The Golem and the Jinni (The Golem and the Jinni, #1) in Around the Year in 52 Books

Jul 29, 2015 Nancy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, magical-realism

Although this book was long, it was so well written and so subtly constructed that I found I simply couldn't put it down. I was drawn in to the story immediately. At first I wondered where some of the apparently unconnected threads fit in, but as the story developed it became clear and everything came together in the end. What I loved about it was that it wasn't just a fantasy story, it was a musing on faith, on consequences and on life. I loved how the two vastly different characters of the Gol ...more

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Jul 07, 2016 Book Concierge rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction, 19th-century, new-york, friendship, library, concierge, strong-women

From the book jacket [This] 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. … Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire, born in the ancient Syrian Desert.

My reactions
Gosh, I really wanted to like this book. I looked forward to learning more about the myths of these two cultures – ancient Judaism and Syrian lore. But it never really captured my ...more

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Jun 27, 2014 Alison Rose rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: women-authors, 5-star-books, all-time-faves, read-in-2014

I wish I could give this six stars - I absolutely loved it. This is an incredibly inventive and lovely story, and quite impressive for a debut novel. The weaving of historical fiction, immigrant tales, Jewish and Arabic folklore and mythology, mixed into a love story...it just *works*, so so beautifully. That the two main characters are not human and yet are all too human at the same time is enchanting, and never feels forced but rather totally on point. So glad I finally got around to this one!

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Jan 07, 2015 Lindsay rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4stars, fantasy, kindle, book-challenge-2015, read-in-2015

3.5 stars

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Oct 12, 2016 MichelleCH rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, contemporary-fic, kindle, new-york-new-york

Really enjoyed it and felt like I learned even more about the immigrant experience and of other cultures. I've heard the term 'Golem' but never had known exactly what it was or the folklore behind it. Wecker does an excellent job navigating the reader through the story of Chava (the golem) and The Jinni who is from the Syrian desert. Both arrive separately in New York alone and naive to how the world and humans work. By coincidence they meet one night and realize that they much in common; both s ...more

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Mar 23, 2023 Sonya rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction, fantasy, audio, 2023

What a fun, delightful, entertaining read! Creative and compelling characters on thrilling adventures. The story tugs at your heartstrings as well as providing insight into folklore and the immigrant experience while raising philosophical questions. This is an awesome book! George Guidall does a great job narrating the story.

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