I’ve had this book on my radar for quite some time. On an Amazon wish list to be exact, and it fell into obscurity. But when I suddenly rediscovered this book, I knew I had to read it. For what could be better than taking two interesting, fantastical creatures from different worlds and putting them together in turn of the century New York, a place alien enough to support them both?

The Golem is a creature of earth, created by humans, a part of Jewish mythology, while the Jinni is a creature of fire, born into being like so many others of his kind in the Arabian sands. They couldn’t be more different from each other in their limitations and strengths, their ideas and ethics. And yet they become the unlikeliest of friends, bound together by the mutual secret of their otherness.

I found this book to be engrossing and entertaining. Helene Wecker’s writing is transportive, and I really cared for both of the main characters, who were charming and challenging. I really loved this book, which mixed the everyday and the magical so deftly. If you’re interested in either of these cultures and like magic, this book is a real treat.