2024 Sydney Taylor Book Award Young Adult Honor
"Haunting, exhilarating, and a howl of vengeance." βAndrew Joseph White, New York Times bestselling author of Hell Followed With Us
Frankenstein meets Inglourious 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 canβt bring Chaya back from the dead, but he can use kishuf β an ancient and profane magic β 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 arenβt hers, and Vera doesnβt know if she getsβor deservesβto have a life beyond what she was made for.
Veraβs strength feels limitlessβuntil she learns that there are others who would channel kishuf for means far less noble than avenging a daughterβs 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.
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.