This book was honestly not my cup of tea. I have never been a fan of historical fiction but there have been books in the genre that I have loved. Sadly this is not the case of this book. By any means the writing was bad but the story felt to real even for that kind of genre and idk I feel like maybe in the times that we are now and what's going on this one might have not been the right book to read.

Fan's of Frankenstein will find their next best read in this book. A hauntingly beautiful book filled with justified revenge against the world.

Unlike anything I have had the pleasure of reading before. This is an incredibly impactful book, which expertly uses the story to discuss themes of rage and grief and what makes a person a person. Aden Polydoros is one to watch.

The story is about Vera, who is a clay golem who has been brought to life. She was created by a man named Ezra whose daughter, Chaya was murdered by the Nazis. Ezra used Chaya's hair, teeth, nails, eyeballs to create Vera and whose sole purpose will be to avenge her death.

When Vera awakens, despite not being a human, she can feel glimpses of a human life loved, of stolen kisses amidst the tragedy and a horrible death. Then Vera meets Akiva, she recognises the boy with whom she shared kisses. But these memories aren't hers and she doesn't know if she deserves to have a life beyond what she was made of.

The book is based on the horrible tragedies faced by the Jewish people by the Nazis. The book is powerful yet very emotional. The author has written the moments very powerfully that you can actually visualise the scenes.

The book also showcases Jewish culture and their lifestyle. The resistance they put up against the Nazis. It is a historical fiction book with a whole different vibe and the readers are absolutely gonna love it.

I totally recommend the book.

Until now, I have really enjoyed all of Aden Polydoros’s works that I have read! The City Beautiful was one of my top favorite reads in 2022 and I would recommend that book to anyone. I had hoped that, just like The City Beautiful, I would be able to dive headfirst into the story and be happily led along as Polydoros seamlessly blended a Jewish centered history with fantasy and Jewish mythology, but I struggled getting into it. I am not sure if it was the pace that tripped me up or the history (history being the names and places and motives) that I had trouble following, but I became disengaged quickly and unable to get back into it.

In no way shape or form will this be my last Polydoros book - Like I said, I have loved everything else I have read by this author, but this was sadly a miss for me. Thank you to NetGalley, Aden Polydoros, and Inkyard Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“I would show them and their collaborators that when they slaughtered innocent girls deep in the forest, those girls sometimes came back.”

Wrath Becomes Her is a story about Vera, who is a clay golem who has been brought to life. She was created by a man named Ezra whose daughter, Chaya, was murdered being part of a Nazi resistance group. Vera wasn’t just created in Chaya’s image. Ezra used Chaya’s hair, teeth, nails, and even eyeballs to mold Vera into a duplicate of his daughter, and had the sole purpose of vengeance in mind when doing so.

So Vera has all Chaya’s memories, looks exactly like her, and is a virtual Nazi-killing machine. But she also has more sentience than Ezra planned, and has a very wide spectrum of human emotions.

Vera comes across Akiva, a boy she remembers from Chaya’s memories, and the two of them carry on the Nazi resistance he’d been a part of with Chaya. But as they get to know one another and come across a spectrum of people, good and bad, we learn a lot about Vera’s confusion about her own agency and personality. She wants to be her own person and have her own desires but just doesn’t know how to separate herself from Chaya when Vera is so much of Chaya, mentally and physically.

So while it is a story of vengeance and Jewish folklore, but it’s also a story of identity and self that is told so seamlessly. I never thought I’d feel so much for a golem! I’m obsessed with Aden Polydoros’s writing aaf

This book was not an easy read, but I think it was an important one (for me and for many others). A 'retelling' that is more like an additional telling of the legend of the Golem, this book is set during World War Two and follows a story of Jewish partisans. Though not fully historical, the story itself is an important one as it shows a side of World War II and the Holocaust that isn't as prevalent in mainstream knowledge: the fact that Jewish people defended themselves and were often on their own even when amongst other partisan groups. This book was powerful for me and also gave me some wonderful opportunities to delve deeper into my own thoughts on the philosophies and traditions of my people. I think this book is a must read, but it can be heavy so be prepared.

From the vibes alone I was fascinated by Wrath Becomes Her which manages to channel Frankenstein vibes mixed with Jewish folklore. Set in a historical fiction setting, Wrath Becomes Her examines who the real monsters are. Because if you think it's very simply the ones who are created, then you've got a lot to learn. Much like Frankenstein it explores how one learns of their monstrosity, of the crimes others perpetuate under guises, and cruelty.

World War 2 fiction in a whole new way!!! With this book with we throw in Jewish mysticism with a Golem! An incredible tale of a monster made to save and people who act like monsters. Truly filled with such righteous rage it makes your blood boil in a good way as you connect with a monster sent to fight for the good of people. But is a Golem that can feel a monster? Where is the line between human and monster?

