Struggling to make their way in this strange new place, the Golem and the Jinni try to fit in with their neighbors while masking their true natures. Trapped in an old copper flask by a Bedouin wizard centuries ago, he is released accidentally by a tinsmith in a Lower Manhattan shop. Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire, born in the ancient Syrian Desert. When her master dies at sea on the voyage from Poland, she is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York Harbor. Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life by a strange man who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic. Helene Wecker’s dazzling debut novel tells the story of two supernatural creatures who appear mysteriously in 1899 New York. I’m giving it four stars.Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Historical Fictionįormat: Audiobook Synopsis from GoodReads: The Golem and the Jinni was nominated for the Nebula award in 2014. I’ve listened to another audio book Guidall has done and he has a great voice for story-telling. The listened to the audio version of The Golem and the Jinni read by George Guidall, it was fantastic. There were hints as to how the story would play out, but Wecker did a great job of weaving everything together in such a way that I was still guessing up to the end as to what would happen and how each character was connected with the other.

I also found the descriptions of 19th century New York interesting.Īll of the characters in The Golem and the Jinni had depth to them and interesting individual stories that worked together to create the whole picture of what was happening. Wecker did a great job of representing both. Having spent a semester abroad in Israel, it was fun for me to read about the differences between the Jewish and Syrian cultures. It was very literary, but also had a great plot that kept the story moving forward.

As the paths of all three of these characters converge, difficult decisions must be made by Chava and Ahmad as it relates to their individual futures as well as their life together.įor me, The Golem and the Jinni did everything that Jonathon Strange and Mr.

In the meantime, a mysterious and dangerous old man has come to New York City in search of endless life. Without really knowing it, as they spend time together, their different natures draw them close together. Chava and Ahmad end up in New York City and try to fit in with their immigrant neighbors while also trying to mask their true natures.īy chance, the two meet and become friends. Set in the late 1800s, The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker is about two characters: Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay.

The golem and the jinni book review