From the Bookshelf of Around the Year in 52 Books

Find A Copy At

Group Discussions About This Book

No group discussions for this book yet.

What Members Thought

Ketutar Jensen
Jun 09, 2021 rated it it was amazing
I think it was wonderful. :-)
Of course. I gave it 5 stars.

I think Helene Wecker managed to make golems and jinnis well-rounded creatures, without taking anything away from their traditional nature. In fact, I think she explains their traditional nature, without diminishing or what-s-it-called weakening, making it bland or boring, or less dangerous and terrifying.
I love the fact that she uses old traditions, mainly Jewish, that's not that usual in Fantasy.
The solution was not the best, though...
...more
miteypen
Dec 29, 2013 rated it really liked it
The was a wonderful fantasy novel with enough roots in cultural and historical truths and realities to make it seem plausible; no mean feat considering it really is about a golem and a jinni. Set primarily in Little Syria in New York City in 1899, it explores themes like determinism and fate and personal responsibility in a story like no other I have ever read.

Of course the reader has to suspend his or her rationalism in order to experience the story as something that really could have happened,
...more
John Warner
Apr 14, 2013 rated it it was amazing
A Jewish female golem, a creature of clay, was created to be her master's wife, who was immigrating to 1899 America. When he dies during the voyage, the golem is overwhelmed by the surrounding thoughts that flood her consciousness. During the same time, a jinni, a citizen of the desert and creature of fire, is released from a metal flask in Little Syria, NYC, only to discoverer that he has no memory of how he got into the container and a unremovable metal bracelet preventing him to assume no sha ...more
Edie Kestenbaum
Nov 04, 2013 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: books-read-2013
Enthralling.
Lani
Apr 24, 2013 rated it really liked it
Amanda Mouttaki
Apr 25, 2013 marked it as to-read
Julie
Sep 17, 2013 rated it it was amazing
Jesse
Nov 18, 2013 rated it it was amazing
Amanda
Dec 04, 2013 marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: gca-13
Natalie
Dec 26, 2013 marked it as to-read
Sarah
Jan 09, 2014 marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
Shannan
May 28, 2014 marked it as to-read
Liz
Jun 28, 2014 rated it really liked it
Heather
Jul 06, 2015 marked it as to-read
Donna
Sep 20, 2016 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
Deyara
Jan 02, 2016 marked it as to-read
Samantha
Feb 21, 2016 rated it it was amazing
Jennifer AM
Jun 29, 2016 rated it liked it
Shelves: audiobooks, 2016
Karianne
Aug 07, 2016 rated it really liked it
Shelves: 2016, 4-5-stars
Shannon
Jun 19, 2017 marked it as to-read
Judy
Jun 30, 2019 marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
Kesha
Jun 19, 2020 marked it as to-read