[Review has been posted to GR and LibraryThing and will go live on my blog on 4 May, at the link given below]

A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark is a full-length novel set in the same world as The Haunting of Tramcar 015, a novella that I previously read and reviewed. The new novel stands alone and, while there is some overlap in characters, there's certainly no required knowledge from the novella.

Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer.

So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case. Al-Jahiz transformed the world 50 years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown. This murderer claims to be al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age for its social oppressions. His dangerous magical abilities instigate unrest in the streets of Cairo that threaten to spill over onto the global stage.

Alongside her Ministry colleagues and her clever girlfriend Siti, Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery behind this imposter to restore peace to the city - or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems....

I really like this magical steampunk Cairo. I already liked it from when I read The Haunting of Tramcar 015 and this novel really lets the worldbuilding shine. The longer format of A Master of Djinn means that we get a much more fleshed-out view of Cairo and get to hear even more about its relevance and position on a global stage. The cameos from certain historical figures also didn't hurt.

The other great thing about this book was the characters. I really loved all three central women for different reasons. Fatma was overall competent and cool, Siti was a bit enigmatic to begin with and made for an excellent love interest. Hadia was the rookie that Fatma initially dismissed but who eventually got a chance to shine and show her unexpected (by Fatma, anyway) talents. Overall, an excellent cast of characters.

I highly recommend this book to all fantasy fans, especially people who are keen on less common settings such as steampunk Cairo. I enjoyed this book a lot and I definitely intend to read any sequels or other books and stories set in this world.

5 / 5 stars

First published: May 2021, Tor.com
Series: Yes. First novel in an ongoing series plus there is novella (The Haunting of Tramcar 015) set in the same world and some short fiction.
Format read: eARC
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

A Master of Djinn is phenomenal. At the most basic level it is a very good murder mystery. On top of that it is a fantastic alternate history fantasy. The whipped cream on this sundae of a book is the smart commentary. It is layered, atmospheric, tense, and sharp. The two novellas that came before, A Dead Djinn in Cairo and The Haunting of Tram Car 015 are wonderful in their own right, but utterly necessary as an introduction to Clark’s world.

I love it when a title says something specific about the story. A Master of Djinn centers around whether the mysterious man wreaking havoc in Cairo is actually al-Jahiz, known as The Master of Djinn because he made the door between worlds allowing magic and djinns into our world and changing the course of history, or is it an imposter? A self-proclaimed master of Djinn? How does this al-Jahiz have such control over the formidable Djinn? There are other layers, of course, but I won’t spoil them.

Inspector Fatma el-Sha’arawi is certain that this al-Jahiz is an imposter and works with, among others, her girlfriend, Siti, and her new junior partner, Hadia, to solve a murder, uncover al-Jahiz’ identity, and save the world from destruction.

In Clark’s world, al-Jahiz turned back Europe’s attempts to colonize Africa and Asia by bringing magic back into the world. A Master of Djinn explores the ways in which kicking out the colonizers did not end racism, classism, sexism, or end war for all time. Colonizers still want to colonize. I want more of this world and hope Clark returns to Fatma and her growing family of friends and allies for years to come.

I received this as an advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The thing I loved most about this book was the world it is set in. Clark has crafted a universe that made me want to spend endless books in, a steampunk-Cairo populated with unique characters. The central mystery is fun and kept me intrigued, though there were some pacing issues throughout the book. Even so, this was a fun novel, and I'm excited to share it with others when it is released.

An intricately woven tale of fantasy and magic, A Master of Djinn manages to be both complex and easy to follow, with a compelling setting and enjoyable characters.

I didn’t realize this until after I read it, but there are two proceeding novellas that deal with the same characters/setting, but despite this, I didn’t find I was missing anything.

The characters in this novel are a lot of fun. For 1912, I was impressed with the number of female characters - usually in a period piece like this (despite it being alternative history), writers tend to think that women existed in the background. This simply wasn’t true - it’s just that all our media was created by men who tended to leave women out. Fatma still has to contend with these prejudices, but I liked how she’s already cemented in her role at the agency, so it’s not another rookie-woman-dealing-with-sexism story.

Fatma herself is a lot of fun - her obsession with wearing fashionable well-made suits was referenced enough to make it a personality trait but not enough it became repetitive. She was grouchy and a bit arrogant, which gave her flaws and kept her from being “perfect”. That being said, Fatma seems to miss small details, but I think it’s because she’s more of a big-picture person. The love story between her and Siti was realistic and enjoyable, though it fell a little flat for me in terms of passion - it felt more like they were a long-standing couple than a new development. The minor characters were fantastic, I loved Ahmad, the crocodile guy, and each minor character was interesting in their own right. I wanted a bit more depth from everyone, in truth, but that would have taken away from the part I really loved, which was the setting.

