The Golem and the Jinni, by Helene Wecker, tells multiple stories of immigration to America during the turn of the century, and most specifically, New York City. But the two main characters have an additional culture shock in store for them: they are all born of legend and myth far older than this new land, and indeed the borders of the countries they have come from.
The Jinni, Ahmed, has been transported from the Syrian desert in a copper flask and is released by a tinsmith in the heart of Lower Manhattan. The concept of a master is utterly repugnant to Ahmed, and I imagine the Disney Genie in Aladdin, hilarious but biddable, would insult him. He must also keep hidden because his powers, even limited as they are by captivity in human form, would be a huge draw to power seekers.
Therefore, it's easy to see where The Golem and the Jinni excel: the characters. As a lover of magical realism, I was immediately hooked by this blend of fantasy and history. Wecker creates beautiful characters, full of "real-world" problems, and problems born of something else. In the interest of not revealing more, Chava and the Ahmed are only two of the wonderful characters developed seamlessly in the story. I never felt drawn away from the focus of the story by the "secondary" characters that nevertheless brought New York, and the new life people and cultures were trying to weave, alive.
Chava and Ahmed also represent a dichotomy on multiple levels. Despite being somewhat "spiritual" as creatures, their philosophies clash on the very idea of spirituality. And despite being pieces of two cultures that the modern world often considers at odds, that is never really a factor in their relationship. I can't say more, though I'd love to.
It was during my reveling in the characters, the original paths they take, and the darker elements some represent, that I realized that I was about three hundred pages in and not terribly much had happened to any of them. There's plenty of activity, and plenty of back story which can be a bit wearisome when one of the main characters is only months old. As exciting as the opening pages are, upon reflection I wonder if the story should have begun farther in the past and some of the description in New York removed. There were a few events that lacked significance, even if they were wonderfully crafted. And I feel like in this case I would have preferred to leap forward years rather than constantly be dragged back generations.
And after three hundred pages of very little happening, an extraordinary flurry of activity occurs in the last fifty pages. While reading, I wondered if Wecker was setting me up for a second book... and as delightful as it was, I realized if she hadn't finished the story, I probably wouldn't have bothered with another book. The story could fit in one volume.
If you love fantasy and history, this is a great read. It feels new and fresh and explores things like obedience, conscience, religion and change. But the book felt a bit longer than it needed to be and therefore less important than it could be. However, this is Wecker's first novel and I am definitely looking forward to her next one.
