I am currently in my historical fiction era, and this is one of my favorites I have read.
Chaya is killed by the Nazi regime as a child in Lithuania during WWII. Her father, in his grief, uses ancient Jewish magic to bring her back as a golem named Vera with the sole purpose of revenge.
This book, while set during WWII does not actually deal a whole lot with the war itself, which was very refreshing. It instead focuses on the civilian lives and struggle during war and its ramifications for "normal people." It also grapples with Vera's very existence and her in-between-ness of being both human with memories and emotions, but also not. Vera also discovers that there are other consequences of her creation, such as the potential for others with darker intentions to harness the power that brought her to "life."
The prose in this book is beautiful and lyrical, but somehow still conveys anger and rage. It also gives more power to a group of people who have been painted as weak and passive in their suffering for decades. Imperfect, but lovely and so, so important.
Chaya is killed by the Nazi regime as a child in Lithuania during WWII. Her father, in his grief, uses ancient Jewish magic to bring her back as a golem named Vera with the sole purpose of revenge.
This book, while set during WWII does not actually deal a whole lot with the war itself, which was very refreshing. It instead focuses on the civilian lives and struggle during war and its ramifications for "normal people." It also grapples with Vera's very existence and her in-between-ness of being both human with memories and emotions, but also not. Vera also discovers that there are other consequences of her creation, such as the potential for others with darker intentions to harness the power that brought her to "life."
The prose in this book is beautiful and lyrical, but somehow still conveys anger and rage. It also gives more power to a group of people who have been painted as weak and passive in their suffering for decades. Imperfect, but lovely and so, so important.