What makes one a human vs. a monster? This is a theme explored throughout Aden Polydoros' new book Wrath Becomes Her. 

If you follow Jewish Bookstagrammers, you've likely seen how often we bemoan the prevalence of the romanticized WW2 story. Wrath Becomes Her is everything a WW2 Historical Fiction should be. It highlights the horrors and brutalities of the Nazis without making excuses or holding punches. It gives us Jewish heroes whom are fighters, not helpless and weak. And it does all this with a captivating plot, one that hooked me cover to cover. 

Polydoros has become one of my favorite authors and he is a gifted storyteller. This is the second Historical Fiction book I've read by him and LOVED, which is no small feat because I usually don't enjoy Historical Fiction. What sets Polydoros' books apart is his combination of Historical Fiction + Fantasy, Jewish mythology no less. A golem story of vengeance, Wrath Becomes Her is fittingly dedicated "to every reader who's ever wanted to punch a Nazi."

Five stars, I highly recommend this book! Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for the ARC. Wrath Becomes Her will be out Tuesday, 10/10!!!

Frankenstein meets Inglorious Basterds in this Jewish historical horror story about a grieving father who's daughter is killed by Nazis, and thus he creates a Gollum using ancient magic.... and human body parts in the image of his daughter to have the golem become a Nazi killer and avenge his daughter's death. Vera wakes up in a world she doesn't know but the only thing anchoring her is the violent purpose thrumming in her. She is made of clay, human parts, and magic... and her only purpose is to get revenge for Ezra, the father of Chaya... Ezra made Vera from Chaya's dead body after she was murdered and he wants Vera to avenge Chaya... yet Vera is beginning to get bits and pieces of Chaya's own memories and feelings, making her question who she is and what part of her is truly her? Vera is a gollum yet she is beginning to feel things, to have her own thoughts, and yet she'll have to navigate revenge, war, and the memories of a girl who is gone. This is a fantastic mixture of Frankenstein with historical horror and Inglorious Basterds. I was absolutely captivated by this book. Vera's struggles with finding her own autonomy and her own place in this world was so well done and the question of what makes a monster really a monster and the struggle of understanding humanity was so well drawn out. This is a fantastic read and I would highly recommend it!

*Thanks Netgalley and Inkyard Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Wrath Becomes Her is a one of a kind WWII historical fiction novel. As someone who reads historical fiction, and WWII fiction very frequently, I have never read anything like this! It was a great departure from the usual Jewish holocaust novel, white savior complex with Nazi bad guys and American good guys.

Told from the perspective of Vera, a golem made of clay, looking for her maker Ezra and trying to fulfill his destiny for her. She meets with many freedom fighters along the way and just as many Nazis.

Aden Polydoros writes with such epic flair that you can envision scenes from Inglorious Basterds & Frankenstein's monster. Wrath Becomes Her is not for the faint hearted and no one should mess with a Golem that just wants justice.

I enjoyed this story! I thought the author's writing was so lyrical and descriptive, and the premise/plot was bloody and action-packed. There was so much rage, grief, pain, and confusion packed into a single book.

I was very impressed with the authors ability to write from the perspective of an inhuman being with human memories. He captured that vibe of "I feel this but it's not really me, or is it??" I don't know how else to describe it, but I thought it was very cleverly done. He also tackled the idea of what it means to be human, and how to find your identity when you don't know your purpose in life.

I did hope for more "wrath" from the story. It definitely felt like the main character was very young, and while she had her moments of anger I ultimately felt she was more scared and alone than angry and vengeful for much of the book. In the end, I think it felt more like a YA book and I probably would have enjoyed it more if it was marketed as such.

All in all, this is a solid standalone historical fantasy.

Thank you to InkYard Press and Netgalley for an e-arc of this book.

When Vera first becomes aware, she breaths revenge. After being created in the image of her creator's late daughter as a golem to wreck vengeance on the Nazis and sympathizers, Vera is full of strength, rage, and the memories of the girl from whom she was formed. But when her creator disappears, she will have to learn to live in the world on her own, finding her own purpose amongst what was created for her.

I really loved this book. The historical setting really drew me in and I was immediately hooked with the flashback scene. I absolutely love Vera and loved watching her grow and learn to become her own person and not the shadow of someone else. The other characters in this story are also interesting and there was a part--which I won't say because spoilers--that absolutely broke my heart.

