I truly believed this book would never come out, but if it took this long to get it right, I understand why. The Golem and the Jinni is my favorite fantasy book of the decade — a rich historical drama as well as a complicated and winding set of plot threads involving many people with tangled pasts, and a philosophical yarn about different fantasy traditions in different cultures. The Hidden Palace does it all over again — introduces more characters and further develops past characters, lays out a variety of different completely separate plots and brings them all together, moves the action forward rapidly while looking at the historical changes in turn-of-the-century New York City. And it still finds time for the eponymous golem and jinni, Ahmad and Chava, to spend long conversations coming to understand each other — and to understand how little they understand each other, and how complicated their relationship is.

I love that this book doesn't go in for easy answers or quick reconciliations, and I love the way Helene Wecker uses new characters to further highlight how Chava and Ahmad are unusual for their kind, and to show what they could have been, or are in danger of becoming. I hope the series continues — it feels like at this point, we know the characters better than ever, and want more than ever for them to figure out how to live with each other, and within the world they've wound up in. (less)

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for this review. I was not aware of that there was going to be a second story of the Golem and the Jinni and I loved the first book. This one was a bit all over the place. I loved the historical aspects that were given, like the Triangle Shirtwaist fire, the Titanic sinking and the start of WW1, but the slow drawing out the storylines were a bit tiresome. I felt like I lost the threads of each story and then when I picked them back up, it was switched to another character. It seemed as if there were too many characters and plot lines to fully appreciate the intricacies of the story.

Readers have long awaited the next installment of the beloved series The Golem and the Jinni. In The Hidden Palace, Wecker brings back her amazing characters, Chava the Golem and Ahmad the Jinni, and also continues exploring the lives of Sophie Winston and Toby Blumberg. This book merges fantasy, historical fiction, and romance, and challenges the accepted genrification of books. Each character has their own challenges as they attempt to find a way for acceptance in society. The book has a slow start. Although mostly set in NYC and the Middle East during the early 20th century, there seemed to be a considerable amount of world building and character reintroduction than what was needed. One cannot dismiss the extraordinary light that Wecker shines on the immigrant communities that Chava and Ahmad are a part of. With the introduction of new characters and the shift into a more "modern" technological age, Wecker gives readers a lavish story.
I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.

Being a massive fan of this book’s predecessor, I was more than excited to read Wecker’s follow-up. I had grown to love the story between the golem and the jinni— so it was a pleasure to continue their story.

Helene Wecker has a rare talent for combining historical fiction and fantasy, a tricky combination of truth and abandoning "fact," but it works so well in her portrayal of the immigrant communities of New York City in the early 20th century. The mythological characters bring out the humanity of everyone else and shine a light on the lives and the concerns of the time. Not to be missed!

The Hidden Palace, by Helene Wecker, is not the book I was expecting. I think it might not be the book a lot of people have been waiting for since The Golem and the Jinni came out in 2013. Instead, it’s a more mature book. It’s the story of what happens after two characters start what they think will be their happily ever after. This is a book about learning to change or not changing, about learning to trust and betrayal, and about learning how to really love people. I wasn’t sure about this book when I started reading it, to be honest. But although this isn’t a perfect book, there are a lot of things about The Hidden Palace that I really enjoyed.

Chava, the golem, and Ahmad, the jinni, are comfortable with their lives after all the excitement in the last book. Chava is a champion baker for a Jewish bakery. Ahmad is a partner in an ironworks where he can exercise his creativity making beautiful things. At night, they walk the streets of New York and talk. That’s when the friction starts to appear. Ahmad slowly grows frustrated with Chava’s reluctance to change the status quo. Chava still feels the need to hide. Her ability to be violent and destructive when pushed terrifies her. So: she bakes, she does what her bosses ask of her, and she walks the city. The pair fight more frequently. They say things to each other that strike at their insecurities, wounding the lovers deeply. I was surprised to see the two characters grow estranged from each other over the long timespan of the novel, from 1900 to 1915.

Meanwhile, Wecker also follows Toby Blumberg and Sophia Winston, two more characters introduced in The Golem and the Jinni. Sophia is still suffering from her affair with Ahmad. She sails off to the Middle East to seek a cure for her extreme cold. Toby, the son of Chava’s best friend, has grown up in a world of adults keeping secrets from him. But, because his mother has to work most of the time, Toby grew up faster than most children these days. While Sophia travels around by camel, donkey, and ship, Toby has his trusty bicycle and a Western Union job that gives him a reason to roam the city. Wecker also introduces us to Kreindel Altschul, a young genius who helped her father create a golem in a tenement apartment before a catastrophic fire kills her rabbi father. The unintended consequences of Kreindel, Toby, Sophia, Ahmad, and Chava’s actions lead to a climax that threatens to destroy all of them, plus some New York real estate.

