The Golem and the Jinni
A Novel
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4.5 • 694 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
“An intoxicating fusion of fantasy and historical fiction. . . . Wecker’s storytelling skills dazzle." —Entertainment Weekly
A marvelous and absorbing debut historical fantasy novel about a chance meeting between two supernatural creatures in turn-of-the-century immigrant New York.
Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay by a disgraced rabbi knowledgeable in the ways of dark Kabbalistic magic. She serves as the wife to a Polish merchant who dies at sea on the voyage to America. As the ship arrives in New York in 1899, Chava is unmoored and adrift until a rabbi on the Lower East Side recognizes her for the creature she is and takes her in.
Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire born in the ancient Syrian desert and trapped centuries ago in an old copper flask by a Bedouin wizard. Released by a Syrian tinsmith in a Manhattan shop, Ahmad appears in human form but is still not free. An iron band around his wrist binds him to the wizard and to the physical world.
Chava and Ahmad meet accidentally and become friends and soul mates—unlikely souls connected despite their opposing natures. But when the golem’s violent nature overtakes her one evening, their bond is challenged. An even more powerful threat will emerge, however, and bring Chava and Ahmad together again, challenging their very existence and forcing them to make a fateful choice.
Compulsively readable, The Golem and the Jinni weaves strands of Yiddish and Middle Eastern literature, historical fiction and magical fable, in a wondrously inventive tale that is mesmerizing and unforgettable.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Wecker's first novel is a magical tale of two mythical creatures a golem from a Polish shtetl and a jinni from the Syrian Desert struggling to fit in among New York's turn-of-the-19th-century immigrants. The golem is brought to America by poor furniture maker Otto Rotfeld, who had her built from clay to be his wife, but he dies en route. Elderly Rabbi Avram Meyer, recognizing the tall and hardworking young woman's supernatural character, gives her a name Chava and a job in a bakery, but ponders whether to destroy her or let her fulfill a destiny that legend dictates includes mayhem and destruction. Meanwhile, a tinsmith, Boutros Arbeely, releases the jinni from a thousand-year-old flask and names him Ahmad. Proud, handsome Ahmad proves a gifted metalworker, seduces a Fifth Avenue heiress, and pines for his long-lost glass palace before meeting Chava, his unlikely soul mate. Wecker deftly layers their story over those of the people they encounter, including a Jewish baker and his wife, a Maronite coffee shop owner and his wife, a doctor turned ice cream vendor, and an apostate social worker. The ending dips into melodrama, but the human touches more than compensate in Wecker's spellbinding blend of fantasy and historical fiction.
Customer Reviews
A fascinating read
This was a very entertaining a d thought provocative book. Told in a way reminiscent of A 1001 Arabian Nights at points, while delving nin lesser known Jewish dark arts. The authors attention to detail is exquisite, if at times a bit winded.The characters are lively, colorful and captivating, and she manages to infuse such realism into her fantastical creatures that the reader cant help but cheer them on and wish fora happy ending to their severely thwarted lives.i hope this ois the first of many more great reads from this very talented writer.
The golem and the jini
Rich diverse characters. Vivid imagery and a captivating story. Definitely recommend reading and can’t wait to delve into the next one!
Absolutely incredible storytelling
The Golem and the Jinni is Helene Wecker’s debut novel that deserves so much more hype than I’ve seen it receive. It’s not only beautifully written, it’s a rare, slow-burn story that uses myth to explore deeply human topics.
The story focuses on two characters: Chava, a golem made of clay. She is without a master but created to obey. She’s trying to mimic human behavior without fully understanding it. Ahmad, a jinni made of fire, born free. He is jaded, volatile, but strangely sympathetic. Their paths eventually cross and their bond becomes the quiet center of the book.
Chava and Ahmad try their best to pass as human in 1890s New York, a city already dealing with problems of displacement, faith, and constant reinvention that occurred during that period. This isn’t a romance. It’s an exploration of identity, belief, freedom, and the ache of trying to simply belong in the world.
The writing leans more toward fairy tale than historical fiction (although I loved the accurate references to places in the City), but that dreamlike tone ends up suiting the story. Of course, there’s a plot with a villain in the background, but it was the moments of introspection that hit hardest. Watching these them struggle with being the “other” was captivating.
The book is not fast-paced. It’s not action-packed. But it is very thoughtful and really kept be engaged throughout.
Verdict: This is a slow, magical, moving story that blends folklore and history to ask: what does it mean to be human?