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queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition
- 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
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.
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Slavery
brassmonkey's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Body horror, Violence, Murder, and Confinement
Moderate: Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Medical content, and Sexism
Minor: Blood, Grief, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, and Adult/minor relationship
apersonfromflorida's review
- 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
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Racism, Terminal illness, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Sexual content, Vomit, and Infidelity
paracosim's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Suicide attempt
Minor: Sexual assault
tc_booksandmore's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Moderate: Gaslighting, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
eruby's review against another edition
- 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
Minor: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts
stwriter92's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Moderate: Death, Slavery, Violence, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexism, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Medical content, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Death of parent, Confinement, and Blood
Minor: Sexual content, Alcohol, and Self harm
pphector's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Murder and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
Minor: Antisemitism, Confinement, and Death
ehmannky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
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The second time I've read this and I love it even more. I felt this time that 1) I picked up on so much more of Ahmad's longing and damn, I am a sucker for that. And 2) I think I glossed over how much both Chava and Ahmad both grow so much in terms of taking responsibility for their actions. Whereas Ahmad refuses to care or accept responsibility until forced, Chava wants to push the responsibility for herself onto someone else. It's so good.
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Child death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
micallab's review against another edition
- 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
Minor: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Grief, Death, and Death of parent