If you’ve never had occasion to read a book that left you reflecting on how far you’d have to be pushed to become uncivilized, where that threshold is and what would make you cross it, maybe you haven’t read a book like "Wrath Becomes Her". Aden Polydoros revisits World War II in this brilliant and sincere story of retribution, wrapped up in a young woman who is more humane than the monster she was created to be. And more human than the enemy bent on the genocide of her people.

Polydoros has an immense gift for telling stories that are exceptional, eloquent, and introspective. He says this is a story he wishes had been available to him in his teens, and then he went about making it happen now, for the benefit of his readers. He makes heroes of his characters as they are faced with the horrors of Nazis and their enablers—those who fought alongside them and those who looked the other way while innocent people died.

Vera is all of us, trying to figure out who she is and how she fits into the world. Vera is none of us, as she is unique unto herself. Her conception was inspired by grief and hate, and she was created deliberately and with a purpose; though that purpose sometimes puts her at odds with those she means to help. It makes her powerful in ways that elevate her beyond the enemy who will feel her wrath. Vera becomes wrath. She also becomes something more to Akiva. She becomes salvation. She is the hero of this story. She is the contradiction and the courageous.

"Wrath Becomes Her" is far and away one of the best books I’ve read this year. Then again, I was able to say the same of "The City Beautiful" and "Bone Weaver". Aden Polydoros composes his stories so artfully that they captivate as well as educate.

Loved this mix of historical fiction, Jewish lore, and fantasy. A thought provoking and fascinating story that kept me reading.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This novel was reminiscent of Frankenstein; the creation of Vera being a desecration of the dead (in this case-a 17 year old girl), the connection Vera has to her creator Ezra, the desire for love, and the topic of “purpose” being prominent. I found this novel to be engaging and heartbreaking, it showed some of the realities of Nazi occupation from the perspective of someone who had only just learned of its existence and was trying to make sense of something incomprehensible. This novel inspires anger and disgust at the treatment of Jewish people and acknowledges how doing nothing contributed to the suffering by condoning it. Vera is created to be wrath incarnate but she doesn’t come across like that. She often feels a range of emotions and has many childlike qualities that take away from her anger. I would’ve loved to see her own her righteous anger instead of immediately condemning her wrath as “not her own”.

This YA horror novel is a sickening, horrifying depiction of the atrocities that happened to the Jewish community during World War II and one man's attempr at exacting justice for his daughter.

When Ezra creates Vera, he uses abominations to create her. In spite of this, there is something inherently human about her. Through this character's point of view, we see the beauty and pain of experience while she embarks on a journey that is not her own.

I loved this book not only because of these reasons, but because it was a well-researched novel that introduced aspects of Jewish culture to readers without over-explanation within worldbuilding. I did have to search some of the vocabulary, but I've learned so much about Jewish culture and legends through this book. Super excellent story!

Ever since the untimely death of his seventeen-year-old daughter Chaya, Ezra has wished for nothing more than to have her back with him. When he uses a rarely practiced set of skills and the tools at his disposal to create a golem in Chaya’s likeness, he is pleasantly surprised by the opportunity to have a humanoid creature in his presence who happens to share some of his daughter's biology. But Ezra does not count on the overall knowledge such a companion could possess, and Vera quickly surpasses every expectation that Ezra had for her. And as Vera becomes ever more powerful, she is ultimately given the choice to use her abilities either for good or for evil.

This Frankenstein-esque tale blends Jewish folklore and culture with Holocaust-era Europe in a novel and fascinating way. While the Nazis continue to be the villains of the story, this narrative offers a fresh take on the abilities and strengths of the Jewish people in a time of great oppression. Using excellent writing, a compelling premise, and memorable characters, this novel transports readers through time and space to a fantasy experience that often feels more real than imagined.

Readers who appreciate World War II literature and the power of humanity to overcome great suffering will relish this unique take on this period in history. Rich and sometimes difficult descriptions give depth and dimension to the story, helping to make 1940s Lithuania remarkably present in the mind of the reader. Additionally, Jewish language and culture are prevalent within the narrative, welcoming both Jewish and non-Jewish readers alike especially with the inclusion of a glossary at the novel’s end. Gripping and emotional, this is a riveting take on the horrors of World War II recounted through the eyes of an unexpected and powerful heroine. This is a strong addition to library collections for young adult readers.

This one was non stop action! I read it all in about 8 hours, and boy did it play with my emotions!

I felt for the FMC, trying to find her identity, knowing that she's not "human" but feeling, wanting, wondering. It made me question my own humanity, and what my definition of being human is!

The portrayal of what happened to the Jewish population, and what they went through, broke my heart. Some books like to "soften" the blow, but this one didn't and I appreciate it so much more. It didn't hide the ugly truths and though there were some parts that were tough to read, I liked seeing it "raw and uncut," I think it gave the story so much "oomph," and helped you feel more for the FMC and the other characters.

Overall, I enjoyed this book a whole lot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the advanced reader's copy for my honest review.

