Forward from Babylon

"Forward from Babylon" by Louis Golding is a novel about Philip Massel, a Jewish boy navigating life in Doomington, England, while grappling with his identity. Philip's world is shaped by his father, Reb Monash, whose stories of their past in Russia fill him with fear of Cossack brutality. In Doomington, Philip faces the challenge of balancing his traditional Jewish heritage with the secular English culture surrounding him, leading to feelings of isolation and confusion as he seeks belonging and understanding amidst conflicting expectations.