Aden Polydoros does such a great job interweaving Jewish folklore with a new twist on golems that I've never seen before, and I really loved it. This is definitely one to read!

CW: antisemitism, death, murder, mass murder, body horror

I am finding myself enjoying books that are sad and even a bit painful to read more and more often, but only if they are beautifully written. This is the perfect YA option for that type of book.

[3.5/5] WRATH BECOMES HER takes place during WWII in 1943 Lithuania. During this time Nazi Germany occupied the country and the Soviets, who had invaded the three Baltic countries prior, turned their attention toward fighting the Nazis. Civilians, including Jews, turned to resistance fighting, with the obvious inherent risk of being killed by a Nazi. This is how we meet Vera, a golem created by Ezra whose daughter was murdered by a Nazi officer.

Courtesy of the glossary in the book, in Jewish folklore a golem is a human-made artifical human crafted from clay and given life through magic. Ezra used kishuf, or sorcery, to make Vera in the image of his daughter, Chaya. He gave Vera a purpose: to avenge Chaya's death. With snippets of Chaya's memories, Vera sets off to fulfill her goal and along the way runs into Akiva, Chaya's friend and lover. This encounter and their journey together causes Vera to question her very nature. Is she just a monster bidden to do only one thing or can she choose her own purpose? But they discover others are using kishuf for less virtuous pursuits.

First, I have to comment on the title of the book, WRATH BECOMES HER. It seems this is a play on words as it means two different things. It literally means wrath becomes her, or she is wrath and vengeance. "Become" also means it suits someone, or wrath looks good on Vera. Vera was made out of wrath and vengeance, it is her purpose, and it looks good on her because her body is strong and capable of fulfilling it. I thought it was a brilliant title.

However, a title like this sets the reader up for an expectation of more representation of wrath, specifically the loud, physical kind. Instead most of the wrath depicted is subdued, cautious, exhausted, and calculated. There is Nazi-killing wrath in this book, but the reader should not expect a full-blown Inglorious Basterds comparison. The likening to the movie is apt, but the gore and wrath are turned down.

As one might expect from a story that has an artificial human, Vera self reflects on who she is and how her unique situation affects her interactions with humans. Because she has access to some of Chaya's memories, her dynamic with Akiva is complicated. They both have the same goal, to kill Nazis, but Vera feels the tension between them because of her resemblance to Chaya. To Akiva's credit, he recognizes Vera's autonomy despite her uncanny visage.

The set up of WRATH BECOMES HER provides plenty of opportunity to explore one's nature, golem or human; how atrocities change people; the definition of life; and the appropriation of aspects of a culture when it suits the aggressor. While this book includes reflections on this, I felt as if they didn't go deep enough. Vera thinks a lot about these topics, but there really is no discussion about it with any of the other characters. I think this is why it felt more superficial--because there is little engagement with others about these philosophies. It is as if she and Akiva are afraid to talk about it, which I understand, but I felt that to discuss it out loud would have made the story and characters stronger. For the amount of time spent not killing Nazis, I would have preferred some natural conversation progression on these themes.

Moreover, the reader knows Vera's backstory, but learns very little about Akiva despite Vera spending most of her time with him. One could chalk this up to war hardening, or protecting oneself by pushing that part of one's identity below the surface. But it made Akiva feel like a less-developed character relative to Vera.

Overall, though, this is a well-written young adult, historical fiction that incorporates Jewish folklore and mysticism as a means to question purpose and will. WRATH BECOMES HER depicts the atrocities committed in the name of vengeance or hate. But it also ultimately shows the importance of the preservation of life and culture as a way to fight back.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Wrath Becomes Her may just be Aden Polydoros’ best work to date, paying homage to Frankenstein and drawing on the rage and sorrow felt by many Jews during and in the aftermath of World War II.
One of the things I was won over was the character development. Vera begins the book without a real sense of personhood, being a golem created with the singular purpose of exacting vengeance. But she also has some memories of the life of Chaya, the girl whose life she’s meant to avenge. This creates a compelling arc for her, as she searches for purpose and a real sense of identity.
Her journey is aided by her developing bond with Akiva, a boy whose past is tied to Chaya’s. Their bond really centers the novel, and I love how the story transitioned from Vera grappling with her memories of him from Chaya’s life to what their future could be. The Frankenstein influences come into play where his fate is concerned, but where Vera’s origins and arc were much more fraught, just as Frankenstein’s monster was, Akiva’s contrasts with his literary counterpart in being focused on the love he comes to share with Vera.
However, while this story isn’t as focused on vengeance as I initially thought it would be, it’s definitely present. The inclusion of the harsh environment Jews of the time lived in, with many common people who weren’t directly affiliated with the Nazis being complicit in the persecution of the Jewish people, not just passively but often actively participating. There’s a lot here that inspires anger, but the central narrative provides a ray of hope.
While it initially felt a little slow, meandering a little as Vera formulates her identity, the book picks up over time. The second half in particular is more action packed and fast-paced, making the buildup worth it.
I enjoyed this book a lot, and I’d recommend it if you’re looking for a Jewish fantasy-horror that grapples with the realities of the Holocaust.