This book is about a golem made in the image of a girl who was killed by Nazis, by the girl’s father who wants her to kill the people who killed his daughter. Our main character struggles to pretend to be human, and at least appear somewhat human among people who know she’s a golem, all the while navigating what it means to be human and to exist in a society that wasn’t made with anyone like her in mind.
This whole book is very dark, and doesn’t sugar coat things, either. It takes some very twisted turns and also leaves off every chapter with not a cliffhanger but a final or profound note that still keeps you turning the pages as if it were cliffhangers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

When I tell you I could not put this down, I mean I COULD NOT put this book down! I'm finding that speculative history with a pinch of fantasy is becoming a genre that I desire a lot more of because I devoured Wrath Becomes Her within 8 hours. I truly felt the harrowing journey that Vera and co. went through. This is a new favorite that I know will stick with me for a long time.

Amidst the destruction and atrocities committed in WW2, a grieving father turns to dark magic in order to exact revenge for the death of his daughter, who died fighting Nazis. Equal parts consumed and revolted, Ezra creates a golem in his daughter, Chaya's image. Naming her Vera, which means "truth" or "faith", Ezra has slowly been shaping Vera, not just physically, but also with powerful intentions and emotions. Crafting her into a being of rage and vengeance. Of wrath.

After her small world implodes, her creator missing, and Vera is left alone with blood on her hands, she must rely on what Ezra has taught her and what small remnants she's gleamed from other sources.

Because of this, Vera goes into the world with some semblance of what humanity is. But the path to find her father and fulfill her purpose takes her through the highs and lows of human nature, and while there are many questions that Vera stumbles over, the ultimate question remains, what is it to be human? The way this story attempts to answer this felt so jarring, simple and yet incredibly elusive.

I felt like there was non-stop action the entire time, Vera is a force of nature and every moment felt charged. Her emotions were captured brilliantly, visceral and at the same time distant because of her golem nature. Especially the moments with Akiva, the boy that Chaya loved. I want to say so much more, but trust me, it's better when you read it.

Wrath Becomes Her does not shy away from violence. There is murder, blood and gore, mutilation, suicide, and briefly mentions the real crimes that were committed in history, even if the history books don't want to tell it. This is for mature YA readers.

I feel that this is story that needs to be talked about more, its themes of what human beings are capable of, of stomaching, looking away from isn't discussed nearly as much as it should be. Delving into the mysteries of what separates man from monster, of religion, of purpose in one's life, and about the differences we can make as an individual are all thought-provoking and central to the human experience. Easy five stars all in all.

A book about a golem/girl who's life purpose is to get revenge against murderous nazis. Despite Vera constantly reminding the reader that she is not human, does not have human organs, and isn't supposed to be able to feel human emotions, this book is extremely emotional. This book deeply explore identity, antisemitism, and what it means to be a human or a monster. I love how much Jewish folklore was incorporated into the story and how it didn't romanticize the Holocaust, which is unfortunately, a common occurrence in fiction stories published today. This was a good and horrifying book.

Where so many historical fiction books glorify and romanticize the events of the Holocaust, this one shares more of the truth. And I wouldn't expect anything less from this story. Once again Aden Polydoros beautifully blended historical fiction with fantasy and Jewish folklore and I was invested from start to end. The writing was so lyrical while also showcasing quite a horrific and dark part of history. Also, I live for golem stories and this was done so brilliantly. I really enjoyed how the word monster was used as well and what determines those qualities in human beings or in the Golem. There was action, new and important relationships, and so many key moments. I've loved everything Polydoros has written so far and this book completely blew me away. I loved it so much and had a full range of emotions when I was reading. Thank you to Inkyard Press for the ARC to read and review!

In Wrath Becomes Her, Aden Polydoros has given us an atmospheric, dark, and heartfelt story of Jewish resistance when humans became monstrous. This novel fills an important gap in YA Holocaust literature, allowing us to look into the struggle of Jewish partisans in Lithuania, caught between the Nazis and the unreliable Soviet Army. This is not a book about abjection, although there is much suffering. This is not a book about righteous gentiles, although one appears in the text. Wrath Becomes Her tells a story of struggle to find life in the midst of violence and trauma, and the struggle to make one's own choices when one has been purpose-made for revenge.

I get why the marketing department compared Wrath Becomes Her to Inglorious Basterds, but the tone is entirely different (and better, IMHO). Can a golem made with parts of a young woman lay waste to Nazis? Yes. But will her own community accept her, given the horrific way she was made? Will the young partisan she works with reject her if he comes to find out that she contains dismembered parts of his murdered girlfriend? The human drama and emotional notes are what really make Wrath Becomes Her shine. One can also see meditations on body dysphoria and the trans experience if one cares to look for them. I hope that someday soon, thousands of young people will read this book in school instead of the poorly written Holocaust books that center non-Jews.

Ezra's daughter, Chaya, was killed by the Nazis. His grief drives him to create, Vera, a golem made of mud and clay, almost indestructible. But he also uses Chaya's hair, teeth, tongue and most of all, her eyes. He created her for a purpose, to destroy the army that killed Chaya. Recommended for any young adult to adult who likes a little horror with their fantasy.

Thank you Netgalley and Inkyard Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

"Wrath Becomes Her" by Aden Polydoros follows a man's daughter Chaya who dies but is brought back to life through Ancient Magic as a golem who has her memories and one purpose is for revenge.


I would give "Wrath Becomes Her" by Aden Polydoros a 3-star review because, the concept is intriguing, the author executed this well especially with mix of Jewish folklore and magical realism but there were parts that for me were either confusing or just too weird to read/didn't fit the novel.

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.