Reviews
M
Mimeso
The story begins with Myles deeply absorbed in his career, but before long, his professional world, marriage, health, and family life all begin to unravel at the same time. This creates a constant feeling that something else is about to happen.
I particularly enjoyed the workplace storyline. Myles is a successful investment banking executive who is accustomed to being in control, making decisions, and expecting others to follow them. His clashes with colleagues reveal a lot about his personality, while the uncertainty surrounding the bank introduces another layer of tension. The arrival of Sandra and the questions surrounding the bank’s future kept me curious about what was happening behind the scenes.
At the same time, the deterioration of Myles and Evelyn’s marriage gives the story emotional weight. Their conversations are uncomfortable at times, but they make it clear how long their problems have been building. Myles’s health struggles also become an important turning point because they force him to confront the consequences of his career-driven lifestyle.
Overall, the novel combines family drama, personal discovery, workplace tension, and elements of suspense in a way that keeps the story moving while allowing Myles’s character to develop.
B
Book Addict
The Remaking of Myles is a story about a man who has spent years building his life around work, only to realise that the life he built may no longer fit him. Myles’s problems do not come one at a time. His health, marriage, family, career and grief all begin to affect each other, making his situation feel real.
The part that got me thinking was his discovery about his mother. He is not only dealing with her death, but also with a painful part of her past that changes the way he sees his parents and himself. His decision about whether to share what he has learned with Alan and Rachel adds another layer to his grief.
I liked that Myles does not suddenly become a completely different person. His change happens slowly, through uncomfortable conversations and difficult choices. His sessions with Dr Frells give him space to question things he normally avoids.
This is not simply a story about losing a job or a marriage. It is about losing the things that once defined you and having to ask what is left when they are gone. I found that idea very relatable.
B
Bookreviews by Cynthia
The Remaking of Myles is a deeply personal story about what happens when a person is forced to confront the parts of himself he has spent years avoiding. What I found most compelling was Myles’s gradual transformation. At the beginning, he is almost completely defined by his career. His work comes first, while his marriage, health, family, and even his own emotional wellbeing are pushed aside. Yet as one crisis after another unfolds, that carefully constructed life begins to fall apart.
The discovery of his mother’s hidden past adds another emotional layer to the story. Her experiences during the war, the choices she was forced to make, and the impact those experiences had on Myles’s parents give him a completely different understanding of his family. I particularly appreciated how this discovery makes him question not only his parents, but also his own identity, faith, and the kind of life he wants to lead.
This book also does a good job showing that change rarely happens because of one single event. Myles’s health problems, the breakdown of his marriage, his family revelations, and the uncertainty surrounding his career all gradually push him toward self-examination.
What stayed with me most was Myles’s question of who he is when the titles, responsibilities, relationships, and expectations are stripped away. His journey is not presented as an instant transformation, which makes it feel more believable. By the later chapters, there is a genuine sense that he is beginning to see life through a different lens.
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Mandy Luton
E
Professor Elizabeth More, AM, FAICD
Having had the pleasure of working with this author in his previous career as a highly skilled and respected academic, a wonderful teacher and researcher, I was of course surprised when he mentioned some time ago that he was leaving this career to concentrate on fulltime writing of a novel. I was saddened to lose my co-researcher and academic partner. Well, having read his first foray into fiction with this terrific novel, I am thrilled that he made this decision, especially as he has brought into the exercise all his talents of observation, analysis, critical thinking, empathy and beautiful writing, to flesh out such an important and timely novel when we are all challenged to understand each other better and rebuild the collapse of social cohesion.
The novel fulfills its promise from the back cover as we are introduced to the central character Myles Niemann, a child with his two siblings of Holocaust survivors. Hoping to escape the inherited trauma, Myles has forsaken his religion and escaped into the highflying commercial world of finance but is constantly reminded of his traumatic ancestry and especially through his relationship with his mother. With her death, alongside a divorce, and an unrealised health challenge, he is confronted with facing the horror of the past and the need to radically rethink his life for the future.
