Another guest appearance by M.R. Pritchard!
The Golem and the Jinni
THE GOLEM AND THE JINNI by Helen Wecker is set in NYC in the
late nineteenth century. As this book starts we are introduced to our main
characters the Golem, a woman crafted from clay and infused with the traits of
obedience, curiosity, intelligence, virtuous and modest behavior. The Golem is
crafted to be the wife of a Prussian Jew, who also happens to die on their
voyage to America. What we have left is a woman with the ability to hear
everyone's wants and needs, since she is now without her master.
Enter the Jinni, a tall and attractive "Genie in a bottle" who is released accidentally by a tinsmith. The Jinni is a creature of fire. Wild and selfish, the Jinni yearns to return to his natural form, but since he is conflicted with a bit of memory loss, he can't remember who bound him in his human form.
Eventually the Golem and the Jinni's paths cross and an unlikely friendship is born as they both explore humans and their own humanity. The story line delves into the Jewish and Syrian cultures, and their respective religions.
The prose is thoughtful, never hurried, and the intertwining of history and fairy tale prove charming.
Enter the Jinni, a tall and attractive "Genie in a bottle" who is released accidentally by a tinsmith. The Jinni is a creature of fire. Wild and selfish, the Jinni yearns to return to his natural form, but since he is conflicted with a bit of memory loss, he can't remember who bound him in his human form.
Eventually the Golem and the Jinni's paths cross and an unlikely friendship is born as they both explore humans and their own humanity. The story line delves into the Jewish and Syrian cultures, and their respective religions.
The prose is thoughtful, never hurried, and the intertwining of history and fairy tale prove charming.
4/5
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