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Beth Kander's foray into adult fiction with her debut novel, I Made It Out of Clay, unfurls an inventive and deeply evocative Jewish fairy tale for the modern age, deftly intertwining themes of loss, resilience, and the quest for self-discovery.
Eve Goodman finds herself dreading a season that once held joy. The holidays loom, but her father’s recent death has cast a pall over her spirit. Her job hangs by a thread, and to top it off, her younger sister has chosen to stage a Hanukkah-themed wedding on the very day Eve turns 40. For a woman perpetually single, her defiant RSVP claiming she’ll bring a date only deepens the farcical chaos of her life. In short, Eve’s world teeters on the edge of collapse.
But a curious twist of fate alters her course. A disquieting episode stirs memories of her bubbe’s old tales—myths of golems, protectors sculpted from clay to serve and defend their creators. In a haze of alcohol-fueled frustration, Eve attempts to woo her elusive next-door neighbor, only to be spurned. Left with an overwhelming sense of despair, she channels her emotions into shaping her very own golem. At first, her creation seems nothing short of miraculous—a partner molded to perfection. Yet, as events unfold, Eve begins to grapple with an unsettling truth: Has she conjured an ideal companion or unleashed a harbinger of ruin?
Kander’s prose brims with wit and verve, effortlessly oscillating between humor and poignancy. While romantic undercurrents flow through the narrative, I Made It Out of Clay defies the simplicity of being labeled as a Jewish Bridget Jones’s Diary laced with fantasy. At its core, the story delves into Eve’s anguish over her father’s death and the fragmented ties with her family. Kander doesn’t flinch from confronting darker realities, including the specter of antisemitism. This fearless approach lends the novel a layered, provocative quality. Though at times unsettling, the journey is ultimately one of hope, leaving the reader richer for the experience.