My favourite form of fantasy is when mythological creatures are part of the real world (but as a setting, not magical realism where everything is normal except for like one thing; I actually can’t stand that genre), so this was an absolute delight. There are all forms of magical creatures running around, with their own social castes and unique powers. Not only that, but the fact that this took place just before WWI makes my heart sing. What I really liked about this setting was how it’s clear magic has changed things (like Egypt not being occupied by the British and instead was a world power - if the novellas deal with that, I think I’ll have to pick them up) but WWI likely will still happen.

Tied to this, there are little bits of social commentary dropped here and there surrounding colonialism, racism, sexism, and prejudice, which weren’t overdone but definitely poignant.

The prose is fantastic. This book is so easy to read, despite the complexity of the world-building, and it doesn’t feel the need to “explain” things to Western readers, like certain foods or clothing. We all have google at our fingertips. Likewise, despite how bonkers the climax grows, it didn’t feel like the author lost control of the story. There are some really funny lines too, as well as some tongue-in-cheek moments. I laughed aloud in a few spots.

The plot did fall a little flat, mainly because a few of the plot twists, including the major one, were rather obvious to me. We don’t get enough red herrings to lead us away from the reveal and one of the minor twists was also something I had been wondering the entire time. Yet, the world was such a joy to be part of I didn’t even care about the mystery that much; I just wanted to see what cool-ass magical being showed up next!

Clark is a phenomenal writer, and "A Master of Djinn" really drives that fact home. This one's a sharp, clever whodunnit in a beautifully constructed fantasy world. Appreciated the queer romance in this one.

1910s Cairo, djinn walk the earth, living (mostly) in harmony with humans. Fatma el-Sha’arawi is an agent with the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, one of very few women, but she’s proven her grit time and again. She is asked by local police to consult on a case after several members of a secret brotherhood are burned alive. The interesting part? Only the bodies were burned to a crisp, the clothes on their back as fresh as if they’d just been purchased. It’s obviously the work of some fire djinn, an ifrit. As Fatma works the case, she comes to recognize that the danger wasn’t just to this secret brotherhood, but all of Cairo, possibly all of Egypt or even the entire world.
Even though I saw the twist toward the end coming from a mile away, it was still an entertaining book to read. I love the Egyptian mythology that’s the heart and soul of the story. The author does a wonderful job building this world of ifrits, Marids, illusion djinn. At times it is a bit tough to keep up with all the history being thrown at the reader, but it only adds more to the story. I’m absolutely looking forward to what’s in store for Fatma, Siti and Haida in the next book in the series.
Thanks Netgalley for providing me this ebook!

A Master of Djinn.

Fatma el-Sha’arawi, the youngest woman working in the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities in P. Djeli Clark’s alternate Cairo filled with monsters, djinn, and a semi steampunk gloriousness. The heroine of a previous short story in this same world, this time Fatma is dealing with the murder of rich Europeans and the possible political fallout, a new partner, and a lover whose secrets are as seductive as her smile. And maybe the return of the most powerful and mysterious magician her world has ever known, the very one responsible for breaking the barriers between our world and that of Djinni, monsters, and magic.
While to begin with, I found myself unable to settle into the world of Clark’s Cairo and the incredible Fatma, I realised that it was because I didn’t expect the depth of world building and storytelling. Having dived into ‘A Dead Djinn in Cairo’ and ‘The Haunting of Tram Car 015’, the previous iterations of this world, as well as the incredible ‘The Black Gods Drums’, I was used to enjoying my P. Djeli Clark in ways that were short and sweet. I was unprepared for exactly how much I was going to get in this full length tale.
If Mr Clark can create outstanding worlds with his short stories and novellas, you better believe that he is going to blow your mind with his first novel. While he continues to centre incredible black women in supernaturally skewed worlds, this is the first time that I’ve really seen him really flex. There are intricacies and details of history and social behaviours, as well as the politicking of the time, and in my favourite part, as Fatma is a part of all of these, she feels no need to explain everything to the reader. While this may frustrate some readers, I loved the way it thumbs it’s nose at Eurocentric forms of storytelling. If the reader doesn’t know what a gallabiyah is, they can darn well look it up! Fatma, and Clark are too busy with important things like murder, mayhem, and skewering gender and sexual norms.

Come for a dapper queer black woman solving crimes in sharp bespoke suits. Stay for the Egyptian feminist league, the cult of Sekhmet, and the effects of Djinni on Cairene economics.

I love the Fatma el-Sha’arawi stories, and was extremely excited for a full length novel. I wasn't disappointed! Our favorite supernatural investigator returns to investigate a case where a mysterious figure has appeared, claiming to be Al-Jahiz, the man who bore through reality and caused magic to return to the world. Could it really be him? Why are the djinn acting strange? And how are the angels involved?

The mystery was simple -- I figured out who the culprit was very early in the book, but the twists and turns to prove it, and explain what is going on and why, definitely kept me guessing. I enjoyed pretty much every beat of this story as it built out, and it was a truly fun adventure to go on. The strength in these stories is in the worldbuilding, the intense and relentless focus on this alternate Cairo as a world power, and the messages on feminism and freedom that the story presses forward. (I also love the frequent tongue in cheek skewering of Western pulp -- oh, you know those occidentals, always into cults.) The characters are also an absolute delight, and I really loved the huge variety in people that Fatma interacted with, human OR djinn. Hadia was a great addition to the cast (and her many stories about that cousin she has) and I was glad when the story didn't make her addition about proving herself but instead an explicit reminder that she shouldn't have to do so.

