Fantasy Island
Brunch|February 06 , 2022
In author Helene Wecker's works, realist stories of the immigrant experience come alive through make-believe
Anushree Nande
Fantasy Island

Can magical beings live an ordinary" existence when they're not off saving the world? Can inherent nature evolve? What's the best way to embrace a new culture without forgoing the old or losing one's place in the world? What is the extent to which community, especially a like-minded one, matters? Can fundamental differences ever be overcome enough through equally strong and connective similarities?

Helene Wecker contends with these weighty questions and more in her Mythopoeic Award-winning debut novel, The Golem and the Jinni, and its sequel, The Hidden Palace.

Part rich historical fantasy in turn-of-the20th-century New York, part adult folktale synthesising Jewish and Arab culture, part literary fiction contending with the immigrant experience, Wecker manages to make it all feel simultaneously expansive and intimate. I ask her why she chose fantasy, and why the themes of alienation and identity are so central to her books.

“As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, displacement and immigration were a huge undercurrent of my childhood [...] in my mind, all families came from somewhere else, somewhere that wasn't America," she says.

The write way

Esta historia es de la edición February 06 , 2022 de Brunch.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición February 06 , 2022 de Brunch.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE BRUNCHVer todo
Rohit Chawla
Brunch

Rohit Chawla

Photographer, artist, @RohitChawlaPhotography_

time-read
1 min  |
November 02, 2024
Congratulations, it's a goal
Brunch

Congratulations, it's a goal

Lakeside vows, pastel palettes, bayous, backyards and boats. These celeb weddings are what modern fairytales are made of

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 02, 2024
Rail against the machine
Brunch

Rail against the machine

Valay Shende's Virar Fast depicts more than Mumbai's constant state of rush. Despite the struggle, there's empathy too

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 02, 2024
No need for soirée excuses
Brunch

No need for soirée excuses

Not all party guests are created equal. Make sure you have an escape plan, in case you're stuck with someone dull

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 02, 2024
100 years, one epic dinner
Brunch

100 years, one epic dinner

How did the Hindustan Times celebrate its centenary in Delhi? With a lavish, ambitious dinner served by a top chef, in a magical garden. It can never be done again

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 02, 2024
Sauce and sorcery
Brunch

Sauce and sorcery

Video projections on your plate, holograms dancing at the table, customised tunes with every course. Tech's coming to dinner. Will you reorder or reboot?

time-read
5 minutos  |
November 02, 2024
Who hates the haters now?
Brunch

Who hates the haters now?

Online trolls used to terrify influencers. Now, hate is hardly a surprise. It's a sign of engagement, real viewers; a chance to clap back and wield power. Take a look

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 02, 2024
Are you earring this?
Brunch

Are you earring this?

Don't put the heavy jewellery back in storage after the festivities. Stylists offer tips on how to wear them all year and still look chic

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 02, 2024
Clash of clans: Festive edit
Brunch

Clash of clans: Festive edit

Set boundaries, ask your own questions, prep for the prying moments. Here's how to survive the family gathering without going nuts

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 02, 2024
Krutika
Brunch

Krutika

Content creator, @TheMermaidScales

time-read
1 min  |
October 26, 2024