Brik

Reviews / Votes

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY-For the most part, 12-year-old Drew
enjoys life in the town of Yonkers, despite its decline and its bullies. He
relishes the stories his grandfather tells, and then there's Chase Hirsch, the
crush Drew wants to impress. When the Russian mafia kills his grandfather, Drew
calls on his Jewish heritage to create a golem to protect the neighborhood from
a mysterious and deadly figure known as Little Stalin. Glass and Benson craft a
compelling tale of vigilante justice whose many violent moments come alive in
debut illustrator Singh's shadowy artwork (when Drew first discovers that his
golem, which he names Brik, is alive, the creature is busy mutilating small
animals in the woods). Singh lacks some consistency in reproducing the
characters, particularly Drew, yet these variations manage to capture an
essential aspect of Drew's life, caught between being the child he was and the
man he's to become. With steady pacing and a story arc that both resembles and
deviates from traditional superhero norms, the creators have delivered a strong
graphic novel. Ages 13-up. (July) KIRKUS-Early in this graphic novel, a
character says, "Then I saw it...a monster. And I was
happy."

A golem isn't the easiest
monster to love. It's built from ugly clay and mud, and it has an uncontrollable
temper. Readers who are familiar with the old, Jewish golem legends will find
the story relatively familiar, though there are a few surprises. Brik the golem
has his name graffiti-tagged on his chest, and he fights off bullies and Russian
gangsters. The story is full of surprises, and there's a genuinely shocking plot
twist toward the end of the book. Unfortunately, the impact of the moment is
reduced by the pacing, as Singh's panel-to-panel transitions are often
confusing. His use of texture, however, is very skillful and makes Brik a
visually compelling monster. Other characters are just as memorable, especially
Drew, a lanky, redheaded Jewish boy. Most of the major characters are Jewish and
white, though a brown-skinned woman named Sera works for the Jewish funeral
home. She's an expert on cabala, and she teaches the put-upon Drew how to create
a golem. She's one of the most appealing characters in the book, but then, every
character is engaging-particularly the villains-because of the sharp, fast-paced
dialogue.

Not everyone loves a golem, but
monster fans will speed through the pages, trying to guess the next surprise.
(Graphic adventure. 13-19)