A Sydney Taylor Honor Book
Frankenstein meets Inglorious Basterds in this stunning Jewish historical horror novel from the award-winning author of The City Beautiful
Vera was made for vengeance.
Lithuania, 1943. A father drowns in the all-consuming grief of a daughter killed by the Nazis. He can’t bring Chaya back from the dead, but he can use kishuf — an ancient and profane magic — to create a golem in her image. A Nazi killer, to avenge her death.
When Vera awakens, she can feel her violent purpose thrumming within her. But she can also feel glimpses of a human life lived, of stolen kisses amidst the tragedy, and of a grisly death. And when she meets Akiva, she recognizes the boy with soft lips that gave warm kisses. But these memories aren’t hers, and Vera doesn’t know if she gets—or deserves—to have a life beyond what she was made for.
Vera’s strength feels limitless—until she learns that there are others who would channel kishuf for means far less noble than avenging a daughter’s death. As she confronts the very basest of humanity, Vera will need more than what her creator gave her: Not just a reason to fight, but a reason to live.
Praise for Wrath Becomes Her
“Philosophical questions of humanity, monstrousness, and what counts as either (or both); horrific violence both psychological and physical; layer upon layer of fury and vengeance—and yet, the sum of the parts is as hopeful as it is desolate, and as lovingly crafted as it is furious and brokenhearted.” –School Library Journal, starred review
“A haunting and thoughtful World War II tale with a dark, magical bent.” –Kirkus
“Without sacrificing emotional impact or contemporary resonance, Polydoros implements frequently explored Jewish lore surrounding golems with a fresh and inventive angle. Relentlessly disconcerting ambiance adds to the novel’s eerie feel, making for an engrossing alternate history adventure.” –Publishers Weekly
“Polydoros’ historical horror fantasy, informed by Jewish mythology, is a terrifying, thought-provoking book that will linger in the reader’s mind for a long time.” –Booklist
“Haunting, exhilarating, and a howl of vengeance.” –Andrew Joseph White, New York Times bestselling author of Hell Followed With Us
“Intoxicating and visionary, a rare book that peels apart the idea of what personhood is, what our obligations are to those who made us how we are, and our obligations to the living and to the dead.” –Katherine Locke, author of This Rebel Heart
