Set in Lithuania in 1943, Wrath Becomes Her looks at themes of loss and revenge during World War II.
Chaya is a resistance fighter who is killed by Nazis. Her father Ezra funnels his grief and need for revenge into a golem, an animated clay humanoid being from Jewish folklore. Using ancient and forbidden magic, he imbues his daughter’s body parts into the golem hoping to recreate her. While he is unable to perfectly recreate her, Ezra is able to bring to life this creature with his daughter’s memories. Named Vera, this creature has one goal: to take revenge on those who killed Chaya. But Vera is not just some objective without desires of her own. Soon her purpose becomes more than just simply killing.
Aden Polydoros explains in his introduction that he takes some liberty with the mythology of the golem, choosing for a gothic feel to his tale. Polydoros succeeds in separating the golems of this story from more traditional versions. He even brings the Kabbalah into the play which is the book of Jewish mysticism (readers might be familiar with the exaggerated and exploitive version once promoted by big celebrities). He also succeeds in his wish of making the Jewish characters power heroes of their stories instead of passive victims waiting for rescue.
I have enjoyed his young readers’ work including Ring of Solomon. This book gears a little older than that one though. This one is for teens and includes some gory parts. The writing style isn’t complex nor is it boring making it not only easy to read but moves the story along nicely. The only negative is that so many ideas are barely touched on. Vera had deep thoughts and while expressed in ways that are easy to understand, not a lot of time is spent on rumination. In fact, World War II itself is emotionally complex and none of these ideas get to marinate instead Polydoros favors quick action so the story isn’t bogged down.
The ending left me wanting more, to see how the resolution plays out past the pages.
Chaya is a resistance fighter who is killed by Nazis. Her father Ezra funnels his grief and need for revenge into a golem, an animated clay humanoid being from Jewish folklore. Using ancient and forbidden magic, he imbues his daughter’s body parts into the golem hoping to recreate her. While he is unable to perfectly recreate her, Ezra is able to bring to life this creature with his daughter’s memories. Named Vera, this creature has one goal: to take revenge on those who killed Chaya. But Vera is not just some objective without desires of her own. Soon her purpose becomes more than just simply killing.
Aden Polydoros explains in his introduction that he takes some liberty with the mythology of the golem, choosing for a gothic feel to his tale. Polydoros succeeds in separating the golems of this story from more traditional versions. He even brings the Kabbalah into the play which is the book of Jewish mysticism (readers might be familiar with the exaggerated and exploitive version once promoted by big celebrities). He also succeeds in his wish of making the Jewish characters power heroes of their stories instead of passive victims waiting for rescue.
I have enjoyed his young readers’ work including Ring of Solomon. This book gears a little older than that one though. This one is for teens and includes some gory parts. The writing style isn’t complex nor is it boring making it not only easy to read but moves the story along nicely. The only negative is that so many ideas are barely touched on. Vera had deep thoughts and while expressed in ways that are easy to understand, not a lot of time is spent on rumination. In fact, World War II itself is emotionally complex and none of these ideas get to marinate instead Polydoros favors quick action so the story isn’t bogged down.
The ending left me wanting more, to see how the resolution plays out past the pages.