Ruth in Shadow and in Light: A Novel
A Brooklyn Jewish woman uncovers secrets about her insular family...in Cutler’s engrossing debut. As Ruth’s decision-making is complicated by revelations about her mother’s death, Cutler further explores the conflict between familial devotion and the pull of the outside world. This satisfies.
— Publishers Weekly
An intriguing take on a bygone era...The history explored in the novel is compellingly filtered through Ruth’s Jewish perspective, and Cutler provides some engrossing descriptions—the brownstone, especially, feels lived-in yet somewhat magical in her depiction, which engages multiple senses.
— Kirkus Reviews
Ruth in Shadow and in Light tells the story of a young Brooklyn woman with sensitivity, insight and grace. As Ruth navigates family secrets and lost ideals, she also discovers the kindness of strangers and learns to look to the future while making peace with the past. This novel is a beautifully written, moving testament to the extraordinary depths of a seemingly quiet life.
— Ginny Kubitz Moyer, author of The World at Home
Ruth uncovers a deeply buried family secret, exposing the stigma of postpartum psychosis. In this tale of loss and love, Ruth faces hardships as the child of immigrants and then as an orphan, coming of age and struggling for identity in the era of the Greatest Generation. With hopeful endurance, she confronts interfaith issues and shines a light on personal growth. This book will be enjoyed in particular by fans of historical fiction and Jewish culture.
— Mary Jumbelic, M.D., author of Speak Her Name and Here, Where Death Delights