Jewish Book Club discussion

For discussion after you've finished the book; reviews and spoilers okay

Adding our first runner-up in the polling for March as an alternative to the other selection.

The sequel is slated for 2021, so read it or reread it and talk about it here.

I read this a long time ago. Weird and fun. I'll wait until the sequel comes out to re-read it.

This is one of my all-time favorite novels. I read it when it first came out in 2013 and gave copies to all my friends. It was the book selected by one of my book groups and I read it again last year. I loved it as much the second time as I did the first time.

The Golem and the Jinni, by Helene Wecker, is a debut novel, and what a debut it is! As implied by the title, it is about a Golem, a creature in Jewish folklore, and a Jinni, a mythical creature in the Arab world. The most famous golem was created by Rabbi Loew of Prague in the 1500s to protect the Jews of the city from attacks by their neighbors. In Jewish folklore, a golem is made of clay, becomes animated and has supreme strength.

This novel is set at the beginning of the 1900s and is mostly set in New York City. Otto Rotfeld is a failed Polish businessman who wishes to seek his fortune in the New World. He approaches a man he believes to be a mystic and asks him to create an obedient, but curious wife to accompany him in New York. The mystic complies, but warns Otto not to utter the words to awaken the woman until after he arrives in the New World. Otto, of course, cannot wait that long and utters the word to bring his golem-wife to life while about the ship crossing the Atlantic. Otto then promptly dies, leaving the Golem to fend for herself in New York.

The Golem has the ability to hear the thoughts of the people around her. Shortly after arriving in New York, she encounters a rabbi who recognizes her for what she is. He takes her under his wing in an attempt to protect her.

Around the same time, a tinsmith working in New York is repairing a flask, when suddenly the Jinni, who had been trapped in the flask for centuries is suddenly freed.

Eventually the two meet. Both appear to be human, but have powers beyond human capability. The golem is made of clay and is cold. The jinni is of a spark of fire and knows that water can destroy him. Both have to constantly remind themselves to behave as humans ~ the golem must remember to appear to breathe; the jinni must remember that he can cause burns with his touch.

The two lead separate, but intwined, lives. Each interact with the people of New York. The jinni meets the beautiful and rich Sarah Winston and sneaks into her house at night. The golem gets restless at night and wanders the streets, even though for a mortal woman, such wanderings would be dangerous. The jinni is sly with little moral guidance; the golem must obey her nature, although she has no master.

We meet the real people who encounter the Golem and the Jinni. All these characters truly come to life.

Hahtoolah wrote: "This is one of my all-time favorite novels. I read it when it first came out in 2013 and gave copies to all my friends. It was the book selected by one of my book groups and I read it again last ye..."

Hahtoolah, I'm glad you reread it so recently and were able to recount that here. You are helping bring the book back to life for me!

M wrote: "I read this a long time ago. Weird and fun. I'll wait until the sequel comes out to re-read it."

I hope the sequel does come out when expected! The author wrote that she''s had two children since she wrote the first book. Not so easy.

Jan wrote: "Hahtoolah wrote: "This is one of my all-time favorite novels. I read it when it first came out in 2013 and gave copies to all my friends. It was the book selected by one of my book groups and I rea..."

great review. Its a favorite of mine as well.

Hahtoolah wrote: "This is one of my all-time favorite novels. I read it when it first came out in 2013 and gave copies to all my friends. It was the book selected by one of my book groups and I read it again last ye..."

Hahtoolah- I always look forward to your reviews. The are great- and accurate!!!