The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
My review: 4 of 5 stars
I bought this book for my Kindle, but I loved the cover so much that I ended up buying a hard copy. It truly is a beautiful book. The story is also lovely with powerful but vulnerable and sympathetic characters who are both strangers in a new world searching for their purpose. Their experiences drive the story in exciting and interesting ways. The story takes two folk tales from different cultures and combines them to explore the immigrant experience making this book culturally significant. The Golem and the Jinni exposes the prejudices of different ethnic groups as well as their superstitions. The story is philosophical and intelligent. It would be great for a book club. What makes us human? Why is humanity difficult for the Golem (Chava) and the Jinni (Ahmad)? I highly recommend this book for lovers of folk tales and historical fiction.
Quotes:
“A man might desire something for a moment, while a larger part of him rejects it. You’ll need to learn to judge people by their actions, not their thoughts” (p. 40).
“Most idealists lived in their own impossible worlds, sealed away from reality…” (p. 176).
“Faith is believing in something even without proof, because you know it in your heart to be true” (p. 192).