The Hidden Palace

A Novel of the Golem and the Jinni

By: Helene Wecker

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 16 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

In this enthralling historical epic, set in New York City and the Middle East in the years leading to World War I - the long-awaited follow-up to the acclaimed New York Times best seller The Golem and the Jinni - Helene Wecker revisits her beloved characters Chava and Ahmad as they confront unexpected new challenges in a rapidly changing human world.

Chava is a golem, a woman made of clay, who can hear the thoughts and longings of those around her and feels compelled by her nature to help them. Ahmad is a jinni, a restless creature of fire, once free to roam the desert but now imprisoned in the shape of a man. Fearing they’ll be exposed as monsters, these magical beings hide their true selves and try to pass as human - just two more immigrants in the bustling world of 1900s Manhattan. Brought together under calamitous circumstances, their lives are now entwined - but they’re not yet certain of what they mean to each other.

Both Chava and Ahmad have changed the lives of the people around them. Park Avenue heiress Sophia Winston, whose brief encounter with Ahmad left her with a strange illness that makes her shiver with cold, travels to the Middle East to seek a cure. There she meets Dima, a tempestuous female jinni who’s been banished from her tribe. Back in New York, in a tenement on the Lower East Side, a little girl named Kreindel helps her rabbi father build a golem they name Yossele - not knowing that she’s about to be sent to an orphanage uptown, where the hulking Yossele will become her only friend and protector.

Spanning the tumultuous years from the turn of the 20th century to the beginning of World War I, The Hidden Palace follows these lives and others as they collide and interleave. Can Chava and Ahmad find their places in the human world while remaining true to each other? Or will their opposing natures and desires eventually tear them apart - especially once they encounter, thrillingly, other beings like themselves?

©2021 Helene Wecker (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

Loved this one, too!

I loved the first book and now also love the second installment to the story. When I give reviews I don't rehash the storyline. I do give opinions about the writing style and characters, though. I loved the way Helene Wecker drew me right into the characters' thoughts so when they did something, I understood. Am looking forward to another of her tales in the future so I can find out what happened to everyone! And I hope other people appreciate the story, too.

Can’t wait for book 3

A beautifully crafted story, and Guidall’s elegant narration brings it to life. Waiting for Book 3!

Lives up to the first book

It took awhile for me to decide this sequel was a worthwhile "read". I loved the first book so much, and so often sequels are disappointing. After a couple of hours I realized that part of my problem with this audible version was the narration. George Guidall was the narrator for the first book, too, but somehow his halting speech pattern in this sequel was extremely annoying. He takes a breath between every few words it seems, never completing a sentence, or even an idea in one breath. I do recommend the story, but suggest you try the print version instead of the audible.

Could not understand narrator

I loved the first book about the Golem and the Jinni. This sorry is probably good too, but the narrator’s unique voice and speech did not work for me.

It left an ache in my heart

At first the book was slow. I could not get in to it. Maybe because I listen to Golem first. But then I tried again a year later and couldn’t put it down. I really hope the author writes more books. I would like to know what happens next.

A great sequel

I was so happy to hear that there was a sequel to The Golem and the Jinni, and this didn’t disappoint. The story picks up exactly where the last one ended, adding a few new characters to the mix. The narrator is the same, and is one of the best performers, he really gives you a sense of each character, and keeps you engaged. Here’s hoping there’s a third book coming soon.

Great Storytelling

I found this book to be an engaging sequel for Golem and Jinni. The characters develop naturally from the first story. I read the two books back to back. Folklore, fantasy, and historical fiction. Narration created individual personalities and clarity of characters.

Are worthy sequel.

Not quite as good as the first but a very complete story. Good pacing and character development.

So worth the wait!

Just as good as the first book! New characters and familiar ones. I hope we get another part.

Thoroughly enjoyable

If you enjoyed the first one, you will enjoy this one also.

Things complicate and wrap up. Unfortunately it gives the feeling that there won't be any more after this, which is too bad, as I enjoy this series.