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A review by maryleong
Silencing Rebecca by Nikki Vogel
3.0
Triggers: religious trauma, rape, sexual assault
(3.5/5 rounded down for the ending) A blend of magic realism and religious horror, this was an eerie, unnerving take on the way societal and religious institutions leave girls and women choking and drowning – metaphorically and literally.
Raised by an Orthodox Jewish father, Rebecca Waldmann's sheltered existence dissipates as the pair move from Toronto to Edmonton. Going from Jewish day school to public school, Rebecca is confronted with culture shock and anti-Semitism from her classmates. When she discovers that her father has been keeping a secret from her, Rebecca starts to rebel in small ways: dressing like a normal teenager, going to sports games, having secular friends.
However, her transformation doesn't stop there. Under the cover of dark, Rebecca is turning into a golem – a creature of mud brought to life by its human master, a silent helper for someone else's purposes. Her descent into voicelessness is reflective of her father's inability to hear her, to truly listen to her. Becoming a feral creature of dust and mud, in so many ways, was the only way Rebecca could break out of the shell that had been thrust upon her.
Unfortunately, the ending was a bust for me. I'm so sick of rape and sexual assault being used as a plot device for character growth. It's tired, it's uncreative, and cheapens what could have been an incredibly strong novel on religious trauma and institutionalized misogyny all on its own.
(3.5/5 rounded down for the ending) A blend of magic realism and religious horror, this was an eerie, unnerving take on the way societal and religious institutions leave girls and women choking and drowning – metaphorically and literally.
Raised by an Orthodox Jewish father, Rebecca Waldmann's sheltered existence dissipates as the pair move from Toronto to Edmonton. Going from Jewish day school to public school, Rebecca is confronted with culture shock and anti-Semitism from her classmates. When she discovers that her father has been keeping a secret from her, Rebecca starts to rebel in small ways: dressing like a normal teenager, going to sports games, having secular friends.
However, her transformation doesn't stop there. Under the cover of dark, Rebecca is turning into a golem – a creature of mud brought to life by its human master, a silent helper for someone else's purposes. Her descent into voicelessness is reflective of her father's inability to hear her, to truly listen to her. Becoming a feral creature of dust and mud, in so many ways, was the only way Rebecca could break out of the shell that had been thrust upon her.
Unfortunately, the ending was a bust for me. I'm so sick of rape and sexual assault being used as a plot device for character growth. It's tired, it's uncreative, and cheapens what could have been an incredibly strong novel on religious trauma and institutionalized misogyny all on its own.