An absolute contender for the best book of 2023, WRATH BECOMES HER is a story about vengeance that doesn't shy away from the question of what it means to be human and what makes a man a monster.

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.

Wrath Becomes Her is, in my opinion, a very sad and yet beautiful story about humanity seen through the eyes of a golem. Vera comes to understand the hardships of what it means to be human and that evil takes on a human form as well. Moreover, she comes to experience the beauty of love in the battlefield and its redemptive power.

This is the first book I’ve read by Aden Polydoros and I must say I was very impressed by the story and it’s strong themes. It's also the first book, in general, that has made me literally cry. I absolutely loved the heroism of these Jewish characters and their pride in being Jewish, especially in the face of antisemitism. Truly a profound story!

Wrath Becomes Her is the second Aden Polydoros book I've read, and he's proven every time that he can write wonderful prose and a fun, engaging story.

I have some contradicting opinions about this book. I feel like it may be marketed awkwardly as a revenge story, but its a little more ethereal than that and focuses a lot more on the main character coming to terms with her identity and what she is VS "lets go kill some nazis". I expected this to be a bit more cathartic than it was, and it was a little jarring. That said, I am glad I have the book a chance because it is quite pretty, and the deeply personal 'Frankenstein' story still has a lot of merit

"Dedicated to any readers who have ever wanted to punch a nazi".

With that dedication sentiment, I knew I was in great hands with this novel. Set in the early 40's and taking place in Lithuania, this tale of golems, nazis, and the search for ones true self is an exciting but often heart wrenching story.

At its core is a golem in the form of a woman who was killed while fighting the nazis along with her small group of resistance fighters. As a golem, memories of the slain girl bubble up and present themselves as if it were her own . This golem was created for one goal... revenge. Revenge against the nazi hordes and especially those that killed her lookalike human double.

As action packed as this novel is (and it is), we have sympathy for the golem. She's not human but has human memories and emotions. But is this just because of the way she was built from the clay? Is she truly an individual entity or will she always be nothing but a vessel for anothers life?

These questions are brought up throughout the book and there's also the very accurate opinion that, even though she is seen as a monster, the true monsters are humans. We see this in the midst of this war and it rings true.

You'll cheer in the victories here and loathe the nazis (as we always should). This is a fantastic beautiful novel that's heartbreaking at times but filled with enough action and suspense to keep your heart pumping. I highly recommend this!

Although I’ve come across golems in books before, either as a passing reference or a minor character, this is the first time I’ve encountered a story where a golem is the main character. Needless to say, I was extremely thrilled. The story is set in Nazi-occupied Lithuania during the Lithuanian Holocaust, which is one of the darkest chapters in the country’s history, and I knew it would likely contain some very disturbing and graphic details.

Right from the prologue, the story was full of action and had a well-maintained pace. The author’s use of conversations and memories to convey world building was impressive, avoiding the need for lengthy information dumps and making the world building truly spectacular. The characters were multi-dimensional, and their interactions were beautifully portrayed. The dialogues were adeptly crafted and had a natural flow. The author skillfully executed many devastating moments that showcased the darkest aspects of humanity, leaving a lasting impact on the reader. In my opinion, his portrayal of Lithuania and its people during the turbulent wartime period, caught in a precarious position among the Soviet partisan fighters, the Auxiliary Police and the Nazis, was exceptional.

“Many people blamed us for the Soviet occupation, even though we suffered the same persecution under the regime that they did. They thought we were responsible. And when the Nazis herded us into ghettoes, they told us, this is what we derseve.”

-Miriam

Had the circumstances been different, it would have been difficult for me to wrap my head around over how easily the characters embraced Vera, accepting her for who she is, without suffering a mental breakdown. However, given the trauma and devastation they had already experienced in the midst of the harrowing events unfolding around them, it felt natural. Nevertheless, there were still some individuals who viewed her with disgust and apprehension, which provided a counterbalance to the situation.

“I told him to just look how we destroy each other, and tell me who the real monsters are.”

