Golem and the Jinni
Published in 2013, Golem and the Jinni is a historical fantasy and mythic fiction novel by Helene Wecker. It takes readers to New York City and New York, N.Y. in the 19th Century. It deals with Golem, Arab Mythology, Jinn and jewish mythology.
Open Library readers give it an average of 4.1 out of 5 from 15 ratings, and 33 more have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 11 editions. It appeared on the New York Times Trade Fiction Paperback bestseller list in 2014.
It runs to roughly 502 pages — 9–10 hours of reading at an average pace.
About Golem and the Jinni
In The Golem and the Jinni, a chance meeting between mythical beings takes readers on a dazzling journey through cultures in turn-of-the-century New York. Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life to by a disgraced rabbi who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic and dies at sea on the voyage from Poland. Chava is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York harbor in 1899. Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire born in the ancient Syrian desert, trapped in an old copper flask, and released in New York City, though still not entirely free Ahmad and Chava become unlikely friends and soul mates with a mystical connection. Marvelous and compulsively readable, Helene Wecker's debut novel The Golem and the Jinni weaves strands of Yiddish and Middle Eastern literature, historical fiction and magical fable, into a wondrously inventive and unforgettable tale.
Awards & lists
- ✦Otherwise Award 2013 — Overall (nominee)
- ✦Nebula Awards 2014 — Best Novel (nominee)
- ✦World Fantasy Awards 2014 — Best Novel (nominee)
- ✦Locus Awards 2014 — Best First Novel (nominee)
- 🏆Mythopoeic Awards 2014 — Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature (winner)
- 📰New York Times bestseller list — Trade Fiction Paperback, 2014
Quick answers
Who wrote Golem and the Jinni?
Golem and the Jinni was written by Helene Wecker and first published in 2013.
What genre is Golem and the Jinni?
It is usually shelved as Historical Fantasy, Myth & Legend Fiction and Historical Fiction.
How long is Golem and the Jinni?
The median edition has 502 pages, about 9–10 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.
What books are similar to Golem and the Jinni?
Readers who like it often enjoy The Diviners, Circe and The Winter King.
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