The Golem and the Jinni (The Golem and the Jinni, #1) in Beyond Reality

Apr 08, 2013 Banner rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

I've been saying this book was a pleasant surprise. I tried the kindle sample and was hooked right away.

There is a mixture of world views in the historic setting of 19th century New York. I've never been to New York, but the story seemed well researched. Life was hard, but you could see a formation of an American culture, blending and forging the best of the old world and the birth of the new.

While more than one genre was in play here I have to give credit to a sense of magic realism that I've ...more

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Oct 06, 2016 Joy H. marked it as keep-in-mind

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction, fiction, magical-realism, award-winner, supernatural

Added 10/6/16. (first published April 1st 2013)

I first heard of this book when MichelleCH posted a comment about it at the GF Litwit Lounge Group 10/6/16. She called it "very different and enjoyable". I read the GR description and it sounded interesting. I hope to have time and energy to read it someday, even though I don't usually go for fantasy.

LITERARY AWARDS:
Nebula Award Nominee for Best Novel (2013)
World Fantasy Award Nominee for Best Novel (2014)
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literatu ...more

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Feb 17, 2016 mina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A charming, light read.

I have only read a story about djinni once before. I am not really interested of repetitive stories about djinni and the master's three wishes. But Bartimaeus trilogy really changed my mind, it's a beautiful story about a high-level mischievous djinni with a conscience who learned to love his master, and a misunderstood young boy who became his master and later also learned to love his djinni. The trilogy's ending is one of the most beautiful endings ever. After Bartimaeus A charming, light read.

I have only read a story about djinni once before. I am not really interested of repetitive stories about djinni and the master's three wishes. But Bartimaeus trilogy really changed my mind, it's a beautiful story about a high-level mischievous djinni with a conscience who learned to love his master, and a misunderstood young boy who became his master and later also learned to love his djinni. The trilogy's ending is one of the most beautiful endings ever. After Bartimaeus, it is hard not to judge another djinni stories.

I don't know why I gave this book a try. Maybe it's the font of the title on the front cover? Whatever it was, it got me started reading, and the first chapter really provoked my curiosity. The first chapter is about the creation and the awakening of a woman golem, later named Chava, who lost her master right after she was awakened, and found herself stranded masterless on a boat heading to New York, with zero knowledge about living in human population. Meanwhile, the second chapter tells about the accidental release of a confused (and angry) iron-bounded high-level djinni, later named Ahmad, from an antique flask after a thousand years by a tinsmith in Little Syria, a Mid-Eastern population residential area in Lower Manhattan, New York. Both the golem and the djinni were forced to live their new life in Little Syria, trying to act and "socialize" like human being with little hope of escape. They did not meet each other until around a third into the book.

It is a long book, yes, with a lot of contemplation by the Golem and the Djinni. But the paragraphs are short, some contemplations are said between them in short sentences, so it is bearable. Also there are other human characters' story told in between, and each of these characters is interesting and has a meaning for the storyline. I really care about what happened to each of them. Especially when a character twist appeared later, endanger the lives of others in Little Syria. At the end, I want to say that I am happy that the Golem and the Djinni met each other and consequently both had improved quite far in character.

Like The Girl with All the Gifts, and like the Bartimaeus trilogy, the ending is not necessarily a happy one, but it is the best for everyone.

Added later:
When I accessed my Goodreads to put this review on its page, I am shocked. Damn! This is book 1? There is a sequel? I want the characters live their lives peacefully :( ...more

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Feb 10, 2016 John rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sfbc16

I got this as an audio book and enjoyed it fairly well. The pacing is a bit slow, but Wecker draws such engaging portraits that I didn't mind the slowly undulating journey she was taking us on. If children and work hadn't turned me into such a lazy reviewer, I would look up who voiced the audio book because he brought just the right voice to the story, absolutely perfect. ...more

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