This book was quite excellent, and I could see myself recommending it a fair bit in the future. It is as close to a work of "pure fiction" as I have read in recent times, and reflecting on it brings to mind the aspects of Murakami and Marquez that I most appreciated. Perhaps the story's only shortcoming is that it takes too few risks - the book is not overly surprising, and could have certainly done with a stronger, more driving plot. It also has an ending that, while not weak, does not amaze the way one might expect given the buildup. In spite of all of this, the book gets full marks because it effectively conveys "wonder" - something that books are often hard pressed to do. It keeps you turning the pages more out of a growing desire to understand more and to watch the characters develop than to understand where the plot is going - the kind of book that you wish could go on forever (or, perhaps, be reality).

Overall highly recommended to fiction buffs, those who like old New York, or fans of "classic" literary excellence. ( )

I wanted to give this four stars because it was really well written. However, I could not because it was a bit too angsty for my taste. ( )

A very unique book. I loved the fairy/folk tale feel of the book and learned much about these tales in Jewish and Middle Eastern culture. Yet the book was so much more than a magical story; it was about finding your place in this world and the importance of free will. I loved Chava and her journey to find her humanity. ( )

I loved this book. Wecker is a master of nuance and the telling detail.

I completely fell in love with the flawed, heart-achingly complex characters of Chava and Ahmed. Wecker's beautiful writing made all the characters deliciously fascinating, and the setting was so vivid, every time I set the book down, I felt disoriented. I honestly feel like I have been living in the old Jewish and Syrian neighborhoods of turn of the century New York.

I hated for it to end, but it did. And it ended in a way that, unlike so many recent books, did not fizzle or disappoint. Five stars.
( )

The Golem and the Jinni goes on and on and on. A lot of the story could have been edited out and still have had a long story. Three stars were given to this book because it left the reader wanting it to end already. ( )