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

Original and well written

Very well written with great characters, believable and diverse. Great imagination. At a few parts surprising, and at others was a little slow.

Enchanting and unique

I listen to quite a few books and have grown weary of the typical offerings that lack originality. However, this book revitalized my listening ear. George Guidall is amazing! His timing and nuance are perfect. His rendering of this curious tale makes this book sparkle like the Jinn's palace.
Having read some of the other reviews, I find that the people who did not thoroughly enjoy this book were perhaps looking for something else. It is not a book of action and high drama but rather a curious observation on humanity as experienced by those who were not human. And, just like our lives, the lives of these two creatures are often challenging and proceed quite differently than they or we would hope. While this will sometimes deprive us of the good feeling we hope to experience in a fairytale, I believe it remains true to the story itself.

This work is like a tapestry richly woven that will require some effort on the part of the listener as the names tend to be foreign to the western ear and therefore more challenging to follow. All-around however, it is a delightful listen to those who appreciate originality and have grown weary of common fair. An amazing first novel.

Unique and enjoyable book

If you could sum up The Golem and the Jinni in three words, what would they be?

Exciting, unique, enjoyable

Which character – as performed by George Guidall – was your favorite?

The jinni

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

When the golem was pondering her existence and role in the world

Excellent story

A wonderful fairy tale! The reader captured each characters essence in his voice. Couldn't stop listening!

A perfect melding of different folklore...

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

I'd recommend the book to a friend for sure. It is well written, the characters are well thought out and the story is as unique as you can get these days.

What other book might you compare The Golem and the Jinni to and why?

I wouldn't compare it to any other book. That's one of the reasons I like it so much. It stands on it's own.

Which scene was your favorite?

There were so many relatable instances in this book. I really identify with all of the characters and how they each struggle to find their way in the melting pot of New York.

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

The Jinn and the Golem both find themselves at the peril of their own nature, but are determined to be who they choose to be and that moves me. Despite what the world has made of them, they forge their own path, their own choices.

Any additional comments?

It really is a perfect melding of not only Jewish and Arabic folklore, but all the various traditions of the world. For a book about two distinct religious icons, it does a great job of putting all religions in their proper place as equal. It was nice to be immersed in their traditions and lifestyles for a bit. It was charming and eye opening.

Fantastic story!

What a great unique story. Re-reading it is definitely on my agenda. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have.

Keeping my eyes open, I cannot afford to sleep...

This book is a beautifully written slow burn historical fantasy romance. Yeah, it's a lot. But Helene Wecker pulls it off without a snag. I was initially worried because I saw a lot of people saying this was similar to The Night Circus (which...unpopular opinion, I know....I hated!) but this was probably closer to a faster paced Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, if you ask me.

This story is believable. It's beautiful. It shows the struggles of being lost in a new world...in a new culture. Both as an immigrant and as a fantasy creature surrounded by humans. These two beautiful souls question EVERYTHING.

I could talk about and quote this book all day but I don't want to spoil a thing. GET THIS ONE!!!

Every time I read a book, I usually associate a song with it. With this one...it's theme song didn't hit me until the end. But the theme song is definitely Come to My Window by Melissa Etheridge. I cannot hear that song without thinking about The Golem and the Jinni now.

Incredible book

Incredible book... I picked it up randomly on Audible after reading some good reviews, and it did not disappoint. Incredible writing, incredible story telling and characters, incredible imagination. It reminds me of Neil Gaiman's American Gods, though in my opinion much better written!

Breathtaking adventure across lands and time

Vivid imagery, lovely character development, well written. Performance is spot on, though I'm surprised a male narrator was used for this female authored novel. Would love to see this made into a movie.

Could Not Put it Down!

Any additional comments?

This book literally would not let me stop listening, I fell in love with it, such a rich story.