The Golem and the Jinni
In 1899 New York, a golem created to be a wife arrives without a master, and a jinni is released from an old copper flask. Two mythological beings navigate immigrant life, hiding their true natures.
Themes & atmosphere
Books in conversation with The Golem and the Jinni
A few of the closest reads from our full list.
What you might want to know about The Golem and the Jinni
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
In 1899, Chava arrives in New York Harbor as the masterless clay golem of a man who died at sea. Across the city, a tinsmith in Little Syria releases Ahmad, a jinni bound for centuries inside a copper flask. The two meet by chance and walk the city's nights together.
Helene Wecker has written two main books: The Golem and the Jinni and The Hidden Palace. Both stand on their own, though The Hidden Palace continues the story.
A film adaptation has been in development. As of 2025, the project remains in development with no confirmed release.
The Golem and the Jinni was written by Helene Wecker, published in 2013 by Harper Perennial.
The Golem and the Jinni is 502 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, The Golem and the Jinni takes most readers 8 to 11 hours to finish.
The Golem and the Jinni is a standalone novel by Helene Wecker, not part of a series.
The Golem and the Jinni is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.