Scan barcode
inkwellimps's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Come for the concept of a golem killing Nazis, stay for the questions regarding what makes someone human and how much one's memories make them who they are.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Moderate: Antisemitism, Gore, Body horror, Child death, and Death of parent
Minor: Gun violence
zydecovivo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The review for this book shows why it’s better to wait and digest a book before reviewing it. I discovered this book through a collection of Jewish YA made by my library on Libby. The title itself deserves an A+ because I want it on my tombstone. However, we all know books are more than their titles.
The story follows a golem named Vera who was created during WWII by a Jewish man (named Ezra) grieving his daughter’s death. However, Vera is not a normal golem. She was made with pieces of Ezra’s daughter, Chaya. Vera still contains some of Chaya’s memories and struggles to separate who she is now from the person who came before her. However, Ezra also imbued her with a need for vengeance against the people who murdered Chaya and the Nazis in general.
The concept of the novel is intriguing to me as an enjoyer of paranormal stories. I was already aware of golems and a few folk tales they feature in, but this is a new perspective. It is also very plausible, at least to me as an outsider, that Jewish people enduring the Holocaust alongside the war would’ve searched for ways to create a golem to fight on their behalf. Vera’s inner turmoil is the conflict I empathized with the most and found the most interesting. Discovering who you are is difficult enough, but imagine trying to do it with someone else’s memories in your head and everyone around you calling you a monster.
Some reviews mentioned the plot essentially being characters running from one place to the next, which is a valid criticism. I found the overall plot somewhat predictable, and I don’t think Vera learned all the necessary lessons she needed to by the end of the novel. The ending does not feel resolved to me. This may be the beginning of a series, but it could have been a stand-alone with 20 fewer pages or 50-100 more.
When I initially finished the book, I rated it 4.5 stars. However, after digesting and reflecting, I think it deserves more of a 3.75. I still think the story itself is unique, but its resolution is missing and, consequently, I will not be coming back to it without a sequel. I also feel like there were layers to the story I may be missing as someone who is not Jewish or with Jewish ancestry. If any Jewish readers are willing to share, I would appreciate some cultural thoughts on the ethics & creation of golems and how vengeance is viewed, even in extreme circumstances.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, War, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Antisemitism, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Grief, Racial slurs, Self harm, Blood, Gun violence, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, and Gore
Minor: Alcohol and Vomit
carlyoc's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Vera is a golem made to avenge the death of a teenage Jewish resistance fighter names Chaya killed by Nazis. But Vera is not made of clay alone. Chaya's father took hair and eyes and other body parts from his daughter's corpse to make his golem more effective, but in doing so he also made her closer to human.
Vera struggles with finding her own identity while fulfilling her purpose.
Vera struggles with finding her own identity while fulfilling her purpose.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Violence, Gun violence, and War
moonytoast's review
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.25
Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for providing me with a digital ARC of this book!
Brimming with rage, resilience, and deep questions around humanity and creation reminiscent of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Wrath Becomes Her is a genre-blending gem of history, fantasy, and horror. Following the death of his daughter at the hands of the Nazis, a man creates a golem in her likeness using kishuf—ancient magic derided as an abomination against God—in order to avenge her death. Vera is a creation of clay and steel and ink and human teeth designed to be the ultimate Nazi killer... but is that all she is? As she encounters people whom she recognizes from stolen memories and uncovers a plot to channel kishuf to wage war, Vera grapples with the complexities of humanity as well as the nature of her creation and whether she is allowed or deserves to have a life or purpose beyond the one she was given.
Set in Lithuania against the backdrop of World War II, the novel creates an immersive sense of foreboding and the tangible dangers for simply existing as a Jew. Traveling back roads and sneaking through dense forests in the dead of winter, the horrors of clandestine camps for Jewish refugees being found by Nazis or Soviets, the tangible dangers of resistance to the extermination of your people.... These elements all swirl together and fill the reader with the same dread the characters feel with their every move. I am not well-informed enough to know whether the historical elements of this book are entirely accurate, but the world created for this book does feel real and lived-in by these characters. Part of this is likely the writing style, which somehow manages to overwhelm my pet peeve of first-person narration within historical settings and evoke a sense of immersion in the story.
Vera is a stellar character that resonates with the queer experience of being perceived as "monstrous" by others, perhaps even by oneself, and the grappling with identity that comes with existing beyond the traditional roles, experiences and bodies the world demands. I feel a kinship with her: a rage that is both her own and inherited from another, a hunger for more than her assigned role or purpose, a hypervigilance of her own physicality. Her interactions with the various humans she encounters throughout the book are interesting to read; particularly the way that Vera's perception of herself morphs into something greater as her connections and care for the living grow. To see her journey from her creation to creator was deeply compelling.
