Untethered by Ruth Rakoff

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During a teenage adventure abroad, twins Petal and Rose find their lives diverging in ways they could not have imagined, highlighting the complexities of their relationship and a shrouded family history.

Free-spirited Rose becomes enraptured with the ultra-orthodox Jewish community, while Petal delays her schooling to watch over her sister. Saddled with too much responsibility, Petal’s clinical depression manifests in self-destructive behaviour. She finds refuge on a kibbutz as her sister grows further from her, marrying a man Petal does not deem worthy.

Years later, Petal confronts her prejudices about her sister’s life, her resentment, and the effects of generational trauma on both their lives as she is called back to Toronto from New York City to support Rose during a crisis.

Told through the eyes of two generations, Untethered provides context and insights into orthodoxy, post-war experience, mental illness, generational trauma, and grief while laying the foundations for understanding and a path towards healing.

Year first published: 2023