This book didn’t resonate with me as much as I thought it would. I felt like the story was choppy and I didn’t quite enjoy Vera’s character. I feel like the writing style just didn’t flow how I would have liked it to. Overall, the book is not horrible, it just didn’t capture me like I thought it would. The idea of golem is such a fun concept. It just fell flat for me personally.
Thank you to Inkyard Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.

Wrath Becomes Her is a brutal but honest look at the struggle and sacrifice of those who fought against Nazi forces during WWII. A bit of magic allows Vera, a golem made from clay and some human parts, to come to life and she is given the task from her unwilling creator to fight and destroy those who are against them. She fights not only her enemies, but also to discover who she is—the amalgamation of memories from her human donor, a monster, or something else?

This was a really interesting story, and I appreciated that the author embraced the pain and horror of what it would be like to exist during Nazi rule, because it wasn’t an easy story to tell, but it was real. The story would have been more engaging for me if the plot had been more thorough. I felt like a lot of the story was Vera running from one thing to the next with no plan or preparation. And it was possible because she is more than human and these were desperate times, but it felt under-formed and I would’ve liked a more thought out plan for our protagonists.

I still enjoyed this book for as hard a topic as it can be to read and introduced elements that made it more accessible but still stayed true to the history.

E-ARC generously provided by Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!

4 stars. Combining Polydoros' signature evocative writing with a story about vengeance, Wrath Becomes Her is a Frankenstein-esque tale that is equally harrowing and haunting as it is compulsively readable.

I got an ARC of this book.

What does it truly mean to be human? What does it truly mean to be a monster? Those are the two big questions this book raises over and over again. It is clear that Nazis are monsters, but they are also human. So it is sometimes hard to draw thick lines between the two. The lines are blurred even more when what is considered a monster shows more humanity and care than the humans around her.

I was completely on board for some Nazi killing revenge. I wanted gore. I wanted pain. I wanted so much from the golem. But she continuously challenged me. Why was my need for revenge, and that need from Ezra, her reason to be created? What gave Ezra that right? What right did I have for craving that revenge? What does revenge even do? It does not undo the past. It doesn't heal the future.

This was not a typical horror. There was not jump scares. There was some gore, but only a small amount. Instead the horror was about humanity and what it is capable of doing to itself and those around it. Nazis are horrifying. Nazi sympathizers, so you know Nazis without the uniforms, are horrifying. There was always an element of horrifying in the book. There was not any real danger feeling though, because Vera is pretty much immortal. She does not die from being shot. She can only be killed in a very particular way, which she knows and protects herself from. So it is hard to really worry about her safety. Instead, the plot was around how human she was. How she survived through the horror that was the Holocaust.

It is not an easy book to read. Polydoros does not speed things up. You have to walk with Vera the whole time. There is no jumping ahead. There is only her path. The speed of the book was slow, but it worked well. It worked for Vera coming into her own humanity/golemhood. Give the pace time, it works even when it is painful to be stuck.

Vera is vengeance embodied. She may be a golem, but a special one made with kishuf - sorcery - that incorporated the body parts of a murdered girl. Vera struggles to parse out her own nascent identity and morality while on a bloody quest to kill Nazis; because while she has been created only for violence, she wants to be so much more. Especially as she comes to realize she isn't actually the monster in this story. Humans exhibit plenty of that monstrosity for her. This is a brutal tale of love and horror. Side by side, these elements make the story unputdownable due to the candor aimed at humanity's tendency for atrocious acts through the lens of someone who is not human. With the recent rise of fascism and normalization of violence against marginalized groups, even though it’s a WWII story it’s as timely as ever.

I don't read too many WWII books, but when I do, when possible, I make sure to support Jewish authors in their efforts to gain back control of their narrative - their history. I also really appreciated the author's note at the beginning of the book.

