The Golem and the Jinni

A Novel

By: Helene Wecker

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 19 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

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

Great Romantic Fantasy Story

Using the folklore of two different cultures (Jewish Kaballa and Bedouin) to tell a beautifully inventive and unforgettable tale of two mythical beings, Chava and Ahmad, try to make sense of themselves and all the human they interact with in early 1900 New York City.

Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life via dark Kabbalistic magic and arrived in New York harbor in 1899. Ahmad is a genie, a being of fire born in the ancient Syrian desert, trapped in an old copper flask, and released in New York City, though still not entirely free.

The book is well written, well read, engrossing, believable and a good pace. The description of the new immigrant experience and the early 20th century NYC environment made me feel like I was there while I was listening to the audiobook. It's like riding on the flying carpet, on a tour of turn of the century New York City, of the Jewish, Lower East Side, and Old Syria.

It is a modern romantic fantasy story that I could understand, relate and follow without tripping over overly-creative names. All the characters intertwined beautifully, with themes of identity, religion and friendship weaving in and out of the culture of the time. The twists of the storyline are captivating; even I anticipated the ending, I still closed the book with satisfaction and a smile on my face.

The narration is first class, but I would prefer younger voice for this story.

Magical Mythological Creatures

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Highly recommended. The writing gives multi-faceted layers to the characters. You have to know enough intimacies about the lead actors to care about their fates. Wecker does this very well.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Well, that's a coin toss between the Golem and the Jenni.

Have you listened to any of George Guidall’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I haven't listened to George Guidall before. But in this reading, he admirably colors the voices with just the right tinge of an accent -- and most Americans (thanks to Hollywood,) expect their foreign born characters to have an certain lilt to their English. (Even when, in the story line, they are supposed to be speaking their native language, it sorta has to be read with the accent to give the English reading a little more flavor and to keep the environment at an appropriate level of the exotic. George Guidall does this really well.) Mr. Guidall also reads the women's parts without the simper that some male narrators seem to lean on in order to distinguish the feminine voices.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

This book didn't automatically engage me on that level. That is not a fault, however.

Any additional comments?

Isaac Beshevis Singer would have enjoyed reading this book, I think.

Did not disappoint!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Golem and the Jinni?

The collision of characters at the end of the book. Brilliantly done.

What does George Guidall bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

A believable New York immigrant accent. His narration sounds as if different characters are played by different people.

Any additional comments?

I found myself as enthralled with this story and its characters as I have when reading some of the great literature classics. It's just that elegant. I can't believe this is a first novel. But then again how incredibly inspiring that it is.

True Storytelling!!!

This is quite a story! Crafted and told with such beauty! It has some racey moments here and there that I fastforwarded through but glad that, that was not what the book was about. Just a beautiful story about how to deal with what is handed you in life while also being mystical.

So good!

Such a good story. It will get many re-listens.
The narrator brought all the characters to life.

A long often convoluted story, worth the time

At first had trouble connecting with the fantastical elements of the story. Ended up reading this book stretched out over many months, returning again and again, until finally I couldn’t put it down.

Delightful and captivating.

I absolutely loved this story! The reading was fantastic and soothing. The characters were realistic, relatable, and well developed, unique individuals. Highly recommended!

In the spirit of Gaiman

This is a great choice for anyone who likes Neil Gaiman or fiction that is based on the idea that other-worldly beings live among us and can incorporate into society relatively unnoticed. The author's choice to view turn-of-the century NYC through the eyes of a golem and ginni provides cursory glance into immigrant culture in the era of Ellis Island. There are a few surprise reveals--it is an unpredictable plot with very good character development. I am stingy with 5 stars for "story" but would like to give this one a 4.5.

A well put together, albeit dull story

This book is an introspective piece about the human condition from not so human eyes. While the story paints a vivid picture of a pre-turn of the century New York, the book languishes under the weight of telling it’s own story.

It’s well structured, in it’s winding tangle of stories leading to the end, but the story itself has very little to chew on in the life of the characters.

It’s a slow read, about living life, but it truly doesn’t feel like it goes or ends anywhere significant.

A wonderful and richly detailed story

This book was such a great fine, I have so much trouble finding books I love but I completely lost myself in this beautiful story! I loved the narration also.