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A review by candacesiegle_greedyreader
The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker
5.0
It takes an audacious writer to take two supernatural beings from different religious traditions and plop them into New York's Lower East Side in the 1890s. Helene Wecker's sequel to The Golem and the Jinni" builds on the first book as Chava the Golem and Ahmad the Jinni struggle to discover how they will live in a changing world as physically they do not change at all.
Chava is a Golem, a creature of superhuman strength from Jewish lore, who is made of clay to serve a master. In Chava's case, her master died right after calling her to life, and instead of her entire being focusing on anticipating her master's needs, she hears the desires of everyone around her and wants to meet them. Ahmad is a Jinni, desert creatures of Islamic tradition, made of fire and wind who have no physical form. Ahmad does indeed pop out of a bottle, crashing naked at the feet of a surprised metalsmith who is supposed to repair the flask. Ahmad is bound to earth by an iron bracelet that no one can remove except the one who put it there. As opposed to Chava whose situation makes her a hyper-empath, Ahmad understands and cares nothing of the feelings of others.
They meet on nightime walks as neither needs to sleep or eat. As their story moves into the 20th century, they've been in their neighborhoods for several years and people are wondering why they don't age, or how Chava can make a superhuman number of challas daily at the bakery where she works. So, to hide, or reinvent themselves?
"The Hidden Palace" is even more compelling and imaginative than the first novel, which I re-read with great pleasure. The world of Chava and Ahmad will continues to entrance readers as these two magical beings attempt to thrive in a world hurtling toward World War I.
Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for granting access to this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review.
~Candace Siegle, Greedy Reader
Chava is a Golem, a creature of superhuman strength from Jewish lore, who is made of clay to serve a master. In Chava's case, her master died right after calling her to life, and instead of her entire being focusing on anticipating her master's needs, she hears the desires of everyone around her and wants to meet them. Ahmad is a Jinni, desert creatures of Islamic tradition, made of fire and wind who have no physical form. Ahmad does indeed pop out of a bottle, crashing naked at the feet of a surprised metalsmith who is supposed to repair the flask. Ahmad is bound to earth by an iron bracelet that no one can remove except the one who put it there. As opposed to Chava whose situation makes her a hyper-empath, Ahmad understands and cares nothing of the feelings of others.
They meet on nightime walks as neither needs to sleep or eat. As their story moves into the 20th century, they've been in their neighborhoods for several years and people are wondering why they don't age, or how Chava can make a superhuman number of challas daily at the bakery where she works. So, to hide, or reinvent themselves?
"The Hidden Palace" is even more compelling and imaginative than the first novel, which I re-read with great pleasure. The world of Chava and Ahmad will continues to entrance readers as these two magical beings attempt to thrive in a world hurtling toward World War I.
Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for granting access to this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review.
~Candace Siegle, Greedy Reader