The premise of this is just as fascinating and riveting as you'd expect. Vera is a golem, made with clay and parts of her creators dead daughter. Vera has some of her memories and emotions. Set in Lithuania during the end of World War II, "Wrath Becomes Her" follows a group of Jewish partisan fighters who fight against Nazis by derailing supply trains.

Vera struggles with her purpose and what it means to be human. How do you not give up hope when all seems lost?

This was much more violent and scary than I usually liked but I was so gripped by the characters that I didn't even mind. The ending really surprised me; it was a brilliant way to wrap everything up. This was a masterpiece. Polydoros is truly an underrated author.

Wrath Becomes Her, by Aden Polydoros, was such an amazing book, I've never read anything like that before.

I was initially interested in the story because of Vera the golem, and how she was bent on revenge on her creators behalf. I've read stories with golems in them before and I've always found their history to be interesting. The story ended up being so much more than that to me. I really want to say what I enjoyed about the story, but I feel like it will give away a big portion of Vera's character development. What I will say is she knows how to kick some major Nazi butt and I would happily read anything by this author again.

I was drawn by the premise of a revengeful golem Nazi killer and the interesting cover but I realized that this book was not for me. I had to force myself to read through it and it took me forever to finish it.

I found the pacing slow and confusing. I didn’t much care for the characters. For the title be “Wrath Becomes Her”, I did not much feel the rage within the character and I actually found it disappointing.

I liked that it tried to show how humans are sometimes worse than what you’ll consider monsters. I kinda enjoyed Vera’s self-exploration, but it just lacked something that I could not exactly pinpoint.

I started to be more invested towards the end that I was actually looking forward to Vera & “Akiva’s” reunion, but I felt like it just ended abruptly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wrath Becomes Her blew me away, for the most part. It has a fantastic premise that it more than delivers on. The characters were compelling and complex. The plot was intriguing, although it dragged in parts. The writing was beautiful. I’d recommend it to anyone who is looking for a different kind of WWII story with Jewish characters, as well as any historical fiction or fantasy fan.

A title like Wrath Becomes Her promises a vengeful and angry woman, but Vera moseyed her way through this book.

Vera was created for the sole purpose of vengeance. After losing his daughter, Chaya, a father takes part in dark magic to create a golem to track down his daughter’s killer. The golem, Vera, upon awakening, knows her sole purpose is to kill the Nazis. On her mission, she meets Akiva, Chaya’s former lover, and forms a bond with him. Akiva is out for blood, determined to avenge Chaya’s death on his way down. The two are faced with a creature much like Vera, except it has nefarious intentions. Vera must use her strength and rage to defeat the foul creature before it slaughters hundreds.

I have yet to be let down by Polydoros when it comes to historical fantasy. He brings to light Jewish folklore and history in a way I’m not seeing in the YA market. Wrath Becomes Her does not shy away from the brutal and horrific treatment of Jewish people, not just by Nazis, but by other communities. This book inspires feelings of rage and disgust for how often others were turning a blind eye to the Jewish community’s suffering. It did a great job of pointing out how one does not have to actively participate in mistreatment in order to condone it.

The book’s pitch grossly exaggerates Vera’s “rage.” She is supposed to be incensed on Chaya’s behalf but seems detached from the actual emotions. In fact, when Vera kills, she talks about how the rage and anger are not her own. Instead of going on a rampage, she just follows orders, first from the father, and then Akiva. The book keeps emphasizing she can feel emotions as a golem, yet none of those emotions are natural. The book tells us how she feels instead of showing her natural reactions to emotionally charged scenarios. I was bummed, because if there was ever a character to feel righteous wrath, it should be Vera.

All in all, not my favorite novel by Polydoros, but it brings to light important historical times in a way that will engage those who prefer fantasy over non-fiction.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

YA readers who enjoy dark historical fantasies will enjoy this book. The characterization wasn't very good, but the setting and plot are excellent.

The emotions in this book. This is a unique take on the vengeance of a father who lost his daughter in WWII. He creates a Golem, Vera, who, while containing some of the daughters' real memories and feelings, is still a tool used to kill the Nazis responsible for her death.

This shook me! The emotions, the fear and anger that absolutely defines this era, this war. I adored the lyrical and beautiful writing that made the pain of this story so real. I think this is such an interesting take on a topic that will always, and should, stay in our minds as being a part of history we must never repeat.

Out October 10, 2023!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!