Super Short Summary

The Gravedigger's Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates follows Rebecca Tignor, born to Jewish parents escaping the Nazi regime, as she struggles with violence, poverty, and anti-Semitism in the U.S. After enduring a traumatic event caused by her father, she marries Niles Tignor but faces further abuse. Rebecca eventually escapes with her son, renaming themselves Hazel and Zacharias, and they find peace and stability with a new partner. The book contains themes of gender-based violence, incest, and antisemitism.