It takes a long time for all the characters to converge again. So long, in fact, that started to think that The Hidden Palace was paced too slowly. I haven’t entirely changed my mind about this, but I understood why Wecker had to make the first half or so of the book so sprawling. Everything comes together beautifully in the last third of the novel. The melancholy I felt as Chava and Ahmad fell apart vanished when events sped up for an incredible conclusion. Once I hit that last section of the book I couldn’t put The Hidden Palace down. I had to know how everything turned out.

Because The Hidden Palace looks at what happens after happily-ever-after, it is unlike every other love story I’ve ever read. It’s not like the literary novels that look at the end of irreparable relationships. It’s also much more complicated than romance novels. That said, The Hidden Palace shares some of the elements of both genres. Ahmad and Chava’s personalites’ compliment each other. Ahmad pushes Chava to do more than just work. Chava helps Ahmad shed his carelessness and holds him steady. Unfortunately for both, it takes them years—and a lot of fights—to figure out how to appreciate their differences and learn to be together. I loved the ending of The Golem and the Jinni, but I have more confidence that the new happily-ever-after of The Hidden Palace will last.

As far as sequels go, The Hidden Palace was excellent. It’s hard to beat The Golem and the Jinni, but I think Helene Wecker comes close. I loved spending time with Chava and Ahmad again as they continue to navigate their relationships with humans as well as their relationship to each other. That said, I enjoyed Sophia’s chapters on her Middle Eastern travels immensely. Seriously, I want to visit Turkey now so, so badly. And New York, too, where the novel is mainly set. There’s no real “villain” in The Hidden Palace as in The Golem and the Jinni, but it didn’t really need that element of the truly sinister in order to make the novel exciting. To be sure, there are life-threatening forces, spirits, entities, etc., but they are rendered with such sympathy, such skill. Wecker is a true wordsmith, and this novel was a perfect concoction of fantasy, myth, folklore, history, and travel fiction—just everything I admire about her writing and more. You can delight in this sequel on its own, but I strongly recommend starting with the first book; it may simply make for a richer reading experience. In any case, I highly recommend The Hidden Palace to anyone and everyone.

This ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wecker once again plunges readers into the fantasy world of the Golem and the Jinni, following both familiar and new characters down the winding streets of Manhattan, across the deserts of the Middle East and Africa, and through a decade and a half of history. The author deftly weaves the mythology of two cultures into the many events and developments of the Technological Revolution, forming an intricate and realistic bond between all of these elements and creating an epic and emotional journey along the way. 

While very different from the first title in terms of execution, this follow-up offers the same feeling of closeness and intimacy as readers discover the many ways in which characters are connected and the small actions seem almost fated to bring people together. Small summaries of the previous title's main points are much needed, due to both the length of the first novel and the gap of nearly eight years between publications, and are smoothly integrated to help remind readers of major players while not slowing down the pacing or feeling intrusive. The book also switches perspectives at key moments to offer new information based on the experiences of emotions Chava, Ahmed, Sophia, or Kreindel, the main players, and providing insight that is often well-timed for drama. The shining jewel of this novel is the characterization of each player, delving deeper into the idea of loneliness, every when surrounded by people, and a need to feel a sense of belonging and love.

The book does occasionally drag during the aforementioned perspective shifts at points, sometimes even acknowledging the same exact information; this, however, may be a case of getting an ARC that has yet to be fully edited and might be altered for the final publication.
Overall, readers who fell in love with Chava, Ahmed, and the world they lived in will eagerly devor this next installment that offers insight into the connections we make during our lives.

This sequel really delivers. Loved the first one, and this one as well. Hoping for a third! Readers should have a knowledge of the first book in the series in order to enjoy. The golem and the jinni who starred in the first book move forward with the times.

