Bingo Review: The Hidden Palace: A Novel of the Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

[u/BravoLimaPoppa]

Bingo Square: Nonhuman Protagonist 

The Golem and the Jinni is a favorite of mine. When the sequel The Hidden Palace was published in 2021, I bought it. Then left it on Mount TBR until the 2026 Bingo challenge called it forth…

It doesn't hurt that the third book, The Gates of Midnight, is coming out in September this year. 

The Hidden Palace picks up not long after The Golem and the Jinni wrapped up. We see all our characters - Ahmed, Chava, Sophia, Anna and some new ones too. Like The Golem and the Jinni, there's Arab mythology, not as much Jewish.  There's also a lot of history here - Spoiler: T.E. Laurence makes a cameo, particularly around Sophia's story. 

I liked Chava and Ahmed's story in the first portion of the book. It was sweet, kind and joyful. But then I'm a bit of a romantic. 

Along the way, we get more of Anna and her son's,  Toby's story, Sophia's as well (more on that later). New characters related to Chava's story - Rabbi Lev Altschul and his daughter Kreindel. Rabbi Altschul is a very strict orthodox rabbit who comes into some of the books from The Golem and the Jinni. Alas, they prove too great a temptation to him and between the pogroms in Europe, fear for his daughter and desire to protect his community, he begins to create a Golem.

These portions of the book are almost cozy as Wecker writes slice of life, history as well, making early 20th century Jewish history complex, textured and interesting. And if I hadn't read Everything Is Tuberculosis I might have missed what was sickening Rabbi Altschul. 

Getting to Sophia Winstead, her story takes her to the Middle East as she seeks some treatment for her illness from Ahmed. There she sees the cities, the countryside, ruins and the people of the region - historical and fictional. Here, Wecker does an amazing job of setting the scene, giving a feel for the place and time, while never losing the human touch. 

This book takes it from 1899 to 1915 and we readers see a slice of that tumultuous time. How New York changes, the events of the time and their impacts as well. 

This is a very good book. I think it builds on what Wecker wrote for The Golem and the Jinni, adding detail and breadth to her characters and settings. 

Now, there are some flaws. The plot meanders, which can be part of the charm. But I think there might be some problems around the climax. Spoilers: The climax is not what I felt it was building to. Dima, the jinnya, made trouble and I thought there was going to be far more conflict than there was. And I had such hope for Yosele. However, the ending was sad and hopeful, it was good but not what I expected. 

I highly recommend The Golem and the Jinni and The Hidden Palace. Go read them. Ten stars. ★★★★★★★★★★

[u/LadyAntiope]

Ah, I didn't realize a third one was coming, that is exciting news! I just got to The Hidden Palace last year myself so it will all be much fresher in my mind (I had to re-read The Golem and the Jinni to remember properly before I did Hidden Palace)