I love stories of unexpected friendships, and what could be more unexpected than a golem and a jinni? These two mythological creatures come from different traditions, different regions, and altogether different worlds. Yet in Helene Wecker’s debut historical fantasy novel, they meet by chance on the streets of New York City. My whole family has been reading this book, and I’m so glad I finally hopped on that bandwagon!
The Golem and the Jinni begins in Poland at the turn of the 20th century, when a disgraced rabbi makes a woman out of clay—a golem—to serve as his client’s perfect and obedient wife. But after an unexpected turn of events, the golem arrives at Ellis Island alone and masterless. She is taken in by a kindly rabbi who names her Chava and introduces her to the local Jewish community. Meanwhile, a tinsmith in Little Syria sets to work on an old copper flask when suddenly out of it comes a jinni who has been trapped for a thousand years. Adopting the name Ahmad, the jinni reluctantly takes on the role of tinsmith’s apprentice while trying to figure out how to break the bonds that keep in stuck in human form. When Chava and Ahmad meet, they feel a kinship—both are outsiders trying to fit into, yet not truly part of, the human world. Yet their natures are so different, this altruistic being of earth and flighty being of fire, that their friendship brings as much conflict as comfort. All fights are forgotten, however, when they realize that someone who poses a danger to them both has found his way to New York City. Continue reading The Golem and the Jinni Review: An Unusual Pairing