3.5 Stars Rounded Up!

Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for an arc of this book!

First off, I feel terrible that I've had an arc, and it took me until now to finish it. I've started this book various time and stopped for various reasons. Finally, when the arc archived, I ended up finding it as an audiobook to listen. Honestly, this book was a case of a me problem. I know my tastes and that I don't usually enjoy historical fiction, but I also am convinced that the right book can make me love a genre. I hoped this could be that book for me, but unfortunately, it was not.

That being said, this is still a very solid read. I don't really have any issues with it, other than me just not being as "into it" as I hoped. I thought that a lot of the commentary and themes were very interesting and important to read about. The ending also was extremely intense. I also loved how Golems were incorporated. I had never heard of them before, and outside of the book, I did a bit of research on them. They are extremely fascinating, and the aspect of them is what makes this book so unique and what made me initially drawn to the book. I also believe I requested it right after reading Frankenstein because that piqued my curiosity.

I definitely would recommend this to someone who is either a historical fiction fan, or they are maybe looking into getting into the genre and already are a bit of a fantasy/scifi/magical realism reader.

The cover is absolutely gorgeous, and the writing is beautifully done.

This is a historical story with many feelings of grief, rage, etc.

Vera is the golem of vengeance, made from the mud of the river. Not only does she look human, but she feels human as well. I absolutely loved Vera, and will remember this character for many years to come. Her struggle with her identity as not quite human was very inspiring and I loved reading about her.

This is a WW|| story with a fun twist. Can't wait to read more from this author.

Historical Fantasy novels are not my favorite but I decided to give this one a shot. I did enjoy this but I think it could have been more powerful if targeted to an older audience. At times, I felt the YA feel got in the way of the potential power and affect of the book on the reader, but then again...that is only my opinion.

I was really hoping for some kick-ass female character and that did fall a little flat for me. This was a great book and it is very clear the author did their research with regards to the time period and Jewish Mythology.

A fresh take on YA historical fantasy, this book had me intrigued and wanting more. This was a quick read for me. Over all I would give it a 3.75 as I found it slightly lacking in character development with characters I really loved. However, I will definitely be picking up other books by this author.

If there’s an award for the most arresting book cover of the year, Wrath Becomes Her should absolutely win it. It’s stunning.

What a concept. A grieving father whose daughter was killed by WWII Nazis creates a golem in her image to avenge her death. A golem is a creature formed out of a lifeless substance, in this case rebar and river clay, brought to life by ritual incantations and sequences of Hebrew letters. It becomes a helper, a companion, or a rescuer of an imperiled Jewish community. As with many of this author’s previous novels, I enjoyed learning more about Jewish folklore and history than I ever did in school, and was excited to see what he’d do with this story.

When Vera awakens, she has memories of her life as Chaya – and also her death. Upon meeting Akiva, she remembers kisses and happiness in the midst of all the tragedy and death surrounding them. Despite how she was created, Vera feels as if she’s human. She also knows her purpose and why she was created and struggles with the turmoil of those memories and emotions. Although she’s filled with these conflicting emotions, I felt like it was stated more than shown in some places. Still, I raged against the Nazis along with her and Akiva.

The author’s lyrical writing describes a story filled with fear, anger, sorrow, pain, grief, and even hope. It’s horrific, revenge-fueled, dark, and a powerful read I’d recommend to fans of historical fiction with a horror fantasy twist.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A grieving Jewish father creates a Golem in this new historical WWII YA thriller that was great on audio narrated by Emily Lawrence and perfect for fans of books like the Golem and the jinni. My first book by Aden Polydoros but definitely not my last. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!!

This had a really interesting premise, and as far as the time period went, it was a good blend of the fantasy and the reality of the war taking place within the story. I did feel like a lot of the pacing was a bit slow for me, and while I did try to get invested in the main character's story, I just found I wasn't as interested after the prologue. Great on the atmosphere, so-so on the story.

Aden Polydoros is one new author I always have my eye on. I love to read any Jewish fantasy I can, and he so far has brought out some unique stories with compelling characters. This was a challenging read, not in the lousy writing sense but rather in the topic. You know a story will not have a happy ending or a good time throughout when it is based in Lithuania, 1943, with Jewish characters.

The plot and characters felt grounded in the time and place. The story went from place to place without knowing exactly where to go and who to target, which matched perfectly with Vera's new Golem POV. I read some reviews where they talked about how it was very YA and childish in tone in a derogatory way, which I did not see at all. The only times where there was a break from the harsh reality felt like a normal conversation between teenagers. Veras's rage and anger felt justified when needed and earned in the book's later half. I did feel some disconnect from her emotions and feelings, but that seemed almost on purpose because she was learning about those feelings as they happened. The author made you want to root for everyone to live, knowing that most people would not. Overall, it was a good, challenging read that made me emotional and angry.

Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the advanced copy of this book.

