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Batya Ruddell new serial False Fronts in Binah
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MyTimeNow




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Apr 30 2014, 10:49 am
Anyone reading binah's new serial? False Fronts? I'm just catching up on my reading after Pesach, and I see it's by Batya Ruddell, and I'm really looking forward to seeing where it goes, cuz the one she just did in Hamodia got pretty deep into sticky issues.
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ssbarnes




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 02 2014, 12:59 pm
I usually wait for the novel. Is this one good enough to start buying the magazine weekly?
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ILOVELIFE




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, May 03 2014, 10:16 pm
I really really am liking this one and I def am waiting for the next installment. It's that good.
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seeker




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, May 03 2014, 10:53 pm
I find the characters really likable and easy to relate to in this one. I hope the plot turns out as well. The issues are relevant and important, but I have not loved the way they've been dealt with up to now in general, so I am going to wait and see what happens here. I do know that the author tends to be very careful about how she addresses tough issues so I'm keeping an eye on this, hoping it will be a breakthrough but cautious in my optimism.
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Mama Bear




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 04 2014, 12:08 am
So what's Ella's deal? ADHD? difficult situation at home?
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ILOVELIFE




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 04 2014, 12:27 am
I'm holding off on my analysis of Ella because I don't feel like I know her enough yet but my heart is with her.

I do think we need a cast of characters box cuz I'm starting to feel overwhelmed by the amt of things happening but I agree that I like them all.'

Also does anyone know an American boy by name of koby? I felt slow but at first I thought it must be Israel with a nickname like that
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seeker




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 04 2014, 12:35 am
Americans come in all different flavors. Sure you can have an American Koby. I kinda like that they aren't all stereotypical.
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ILOVELIFE




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 04 2014, 12:43 am
seeker wrote:
Americans come in all different flavors. Sure you can have an American Koby. I kinda like that they aren't all stereotypical.


Depends where she is planning to take it. Truth is that his mother is Talia which is also not fitting in with other images.
I can see the names helping and hurting the story.
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muzik




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 17 2014, 2:07 am
I am enjoying this story. Batya Ruddell has a way of creating out of the box characters that we all can relate to. Even if we don't always consider ourselves out of the box. My only problem is that the plot is moving too slowly. There is a lot of suspense in the storyline - like what's up with the neighbor? Is he really a bad guy who poses as a goodie-goodie? Is the father good or bad? He seems kind of angry...and distant. Lots of questions that don't seem to resolve. A lot of suspense, maybe too much suspense. I do like the Koby character. He's clearly got issues but he seems to have a good heart underneath it all. The Ella/Dena dynamic is an interesting sub-plot that I'm not sure how it ties into the main storyline of the Talia/Asher family. Anyway, all in all I enjoy reading the story each week, but I want to see things moving along in plot and a deeper understanding of what makes some of the characters tick. I know it's coming, because Batya always gets deep into her characters, but I guess I"m feeling impatient. I'm curious to hear other people's opinions on this.
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amother


 

Post Sun, Aug 17 2014, 2:54 am
ILOVELIFE wrote:
I'm holding off on my analysis of Ella because I don't feel like I know her enough yet but my heart is with her.

I do think we need a cast of characters box cuz I'm starting to feel overwhelmed by the amt of things happening but I agree that I like them all.'

Also does anyone know an American boy by name of koby? I felt slow but at first I thought it must be Israel with a nickname like that

I taught a Koby totally American family in calabasas, California sister was Dina
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MyTimeNow




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Aug 21 2014, 7:21 pm
I like Ella, too.

I'm wondering what her deal is, and I'm hoping it's more complex than adhd, but I'm finding myself interested in Koby. Maybe because he reminds me of my own kids, my teen daughter in particular who's also creative. She sings and composes, and if it's raining, she's outside with her arms outstretched and singing in it. Um, and we live in Brooklyn, lol. But I loved the way the author described Koby's need to be out in the storm, and having attributed this elemental need to him, I really want to see a lot more of what goes on inside his head. He's not just the typical teen struggling with his father (who really annoys me, btw)- I really want to see him do more outrageous stuff. He seems quiet and awkward and then pow, he's out on a broken leg trying to catch a storm.

