First published 2026
Yetta burns with restless energy in her Russian shtetl, chafing against her parents' protective restrictions. Her mother's constant worry and her father's rigid rules feel suffocating when she yearns for a freedom she can barely imagine. But terror grips their Jewish community as neighbors vanish without explanation and rumors spread of coming violence from Gentile attackers. When the threatened assault finally arrives at their door, Yetta dies in the chaos. Her devastated father turns to forbidden knowledge, piecing together fragments from ancient texts and old magical practices to attempt the impossible. Against all odds, his desperate ritual succeeds and Yetta returns to life. Yet the girl who comes back carries herself differently. She senses her family hiding crucial truths from her. The answers lie partly with a monstrous creature that now hunts through the forest surrounding their village, preying on both the Jewish residents and their persecutors. This beast may be her father's creation, born from the same dark magic that restored her life, and it harbors its own deadly agenda that threatens everyone Yetta loves.
Genres: historical-fiction, fantasy, horror, magical-realism
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: forbidden-knowledge, monsters, resurrection, supernatural
Setting: Russia, Shtetl
Period: 19th-century, 20th-century
436 pages · Paperback · Little, Brown
Content warnings: death, violence