Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - The Golem and the Jinni

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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mzy42's review against another edition

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adventurous 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

4.25

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alyssa_s10's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

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briegordon's review against another edition

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adventurous inspiring mysterious reflective 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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queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful mysterious reflective 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

4.0

4 ⭐ CW: Death, suicidal thoughts/attempted suicide, death of a parent, enslavement

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker is book one in The Golem and the Jinni duology. This historical fiction/fantasy book was fascinating and very different from most of the fantasy I read. Though the story was good and intriguing, it was very slow with not much action, so keep that in mind if you pick up this book.

We follow a Jewish man as he commissions a shady guy to construct a golem to be his wife when he emigrates to New York. All he has asked for is a virtuous and curious woman. Though he isn't supposed to wake the golem until they reach the new world, he awakens her in the ship and then promptly dies, leaving the golem without a master. We follow the golem as she navigates life as a brand new being in New York City during the turn of the century.

We also follow a Jinni who has been accidentally released in a Syrian part of New York. The Jinni has no memory of how he came to be captured and bound and put into a flask, but starts working as a tin smith, because a being made of fire is excellent as that kind of work. We follow the golem and the Jinni as they both try to find their places in a world that neither of them are meant to be in. Eventually the two find each other, and become friends, one Jewish, one Syrian.

This was a great snapshot of New York City during the turn of the century and what it was like to be an immigrant at that time. It was fascinating seeing how these normal struggles interweaved with the specific troubles the golem and the Jinni each had: the golem hearing every single person's desires and fears and feeling compelled to do something about them; and the Jinni feeling closed in and trapped, unable to change form at his will and having consequences to his actions.

I love the development of the golem and the jinni's friendship. It was refreshing to read a story without romance. The Golem herself was asexual. I also loved the symbolism of their natures as it is connected to how they are both made. The Golem, made of earth, strong, proper, and virtuous, wanting only to help those around her without doing harm; the Jinni, made of fire, capricious, selfish, and intense. It was a great character study, and we got some povs from other supporting characters, Saleh Mahmoud being my favorite.

If you're a fan of historical fiction, found family, and stories of friendship, this is for you. If you're looking for lots of plot and action, this isn't it lol. It's a slow mover, but worth it.

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