I'm also waiting to see what Mark is all about. Can't tell if his wife is really a needy blob, and he's just overprotective or something, or if he's just creepy . And I really want to get to the parts where Batya's going to turn everything upside down on its head- note the title, "False Fronts," so whatever we're seeing now is probably just lulling us along...I'm ready for some shakeups. But I guess we need to know more about the characters before she starts messing around with them Smile .
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penguin




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Aug 21 2014, 7:51 pm
I think Mark slipped a sedative in Tanya'Debbie's tea. Did you get how she was so groggy in the morning? It could be sinister or it could be she has extreme anxiety & needs it.

Now there is something that one neighbor knows about the other from the past...

Ella's Mom is probably very ill, with either cancer or severe depression. Or she's dead & nobody knows? (Now that would be sinister). Therefore Ella has to cook, etc & can never get school work done.


Last edited by penguin on Fri, Aug 22 2014, 1:02 pm; edited 1 time in total
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amother


 

Post Thu, Aug 21 2014, 11:17 pm
Not sure where Ella and her situation ties in over here, but I think Mark and his wife are missionaries trying to infiltrate the frum community.......guess we gotta keep on reading Very Happy
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supermama2




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Aug 22 2014, 12:16 am
amother wrote:
Not sure where Ella and her situation ties in over here, but I think Mark and his wife are missionaries trying to infiltrate the frum community.......guess we gotta keep on reading Very Happy


I do not understand why you are anon...
Good point here, I was wondering what in the world they could be hiding...
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sunny90




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Aug 22 2014, 4:36 am
penguin wrote:
I think Mark slipped a sedative in Tanya's tea.


Debbie, I believe. And yeah I thought that was pretty obvious. He creeps me out. Seems very controlling.
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penguin




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Aug 22 2014, 1:03 pm
Mark - Moshe, Matthew, whatever.

Hm. You may be right about the missionaries. But I would think they should send someone whose wife doesn't have all these anxiety issues...
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shiffycc




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Aug 22 2014, 2:18 pm
Witness protection program?
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MyTimeNow




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Aug 22 2014, 4:01 pm
amother wrote:
Not sure where Ella and her situation ties in over here, but I think Mark and his wife are missionaries trying to infiltrate the frum community.......guess we gotta keep on reading Very Happy


I think Ella's mother is alive. I thnk she was mentioned a while back briefly.

What makes you think missionaries? That's scary to thnk about, in real life. I feel SO much safer imagining they're murderers on the run lol.
("Serial Killers Discover Jews and their Kugel Culture, Change Their Ways and Commit to Healing the World. Research Proves Kosher Carbs Cure Sociopathy," and they all live happily ever after 😀.)
Sorry, it's the end of a long week 😉.

Mark does give off an icky vibe, but Debbie's odd, in her own way. She doesn't sound so stable, but, is she unstable and so needs meds and careful handling, or is Mark twisted and abusing/victimizing her?
I actually want him to be twisty, much more interesting. It's fun loathing villains!
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MyTimeNow




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Aug 22 2014, 4:04 pm
penguin wrote:
I think Mark slipped a sedative in Tanya'Debbie's tea. Did you get how she was so groggy in the morning? It could be sinister or it could be she has extreme anxiety & needs it.

Now there is something that one neighbor knows about the other from the past...

Ella's Mom is probably very ill, with either cancer or severe depression. Or she's dead & nobody knows? (Now that would be sinister). Therefore Ella has to cook, etc & can never get school work done.


Yeah, she was spacey, but she was also not so together before. So maybe she's ill? We don't really have background on her yet.
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MyTimeNow




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Aug 22 2014, 4:07 pm
[quote="amother"]I taught a Koby totally American family in calabasas, California sister was Dina[/

An acquaintance of mine has a son she calls Koby. I live in Flatbush.
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