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

Speechless!

What made the experience of listening to The Golem and the Jinni the most enjoyable?

The author paced the novel in such a way that, like upon finishing the the first course of a delicious 7-course meal, was satisfying but left enough of an appetite that I eagerly anticipated the next course.

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

"You can read minds?" Quickly she shook her head. "Nothing as certain as that. Fears, desires. Needs. If I'm not careful, they can overwhelm me..."

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

With perfect tone and dialect, he narrates each character voice with an exquisite and exotic beauty that hypnotizes the listener transporting them into the story itself; an unseen witness standing just outside its pages yet close enough to experience the events as they unfold.

If you could take any character from The Golem and the Jinni out to dinner, who would it be and why?

The Golem, because in so many ways her character parallels human nature at its finest on one end of the spectrum and at its most terrifying on the other.

Any additional comments?

By far this is the best novel I have listened/read since Stephen King's novel "Carrie" back in 1983! However, I'm not comparing similarities between the two novels (they're more different than they are alike), but about who I consider to be "Game Changing". authors. Stephen King, (a Trailblazing Novelist) broadened the previous perception of the narrowly-defined, Horror genre by giving it an "Extreme Genre Makeover". His introductory novels "Carrie" and "The Shining" are popularly considered to be the catalyst that ultimately changed the demographic of the Horror-genre audience. His writing expanded and took Horrorbin a whole new direction and transformed it making it appealing to its faithful but small, niche-market and now the newly-won over mass-market. In the same way I believe Helene Wecker has the potential to become the next Trailblazing author starting with her first novel "The Golem and the Jinni". It just may be the springboard that helps expand the horizons of a little-known genre I'd categorize as "Urban-Fantasy".

George Guidall is a joy

This book held my interest for two reasons: it's story is unconventional and unpredictable, but mostly because the narrator is so excellent. He doesn't read the story to you. He "tells" it to you and draws you in with his accents and expressive telling. I believe he could make the telephone directory interesting.

Enjoyable read

Different kind of story. Fun retelling of the emigrant's tale through the experience of two mythical beings.

Well done and enjoyable.

Captivating!

I'm a big sci-fi and mystical fan. This book was captivating and intellectually written. It was so different from anything I've read before, therefore I was entranced, and captivated by the storyline, the plot, and most assuredly by the characters. You're in for a treat if you read this book!

Excellent story.

Would you listen to The Golem and the Jinni again? Why?

Most original story i have read in a long time. Narrator is excellent.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Golem

What about George Guidall’s performance did you like?

Brings characters to life

Who was the most memorable character of The Golem and the Jinni and why?

Golem.

Fabulous debut

What did you love best about The Golem and the Jinni?

Characters were well developed. The plot captured my attention from the beginning. Never quite knew where the story was taking me.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I loved the Jinni. He was brutally honest yet endearing.

What about George Guidall’s performance did you like?

I thought the narration was superb.

Any additional comments?

I couldn't wait to hear the story yet didn't want it to end.

Did not want it to end!

Great story! Did not want it to end :) Nice development of characters. Loved the performance!

Best book I have read in 20 years

Get this book now, just go ahead and buy it. This book is a true work of literature, it stands with some of my favorite novels of all time, Catch-22, Watership Down, Lonesome Dove, Life of Pi, and most especially The Alchemist. You will not be disappointed by this novel, the prose is perfect, the narration by George Guidall is magnificent, the story is rich and moving. Trust me, buy this book!

Beautiful

Beautiful character driven story taking place at the turn of the 20th century in New York City. Two immigrants come to this city, not by choice, and forced to find their way. While there is a magical fantasy element in that the characters are a Golem and a Djinn, I would still call it a story of human nature. It is a story of culture, religion, identity, and friendship. Highly recommend.

I loved this book so much

What did you love best about The Golem and the Jinni?

This was a really wonderfully layered book, using the backdrop of NYC at the turn of the century with the varied lives of immigrants and the differing mystic tales of the various ethnicities. I immediately listened to it again once I finished.

What about George Guidall’s performance did you like?

The accents. He was really great.

If you could take any character from The Golem and the Jinni out to dinner, who would it be and why?

The Jinni, obviously. He sounded HOT.

Any additional comments?

Great listen. Thanks!