The Golem of Brooklyn by Adam MansbachMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
"'If you think clay monster who just learn English yesterday understand all that, you giant dickhead,' said The Golem."
I didn't realize going into this that Mansbach was also the writer of those parody children's books that Bryan Cranston narrated, "Go the F**k to Sleep" and sequels, of which there appear to be at least three by now. But after reading this, I guess it makes sense, because this book is an extraordinarily dark comedy that's totally tailor made for a race between Seth Rogen and the Coen Brothers to nab the film rights. Or why not both? They could put their heads together and adapt this into a gnarly little movie, although I do suspect Rogen (he who loves getting the VFX dept. on The Boys to shell out for giant phallic models on set) might balk at the fact that the poor Golem comes back into this world missing his precious shmok.
But that's just the tip of the iceberg of how bonkers as hell this book really is - I suspect Mansbach took some inspo from the Venom movies with Tom Hardy as well, because The Golem sounds like Venom by way of Larry David with a generous helping of lethally potent drugs. The contrast between ethnic and cultural Judaism among the human characters is also a very important theme, and relatable even for some of us goyim (like my raised Catholic ass.) I'm just surprised this book isn't bigger on the scene than it is...although that, too, is probably Mansbach's point, when antisemitism is so shamefully on the rise all over the world. Again.
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