Meschugge

by | Nov 28, 2024

It’s 1905 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The times are… well, they’re getting even worse.

Meschugge tells the tale of a strange series of gristly murders that take place within the Jewish ghetto. Ms. Nathansen (she is only ever referred to by her surname), a typist, is recruited by the town magistrate to infiltrate the ghetto and assist the police. In the magistrate’s words: ‘and you just happen to be Jewish yourself, right?’ Nathansen’s work is immediately life-threatening, and the magistrate’s plan of simply sending in someone who is Jewish to commune with the other Jewish residents is quickly thwarted. The refugees mostly don’t speak Danish, and they have already witnessed many horrors and don’t trust the police to help them. They keep their gossip circles tight and Ms. Nathansen is on the outside looking in—she is not like them. Even as she gains the trust of a select few residents, her intel job never ceases to be dangerous, confusing, and sinister.

This psychological horror thriller is done in stark grayscale with strong contrast between highlights and shadows, occasionally giving it a noir aesthetic (fitting, really). It is rendered simply and realistically, with strong shapes and hard lines. There is quite a lot of blood and bloody wounds depicted. There’s even a few premonitions that depict mass graves of human corpses (as opposed to faceless skeletons).

Meschugge, though absolutely riveting and fascinating, is definitely for older readers. Even further, older readers who can really stomach the violence. I would not say any of it is gratuitous—it has meaning and function within the story, but certainly, not everyone is going to be able to tolerate seeing brutality perpetrated against members of a marginalized group.

The story offers interesting historical insights and some unknown lore (to me) about Jewish mysticism/kabbalah. I have a soft spot for learning about these sorts of things – fringe beliefs within an established religious system, little-known facts about history, and how those things sometimes collide together. Although the story is fictional, it is firmly grounded in a very real setting. The novel depicts class differences as it does its violence: stark, and with honest brutality. Meschugge absolutely refuses to show the Jewish community as a monolith – perhaps the first time I have personally come across this in media.

My personal recommendation is that this novel should go to the right reader. I was absolutely hooked on the story, I think it’s real page-turner, but the sheer amount of blood is always going to have varying mileage for different readers. Folks who liked Silence of the Lambs will likely enjoy Meschugge. I know I did!

Meschugge The Madman’s Maze  Vol. 
By Benni Bødker
Art by  Christian Højgaard
FairSquare Graphics, 2024
ISBN: 9781960171122 

NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18)

Character Representation: Danish, Jewish ,