A review by flufficorn
The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings