My actual rating is a 3.5. Entertaining, and I would like to know what happens next. I had trouble liking the Golem. ( )

The Golem and the Jinni, Helene Wecker’s debut novel, earned a Nebula nomination but missed out on the Hugos in a tough year. Ann Leckie’s Ancillary Justice was a lock, and there were two popular fantasy novels in the running: Wheel of Time and Warbound. A sequel to G and J did not appear until 2021.
The first novel is set in 19th-century New York and features the two title creatures cast adrift in the big city without masters to tell them what to do. It is not exactly a heaven-blessed romance, but it is an intriguing magical take on the Lower Manhattan immigrant story.
Wecker’s plot is more complicated than necessary, but I do admire the clarity of her prose. Her history is well-researched, and her storytelling reminds me of Rothfuss at his best. ( )

Solid fantasy book with a fun style and good characters. I liked the ending although there were many ways it could have gone that I would have been happy with. ( )

The Golem and the Jinni is immensely readable. The research for Jews living in New York City is fascinating although one wonders about the accuracy. For instance, when a character asks rabbi about volunteering, the thrilled rabbi described the virtues of their congregation and how they fought against secularism and unhealthy modern influence. Congregations began allowing snuff during sermons. I hadn't realized in the orthodox world a woman is forbidden for initiating sex as the golem did with her husband Michael. Atheist Michael runs a Jewish type shelter and when discovers he is married to a Golem questions his non-belief in God. If A golem could exist, there must be a god. The last section of the book becomes convoluted and takes a good deal of acceptance by the reader in search of logic. You do end up caring about the Golem and Jinni and maybe that’s enough to get you through this page turner. ( )

I was not sure whether I would enjoy this book - I usually become bored with books that have a slow meandering pace. However, I can truly say that I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end.

I did not particularly get the deeper symbolic meanings from the book that others seem to have got, I didn't find myself questioning the meaning of life - what I got was a great story, told by a great story teller.

I was amazed to discover this was a debut novel! The atmosphere created here is remarkable. The tale slowly twists through centuries and continents, we relate to and care about the characters, and I truly didn't want the story to end.

If you enjoy a great story, beautifully told and described, then read this - you will love it. ( )