When Alex and Yuli’s village is destroyed by Russian troops under the guise of rooting out Communists, the two youngsters must run to avoid becoming more casualties in the increasingly brutal civil war. Being Jewish is enough of a crime for many people, but they’ve caught the attention of a vicious colonel who wants to know the truth of how they escaped. The other lone survivor spun a tale of a monstrous creature of ice and rock that killed the attackers, but that’s a fairy tale, right? Nothing like that exists outside of legends.
Amit Tishler’s Edenfrost takes the folktale of the golem as protector of the Jewish people and blends it with history to present a story of perseverance in the face of intolerance with a slight hint of a superhero origin story. Alex activates the power of an ancient artifact to save his younger sister and flee their burning town, but he distrusts the power he unleashed that night. He’d rather use his wits to make their way across Ukraine to Kyiv and their Uncle Martin. The fierce winter, a scheming Russian colonel, and the volatile political climate complicate the journey, and both Lowe children may have to rely on their communal past to survive.
My knowledge of the Jewish history in Russia is limited beyond knowing that brutal pogroms occurred at various times. Edenfrost personalized my understanding while still being an enjoyable read. Alex and Yuli suffer throughout the pages, but their resilience, strength, and inner rage buoyed me. These children refuse to accept victimhood; they fight for safety and acceptance in an uncertain world. The two relate to the golem legend differently, as well (Alex fears the golem as a separate being with its own agency while Yuli senses it as an extension of herself.) which I hope to see expanded in later issues.
Bruno Frenda’s artwork reminds me of manga, but it contains its own unique flavor. The movement and detail in the panels drew me in, and I’m still catching small things I missed on my first read. Frenda doesn’t shy away from the brutality of war in the art, even though each page is beautiful. Death, addiction, and suffering fill many panels, but the story would not be as touching without them.
Edenfrost isn’t an easy read since war, racism, and destruction form the core conflicts; however, I appreciated reading about young people rising above their situation and searching for a better life. While this may be too intense for very young readers, middle school readers and above could take away some good messages and enjoy the adventure component. I wonder where the Lowe siblings will end up in the coming issues and wonder about how the intersection between legend and history will play out.
4 Treasured Old Photos out of 5
Creative Team: Amit Tishler (writer), Bruno Frenda (artist), Taylor Esposito (letterer), James B. Emmett (editor), Camilo Sanchez (logo designer), Miguel A. Zapata (book designer)
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
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