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The Golem and the Jinni (The Golem and the Jinni, #1)

Helene Wecker

Start date: November 12, 2013

Finish date: November 20, 2013

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Feb 16, 2015 Vickie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: booksthatmakemegowow, nook

I've seen golems portrayed on episodes of X Files, Sleepy Hollow, and Supernatural. The creation has always been portrayed as a harsh protector of whoever it was created for.
As for jinn in stories, movies and television...alternately evil life-suckers on Supernatural or giddy wish-givers in animated 'Aladdin'.
Here in this portrayal, both are fish out of water in their new home of 1899 New York City. Chava was created in Prussia for a less-than-savory man so that he could have a devoted wife be I've seen golems portrayed on episodes of X Files, Sleepy Hollow, and Supernatural. The creation has always been portrayed as a harsh protector of whoever it was created for.
As for jinn in stories, movies and television...alternately evil life-suckers on Supernatural or giddy wish-givers in animated 'Aladdin'.
Here in this portrayal, both are fish out of water in their new home of 1899 New York City. Chava was created in Prussia for a less-than-savory man so that he could have a devoted wife before he departs for the New World. No one wants him as a husband so he hires a mystical rabbi to create the perfect woman.
The man dies on the sea voyage after bringing his golem-wife to life and she is left without a master and the ability to 'hear' the thoughts and desires of everyone around her. She is lucky enough to be rescued by a kindly rabbi who recognizes her for what she is and helps guide her through her new world and her new life.
The jinni is released from his lamp by a tinsmith who is repairing the lamp that has been the jinni's prison for some time. The jinni has no memory of how he came to be in the lamp nor much of his life before.
The story is told through many voices, majorly between the two title characters. And it is told in present time and in past for the main characters and those who surround them.
The golem is as generous as her creation allows. She wants to help those in need, but mostly it's from how she was made and it's partly from boredom since she doesn't eat or sleep.
The jinni is self-centered and has no realization of the consequences of his actions, especially when it comes to his relationships with women.
The two find each other and form a companionship based on mutual need of distraction.

I did not want to put this book down. It is on my Nook which I read at bedtime, so I had quite a few just-one-more-page-holey-schmoley-is-that-the-time kind of nights. An engrossing tale and I look forward to reading more of Helene Wecker's books.
Definite recommend. ...more

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Apr 29, 2015 Haze rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2015-books-read, 2021-books-read

I read this book for the first time in 2015, and loved it! I remember thinking it was so different, so compelling and fantastical, and with such an interesting way of looking at things. The Jinni and the Golem being such different creatures, yet similar in circumstances, it was so interesting to see the different ways they both navigated lives that was foreign to them.

I reread the book again this year because the second book just came out and I wanted to refresh my memory. In this copy of the bo ...more

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