Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

27 reviews

claretaz's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was a really interesting book to read. There were many mysteries and throughout and it was nice to see how everything slowly came together in an intricate way. I enjoyed this book. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief and Death

flufficorn's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I couldn't stop listening to this book. So much so that I had to limit myself to three chapters a day. I loved everything about it: The characters, their stories, and even the narrator of the book. I am always going on about Jewish representation in media to the point that I thought I had become numb to how imbalanced Jewish representation is, but this book reminded me that I have not. I loved Chava. I loved everything about her and I wish there were more complicated, nuanced, Jewish characters that aren't rooted in hate and stereotypes. 

A lot of reviews complain about the slow character building before the finale. I am not one of those people. I like my fictional characters to have this kind of depth and I really wish we got more of that in media. 

The story is a smattering of paths that cross in New York at the turn of the century. Weaving in Jewish, Muslim, Middle Eastern and American stories...this story is so uniquely American. It is so full. Really, I think this book is just a masterpiece. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Self harm, Suicide attempt, Murder, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, and Death

abeplaut's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Certain bits of mythology and folklore were invented to tell this story. One small complaint is the inclusion of a “name changed at Ellis Island” sort of scene. This is a common myth among many Jewish American families that names were changed during immigration proceedings. The truth is that people petitioned the state of NY to change names after the fact. That one detail was a distraction from an otherwise exciting story set in 19th century NYC at the convergence of Yiddish/Ashkenazi Jewish and Syrian and Arab folklore. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Outing, Death, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Murder, Violence, Suicide attempt, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol

nessynoname's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

There is no getting around the fact that this book is incredibly slow. Part of that comes from an abundance of detail in the writing style and careful introspection of each character. But if you are patient with the narrative you will find an incredibly rich and meticulously plotted story that wraps itself up into a neat and elegant bow by the end. 
I am not incredibly into the historical genre but this story plays to several of my specific interests. I very much enjoyed learning about the not-oft utilized myth creatures of golems and jinn and appreciated how thoroughly grounded in cultural contexts the author aspires to present them. The author seems to take great care giving detail to the Jewish and Syrian communities, both New and Old World, featured in the story, and every character is unique and grounded. I also deeply appreciate that main characters Ahmad and Chava, while not exactly being *not* romantically interested in each other, have factors to their relationship outside of romantic intrigue and are allowed to organically come to value and enjoy each other's company rather than being smashed together out of obligation of being the male and female leads. In closing, this is a lovingly and meticulously crafted book. Slow as it is, I would not begrudge someone being impatient with it but I greatly appreciated my time with it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Mental illness, Confinement, Pregnancy, Violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Classism, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

stephanelli's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Death, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage

queerloras's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Absolutely spectacular. Fucking brilliant. That's it.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Murder, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, Violence, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Drug use

zia_c's review against another edition

adventurous informative lighthearted mysterious relaxing sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I wish everyone, especially the jinni and the golem a very happy and peaceful life ahead in this story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Medical content, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, and Sexual content

Minor: Slavery

ska1224's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Sexism

Minor: Religious bigotry, Antisemitism, Racism, and Infertility

irisraerah's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I'm not entirely sure how to review this book without it soundly like a rambling jumble of unconsidered praises, but trust that I have considered and The Golem and The Jinni has earned its praise, and my brevity here is to save myself from sounding like a monologuing child.

The Golem and The Jinni is the kind of magical realism that lets you forget your grounding in reality. Wecker's characters are familiar, not in the sense that they are retellings of known "characters," but in their easy ability to fit into the world as one has known it. Yes, there are magical creatures and spells in this world, but life is life, and the experience of it persists. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Slavery, Death, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Minor: Self harm, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Murder, Infertility, Miscarriage, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Sexual content, and Domestic abuse

gloomylamp's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Miscarriage