The Golem and the Jinni | Helene Wecker

The Golem and the Jinni

Extended Synopsis

Experience a marvelous and absorbing debut novel about a chance meeting between two supernatural creatures in turn-of-the-century immigrant New York. Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay by a disgraced rabbi knowledgeable in the ways of dark Kabbalistic magic. Serving as the wife to a Polish merchant who dies at sea on the voyage to America, Chava arrives in New York in 1899 unmoored and adrift—until a rabbi on the Lower East Side recognizes her for the creature she is and takes her in.

Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire born in the ancient Syrian desert and trapped centuries ago in an old copper flask by a Bedouin wizard. Released by a Syrian tinsmith in a Manhattan shop, Ahmad appears in human form but is still bound to the physical world by an iron band around his wrist. When Chava and Ahmad meet accidentally, they become friends and soul mates despite their opposing natures.

But when the golem’s violent nature overtakes her one evening, their bond is challenged. An even more powerful threat soon emerges, bringing Chava and Ahmad together again to fight for their very existence and forcing them to make a fateful choice. This compulsively readable tale weaves strands of Yiddish and Middle Eastern literature, historical fiction, and magical fable into a mesmerizing and unforgettable narrative.

Reader Targeting

• Fans of rich historical fiction seamlessly blended with mythology and magical realism.
• Readers captivated by turn-of-the-century immigrant New York and diverse cultural folklore.
• Those who enjoy character-driven stories exploring identity, profound friendship, and belonging.

About the Author

Helene Wecker masterfully weaves intricate strands of Yiddish and Middle Eastern literature, historical fiction, and magical fable to create wondrously inventive tales that captivate and mesmerize readers worldwide.

Accolades & Features

Praised by Entertainment Weekly as an "intoxicating fusion of fantasy and historical fiction," this edition features a high-contrast layout, localized historical neighborhood maps, and the proprietary "P.S." insights section containing author interviews, reading group guides, and archival essays.

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