The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

April 15th, 2013 Kimberly Review 24 Comments

15th Apr
The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
The Golem and the Jinni
by Helene Wecker
Genres: Historical Fiction, Paranormal
Source: Publisher
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Rating: One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarOne Star

A marvelous and absorbing debut novel, an enchanting combination of vivid historical fiction and magical fable about two supernatural creatures in turn-of-the-century immigrant New York.  An immigrant tale that combines elements of Jewish and Arab folk mythology, Helene Wecker's dazzling debut novel tells the story of two supernatural creatures who arrive separately in New York in 1899. Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life to by a disgraced rabbi who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic. When her master-the husband who commissioned her-dies at sea on the voyage from Poland, she is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York harbor in 1899. 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. Though he is no longer imprisoned, Ahmad is not entirely free-an unbreakable band of iron around his wrist binds him to the physical world. Overwhelmed by the incessant longing and fears of the humans around her, the cautious and tentative Chava-imbued with extraordinary physical strength-fears losing control and inflicting harm. Baptized by the tinsmith who makes him his apprentice, the handsome and capricious Ahmad-an entity of inquisitive intelligence and carefree pleasure-chafes at monotony and human dullness. Like their immigrant neighbors, the Golem and the Jinni struggle to make their way in this strange new place while masking the supernatural origins that could destroy them. Surrounding them is a colorful cast of supporting characters who inhabit the immigrant communities in lower Manhattan at the turn of the nineteenth into the twentieth century: the café owner Maryam Faddoul, a pillar of wisdom and support for her Syrian neighbors; the solitary Ice Cream 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 immigrants; the adventurous young socialite Sophia Winston; and the mysterious Joseph Schall, a dangerous man driven by ferocious ambition and esoteric wisdom. Meeting by chance, Chava and Ahmad become unlikely friends whose tenuous attachment challenges their opposing nature-until the night a terrifying incident drives them back into their separate worlds. But a powerful threat will soon bring the Golem and the Jinni together again, challenging their existence and forcing them to make a fateful choice. Marvelous and compulsively readable, The Golem and the Jinni weaves strands of Yiddish and Middle Eastern literature, historical fiction and magical fable into a wondrously inventive and unforgettable tale.

Last year I read a few articles about the most anticipated books for 2013 and debut authors to keep an eye on. The cover and title of The Golem and the Jinni immediately caught my eye. Once I read the synopsis and references to fans of Harkness’s Discovery of Witches and Morgenstern’s Night Circus I knew this book and I were destined to meet.

I have always been fascinated by the mythology of Golems and the powers of a Jinni and found this historical fiction to be; magical, breathtaking, romantic and memorable. I can hardly believe this powerful, enchanting and flawless novel is Helene Walker’s debut novel. She writes with the passionate skills of a seasoned writer, assuming complete control as she slowly immerses the reading into the tale leaving them breathless.

This tale takes us on a magical journey weaving the tale of two supernatural creatures as they arrive and take up residence in an immigrant community in 1899, New York. Chava is a golem, a creature made entirely of clay commissioned and brought to life by a disgraced rabbi who practices the dark art of Kabbalistic magic. The man who commissions her plans to make her his wife. He places her in a crate in the cargo of a ship and together they set sail. Despite the rabbi’s caution, he awakens her aboard the ship, but he develops an illness on the voyage and succumbs to it. She finds herself without a master and walking the streets of New York. Ahmad a Jinni who hails from the Syrian desert was born of fire and has been trapped for centuries by a Bedouin wizard. A tinsmith in lower Manhattan accidentally releases him from a copper flask as he makes repairs to it. Bound in unbreakable Iron cuffs, he finds himself free but locked in human form. The tale that unfolds is captivating as we watch their lives unfold, and by accident intertwine. Walker spun a tale that completely enthralled me as she weaved in suspense, enlightenment, and the unlikeliest of friendships.

The characters in this tale are so remarkable and fleshed out I am almost giddy. I have long been fascinated by these mystical creatures and Walker’s interpretation of them was stunning. Chava’s abilities and the characteristics the rabbi gifted her with are remarkable. Without a master, she is slowly able to make decisions and reach conclusions on her own. I was fascinated by how clever she was and her thought process. Ahmad the Jinni is a curious creature who is often amused at mere humans but also finds himself fascinated by their beliefs and slowly we see him transform as he finds purpose. The author does a wonderful job of sharing his inner fears and longings. We learn about the community where they dwell and the author gives voice and depth to these secondary characters as she threads their stories into the tale and introduces them to the Golem and the Jinni. Each character from the ice cream maker to the newly arrived immigrant who makes himself an intricate part of the Sheltering House help shape and mold the events as they unfold.

Within the first few pages, I knew that I had stepped into a world that I would not soon forget. Walker’s beautiful world building and thought-provoking tale quickly endeared itself to me. It is quickly evident that she is well versed in the time period, myths, and beliefs used to spin this magical story. The tale flowed effortlessly from past to present and from character to character as she slowly weaved the threads of each event and character together. As the tale unfolded, we began to piece together how the characters connected creating tension as we waited for the characters to understand. While I was anxious for the outcome, I found myself savoring the details of the city, the characters and the traditions of this small community. I became equally caught up in the secondary characters lives and troubles. The friendship that developed between the Golem and the Jinni was slow to build, believable and magical. A bond formed between them, while not quite a romance it evoked a romantic feeling in me and I found myself rooting for this unlikely duo. Walker touches on faith, love, good vs. evil and her attention to detail was riveting. At almost five hundred pages, it felt neither rushed nor long-winded. I love when a book holds me captive and I haven’t a care about what page I am on or what I am supposed to be cooking for dinner because it means that I have once again found that high I chase when reading a good book. That feeling I get when the world slips away and I find myself transported into the world the author has created. Not only am I confident this will be one of my most memorable reads for 2013 I have a feeling this will be one that I recommend, re-visit and talk about for years to come.

Absolutely stunning and captivating I cannot recommend the Golem and the Jinni enough. Fans of Discovery of Witches will be enchanted by this tale. Unique and original with characters that will leave their mark on your soul. I cannot wait to see what Walker has in store for us next!

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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

24 Responses to “The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker”

  1. Tammy

    I just pre-ordered this based on your review. Thanks, I normally wouldn’t have picked this one up!

  2. Heidi

    This is my first encounter with this one and it sounds fantastic. I love Deborah Harkness and I am such a fan of world building and great characters. I will definitely be on the lookout for this one!

  3. Candace's Book Blog

    Oh wow, this book sounds INCREDIBLE! I’m adding it to my WL right now! Talk about a convincing review, I want to start reading immediately!

  4. Victoria Hooper

    I’ve been wondering about this one. I was attracted by the cover initially, and then read the synopsis and thought it sounded really good. Hadn’t really heard much about it though, so it’s nice to see that you liked it so much! Definitely one to add to the wish list, sounds like exactly my kind of thing! 🙂

  5. Lark

    Wow! Wonderful review, Kimba. This has crossed my radar once or twice, but now I’m sold. It sounds fantastic and right up my alley — fantasy and historical fiction, supernatural creatures that aren’t werewolves or vampires (for a change!), clash of cultures… perfect! I am putting it on my TBR list right away.

  6. Christine

    Thanks for stopping by my blog & for the follow — I’m already following you and looking forward to more of your reviews 🙂

  7. Trish Hannon

    Beautiful, haunting cover. Your review has made me anxious to read this one. I’m a sucker for historical books anyway but add in the Arab folk mythology and it sounds fantastic. Sounds like a great debut!

  8. Melissa's Midnight Musings

    Jewish and Arab folk mythology isn’t a combination I’ve seen before, so I’m interested based on that alone, but once you mentioned that fans of A Discovery of Witches would like it, you really roped me in. I loved that book so I’m sure I would like this one as well.

  9. Melissa (Books and Things)

    Oh wow! This sounds so good. I’ve been needing a good character book! The world also sounds good. So need to add this one to my wishlist! Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

  10. Barbara Walker

    You amaze me with the breadth of your knowledge and appreciation of genres, chica. This sounds amazing and I’d never have noticed it or considered it unless you’d reviewed it so brilliantly. I’m going to go check it out!

  11. Debbie Haupt

    Kim, thanks for the fabulous review, this one’s going on my tbr list