The Dyke and the Dybbuk
by Ellen Galford
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Description
Dybbuk Kokos, a soul-stealing demon of Jewish folklore, is freed after 200 years trapped inside a tree. She seeks the descendant of the woman she was to haunt long ago--but finds the unexpected in Rainbow Rosenbloom.Tags
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anonymous user You WILL love it. Trust me.
Member Reviews
This is a lot of fun. Rainbow Rosenbloom is a lesbian, a London taxi driver, and a non-observant Jew. She's also the great-great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter of a woman who jilted her lover two centuries back. Kokos is a dybbuk who's been contracted to possess the female descendants of that woman - although, having been stuck in a tree for the past two centuries, Rainbow is the first one she's got to. Hilarity, as they say, ensues.
I enjoyed the glimpses of lesbian London (with the exception of the biphobia), and Jewish London, and the intersection of the two, in the early 90s. Beyond that, it reminded me of nothing so much as Good Omens in its portrayal of a supernatural bureaucracy which is all too reminiscent of the earthly show more sort. Kokos is an engaging if unreliable narrator, and the ending has a satisfying twist (though the direction the plot takes to get there feels a bit forced and melodramatic).
Good fun, though with a hefty dose of fridge horror. show less
I enjoyed the glimpses of lesbian London (with the exception of the biphobia), and Jewish London, and the intersection of the two, in the early 90s. Beyond that, it reminded me of nothing so much as Good Omens in its portrayal of a supernatural bureaucracy which is all too reminiscent of the earthly show more sort. Kokos is an engaging if unreliable narrator, and the ending has a satisfying twist (though the direction the plot takes to get there feels a bit forced and melodramatic).
Good fun, though with a hefty dose of fridge horror. show less
Very entertaining, especially for readers who know anything about lesbian culture, movies, or Judaism -- and hilarious for those who know about all three.
A delightful book, as are all of Ellen Galford's books. Laugh-out-loud funny.
the occasional laugh but really too silly.
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Jewish Women's Fiction
2 works; 1 member
Author Information
Awards and Honors
Awards
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1993
- People/Characters
- Dybbuk
- Important places
- London, England, UK
- Dedication
- For Ellen Kelly,
and for all the aunts and cousins
of the Lowenstein clan - First words
- If planet Earth slips off its axis tomorrow, put the blame on Rainbow Rosenbloom.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Count on that.
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 267
- Popularity
- 120,036
- Reviews
- 4
- Rating
- (3.56)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 4
- ASINs
- 3





























































