Reviews with content warning for Self harm - The Golem and the Jinni

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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raekynnes's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

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irisraerah's review against another edition

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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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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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alwaysshure's review against another edition

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slow-paced

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

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stwriter92's review against another edition

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emotional 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

4.0

I just finished reading this book this morning (I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep) and I would be lying if I said I wasn't clutching the book a bit too tightly during the last thirty or so pages.

Ms. Wecker writes in such a rich and beautiful way, truly breathing life into every single character she creates. Whilst reading this, I felt as if I were actually living in the story, roaming the streets of New York at night with the two uncanny protagonists (though I think that I would bore the Jinni and tire the Golem out quickly enough).

I've always had a thing for stories that start off with many different threads of a plot that has yet to achieve its full form. This book did exactly that. At the beginning, with so many characters introduced, I wasn't sure how they would all be connected to create a truly cohesive story of any sort. However, as the pieces of the puzzle began to click into place and the stories became more and more interwoven, I was able to fall into the discovery right along with the characters in question. The story itself follows the life of a Golem, a creature created from earth and mud to be an obedient and unquestioning servant, and a Jinni, a being of fire with a personality as capricious and dangerous as its source. The two become unlikely companions and soon find that their survival depends on the other.

The thing I loved most was the depth given to not just the characters but the settings of this story. I truly felt immersed in this story and would often lose track of time while reading because I had sunk so fully into the world that Ms. Wecker had created. Usually, when it comes to stories told from multiple points of view, I find myself favoring some over others and find the ones I do not favor to be tedious to get through. I did not have that experience here, however. Each character had a very definite purpose to the plot as well as to the development of other characters. It made me so happy to see that each character was fleshed out completely. Not a single one was left unfinished or undeveloped. Each character was complex and was given a backstory without the info-dumpy feeling that I usually get with the introduction of backstories. It was just so naturally done!

The only thing that is stopping me from giving it five stars (although it is definitely being added to my favorites) is that it did take a bit longer than I had expected to really get to the crux of the matter. Once it did, the ending seemed to happen all at once, which made me wonder why there was such a huge buildup. That isn't to say that the ending itself was unsatisfying. It just felt a bit rushed compared to the rest of the novel.

I do highly, highly, highly recommend this book, though. It was a fantastic reading experience and I'm going to see if I can go get my hands on the sequel as soon as possible!

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