New York City in the early 1900's is a melting pot of ethnic groups, religions and language. It is also a
place of mystical beings like Chava a golem woman made of clay and Ahmad a jinni enslaved and driven by fire. The many people who come into contact with these two are changed forever and one of them, Sophia, travels to the Middle East in search of her jinni and a cure. Touched by the human world they find themselves a part of yet unable to truly ever be accepted in, Chava and Ahmad spend their time searching as do the other characters, for intimacy and a sense of belonging. The magic of the Middle East legends blend seamlessly with the old world reality of the tenements and hardships of the crowded streets of New York. Helen Wecker creates such a vivid portrait that you hear the call to worship, smell the challah baking and feel the heat from Ahmad's forge. While you can read this as a standalone you would be denying yourself the full sense of wonder of learning of the golem and the jinni's origin story. Readers who love a bit of history with their magic and fans of THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE or THE CITY OF BRASS will fall for this completely. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

It was a thrill to go back to the Golem and Jinni’s story. While they are not human, they are still caught within our human lives. Their lives are so complex and engrossing. The characterization is still vivid, and you have to keep the pages turning to see what will become of them.

A wonderful sequel to The Golem and The Jenni. A little bit of romance, some horror and folklore make this remarkably magical. The main protagonists are back, Chaka and Ahmad along with new and intriguing characters. This book might even be better then the first one.

Fans of Helene Wecker’s award-winning historical fantasy novel, The Golem and the Jinni, rejoice - after eight years of waiting, we finally get a sequel! The Hidden Palace comes out on June 8 and picks up shortly after the end of the first book (and don’t worry – there are unobtrusive reminders in the text to get you up to speed with the preceding events). The evil sorcerer who had imprisoned jinni Ahmad in a metal vial was defeated at much personal cost in the first book. Ahmad and Chava, the golem, now must weather the rapid changes at the turn of the twentieth century in New York City: the sinking of the Titanic, the Triangle Shirtwaist fire, and the beginning of the Great War, as well as changes in their relationship to each other and their communities.

Once again, Wecker has crafted an immigrant chronicle for the ages that grapples with the dual problems of the diaspora: attempting to assimilate into a new culture while at the same time keeping close one’s native culture, all while trying to find a place in the world. The Hidden Palace is a sweeping character-driven epic of a family forged in love, not blood ties, whose members fight and love and learn, falling apart and together organically. Even though I only read The Golem and the Jinni once many years ago, this new book felt like coming home, as if I never really left their world and was now spending time with treasured friends. The tone is melancholy with measured pacing so that readers can truly immerse themselves in the world, and while no one gets a happy ending, exactly, Wecker ends her novel on a hopeful, bittersweet note. The Hidden Palace is a worthy successor to its smash hit predecessor and will wrap you again in a fully realized world you won’t want to leave.

I recall enjoying The Golem and the Jinni very much, but I had forgotten some key story elements, particularly the jinni's encounter with the human Sophia Winston and its lasting physical effect on her. A bit of a refresher is given on this and other preceding events, though I would hesitate to give this sequel to anyone who hadn't read the first.

It was good to revisit the characters of Chava the golem and Ahmad the jinni as their relationship develops and they continue to try to fit in among the humans of early 20th century America. The historical setting is meticulously recreated, from the immigrant neighborhoods of New York to the towns and deserts of Syria, where Sophia seeks a cure for her malady. Significant events are woven into the story, such as the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and the sinking of the Titanic, and characters encounter notable figures like T.E. Lawrence and Gertrude Bell.

However, I felt that the story lacked focus and meandered at times. Multiple side characters have their own arcs that are integrated with varying degrees of success. Dima, the female jinni, seemed especially superfluous. Most of them converged for a set piece at the end, with loose ends addressed - but not necessarily wrapped up - in an epilogue. I would have liked more resolution for Sophia after her ordeal, and I wasn't entirely clear on Chava's plans, though perhaps another sequel is in the works.

Recommended, with some reservations, to fans of the original novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

When I learned that Helene Wecker had written a sequel to her marvelous historical fantasy The Golem and the Jinni I was afraid it wouldn't live up to the magic of the original. I needn't have worried. It has the same sense of wonder, exoticness, enchantment, heartbreak, and drama as the first book. I loved every page of The Hidden Palace, which I read courtesy of NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishers.

This is exactly the type of book I love to read. It casts its spell on you from the very beginning and doesn't let go, even after the last chapter. It will haunt your thoughts for days. What does it mean to be human? Are growth and progress worth the oftentimes devastating price? Can love survive adversity?

