not realistic, but probably not meant to be. The main character, 12 years old--15 did not seem age appropriate and that made me not find it helpful. however, after rethinking, it is not meant to be realistic but about people taking revenge and growing to fulfill their dreams. ( )

It was an interesting book. Doesn't seem realistic that a teenager is able to outwit all these adult mafia people. But putting that aside it was an interesting story with lots of surprising twists. In terms of the audiobook, it annoyed me a lot that they didn't say the name of the hotel "Grossingers" correctly. ( )

This is a madcap and heart-warming tale about a boy growing up in the years before the US entered WWII. Left orphaned after his father's murder, Sheldon swears he will kill the man who ran them off the road. This novel is similar in tone to Fredrick Backman's novels and is a prequel to the author's earlier novel, Norwegian by Night. While the story was more than a little far-fetched, the love that the author has for his characters is undeniable and the book managed to balance some heavy subject matter with humor and whimsy. I'm not really the reader of this kind of book, it was the choice of my book club, but I did enjoy reading it. ( )

How to Find Your Way in the Dark: 1 (A Sheldon Horowitz novel). Derek B. Miller. 2021. Jim would have loved this book! Twelve year old Sheldon is riding with his father when a car plows into them and kills his father. Sheldon sees the driver and is hell bent on finding the murderer. Sheldon moves in with his uncle and cousins, finishes high school and works at a hotel in the Catskills, meets up with Mafia thugs, deals with discrimination and learns along the way that the world is full of good and bad people. Miller has the amazing ability to make you cry one minute and laugh the next. He provides a vivid description of what it is like to be a Jewish teenager in pre WWII America. ( )

Curiously intense.

I have not read "Norwegian by Night" and maybe that is why I found Sheldon to be an unlikely obsessive focused on revenge. My response to the book is a bit ambiguous. I think you will like it, but don't try it unless you like very intense writing that requires you to take as given the reality painted of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Maybe you should try "Norwegian by Night" first.

I received a digital review copy of "How to Find Your Way in the Dark: Sheldon Horowitz 2" by Derek B. Miller from Mariner through NetGalley.com. ( )

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was unexpected and entertaining, yet the deeper meaning and story was thought provoking and educational. ( )

In 1938, twelve-year old Sheldon Horowitz is still recovering from the tragic loss of his mother only a year ago when a suspicious traffic accident steals the life of his father near their home in rural Massachusetts. He emerges from the crash an orphan hell-bent on revenge. A terrific coming-of-age story that follows its characters through a decade of fascinating history.

I was given this book is it as an advanced copy and didn’t know what to expect. From page 1 was intrigued and couldn’t put the book down. The author was new to me but I’m so glad I found him. That’s all I was a Jewish boy and his quest to avenge his father‘s death and make sense of prejudice. The author has an excellent way of taking a very dark subject of hatred and bigotry and making it comfortable to talk about with humor. I recommended This spoke to many of my friends and even loaned my copy to one. I highly recommend! ( )

I did not read Norwegian by Night, for which this novel is a prequel.

A tender historical fiction, coming of age novel, this is well written, character driven, and introspective. There are a few different story lines, but they are woven together well. I was a bit surprised by the emphasis on the gangster side of life and felt in a way it took something from what was the more important aspect of the story…the world wide anti Semitism and horror it brought prior to and during World War II.

There were a few misses in this novel but, overall, a recommended read. ( )