-present-tense feel a little jarring. To be fair, I wish Rosenfeld would’ve done away with the framing device. It took attention away from the real story.
There’s also too much passive voice, too much exposition, and too much telegraphing of Rachel’s interior life, rather than having it play out more organically. All of this made the characters seem a little more flat, too. In general I liked the story, but I wish it was better executed.
Still, I’m glad to have finally read a She Writes Press book (I think this is my first?) after listening to the publisher, Brooke Warner, on the Write-Minded podcast for years. :P But mostly I’m still feklempt over this particular dive into Judaism. It’s rare to see a portrayal of progressively religious Jewish practice in America, even if it’s just a significant subplot. Mazel tov.
May 28, 2021
What a delightful read and debut novel! Rachel, the protagonist, is a feminist and bisexual woman in her 20's; she is in the midst of finding more about who she is and what is meaningful in her life. The story takes place in the 1990's and the author provides rich, wonderful details to capture the relevance of the time as context. Rachel has moved to Boston to pursue grad studies in clinical psychology; she lives with her grandfather and attends synagogue with him. She falls in love and learns more about navigating a new relationship. Throughout this warm and engaging tale, Rachel is learning more about who she is and who she is becoming.
July 16, 2021
Rachel Levine’s mother is very upset: she refuses to accept that her daughter is bisexual. She demands that Rachel keep the news secret from her grandfather with whom Rachel is going to live while she attends graduate school in Boston. Over the course of Jodi S. Rosenfeld’s novel “Closer to Fine” (She Writes Press), Rachel must decide how she wants to live her life, something that includes re-evaluating her relationship to Judaism.
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/past....
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/past....
September 20, 2021
Tw: biphobia, misogyny, homophobia, mention of suicide (if i've forgotten anything let me know)
Rachel has moved in with her grandfather in Boston in order to be closer to the college she attends. She is trying to find where she belongs in her community, her career, and her Jewish faith. Who knows, she may find love along the way.
This book was lovely all around! I loved that the author went in depth with Rachel's training as a psychologist and we got to see some of her work with her clients. I liked that the story felt realistic and that it didn't end tied up in a pretty bow. Despite that, it left me satisfied.
One thing that I don't think is discussed enough in books is the biphobia we face within the LGBTQIA+ community and I'm glad that this book touched on that.
I loved the portrayal of Rachel's relationship with her grandfather. It reminded me of my own relationship with my own grandparents. It was painful reading about Rachel's inner dilemma of keeping a part of herself a secret from her grandfather.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I love reading coming of age books with older characters. Not everyone can find themselves in high school. This is a very good "transition" book for people who usually like YA contemporary and are struggling to find adult novels with the same feel. I've also never read a book with a Jewish character, so I really enjoyed learning more about that community and that practice.
Rachel has moved in with her grandfather in Boston in order to be closer to the college she attends. She is trying to find where she belongs in her community, her career, and her Jewish faith. Who knows, she may find love along the way.
This book was lovely all around! I loved that the author went in depth with Rachel's training as a psychologist and we got to see some of her work with her clients. I liked that the story felt realistic and that it didn't end tied up in a pretty bow. Despite that, it left me satisfied.
One thing that I don't think is discussed enough in books is the biphobia we face within the LGBTQIA+ community and I'm glad that this book touched on that.
I loved the portrayal of Rachel's relationship with her grandfather. It reminded me of my own relationship with my own grandparents. It was painful reading about Rachel's inner dilemma of keeping a part of herself a secret from her grandfather.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I love reading coming of age books with older characters. Not everyone can find themselves in high school. This is a very good "transition" book for people who usually like YA contemporary and are struggling to find adult novels with the same feel. I've also never read a book with a Jewish character, so I really enjoyed learning more about that community and that practice.
December 29, 2021
One of the best books I have ever read! The story was so deep and I had trouble putting the book down. I always wanted to keep reading more. It is interesting to see different points of view from people in Rachel's life regarding many different topics.
Some people were accepting of her being bisexual and others were not. She went to a Jewish synagogue where everyone had different beliefs about who they let in and whether or not they wanted to keep it traditional.
She had a wonderful personality and balanced many things including grad school, therapy, religion, relationships, etc. It is interesting to see the world through her eyes in this well written novel
Some people were accepting of her being bisexual and others were not. She went to a Jewish synagogue where everyone had different beliefs about who they let in and whether or not they wanted to keep it traditional.
She had a wonderful personality and balanced many things including grad school, therapy, religion, relationships, etc. It is interesting to see the world through her eyes in this well written novel
May 26, 2021
This is a delightful debut novel that is full of heart and just sparkles. Rachel, the protagonist, is a psychology grad student in her early twenties, living with her grandfather outside Boston and energetically exploring the many layers of her life as a young adult out in the world — relationships, feminism, Judaism, psychology and therapy, sexual identity, self acceptance and more. Her internal musings are wide ranging and sometimes surprising (even to her), and the small details of her environment and her personal interactions welcome the reader into her beautiful and rewarding journey.
June 8, 2021
This is a wonderfully written story of a young Jewish woman studying to be a psychologist and is bisexual. She must navigate her life by not only being true to herself but also by trying to keep important relationships in tact. I enjoyed reading this book because it furthered my understanding of one person’s struggles in maintaining relationships different from my own.