-Akiva

However, my only minor complaint is that I would have preferred if the author had explored the Kishuf magic in more depth. As someone with limited knowledge of Judaism and Jewish mythology, I was hoping for more elaboration and details. Furthermore, the initial encounter between Vera and Akiva appeared almost too good to be true and effortless, raising suspicions about its authenticity. Occasionally, (even though there was a glossary at the end of the book) I had to resort to a quick internet search to clarify some unfamiliar terms or concepts, but it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.

Vera’s character was captivating, and I empathized deeply with her struggles throughout the book. As a being formed from mud and brought to life, she was grappling with her identity and purpose, compounded by the presence of Chaya’s memories and thoughts. This internal turmoil added an extra layer of complexity to her character, making her all the more compelling.

“Chaya was long dead and buried. I’d never even known her. But even now, I felt drowned within her shadow.”

-Vera

Akiva’s character was highly likeable, and his struggles to disentangle his feelings towards Chaya and Vera were poignant. It’s difficult to imagine how challenging it would be to face someone who looks, speaks, and even remembers exactly like a person you once loved. Little wonder that he was struggling so intensely with his emotions at the outset. The author skillfully captured the sense of powerlessness and despair Akiva experienced as a young man trapped in a country ravaged by war.

Having delved into extensive research and readings about World War I and II, and the horrific experimentation conducted by Nazi scientists/doctors on prisoners of war, the plot appeared predictable to me. Nevertheless, I hope that for others, the plot may not be as apparent or obvious, adding to the overall suspense and intrigue. And that ending!!!!

Overall, the book left a lasting impression on me as I was thoroughly impressed by the author’s beautiful writing and the comprehensive research and effort he put in crafting a vivid and detailed world for the story. Highly recommended.

Wow, this book is a masterpiece.

Aden Polydoros is already well established as one of my favorite authors of all time, and Wrath Becomes Her only solidified him as an absolutely masterful, gut-wrenching storyteller. I don’t quite have the words to adequately describe this book, only that it is something both courageous and vengeful, soft and heartbreaking all at once.

Set in Lithuania in 1943, the story follows Vera, a newly formed golem created in the image of Chaya, a young Jewish girl who’d recently been killed. Amidst working out the purpose of her existence— namely, her creators task of exacting vengeance upon Chaya’s Nazi killers— Vera must also learn what it means to be human, even when she’s not human herself.

Although much of the story is downright harrowing, cataloguing the horrific reality of the Jewish people living in Europe at the time, there were so many beautiful, tender moments like pearls of hope amidst a very bleak situation. I loved Akiva especially— how courageous he was despire unspeakable odds and how he wasn’t afraid to die, but terrified to live where his community wasn’t allowed much of a life to cling to. The exploration of his character in contrast to Vera’s served as a larger portrait of what it means to survive. Akiva didn’t want to think of anything outside of vengeance, outside of living minute by minute. He’d seen the worst of humanity and was simply trying to survive. My heart broke for him and I don’t think his character will be leaving my thoughts for a long time.

As with all Aden’s writing, the emotion and descriptions were extremely visceral and poignant. From the descriptions of Vera’s making to the coldness of a Lithuanian winter, the prose jumped from the page with a lifelike vitality. Wrath Becomes Her is a story that comes from anger and wrath, yes, but it is also a story rooted in humanity. In caring for each other amidst the horror of war and the poison blade of hate. It’s a look at survival and family, and how far we’ll go to memorialise those we love. The easiest 5 stars ever.

this was a really good! I liked the characters, and they were super well-developed. the plot was super cool and fun to read, and the writing was also smooth and easy to understand
highly recommend

"But in my short time on earth, I had begun to realize that what we wanted in life was seldom what we got.”

"Wrath Becomes Her" is, in my opinion, a very sad and yet beautiful story about humanity seen through the eyes of a golem. Vera comes to understand the hardships of what it means to be human and that evil takes on a human form as well. Moreover, she comes to experience the beauty of love in the battlefield and its redemptive power.

This is the first book I’ve read by Aden Polydoros and I must say I was very impressed by the story and it’s strong themes. It's also the first book, in general, that has made me literally cry. I absolutely loved the heroism of these Jewish characters and their pride in being Jewish, especially in the face of antisemitism. Truly a profound story!