In a positive review of “The Hidden Palace,” Publishers Weekly wrote, “New characters, including another golem and a young female jinniyeh, and historical touchstones such as the sinking of the Titanic, drive the plot. Book clubs must reserve copies in advance. “The main characters are mythical creatures who have to hide their identities and have to be careful about how they present themselves in community.”Īlbaum noted that it is not necessary to read “The Golem and the Jinni” to enjoy the sequel, though the library has copies of both books to borrow. “There are a lot of great themes for discussion that come up in ‘The Hidden Palace,’ including issues of othering and marginalization in Jewish life,” said Noa Albaum, the library’s program coordinator. Book discussions will take place at the library, local synagogues and online through May. Published in June, the novel picks up the story of Chava, a Polish golem, and Ahmad, a Syrian jinni (or genie), in the years leading up to World War I. That’s one reason the S.F.-based library and its parent agency, Jewish LearningWorks, have selected “The Hidden Palace” - a sequel eight years in the making - for the annual One Bay One Book program. It was also a hit with Bay Area Jewish readers, according to staff at the Jewish Community Library. The book incorporates elements of fantasy, historical fiction, and Yiddish and Middle Eastern literature and won several awards. In 2013, Pleasanton author Helene Wecker published her first novel, “The Golem and the Jinni,” about an unlikely friendship between two magical creatures who meet in New York City in 1899.

The golem and the jinni book 3