The Golem and the Jinni

Few books that I have reviewed are as widely recognized as Helene Wecker’s historical fantasy, The Golem and The Jinni. It doesn’t matter if it is a random person on public transport or a relative passing through my home. The individual in question will invariably stop, mention they read the book, and tell me that they loved it. Aside from reinforcing the fact that I am embarrassingly late to the party on this book, this plethora of happy customers also points to a feature of the book. No matter who you are, there’s something in here for you.

The story primarily follows a female golem, created by a shady mystic at the request of an only slightly less shady man looking for an obedient wife. However, when the would-be Master dies en roue to America our Golem is left stranded in NY. There she meets a Jinni who has been accidentally awoken from an oil flask by a copper smith. He has no recollection of how he got to NY or why he is chained in physical form. The two magical creatures find camaraderie in each other, despite their almost diametrically opposite personalities and life experiences.

The Point of View Character’s in this book are as numerous as its fans, and at first I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to follow it all. I grew up in an era when two POVs was considered a lot, so this plethora was almost an embarrassment of riches. I fretted over whether I would find out what happened to them all. Would all their story lines be wrapped up appropriately?

The answer, dear reader, is yes. Not only was every story completed, they were brought together in a whirlwind of excitement. Wecker is like a carpet weaver, holding numerous threads in her hands only to unleash them all in a glorious picture at the end.

All my well wishers were correct. I did love this book. I loved how the Golem and Jinni had such differing yet complimentary characters. I loved the descriptions of the lower east side. I loved the afterword where Wecker explains how this story came to be. Most of all, I loved how accessible the story makes Jewish fiction to the general marketplace. Because those people stopping me to rave about the book? They weren’t all Jewish. They were simply people who love a well told story. And this is very much a well told story.

Find It: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon

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E Broderick is a writer and speculative fiction enthusiast. When not writing she enjoys epic games of trivial pursuit and baking. She currently lives in the U.S. but is eagerly awaiting the day a sentient spaceship offers to take her traveling around the galaxy.