This is the journey the author takes us on but through an almost daily narrative of Myles’ steps towards a better future, with pragmatism and humour rather than the distress and pathos that might have been possible in such a novel, we become engaged with each step of the way. This is through the clever craft of narrative and characterization and plot construction that only gives away so much and then leaves the reader to walk alongside the hero’s efforts at renewal without too much handholding. We are introduced to his two siblings and their diverse reactions to the central plot secret and how they confront the Jewish religion in which their upbringing has been grounded. With the introduction of a psychologist and a new woman in his life, Aura, herself having been reared in an unconventional upbringing, Myles finds new source of support, alongside that of his own family.
I found walking alongside Myles in his journey both exciting and immensely satisfying as it reflected the sorts of journeys some of us must confront and traverse, and so the author speaks to many, not just those from the Jewish faith and history. The last few chapters were particularly engaging, as we join Myles in the many new opportunities facing him – both personal and professional. So, I cannot wait to hear about his choices and outcomes in the sequel to this first novel as the author takes us on the next steps in the remaking of Myles.
K
Kathie Kain
David’s writing style is very flowing.
You just read without hesitation one chapter to the next.
I found a couple of the female participants to be a one dimensional, Aura & Jemma were a little unbelievably perfect.
I am looking forward to reading the next book to find out what happens to Myles.
B
Bassey
The Remaking of Myles” was an interesting read that stayed on my mind even after I finished it. I really enjoyed the way the story draws you into Myles’ journey and makes you think about change, identity, and the choices that shape a person. The writing feels thoughtful without being overly complicated, and there’s an emotional quality to the story that makes it easy to connect with. Overall, it’s a book I’d recommend to readers who enjoy character-driven stories with something meaningful beneath the surface
V
Vishi Singla
Anything can change when the person who held your family’s deepest secrets is suddenly gone. In The Remaking of Myles by David Rosenbaum, Myles Niemann finds himself facing exactly that kind of loss. After his mother dies, his marriage and career begin to fall apart, but the hardest part is discovering a family secret that makes him question everything he thought he knew about himself. His struggle feels very human because he is not simply dealing with grief. He is trying to understand how much of his life has been shaped by a past he never personally experienced.
I appreciated how the story looks at inherited trauma without making Myles feel like a victim of his circumstances. He has spent years trying to create an identity separate from his parents’ Holocaust experiences, yet their history is still a part of him. His meeting with Aura adds another layer to his journey because she challenges him to stop avoiding difficult truths. Their conversations and relationship give Myles a reason to look inward and ask questions he has avoided for years.
For me, this is a thoughtful story about starting over when life no longer looks the way you planned. Myles has to let go of the version of himself he carefully built and figure out who he is without the guilt, expectations, and family burdens he has carried for so long. David Rosenbaum brings together grief, family history, identity, and healing in a way that feels personal and relatable. It is a novel for anyone who has ever wondered how much of their identity comes from their own choices and how much comes from the stories they inherit.
G
Genevieve.C.N
David Rosenbaum’s ‘The Remaking of Myles’ followed Myles Niemann as he trudged through life, never realizing he was only going through the motions until he was hit by a series of unfortunate events and was forced to confront the challenges staring him in the face. Will he overcome the challenges, or will he ignore them and let them fester like a bad rash?
Myles Niemann was on a downward spiral. Life was dealing him one bad hand after another, with no chance of taking a breather. Luckily, he got a free card, and with his family’s assistance, he is able to reset and make better choices.
I love Jemma. She was an integral part of the family, always happy to lend a hand and stand in the gap where necessary. She showed genuine love and care for her husband’s siblings. She was truly the epitome of selflessness and kindness.
I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I had no dislikes.The language used was simple and easy to understand. The themes of resilience, family, and personal growth were explored beautifully. The author expertly portrayed these themes, highlighting the importance of a tight-knit familial bond, the beauty of family connections, and the joys of reclaiming a sense of belonging. Additionally, through Myles, the author showed that humans are capable of great change. Beyond a strong support system, an awakening to reality is necessary.That is, a person needs to realize they need help before they can accept it.
I recommend this book to fans of fiction, particularly lovers of family-centred stories. This is because the book covers an array of themes, most of which are family-related.
