David Hopen's dark and enthralling fish-out-of-water novel, The Orchard, questions whether or not intelligence and free thinking cancels out religious education.
Brooklynite high school student Ari Arden's frum (Yiddish for devout or pious) Jewish education has always been supplemented with the works of Shakespeare, Kierkegaard and Nietzsche. When Ari's family abruptly relocates to the ultra-rich Jewish not-so-pious community of Zion Hills, Fla., his new community views Ari as an oddity. Luckily, popular jock and nice-guy neighbor Noah takes Ari under his wing, cementing Ari's status as one of the school's elite. Ari's black-and-white orthodox wardrobe morphs into skinny jeans, colorful polo shirts and trendy footwear, as he becomes immersed in a world of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll.
Life is good until Ari is introduced to Evan Stark, the hyper-intelligent de facto leader of Ari's circle, who has just returned from abroad. The recent loss of his mother causes Evan to question the concept of God so severely that he sets out on a drug- and alcohol-fueled quest to see the face of God himself. Evan plans to drag along the other members of the circle, including Ari, to confront the deity, whether they like it or not. Ari must choose between being shunned by the group or following Evan down a path of destruction.
Hopen's first novel provokes fiery sociological debate on whether or not science and religion can coexist. The argument is not new territory, but framing it within a story of a young man on the brink of adulthood makes the themes universal, and the pacing and smart writing cause The Orchard to sizzle. --Paul Dinh-McCrillis, freelance reviewer