What I value most in Wecker's novels are her ability to create a striking and substantial sense of time and place; and the vivid characters which inhabit her novels. As in her previous novel, The Hidden Palace is set in New York City and the Middle East at the turn of the century and in the years leading to World War I. She brings NYC alive, from the teeming immigrant communities living in tenements, an orphanage for unwanted/homeless children, and the haunts of the rich and famous, to a fascinating look at the traditional Syrian and Jewish communities.

The plot is complicated. She weaves many stories through many locations and times, and her cast of characters is as large and colorful as a Shakespearean play. Her writing is so strong that the story never drags or feels bogged down in detail and she brings all the various story threads together in the end. I finished the book reluctantly and sadly as I didn't want to leave the world and the characters which Ms. Wecker so imaginatively created.

The Hidden Palace is a novel to be read slowly and cherished. It is a magnificent book. It easily deserves ten stars.

I loved The Golem and the Jinni, so I was thrilled to rejoin these magical characters in this sequel. This novel brought us further into the story of the two characters, as they work to make lives for themselves.

I was so happy to be back in this world with Ahmad and Chava! The sequel is just as immersive as the original, and it was lovely visiting with these old friends. Things are changing in the world, and for our favorite beings from folklore. Chava wonders how she will hide her lack of aging from the community she has built, while Ahmad worries he is becoming too like the people he lives amongst. As they push each other, resentments grow. Will Chava and Ahmad find a way to work out their differences? And what will happen when they find new people more like themselves?

In this long-awaited follow-up to the Golem and the Jinni the unlikely pair continue to struggle with their own weaknesses and threats from the outside world. This book is really engaging but at the same time a little repetitive of the first.

Writing: 3.5/5 Characters: 5/5 Plot: 3/5

The Hidden Palace is a sequel to one of my favorite books: The Golem and the Jinni. Taking up where the G&J left off, we follow the two as they continue their inhuman lives amidst the sea of humanity that is New York City in the early1900s.

The story ranges over fifteen years encompassing WWI, the sinking of the Lusitania, the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, and the disaster of the Titanic and takes place in New York City and parts of Syria. Including most of the characters from the first book, we also meet a Jinniyeh (a female Jinni) who is impervious to iron; an orphaned, ultra orthodox young girl who had helped her rabbi father create a golem to fight the pogroms in Russia; and Yosselle, the new golem himself.

I enjoyed many aspects of this book — the portrayal of the characters and their interactions were fascinating — especially between the young girl and “her” golem. The continuing themes of “otherness” and immigration continued from book one with additional examples through various human and inhuman characters. I’m sorry to say that I wasn’t captivated in the way I was by the first book — for me there was too much time spent evoking the time and place through description when I prefer character interaction. Also, the overall tone felt more sorrowful than I remember book one, which is perhaps more realistic, but less satisfying. While book one brought multiple cultures together through these (non-human) representatives, this book felt more like the follow up on a couple in love but with such different essences that they were heading for an inevitable divorce (my impression — not what actually happens). For those who haven’t read the first book, she does a decent summary of the important background and events in the first few chapters.

Through my reading over the last few years, I’ve discovered that (amongst many other things), two elements that I enjoy are old New York as a setting, and also fantasy elements based on old myths and legends. So when I finally discovered this pair intertwined in Helene Wecker’s "The Golem and the Jinni," the book immediately found a new fan who eagerly consumed it in a matter of just a few days.

When provided the opportunity to read "The Hidden Palace," I was both excited, but also a little cautious as I recalled too many times in the past where a sequel had proven only to be a shadow of what had made a preceding work such a delight. Happily, those concerns were soon cast off as I speedily found myself reimbursed back amongst the characters who had so captured my near undivided attention a few years ago.

The book picks up from its predecessor and carries on with what feels like the obvious direction it should flow, towards all the natural questions and conflicts that now must arise. What are Chava and Ahmad, originating retrospectively in clay and fire, to do as near-immortal beings living in an ultimately mortal human world that continues to move forward around them at an ever-increasing pace? How can these near-immortal beings find their places amidst such rapid change? Are they even able to carve out lives where they can find sufficient meaning? And what of those people who continue to feel the ripples effects of being in the orbit of this pair?

The story that ultimately results from this is one full of strife, searching, contemplation, loneliness, community, tragedy, hope, and overall is a work of beauty. And although I would definitely accept "The Hidden Palace" as a satisfying conclusion to the greater story of a jinni and golem in turn-of-the-century New York, I confess that I also wouldn't mind Wecker visiting these characters in a third installment, to use just a bit of understatement.