The Golem and the Jinni

I came across the original book while browsing through the suggested reads on Amazon. My first thought was that it was a comedy as the title sounds like it could be the first line of a joke. However, after noting the star rating and the number of reviews this was based on, I read the story synopsis followed by several of the reviews, all of which were glowing in their praise, which left me very intrigued by the premise of the story and so purchased the book.

I am very glad to say that intrigue paid dividends, this is one of the most delightful, intriguing and interesting stories I have read, which revolves around a Golem, who has just been brought to life just days before arriving in New York, and a Djinni, who has just been released from a 1000 year imprisonment. Both have to adapt to the world they find themselves in, find shelter, work and make friends while also hiding their true natures. All this is set against a background mystery of who imprisoned the Djinni, the circumstances of which he has no memory, but the events of which are teasingly revealed through several flashbacks spaced throughout the story and are finally revealed in a most unexpected and explosive manner, though that is not the end of the story, which still has several more interesting twists and turns to keep your attention.

Then I learnt that there was a second book, which of course I just had to buy. This one delves deeper into the lives and relationships of Chava and Ahmad, as well as how they become aware and deal with the realisation that the people around them are ageing, while they are not. Again this is a wonderful story that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking as it spans over fifteen years, mixing in some notable events, though not in an overbearing manner,  that have consequences for some of the characters. The conclusion, as with the first book is highly gratifying, but also leaves open the possibility of further books and adventures.