The Golem and the Jinni (HarperCollins, $26.99) is an utterly captivating and descriptively evocative historical novel. Chava and Ahmad are folkloric beings who, at the close of the 19th century, have unwittingly accompanied new immigrants from Poland and Syria to New York City. Upon arrival, when each finds himself alone in this incomprehensible foreign land, the golem, Chava, reacts with caution and tries to blend into the Jewish community, while the jinni, Ahmad, chafes at the restrictions and wishes to recapture his former glory. As with any new immigrants, this pair finds the journey enriched by companionship with those they meet, exploration of how they came there, and the dangers and discoveries their destiny reveals. This debut fiction by Helene Wecker will be enthusiastically embraced by fans of The Night Circus, Let the Great World Spin, and The Invisible Bridge.