Deftly pitched as Frankenstein meets Inglorious Basterds, Wrath Becomes Her is a compelling story of Jewish resilience and rage against the Nazi regime during the Second World War that further cements Polydoros as a talented author of young adult fiction.
Brimming with rage, resilience, and deep questions around humanity and creation reminiscent of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Wrath Becomes Her is a genre-blending gem of history, fantasy, and horror. Following the death of his daughter at the hands of the Nazis, a man creates a golem in her likeness using kishuf—ancient magic derided as an abomination against God—in order to avenge her death. Vera is a creation of clay and steel and ink and human teeth designed to be the ultimate Nazi killer... but is that all she is? As she encounters people whom she recognizes from stolen memories and uncovers a plot to channel kishuf to wage war, Vera grapples with the complexities of humanity as well as the nature of her creation and whether she is allowed or deserves to have a life or purpose beyond the one she was given.
Set in Lithuania against the backdrop of World War II, the novel creates an immersive sense of foreboding and the tangible dangers for simply existing as a Jew. Traveling back roads and sneaking through dense forests in the dead of winter, the horrors of clandestine camps for Jewish refugees being found by Nazis or Soviets, the tangible dangers of resistance to the extermination of your people.... These elements all swirl together and fill the reader with the same dread the characters feel with their every move. I am not well-informed enough to know whether the historical elements of this book are entirely accurate, but the world created for this book does feel real and lived-in by these characters. Part of this is likely the writing style, which somehow manages to overwhelm my pet peeve of first-person narration within historical settings and evoke a sense of immersion in the story.
Vera is a stellar character that resonates with the queer experience of being perceived as "monstrous" by others, perhaps even by oneself, and the grappling with identity that comes with existing beyond the traditional roles, experiences and bodies the world demands. I feel a kinship with her: a rage that is both her own and inherited from another, a hunger for more than her assigned role or purpose, a hypervigilance of her own physicality. Her interactions with the various humans she encounters throughout the book are interesting to read; particularly the way that Vera's perception of herself morphs into something greater as her connections and care for the living grow. To see her journey from her creation to creator was deeply compelling.
Deftly pitched as Frankenstein meets Inglorious Basterds, Wrath Becomes Her is a compelling story of Jewish resilience and rage against the Nazi regime during the Second World War that further cements Polydoros as a talented author of young adult fiction.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Gore, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Body horror, Genocide, and Grief
ezwolf's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I have a lot emotions about this book. Starting first with the letter from the author:
"The first books I read featuring Jewish characters were Holocaust books. Desperate to see myself reflected on the page, I clung to those crumbs of representation. At least, until the fourth grade, when my class read a Holocaust book and everyone in the room turned to look at me - the only Jewish student. That was one of the first times I sensed I didn't quite belong."
Without even having started the book I was already so attached. This experience of otherness I know other Jews experienced as children. Since starting to read again, I've enthusiastically devoured any books with Jewish characters that don't focus on the Holocaust simply those books were all I had as a child and reading them now has only gotten harder.
There's also the dedication, "Dedicated to every reader who's ever wanted to punch a Nazi." which this book very much embodies. Vera punches so many Nazis and it is so satisfying. This story doesn't shy away from the horrors of the Holocaust, but it has a strong focus is on vengeance and retribution in a way that I loved. I could have read another 300 pages of Vera just crushing Nazis with her bare hands.
I also have very strong feelings about the choice to name Ezra's daughter Chaya, a name that means life, and with her death, Ezra brought Vera to life.
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
"The first books I read featuring Jewish characters were Holocaust books. Desperate to see myself reflected on the page, I clung to those crumbs of representation. At least, until the fourth grade, when my class read a Holocaust book and everyone in the room turned to look at me - the only Jewish student. That was one of the first times I sensed I didn't quite belong."
Without even having started the book I was already so attached. This experience of otherness I know other Jews experienced as children. Since starting to read again, I've enthusiastically devoured any books with Jewish characters that don't focus on the Holocaust simply those books were all I had as a child and reading them now has only gotten harder.
There's also the dedication, "Dedicated to every reader who's ever wanted to punch a Nazi." which this book very much embodies. Vera punches so many Nazis and it is so satisfying. This story doesn't shy away from the horrors of the Holocaust, but it has a strong focus is on vengeance and retribution in a way that I loved. I could have read another 300 pages of Vera just crushing Nazis with her bare hands.
I also have very strong feelings about the choice to name Ezra's daughter Chaya, a name that means life, and with her death, Ezra brought Vera to life.