October 8, 2024
I loved this book. As a bisexual woman myself, so much of what Rachel goes through in that regard resonates with me. I also connected a lot with her attempts to be okay with uncertainty, as that is something that I struggle a lot with in my own life. There was just so much beauty and sadness in this book, I would highly recommend reading it.
May 9, 2022
This book was stunning, intimate, raw and absolutely heartbreaking. The first aspect I loved was the narrator's work as an intern psychologist was portrayed. This dynamic of a third person listening into the sessions provided multiple views of perceiving struggle and means of helping a person. It also showed how psychologist brings in their own baggage and are very human when trying to help patients.
Secondly, I loved the dynamic between her and her grandfather. Their dynamic showed intergenerational love as a simple mundane act (eating together, talking, going to religious services, mourning friends etc.). It also allows many themes to be discussed (how can secrecy play into relationships, combining queerness and religion (Judaism), how much can love combat generational divides).
Thirdly, I did not know what was coming in this book. I think this is partly because of Rosenfeld's literary talent and because I am used to contemporary queer novels that have good outcomes for all their queer characters (to counter years of narratives of having disastrous endings for LGBTQ+ folks in narratives). However, this book did not have conventional happy endings for any of the queer characters. But I thought the two primary conclusions for queer folks were not only literarily exciting but also well handled and illuminated some intersecting issues.
Spoiler alert. Sorry, I don't know how to review this book without spoilers.
Firstly, Liz breaking up with Rachel because she ultimately can't trust her bisexuality brought up many issues. There is most centrally the obvious biphobia (that a bi person can't be trustworthy). Liz cannot see Rachel beyond the monolith of bisexuality (she's identical to the ex that left her for a man). Finally, there is self-hatred for queerness expressed (she discusses how she can't see how anyone would end up with a woman if they could ultimately 'choose' to live in a conventional cis-hetero passing relationship)
Secondly, Rachel's young gay male patient committing suicide was shocking and heartbreaking. The fact his diary (that Rachel recommended) is what outed him to his evangelical family brought such heaviness as he loved his diary and was a symbol of the progress he had made (no longer needing Rachel and counselling). This suicide also brought in a nuanced discussion of grief for those left behind. Rachel discussed how much easier it is to grieve when there is something tangible to point to for the suffering. However, she also addressed the guilt of feeling decreased anxiety knowing he'd died and feeling selfish for the individual need of grief.
Overall beautiful, devastating and well worth the read.
Secondly, I loved the dynamic between her and her grandfather. Their dynamic showed intergenerational love as a simple mundane act (eating together, talking, going to religious services, mourning friends etc.). It also allows many themes to be discussed (how can secrecy play into relationships, combining queerness and religion (Judaism), how much can love combat generational divides).
Thirdly, I did not know what was coming in this book. I think this is partly because of Rosenfeld's literary talent and because I am used to contemporary queer novels that have good outcomes for all their queer characters (to counter years of narratives of having disastrous endings for LGBTQ+ folks in narratives). However, this book did not have conventional happy endings for any of the queer characters. But I thought the two primary conclusions for queer folks were not only literarily exciting but also well handled and illuminated some intersecting issues.
Spoiler alert. Sorry, I don't know how to review this book without spoilers.
Firstly, Liz breaking up with Rachel because she ultimately can't trust her bisexuality brought up many issues. There is most centrally the obvious biphobia (that a bi person can't be trustworthy). Liz cannot see Rachel beyond the monolith of bisexuality (she's identical to the ex that left her for a man). Finally, there is self-hatred for queerness expressed (she discusses how she can't see how anyone would end up with a woman if they could ultimately 'choose' to live in a conventional cis-hetero passing relationship)
Secondly, Rachel's young gay male patient committing suicide was shocking and heartbreaking. The fact his diary (that Rachel recommended) is what outed him to his evangelical family brought such heaviness as he loved his diary and was a symbol of the progress he had made (no longer needing Rachel and counselling). This suicide also brought in a nuanced discussion of grief for those left behind. Rachel discussed how much easier it is to grieve when there is something tangible to point to for the suffering. However, she also addressed the guilt of feeling decreased anxiety knowing he'd died and feeling selfish for the individual need of grief.
Overall beautiful, devastating and well worth the read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2022
Loved this book. Great character, enjoyed the perspectives - a therapist that also suffers from anxiety, a young feminist who also identifies with her conservative Jewish upbringing, and it was set in Boston, which makes me smile.
April 12, 2022
Awakening
I loved Rachel's journey. I didn't want it to end! I learned new things about bisexuality and I now see it with new eyes.
I loved Rachel's journey. I didn't want it to end! I learned new things about bisexuality and I now see it with new eyes.
December 8, 2023
I wish I could frame this book and hang it up, cause it’s a masterpiece. Going to buy one day, cause I found pieces of me in the library copy.
November 2, 2024
I liked it fine. Did take me a bit to get into..
August 13, 2021
Closer To Fine by Jodi S Rosenfeld is the story of Rachel, a bisexual and Jewish psychology student who moves in with her grandfather in Boston because he lives close to her school. The synagogue they attend is part of the Jewish conservative movement and it was interesting to see the older characters taking offense to some of the innovations the rabbi wanted to make there. Rachel begins to date a woman she meets at the synagogue. She is unable to tell her grandfather about the relationship because her mother thinks it will kill him. At the same time, she is learning to be a therapist and seeing a therapist of her own. Learning that things are never certain is part of this coming of age story. This book contains homophobia, biphobia, mental illness, and more difficult subjects that I’m happy to share!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews