“The Golem and the Jinni”, Helene Wecker
Published April 23, 2013 • Book 1 of The Golem and the Jinni
Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life by a disgraced rabbi who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic, created to be the wife of a man who dies at sea on the voyage from Poland. Chava 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, and released in New York City, though still not entirely free.
For the longest time, this was my number one favorite book. This is the title I would write down in questionnaires. I don’t even remember how I discovered this gem, but I’m glad I did. The author painted a clear picture of 1899 New York, specifically Little Syria and Central Park, and weaved a rich allegory about the immigrant experience of Syrians and Poles in the United States.
The sequel, The Hidden Palace, was released in 2021.
Content Warnings
Note: This is not an exhaustive list of content and trigger warnings.
murder • death • suicide attempt • pregnancy • miscarriage
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Owned: hardcover