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Blood, Gun violence, Violence, War, Body horror, Death, Grief, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Gore, and Hate crime
Minor: Alcohol, Vomit, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
booksdogsandcoffee's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
3.5
Polydoros weaves both a horrific and beautiful story of love, loss and vengeance in Wrath Becomes Her.
Vera is created out of pure vengeance. A golem built from the remains of Ezra’s daughter, who was recently slaughter by the Nazis. Her command from her creator? To kill them all. But Vera isn’t just Vera, she awakens with the memories of Chaya and slowly starts to realize their is so much more to her life than just the purpose she was created for.
I highly enjoyed the Frankenstein esc retelling aspect of this book mixed with Jewish mythology.
Overall there were some lulls in the story, but was a horrific and original look at the holocaust in Lithuania 1943.
Cw
Death
Gore
Blood
Genocide
Vera is created out of pure vengeance. A golem built from the remains of Ezra’s daughter, who was recently slaughter by the Nazis. Her command from her creator? To kill them all. But Vera isn’t just Vera, she awakens with the memories of Chaya and slowly starts to realize their is so much more to her life than just the purpose she was created for.
I highly enjoyed the Frankenstein esc retelling aspect of this book mixed with Jewish mythology.
Overall there were some lulls in the story, but was a horrific and original look at the holocaust in Lithuania 1943.
Cw
Death
Gore
Blood
Genocide
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Blood, Child death, Death, Grief, Gun violence, and War
starrysteph's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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? Yes
4.75
This story has sunk deep into my flesh. Aden Polydoros, you’ve done it again.
Vera was created to destroy. She’s a golem, crafted with ancient and shameful magic by a grieving Jewish father in his daughter Chaya’s image. Chaya was murdered during an act of resistance against the Nazis, and Vera is now commanded to enact vengeance.
But Vera was also imbued with Chaya’s essence, with scatterings of her memories. She is committed to noble violence, but can’t help but question her existence. Then she meets Akiva - Chaya’s love - and feels torn between her vengeance and her new ruminations about humanity.
As Vera’s journey further blurs the line between human and monster, she must discover her purpose and decide what exactly is worth fighting for.
Wrath Becomes Her is about necessary desecrations. It’s about separating yourself from your actions of survival, moments of quiet defiance, and agonizing about what will be left behind.
Truth is the word on Vera’s forehead that brings the golem to life, and her search for the truth of her existence torments her. She constantly asks: who am I? What does it mean to be?
She understands herself to be a monster - and her creator views her as such - but she quickly starts to wonder about the capacity for monstrosity within all of us. Vera sees people and golems as blank slates, and the acts of violence committed by the Nazis go beyond her perceived sin of existence.
She also witnesses the dehumanization of the people that surround her: the cruelest soldiers view their victims as less-than-human, but so do the bystanders. The Jewish people are simply necessary sacrifices for the safety of the whole town. By not speaking up, by not listening or caring, these impartial observers are in truth active causers of harm.
And for those fighting alongside Vera? Akiva shuts everything else down, not allowing himself to feel or hope or visualize a future. Vera expresses a desire to have been created without emotions, so she could simply do what needs to be done without pain. She witnesses Akiva shatter bit by bit; that’s the cost of separating himself from his feelings.
Vera is memory. Vera is memorial. She is defiance in both small and large ways. She is honoring culture and tradition and keeping spirits aflame. She is a physicalization of her religion and her community.
At times, the writing is a wee bit formulaic and repetitive (especially in the middle sections). I forgave this, because the philosophizing was SO good and I was SO invested in Vera’s journey.
Wrath Becomes Her asks: what is the best way to honor life? Is destruction in someone’s name - even when the cause feels hopeless - honoring them? I’m not sure. But I’ll be pondering.
And yeah, there’s lots of Nazi punching (as promised).
CW: murder, antisemitism (Nazis), death (child), gore, body horror, vomit, genocide, war, violence
Follow me on TikTok for book recommendations!
(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Body horror, War, Violence, Genocide, Vomit, Gun violence, Death, Gore, Murder, Antisemitism, and Child death
thedragonqueen's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Gore, War, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Antisemitism, Blood, and Grief
Thank you to NetGalley for this E-ARC. Wrath Becomes Her by Aden Polydoros was a riveting tale of a Golem created by a grieving Jewish man midst Wold War 2 named Vera. Vera battles with her very existence, the memories of those written in her clay, and literal Nazis. Polydoros is an amazing author, giving us grotesque imagery at some points as well as beautiful insights to Jewish culture. This is an extremely important story as we face rising fascism in modern day. I implor anyone wanting to read this compelling story to check for trigger warnings. YA Fantasy/Horror is the best way in my opinion to catergorize this book. The mysticism mixed with the gore makes it for a captivating read. I rated Wrath Becomes Her 4.5 stars.
More...