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A review by izzyvb023
The Golem of Brooklyn by Adam Mansbach
4.0
“Len Bronstein was not so much in need of a golem as he was in possession of a large quantity of clay, and very stoned.”
I adored this novel! In my final year of college, I had an opening in my schedule and no idea what to fill it with. I decided to take a random course on monsters in Yiddish literature. I am not Jewish, nor do I have any connection to the Yiddish language; however, I thought it would be fun to learn something entirely new. My classmates welcomed me with open arms and I had an incredible time learning about the history and the importance of golems, dybbuks, and other creatures.
A year after taking the class, I happened upon this book in a bookstore and decided to pick it up. Now with an understanding of golems and an interest in the subject, I thought it would be a fun read.
“The Golem of Brooklyn” was a hilarious interpretation of how a Golem might respond to modern society. It was absolutely ridiculous and I loved every second of it. The comedic approach reminded me a lot of Ellen Galford’s “The Dyke and the Dybbuk.” Both novels take a historic Jewish monster and add comedy, queerness, and modern twists.
I also really appreciated that the hilarity was interspersed with beautiful moments of genuine reflection. The novel subtly demanded that readers ask themselves “how does Judaism equally interact with, oppose, and benefit from Whiteness?” and “can Tikkun Olam be justified if it requires violence?” Though never outright answered by the author, the book asks readers to consider these questions.
Overall, it was a really fun read and I’d recommend it to anyone who needs a short comedic book. You don’t have to be Jewish or have an understanding of Jewish mythology to understand and enjoy the novel-in fact, if you aren’t, you might be delighted to learn something new!
I adored this novel! In my final year of college, I had an opening in my schedule and no idea what to fill it with. I decided to take a random course on monsters in Yiddish literature. I am not Jewish, nor do I have any connection to the Yiddish language; however, I thought it would be fun to learn something entirely new. My classmates welcomed me with open arms and I had an incredible time learning about the history and the importance of golems, dybbuks, and other creatures.
A year after taking the class, I happened upon this book in a bookstore and decided to pick it up. Now with an understanding of golems and an interest in the subject, I thought it would be a fun read.
“The Golem of Brooklyn” was a hilarious interpretation of how a Golem might respond to modern society. It was absolutely ridiculous and I loved every second of it. The comedic approach reminded me a lot of Ellen Galford’s “The Dyke and the Dybbuk.” Both novels take a historic Jewish monster and add comedy, queerness, and modern twists.
I also really appreciated that the hilarity was interspersed with beautiful moments of genuine reflection. The novel subtly demanded that readers ask themselves “how does Judaism equally interact with, oppose, and benefit from Whiteness?” and “can Tikkun Olam be justified if it requires violence?” Though never outright answered by the author, the book asks readers to consider these questions.
Overall, it was a really fun read and I’d recommend it to anyone who needs a short comedic book. You don’t have to be Jewish or have an understanding of Jewish mythology to understand and enjoy the novel-in fact, if you aren’t, you might be delighted to learn something new!