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

Fantastic story, I didn't want it to ever end

What an amazing and unique story. I was so captivated by all the characters. The book was very satisfying and I love George Guidall's narration. I didn't want the story to end. I wanted to hear more about the fascinating Golem and Jinni exploring their world.

Take a walk into a whole new world

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

I thought this story was great. It has a lot of components and wonderful characters. I love that the main characters had such depth and compassion even thought they were otherworldly.

What did you like best about this story?

I really like the setting each character was in. I love that the Golem was in a Jewish area and the Jinni was in a middle eastern area of New York. I love that the 2 learned so much from each other and had their own stories to tell.

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

He did an amazing job of really putting you in the story. The voices of each character was amazing. I will definitely listen to this book again.

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

I would take the Rabbi

Any additional comments?

This was a top favorite listen :)

A sweet story

It took a few chapters to warm up to, but I eventually fell in love the characters. Great narrator.

The Golem and the Jinni

Captivating read. I wasn't sure what to expect,. Was it going to be too fantastical? Too unrealistic? It was not. The story line and characterizations were so well written, I could believe these creatures exist. Excellent narration as well. I recommend this book. Enjoy!

The New Colossus

Any additional comments?

Surely among the most interesting characters of this unusual and engaging tale is the City of New York, itself, which the author depicts with warmth and detailed familiarity.

The immigrant themes and the imposing strength and stature of the Golem bring to mind the harbor Torchbearer and the poem inscribed at the statue's base, entitled, "The New Colossus," ---- written by a woman named Lazarus. Hmmmm----

Amazing Story and Narration Superb!

I could barely put this audio book down. I love Helene Wecker's writing and imagination. Wow! I believe she's right up there with Brian Sanderson and yes, MIchael J. Sullivan. Did I mention how much I loved this book? Yes, I guess I did. If you love fantasy and are looking for something different with a rich characters and a great storyline, this is it.

My favorite book this year

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

This book is about non-humans, and it is a book about being human. It's a beautiful story of love, loss, and desperate desire to break the chains of being human. The writing is beautiful, and puts the listener in the place and time masterfully.

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

I felt like the reader was embodying the characters. Everyone had a unique presentation and voice.

Intriguing

Warm and unique characters, in an original and remarkably consistent world of spirits and magic.

solid

it was a solid story... but a slow starter. I would recommend it if youre patient.

Creative and Tense

Some of the reviews I read for The Golem and the Jinni complained that it started out slow. It isn't "slow" as in "you're going to be bored for a few hours before it gets exciting" slow. To me it only felt slow in that it took a long time before you knew where the story was going. It was definitely not boring. The characters and the story were so creative that it was one of those books that makes you wonder about who the creative, brilliant author is, and how they they became so freakin' awesome, and that I'm not even going to try writing again because I could never be that brilliant. But I digress.

As the characters in the book develop it's really hard to know if they are going to be good or bad. They are extremely interesting and have it in their power to be very, very evil/destructive if they choose to. Which is great of course, but it took so long to get any idea of the direction the characters would take that it made very, very tense for me.