Schmutz

Like the other women in her ultra-Orthodox Brooklyn community, Raizl expects to find a husband through an arranged marriage. Unlike the other women, Raizl has a secret.

With a hidden computer to help her complete her college degree, she falls down the slippery slope of online pornography. As Raizl dives deeper into the world of porn at night, her daytime life begins to unravel. Between combative visits with her shrink to complicated arranged dates, Raizl must balance her growing understanding of her sexuality with the expectations of the family she loves.

Clever, subversive, juicy, and surprising (Deesha Philyaw, author ofThe Secret Lives of Church Ladies),Shmutzexplores what it means to be a fully realized sexual and spiritual being caught between the traditional and modern worlds.

Paperback, May 16th 2023