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THE WAY BACK

Gavriel Savit

Perfect for readers of Neil Gaiman and Philip Pullman, a sweeping historical fantasy that follows two teens on a journey through the Far Country, a Jewish land of spirits and demons.
For the Jews of Eastern Europe, demons are everywhere: dancing on the rooftops in the darkness of midnight, congregating in the trees, harrowing the dead, even reaching out to try and steal away the living. But the demons have a land of their own: a Far Country peopled with the souls of the transient dead, governed by demonic dukes, barons, and earls. When the Angel of Death comes strolling through the little shtetl of Tupik one night, two young people will be sent spinning off on a journey through the Far Country. There they will make pacts with ancient demons, declare war on Death himself, and maybe-- just maybe--find a way to make it back alive. Drawing inspiration from the Jewish folk tradition, The Way Back is a dark adventure sure to captivate readers of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book and Philip Pullman's The Book of Dust. Gavriel Savit holds a BFA in musical theater from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he grew up. As an actor and singer, Gavriel has performed on three continents, from New York to Brussels to Tokyo. He is also the author of Anna and the Swallow Man, which the New York Times called "a splendid debut."
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Published 2020-11-17 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Comments

...Gavriel Savit...excels at creepy imagery... Read more...

THE WAY BACK is a Sydney Taylor Book Awards Notable Young Adult Read more...

At once captivating and frustratingly delphic, Mr. Savit's storytelling takes readers ages 12-16 on a Yiddish-infused quest to the threshold of Death itself. Read more...

Savit builds the action with a storyteller's assured cadences, creating a story rich in elements of Jewish folk tradition and flashes of both humor and the grotesque.

THE WAY BACK is one of the winners of the National Jewish Book Awards 2020 Read more...

THE WAY BACK is a 2020 National Book Award for Young People's Literature Finalist Read more...

Steeped in the rich traditions of ghost stories and Jewish folklore, this remarkable feat of storytelling is sure to delight.

A bewitching allegorical adventure comprised of small, beautifully composed moments.

Gavriel Savit's brilliant new novel, THE WAY BACK, is a finalist for the National Book Award! Read more...

Italian: Bompiani ; Romanian: Editorial Art ; Russia: Knizhniki

Readers willing to participate in Bluma and Yehuda Leib's courageous challenge will be rewarded for their efforts. They will even learn that salt, cold metal, and red thread can drive away any demons they encounter. Read more...

This work of prodigious imagination is especially notable in its author's uncanny ability to create a visceral suspense that captures readers' attention and won't let go as the pages fly by. Read more...

Gavriel Savit's darkly charming folktale THE WAY BACK has the feel of Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain, condensed into a single book. ... Read more...

THE WAY BACK by Gavriel Savit is one of Kirkus's Best Books of 2020 Read more...

Lyrically narrated with a storyteller's cadence, the winding tale is full of creepy characters and intriguing magical objects, as the protagonists are confronted with choices that force them to face mortality. Savit crafts an absorbing fantasy and gives teens plenty to contemplate about life, love, storytelling, and family.

An entrancing historical fantasy, thick with elements of magic and folk tales.