Day 10: The Golem and the Jinni and The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker
Tiferet in Gevurah, Beauty/Compassion in Strength
If you like folklore and turn-of-the-20th-century New York, then this is the series for you. (Bonus points for supporting a Jewish author). The Golem and the Jinni and its sequel, The Hidden Palace, follow Chava the golem and Ahmad the jinni as they navigate life in 1899 New York City. Chava is a golem, a Jewish mythical being made of clay and meant to serve and protect a master. She is brought to life in the final minutes of her master's life, and his death leaves her without her main purpose of serving him. Ahmad is a jinni, a shape-shifting Arabian mythical being of fire and mischief. He is accidentally released from a flask in NYC with no memory of how he was imprisoned in the flask or how he became bound in human form without the full range of his powers. Both characters are inhuman, hiding their true selves while attempting to understand the new world around them. But while Chava craves structure and purpose, Ahmad craves freedom. Despite their opposite natures, they form a strong friendship, with Chava helping Ahmad develop compassion and empathy for the humans around them, and Ahmad helping Chava develop a sense of individuality. These books explore different kinds of strength - physical and emotional, individual and communal - and how we can find beauty in the mundane and develop compassion for those around us by tapping into that strength.
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