The Golem and the Jinni

A Novel

By: Helene Wecker

Narrated by: George Guidall

Audie Award Finalist, Fiction, 2014

Helene Wecker's dazzling debut novel tells the story of two supernatural creatures who appear mysteriously in 1899 New York. Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life by a strange man who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic. When her master dies at sea on the voyage from Poland, she is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York Harbor. Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire, born in the ancient Syrian Desert. Trapped in an old copper flask by a Bedouin wizard centuries ago, he is released accidentally by a tinsmith in a Lower Manhattan shop.

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. Surrounding them is a community of immigrants: the coffeehouse owner Maryam Faddoul, a pillar of wisdom and support for her Syrian neighbors; the solitary ice cream maker Saleh, a damaged man cursed by tragedy; the kind and caring Rabbi Meyer and his beleaguered nephew, Michael, whose Sheltering House receives newly arrived Jewish men; the adventurous young socialite Sophia Winston; and the enigmatic Joseph Schall, a dangerous man driven by ferocious ambition and esoteric wisdom.

Meeting by chance, the two creatures become unlikely friends whose tenuous attachment challenges their opposing natures, until the night a terrifying incident drives them back into their separate worlds. But a powerful menace will soon bring the Golem and the Jinni together again, threatening their existence and forcing them to make a fateful choice.

Marvelous and compulsively listenable, The Golem and the Jinni weaves strands of folk mythology, historical fiction, and magical fable into a wondrously inventive and unforgettable tale.

©2013 Helene Wecker (P)2013 HarperCollins Publishers

Enchanting Debut Novel - Delicious!

I love fantasy and have been waiting with great anticipation for The Golem and the Jinni. I was not disappointed by this enchanting debut novel by Helen Wecker, but it was not what I expected either. This story is much more an allegory blended with historical fiction than it is a classic fantasy with a magical system driving the plot. It is a difficult story to describe in a meaningful way because the novel has many layers. On the surface it can simply be read as an interesting tale about magical creatures, evil wizards, spells, and the pursuit of immortality. (Aside to parents - this is definitely NOT a children's story.) But, woven throughout the novel are several much deeper themes to ponder long after you finish the book. On one level, this is truly an immigrant story - people throughout time moving to new places out of wanderlust, to escape a threat, or in pursuit of a better life and the challenges of creating community, maintaining cultural identity, and overcoming language barriers and prejudice that come with that. Ultimately, both the Golem and the Jinni end up as accidental immigrants to the wonderful/frightening place that was New York City of 1899 and their adventures as strangers in a strange land provide a fascinating allegory for all immigrants. On another level, The Golem and the Jinni is a study of human nature - the moral and ethical dilemmas, romantic and platonic love, faith, altruism, free will and enslavement, and the meaning of life and death. Wecker's mythical creatures are forced to tackle these big questions of humanity without the benefit of parents, religious training, or schooling that give most of us some foundation and watching them wrestle with those issues is surprisingly entertaining and thought-provoking. I suspect this is a book that could give you a new perspective each time you read it.

Initially, I was so anxious to understand what the big conflict would be (anticipating some type of magical culture clash or something), I almost missed the beautiful view along the way. I started the book over when I finally realized that Wecker is laying down a very intricate pattern that you have to appreciate from start to finish - this is not a book you'd play on double speed or you would miss much of the nuance, some of the deeper questions, and some very nice prose. Wecker takes disparate stories, multiple characters, several historical time periods and weaves them together to create a rather mesmerizing flying carpet of a tale that is part fable, part romance, and part historical fiction. And, when you get right down to what every reader hopes for, The Golem and the Jinni delivers - it has a terrific ending! Helene Wecker is really talented and for a debut novel, The Golem and the Jinni is quite well written - characters are nicely fleshed out, settings are vivid, and there is a nice fluidity moving between settings and different periods of time. In addition, the audio version benefits from the narration of the always fine, George Guidall - his seasoned voice is a great fit for this story.

I have no hesitation in recommending the book. This isn't your average fantasy fare, but most fantasy readers will find a lot to love. In addition, because of the bigger themes, the amazing characters, and the vibrant historical setting most people who enjoy an entertaining and meaningful story independent of genre will like The Golem and the Jinni. I am really looking forward to more from Helene Wecker!

Beatiful, but L O N G

Uniquely imperfect characters that don't fit the cookie cutter.

Inventive concept. VERY tough to do these days.

Descriptively beautiful.

Historically interesting.

All that going for it, but honestly. I think the story could have been told with about a third less page count.

A soft love story

I really enjoyed this story. It was slow to build, and soft in its unfolding. This book reminds me of a big comfy chair, with a knit blanket, and a wide window for all your dreaming. It's not falling in love fast and hard, it's waking up and finding that you have been with your best friend for years. You can be the only one of your kind and still not alone.

Rarely have I enjoyed a story this much

I don't want to loose your attention so I'll keep this as short as I can.
READ THIS BOOK! Even better, LISTEN CLOSELY to this book.
I was transported! Transfixed! I was there. It was like reading used to be, a place to go to explore, relive, imagine and experience life in another form.
This is more allegory than fiction. It's so much more than just it's characters, and there are deeper plots than one might assume on first pass.
It's definitely NOT a fairy tale... don't be fooled by the names. These are full blown, knowable people. Folks I'd so very much like to get to know even better.
Even the supporting roles are full of life and bring truths to the fore in subtle and subliminal ways. Thanks in part to the fabulous narrator.
That being said, I can't begin to praise highly enough how well G. Guidall brought this novel to life for me. His intonations, voice characterizations, and deep understanding of these folk, gave even more significance to each person. He made them move in my mind seamlessly. I had to force myself to stop listening - I wanted to loose myself here. I doled out his melodious voice as I would a rare wine or finest chocolate.
I truly believe this book raised my seratonin level.
This is the ONLY book I can't wait to read again. In fact, I bought the hard copy so I could read it again myself.

Third listen

Third time ‘round was just as wonderful as the first. Truly is one of the best stories I’ve heard.

A perfect audiobook.

It doesn't get any better than this. A very good story perfectly narrated by George Guidall.
The book grips you from the very beginning and won't let go before the end.

A Human, Non-Human NY Historical Fantasy

An amazing rookie effort, with lovingly developed characters, a dramatic storyline and a vibrant New York background long-lost to history. And a little bit of magic....

A most unusual Coming to America story

Don't usually make recommendations, but I've really enjoyed, "The Golem and the Jinni." Set primarily in the Jewish and Syrian immigrant communities of New York in the 1890's, this debut novel by Helene Wecker draws on the mythologies of those people. I found it a most unusual "Coming to America" / "Odd Couple" story - an interesting blend of historical fiction and fantasy. The narration is superior. I recommend it as a "beach book" and as great entertainment during travel or exercise. I listened to it while taking my daily walks - and almost always ended up with a couple of thousand more steps than intended.

Using characters to observe society

This novel follows two inhuman characters, a golem and a Jinni, to comment and decipher the movements and actions of humanity. Through them, we get to laugh with them as they observe the quirks of human nature, and understand their confusion at human actions.

The story is meandering, a bit more slice-of-life through their eyes. I felt it was a little slow, but it was also relaxed and said everything that it wanted to say. I also really enjoyed the narrator. So prepare to sit back with some tea and enjoy this one. I defiantly recommend it!

Shades of 1001 Nights!

So satisfying in every way. A modern fairy tale, spun out so well it was hard to stop listening. Good narration too