Toby Lloyd discusses Fervor, his haunting debut novel inspired by a rereading of the Bible. Struck by the richness, ambiguity, and moments of horror in Genesis and Exodus, Toby explores how these ancient stories can speak to modern readers. We talk about his aim to write for a broad audience, the place of British Jews in the heart of English literature, and why Marcel Proust’s portrayal of Jewish identity feels as urgent today as it did a century ago.

In Fervor, Hannah and Eric Rosenthal are devout Jews living in North London with their three children and Eric’s father Yosef, a Holocaust survivor. As Hannah prepares to publish an account of Yosef's years in war-torn Europe—unearthing a terrible secret from his time in the camps—Elsie, her perfect daughter, starts to come undone. And then, in the wake of Yosef’s death, she disappears. When she returns, just as mysteriously as she left, she is altered in disturbing ways.

Toby Lloyd studied English at Oxford University before moving to America to pursue an MFA in creative writing at NYU. He has published short stories and essays in Carve Magazine and the Los Angeles Review of Books and was longlisted for the 2021 V. S. Pritchett Short Story Prize. He lives in London.

Toby Lloyd’s Five Books:

1. The Jewish Joke by Devorah Baum

2. In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust

3. The Truce by Primo Levi

4. The Furrows by Namwali Serpell

5. Fervor by Toby Lloyd

Other Media Mentioned

- Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin

- The Witch (film)

- The Exorcist (film)

- Collected Poems by Phillip Larkin

- My Struggle by Karl Ove Knausgaard

- Jews Don’t Count by David Baddiel

Other Five Books Episodes That Discuss Horror Fiction: 

- Jeremy Dauber on Jewish Literature, Pop Culture, and What the Horror Genre Reveals About America

- Allison Epstein on Taking on One of Literature’s Most Antisemitic Characters

- Yael Van Der Wouden on Rage, Desire, and Magic

The Five Books is a podcast that celebrates the role of books in Jewish culture. Through author interviews, we delve into Jewish identity and discover each author’s favorite novels. Join us every week for new Jewish book recommendations! Some of our episodes have included conversations with Rabbi Sharon Brous (Senior Rabbi at IKAR, and author of The Amen Effect), Yael Van Der Wouden (author of The Safekeep), and Dara Horn (author of People Love Dead Jews.)

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Hosted by Tali Rosenblatt Cohen

Produced by Odelia Rubin

Editorial and website support by Sarah Waring

Artwork by Dena Friedman

Music by Dov Rosenblatt and Blue Dot Sessions.