The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
Expected publication: April 23rd 2013 by Harper
Helene Wecker's dazzling debut novel tells the story of two supernatural creatures who appear mysteriously in 1899 New York. Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life by a strange man who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic. When her master dies at sea on the voyage from Poland, she is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York Harbor. Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire, born in the ancient Syrian Desert. Trapped in an old copper flask by a Bedouin wizard centuries ago, he is released accidentally by a tinsmith in a Lower Manhattan shop.
Struggling to make their way in this strange new place, the Golem and the Jinni try to fit in with their neighbors while masking their true natures. Surrounding them is a community of immigrants: the coffeehouse owner Maryam Faddoul, a pillar of wisdom and support for her Syrian neighbors; the solitary ice cream maker Saleh, a damaged man cursed by tragedy; the kind and caring Rabbi Meyer and his beleaguered nephew, Michael, whose Sheltering House receives newly arrived Jewish men; the adventurous young socialite Sophia Winston; and the enigmatic Joseph Schall, a dangerous man driven by ferocious ambition and esoteric wisdom.
Meeting by chance, the two creatures become unlikely friends whose tenuous attachment challenges their opposing natures, until the night a terrifying incident drives them back into their separate worlds. But a powerful menace will soon bring the Golem and the Jinni together again, threatening their existence and forcing them to make a fateful choice.
Marvelous and compulsively readable, The Golem and the Jinni weaves strands of folk mythology, historical fiction, and magical fable into a wondrously inventive and unforgettable tale.
Do you have the Golem and the Jinni on your wishlist? What are you anxiously awaiting this week? Be sure to let me know in the comments or leave me a link!
Now this is interesting. I haven't heard of this book before but I love the cover. It's somehow mysterious! Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteThis author is getting a lot of buzz, and the book sounds great. Here's my WoW: http://www.bookclublibrarian.com/2013/03/waiting-on-wednesday-new-kate-atkinson.html
ReplyDeleteThis one sounds fascinating with tons of potential. Great pick!
ReplyDeleteMy Wednesday Pick!
This sounds great! I look forward to seeing your review in a month or so =) Thanks for sharing!
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The cover on this one is just gorgeous, Jen. I thought about requesting an ARC when I first read it on Edelweiss but I was worried I wouldn't like it since it's not my normal fare. But I can't wait to see some reviews for this.
ReplyDeleteI find Golem and Kabbalistic mythology very interesting and this one sounds really good. I'm not sure how I feel about the Jinni though...maybe because I'm not so much into *that* mythology. But this seems very cool.
ReplyDeleteHmm, this looks like it could be hit or miss, but possibly right up my alley... I will anticipate your review!
ReplyDeleteOh that sounds good!
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing something about this a couple of weeks ago and thinking it looked really good. I've read other Golem stories and they were a little weird but I'd be willing to try this one.
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