Play Book Tag discussion

This is a wonderfully evocative book set in Syrian and Jewish immigrant neighborhoods in New York City circa 1900. It's an intelligent combination of historical fiction and magical realism. Even if you think you don't like magical realism, I encourage you to give this book a try. It doesn't fall into predictable patterns or tropes, yet it's accessible and welcoming. It introduced me to worlds I knew little about, and made me care about all of the different people in this community. The golem and the Jinni arrive in New York with no understanding of the modern world, and we learn along with them. As the two main characters become friends, they walk all around the city at night, with us following along. I also enjoyed the flashbacks to the dessert in ancient Syria where the Jinni once lived.

This is my second reading of the book. I wanted to revisit the story and these characters before I read the sequel. Much of it came back to me while reading, but there were many nuances that I missed or misunderstood the first time, especially near the end. I thoroughly enjoyed it, so I didn't view it as a waste of time at all. I wanted to savor every page. I came to appreciate all the characters, even those I didn't particularly like the first time.

I'm planning to start the sequel The Hidden Palace in a couple weeks, and I hope we can have a buddy read. If anyone wants to do a buddy read of this book as well, I'll be happy to join in the discussion. These books are perfect for the cultural tag.

I enjoyed the Hidden Palace as much as Golem and the Jinni!

This is one of my all-time favorite books! After I read it, I bought copies and gave them to friends. I haven't gotten the sequel yet, but am looking forward to reading it.

I love hearing that.

It's a wonder that I ever gave this book a chance based on the title, but thanks to great reviews by PBTers I gave it a try and I loved it. I'll be reading book 2 in a few weeks.