P
Praise Reads
The Remaking of Myles by David Rosenbaum follows Myles Niemann, a successful investment banking executive whose career has gradually consumed almost every part of his life. His marriage to Evelyn suffers because work always comes first, and when she finally leaves him, Myles is forced to confront how much he has neglected. A panic attack and serious health concerns, including diabetes and high blood pressure, make it impossible for him to continue ignoring the consequences of his lifestyle.
What makes Myles’s journey interesting is that his problems extend beyond his marriage and career. His parents were Holocaust survivors, and the trauma carried from that experience has shaped his family in ways Myles has never fully understood. His difficult relationship with his sister Rachel also brings unresolved resentment to the surface, particularly surrounding their mother and a mysterious envelope. Aura becomes an important part of Myles’s transformation. She is perceptive and unafraid to challenge him, encouraging him to examine his choices rather than simply blame circumstances. Through conversations with her and Dr. Frells, Myles gradually becomes more honest about Evelyn, his family, his beliefs, and the emotional distance he has maintained for years.
His decision to leave investment banking is another significant turning point. After spending more than a decade in the industry, Myles begins looking for work that feels meaningful and allows him to use his abilities to help others. His professional situation also raises difficult questions about money, loyalty, and how much a person is willing to sacrifice for success.
One of the things I liked most about the book was how naturally David brings together personal, family, professional, and historical issues without making Myles’s journey feel overly simplistic. The family’s history does not simply remain in the past; it influences relationships, expectations, and the ways the characters respond to one another. The eventual revelations surrounding the envelope also give Rachel and Myles an opportunity to reconsider years of anger and misunderstanding. I also enjoyed the conversations throughout the story, particularly because they give Myles space to question ideas he has taken for granted. The writing has a reflective quality that suits the subject matter, and I appreciated that the characters are not presented as entirely right or wrong. Even the family conflicts have layers to them. The book also does a good job of showing that meaningful change often begins with uncomfortable self-examination rather than a dramatic breakthrough. For me, that made Myles’s gradual shift feel more convincing and gave the story something to think about after finishing it.
Overall, The Remaking of Myles is a well-written story about confronting the life you have built and deciding whether it still reflects who you want to be. Myles’s journey is not presented as an instant transformation, which makes it feel more believable. By the end, there is a sense that he has not solved everything, but he has finally begun moving in a more honest direction, and as such, I’ll rate it five out of five stars.
R
Reader Views
Myles Niemann has lost his sense of direction. His five-year marriage is imploding; he is battling health issues, and the banking career that he’s put his heart and soul into is in jeopardy. Even more, his mother reveals a shocking secret on her deathbed that changes everything about how he views his identity as the son of Holocaust survivors. Between dealing with grief, he doesn’t know what to make of this revelation, and his siblings share the collective anguish, particularly his sister Rachel, who projects all her anger onto Myles.
Amidst all these changes, Myles meets Aura, a quirky art curator who helps him unlock parts of himself he didn’t know he was suppressing. Will this new chapter bring Myles the peace and closure he desires?
The Remaking of Myles by David Rosenbaum is an emotionally driven novel that explores family dynamics, second chances, and forgiveness. Readers follow Myles as he grapples with career indecision, forces himself out of his comfort zone by dating a woman who isn’t his usual type, and attempts to salvage a fractured relationship with his sister. At the same time, his brother is caught in the middle. Rosenbaum’s characters are flawed and intriguing, and will undeniably resonate with readers who’ve experienced familial dysfunction, particularly surrounding religion.
After a failed marriage, it’s common to feel detached, like a shell of the person you used to be. Myles’ world post-separation is flat and gray, but Aura’s presence brings a wash of much-needed color. My favorite aspect of this novel is the burgeoning relationship between the two. Aura brings a fresh, unbiased perspective on the conflict in Myles’ family by offering support and prompting him to reflect on things he hasn’t considered. Their fun banter and great chemistry draw readers into the evolution of their relationship.
Beyond the characters’ chemistry, the author prompts self-reflection by exploring how we connect identity and faith. The shocking secret his mother shared with him causes much distress within him and his siblings. After so many years of treating the two as mutually exclusive, he is forced to step back and evaluate what it means to be Jewish. Readers who enjoy novels that explore how to navigate religion in a modern world should add this one to their reading pile.