The Golem and The Jinni by Helene Wecker ✔✔✔✔

I had read about this book, but I thought it might be a novel cashing in on the interest in vampires, but when I saw it for sale at Costco for 10 bucks, I bought it.  I really enjoyed reading it - the golem is a Jewish mythological figure, like a robot, and made of clay; the jinni ( or genie) is a Syrian figure, made of fire.  This golem, although made of clay, is brought to life as a woman, who finds herself in NYC in 1899 - the jinni has been trapped in a silver flask for hundreds of years, and is released by a tinsmith who has been given the flask for repairs. These two unlikely beings find one another and strike up a peculiar friendship, even while struggling to adapt to a human world.  The golem never sleeps and never eats: the jinni cannot stand to be near water.  There are other fascinating characters as well, including Shaalman, the villain of the piece, and the creator of the golem who comes to New York City to find his creation.

I was going to suggest this for Book Club next year, but it's too similar to Night Circus, which was my choice last year.