Sons of the 613 (review)

As his bar mitzvah approaches, Isaac is nowhere near ready for his entry into manhood, so his older brother, Josh, decides to take matters into his own hands. The trouble is, Isaac is nothing like tough Josh, who is convinced that the last thing the world needs is one more smart but physically weak Jew, and who has the muscle to make his little brother do whatever he says. With their parents away in Italy, Josh devises a series of manly activities for Isaac that include things like learning to shoot a gun, ride a motorcycle, jump off a cliff into a raging river, stand up to a band of bullies, and steal a statue out from under a pack of angry Rottweilers. Meanwhile, Isaac is determined to figure out the puzzle that his brother has become. Isaac’s narration is hilarious, moving between sardonic commentary and exasperated fury. He and his brother are perfect foils for each other, with Isaac using his wits for weapons as readily as Josh uses his fists. There’s plenty of adolescent fantasy here that dissolves into disaster for our hapless hero, from getting stuck in the dressing room of a strip club, to spending a platonic night with an older woman but waking up with an embarrassing erection. The ending is unexpectedly poignant, going a step beyond the predictable resolution of Isaac and Josh learning to respect each other’s differences and appreciate each other’s point of view. Readers on the brink of manhood, or at least seeking an end to geeky adolescence, will find a laugh here, and quite a bit more besides.