Where to even start... this book was beautifully written, and executed. We follow Vera, a golem made in the image of her creator's dead daughter. Vera's purpose is to kill nazis and avenge Chaya. The jumps between Vera's current states and Chaya's memories were really well done. It was disorienting in the best way and really helped put the reader in the same state of shock and confusion as Vera- especially as she reuintes/meets Akiva.

I'd definitely recommend this read and enjoyed it immensely. My only issues with it was how YA the voice was at times, which isn't necessarily the books fault since I'm old.

“I am retribution!” is the battle cry of Vera the golem in Aden Polydoros’s brilliant new young adult novel Wrath Becomes Her, which comes out tomorrow, October 10. I’ve been impressed with Polydoros’s ability to seamlessly blend Jewish culture and folklore with the Gothic ever since reading his debut, The City Beautiful, a couple of years ago. But he takes this to a whole new level in Wrath Becomes Her, creating the kind of book I really wish I could have read as a teen.

In Lithuania at the height of World War II, Vera awakens in a hayloft hideaway, watching her own body take shape before her eyes as Ezra constructs her from clay and sorcery. She is no ordinary golem, for in his grief and despair Ezra has imbued her with pieces of his dead daughter, Chaya—a seventeen-year-old resistance fighter recently killed by the Nazis. Vera has been created for vengeance, to find and destroy those responsible for Chaya’s death. But when their hiding place is attacked and Vera is thrust out into the world, she finds that her mission—and her identity—isn’t so simple. She can hunt down the man who shot Chaya and the man who gave the order, but what about the rest of the Nazi forces who are responsible for slaughtering whole villages of Jews just like Chaya? And what about the Lithuanian collaborators or the complacent villagers who stood by as their neighbors were taken from their homes? Vera could bathe the Rudniki Forest in blood and still not feel like her revenge was complete. Meanwhile, the very people Vera was built to protect would only view her as a monster if they knew the full truth of how she was created. This knowledge hangs over Vera as she grows closer with Akiva, the boy she knows from Chaya’s memories of stolen kisses and exhilarating guerilla missions. Together, they must track down what became of Vera’s creator and his cache of occult texts before this forbidden knowledge becomes a dangerous weapon in the hands of the enemy. But as she fights to avenge the dead and protect the living, Vera is also fighting for a future for herself.

Wrath Becomes Her deftly mixes the traditional golem of Jewish folklore with elements of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. In Jewish legend, golems are creatures made purely from clay and animated through the mystical knowledge of learned scholars. In this novel, Ezra violates Jewish law and cultural taboos to create Vera using the body parts of the dead, calling her “a desecration, but necessary.” Like Victor Frankenstein, Ezra is repulsed by his creation and cannot give her the kind of fatherly love and affection she craves so desperately. Like Frankenstein’s monster, Vera fears being rejected by the world and struggles to find a place where she can belong. Throughout the book, Vera wrestles with the question of what makes someone human and what makes someone a monster. She feels guilty for the method of her creation, but also frustrated that she is hated for something that happened before she ever came into being and over which she had no control. Luckily, she has an easier time finding community than Frankenstein’s monster did. Though she is careful at first to hide the blasphemous aspects of her creation, she is able to meet Jews who at least have the context of knowing what a golem is and are willing to welcome her into their spaces long enough to get to know her. It is these relationships with others and with a larger community that ultimately give Vera a sense of purpose and identity strong enough to let her imagine the future.

My favorite thing about this book is how deeply, unapologetically Jewish it is. I’ve written a bit before about how we’ve really seen a rise in Jewish fantasy and horror within the last few years. However, I find that many of these books hold back, only incorporating one or two elements from Jewish history or folklore while still trying to be palatable or familiar to a non-Jewish audience. But Wrath Becomes Her is not just a historical fantasy novel with a golem in it. The entire book is deeply immersed in Jewish practices, traditions, philosophies, and spiritual teachings. Yet this is done in a way that I think will still be accessible to non-Jewish readers. There’s a glossary in the back explaining Hebrew and Yiddish words and religious terms. And throughout the novel, the author smoothly works in explanations for the golem myth, the legend of Pardes, and other culturally specific stories, phrases, or ideas. This is absolutely a book that can be enjoyed by anyone, but I’m so excited for the current generation of young readers that will get to grow up with fun fantasy novels that celebrate and revel in their Jewishness.

If you like thought-provoking Gothic tales and action-packed stories about punching Nazis, Wrath Becomes Her has it all!

I’m generally not a big fan of reimagining‘s. Especially when I wasn’t a fan of the source material, in this case of Frankenstein.

BUT this was really good. It is still a very dark story exploring a very dark time in human history World War Two, from a Jewish perspective.

I really liked Vera’s character and her exploration of her existence. We meet interesting characters on her journey that complement the story. Definitely a worthy read.