Reviews

The Vengeance of Samuel Val by Elyse Hoffman

whatyoutolkienabout's review against another edition

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5.0

Introduction
I was given a copy to review as part of the Book Tour hosted by Henry Roi PR and Black Coffee Book Tours. My reviews are always honest and all opinions are my own. I will always try to avoid spoilers in all reviews as well. #BlackCoffeBookTours #TheVengeanceofSamuelVal #ElyseHoffman #BookTour #HistoricalFiction #HenryRoiPR #AD #BookReview

Review
The Vengeance of Samuel Val is the third work I have read by Elyse Hoffman and I was incredibly pleased to see Amos return after reading Fracture. As with Elyse’s other novels this is a heart-breaking and also thought-provoking story set in World War 2. I am actually surprised how much I enjoy Hoffman’s works considering that generally I am not a fan of fiction sent in the great wars. But once again this novella does not disappoint at being poignant and also heartbreaking.

Samuel Val was blessed with a living family and tight-knit community in his Jewish Village. He dreams of becoming the village’s Rabbi but his dreams are crushed when his family and the village are crushed by Nazi Officer Viktor Naden, known as the Beast of Belorussia. Left as the only survivor, Samuel joins the anti-Nazi resistance known as the Black Foxes. Determined to have his revenge he swears to hunt down and destroy Viktor Naden. His mission is put on hold when he is forced to escort a Jewish refugee to a safehouse operated by Black Fox Ten, a high-ranked member of the resistance. While on his mission to save a life, Samuel will discover that the Beast of Belorussia might be closer than he thought. All at once he is given the chance to destroy the monster who has haunted him but the price will be high. Will Samuel sell his very soul to get his revenge? You will have to read to find out.

While this is a short novel of around 110 pages it certainly does not hold back. It was lovely to see Amos again but it was also so saddening to read the atrocities that the Jewish people had done to them in the war. As always Hoffman does not hold back with this and we can fully sympathise with Samuel if we do not always agree with his actions and methods. One thing I did love was how Amos plays a rather important role once again at turning people’s views around. It is hard to say more without spoiling it.

What I always like about Hoffman’s characters and writing is she shows the duality of not only the people but how their beliefs and ideals can often be questioned. She highlights the dangerousness of following hateful rhetoric blindly without taking a step back to think and consider. But on top of this we still first hand the historic atrocities that people suffered under Nazi rule. A short story but one that will stay with you long after finishing.

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recipesandpaperbacks's review against another edition

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4.0

The Vengeance of Samuel Val is a short book but an incredibly powerful one. It’s a hard story to read, but an important one I think. What Samuel had to go through mentally after seeing his family massacred can only be described as heartbreaking and Amos is clearly a guardian angel sent to help Samuel get through the tragic loss.

On a lighter note, I really enjoyed learning more about the Jewish faith. As a Catholic, I focus a lot on my own religion but I love learning about other religions and beliefs. The conversations between Samuel and Amos about the Jewish faith and the stories in the Tanakh (which I learned is the Hebrew Bible) were very interesting and the opposing viewpoints of the two men who experienced very different lives were thought-provoking.

mrusbooks's review against another edition

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4.0

Despite being brief, Elyse Hoffman's WWII historical fiction novella THE VENGEANCE OF SAMUEL VAL is a riveting read. In this short story, a young man seeks to get revenge on the SS Beast of Belorussia for the death of his family. This novella serves as a transition between the first book, Fracture, and the third book, Black Fox One, which has not yet been released. Although it may be readily read outside of the first novel.
Samuel Val, who lives in the Russian Jewish town of Khruvina, adores his family and neighborhood and aspires to become a rabbi.
The Nazis then invade the hamlet on the Sabbath, nail the temple doors shut, and set the town on fire, including Samuel's entire family. Viktor Naden, an SS officer, was in charge of this operation. Samuel is shot and left for dead when he tries to save his family, but he ends up being the sole survivor in his town.
He joins the Black Foxes, a group of rebels, out of a desire to exact revenge on his family. He finds the Beast's lair while leading a Jewish man to safety, at which point he must decide whether avenging his family is worth risking his soul for.
I appreciate the novella's innovative idea, which in just 110 pages takes the reader on the emotional and spiritual journey of a young guy. The fugitive Jew Amos, is brought over and used as the voice in opposition to Samuel's mindless vengeance that he is determined to carry out. Amos and Samuel's back-and-forth moral argument is masterfully performed, not only for the issue of atonement vs. repentance but also because all viewpoints are clearly depicted. Ms. Hoffman's writing is poetic and educational at the same time, and it creates a picture of this historical period and location. I can't tell you what Samuel ultimately decides; you'll have to read the novella to find out.

loz_reads's review

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challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

An atmospheric novella about some of the horrors in ww2

avoraciousreader68's review

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medium-paced

4.5

Book source ~ TWR Tour

Samuel Val’s whole life is destroyed when Nazis come to his small town of Khruvina and kill everyone. As the only survivor, he joins the rebels known as the Black Foxes and vows to annihilate the one responsible, Viktor Naden, even if he dies in the attempt. 

Wow. Talk about a book loaded with emotion. All kinds of emotions. There is no way to read this story and not come out unscathed. For being on the short side it packs quite a punch. Great characters, wonderful writing, and a world I wish had never existed. 

While this is part of a series it can be read as a standalone. It ties in with Fracture and if you want a richer, deeper understanding you can read that first, but it’s not required. Anyone who has an interest in History, especially WWII, then I highly recommend this Historical Fiction to give you possible stories viewed from a different angle of events during the Holocaust. Heartbreaking, but also with hope, you won’t want to miss it. 

ashywitchling's review against another edition

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dark emotional inspiring reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I came across this book by chance while browsing for my next read and I'm so very glad I did. I'd never heard of this book or this author before today, but I will definitely bé reading more or their work now.

The Vengeance of Samuel Val is a book about humanity and monstrosity, in a world where both exist within each other. It's a book about vengeance and repentance, about grief and anger, about family and loss.
Shockingly, I found myself empathizing in a way with almost every character that appeared on page. Elyse Hoffman brings black to life the horrors of WW2 but, more than that, she forces you to stop, think and reflect. 
The writing manages to be all at once simple, powerful and even sometimes poetic.
The characters and story are well constructed, which is even more impressive considering the shortness of the book
Finally, I really liked the sprinkling of Jewish "éducation", even though it can be a bit difficult to follow for someone with close to no knowledge of this religion.

I'm not in the habit of rating historical books and fictions, but this deserves 5 stars.