A few words of criticism: The narrative style of these stories is largely made of short, sharp sentences without much variation in flow or rhythm. I think it's a deliberate choice, but it can make for occasionally choppy reading, and can throw me out a little when it means that all the characters speak with a similar narrative style. As well, as a romance reader/writer, I regret that we missed the meat of relationship development with Siti and Fatma -- in a Dead Djinn in Cairo, we end on an oh, will they?? moment, and A Master of Djinn has them already settled into a relationship. Given the importance of their relationship and growing to understand each other in this novel, I do wish we got to see that initial stage -- the early stages of a relationship (in fiction) are the foundations under the 'building' that makes up their character interactions, and we had to be told about that foundational work instead of seeing it develop.

A very fun read, and I can't wait to return to this world again in the future. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC provided for my honest review.

I loved A Dead Djinn in Cairo and The Haunting of Tram Car 015 so much but I wanted something longer, I wanted to stay in this magical place for more than 200 pages and enjoy every tiny description of worldbuilding I could.

Finally, my wish came true when NetGalley approved my request for reading A Master of Djinn. I got to read 400 pages of this extraordinary story.

The characters were amazing, as always. I enjoyed reading about Fatma and Siti, they were so fantastic and genius.

The writing style was okay but I liked it better in the previous novellas. In this one, it seemed a little bit unpolished but I didn't mind as long as I got such an amazing story to read.

All in all, I enjoyed reading this book, and I can't wait to read the next one!

* Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC of A Master of Djinn in exchange for an honest review *

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars (rounded up)

A murder mystery set in an alternate history steampunk Cairo filled with djinn and ifrit. A dapper female investigator of cases involving supernatural entities. A rich world that blends real history with mythology and magic. Plus deconstructing colonial ideas, racism, classism, colorism....oh and a sapphic romance. It's all here in A Master of Djinn!

While this wasn't a perfect book and Clark is just getting his feet wet with writing a full-length novel (his shorter works are top notch), there is still a lot to love here. It's smart with interesting characters and a solid mystery, and unabashedly uses phrases from Egyptian Arabic. And having spent significant time in Cairo, I had a lot of nostalgic fun with that element. And I LOVE Fatma as a character! Her natty suits are always on point and I love her grit and determination to prove herself. Adding a hijabi partner assigned by the Ministry was also a good move and allowed for conversations about intersectional feminism, undercutting ideas that religious women who wear hijab can't also be progressive feminists and capable women.

The pacing is definitely slow and the book did not need to be 400 pages long. It really drags at points and could have been trimmed to maintain the pace. And given how smart Fatma is, I thought it took rather too long for her to figure out who the villain of the story really is. It became exceedingly obvious to the reader while she was still off on another tack, and that was frustrating because it doesn't fit her character. But otherwise, I had a good time with this and will probably read whatever Clark decides to write in the future! I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

4.75*s. A fantastic story, with a swaggering young female protagonist, set in a veritable cornucopia of middle eastern mythology. It’s longer and so very slightly slower than its predecessors, but the world building more than makes up for it.

---- "I am the Father of Mysteries," he spoke in deeply accented English. "The Walker of the Path of Wisdom. The Traveler of Worlds. Named mystic and madman. Spoken in reverence and curse. I am the one you seek. I am al-Jahiz. And I have returned. ----

A Master of Djinn is preceded by A Dead Djinn in Cairo (a short story) and The Haunting of Tram Car 015 (a novella) but is designed to work as a standalone. That said, I still recommend reading its predecessors first. You’ll get more from this having read those as they’re a wonderful introduction to the characters - both Fatma and Hamed - and key details referenced here are covered in more detail there.

This story picks up a few months after its predecessors left off, in November 1912. On her way to investigate the mysterious immolation of a room full of people, including the English Basha, Fatma el-Sha’arawi, Special Investigator for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, finds herself joined by a new partner, Hadia Abdel Hafez, twenty-four years old, like Fatma herself, and fresh from the Academy.

Together, they must get to the bottom of the incident, but their job is made a whole lot harder when their chief suspect claims to be the Prophet al-Jahiz returned. Not only does he appear to possess powers never before seen, but he begins inciting rebellion among Cairo’s poor. Soon, there’s a class war brewing and Fatma begins to suspect the very fate of Egypt is at stake.

---- 'Playing the dandy would have to wait. Well, except for the gold tie pie and matching cuff links. Not to mention the bowler and cane. Did the violet pin-striped shirt count as dandy?'----

I loved Fatma’s swagger. She dresses to impress, not in delicate dresses (nor department regulation) but in smart three-piece English suits, tie to match and walking cane-cum-sword in hand. She’s confident and clever, quick with a bargain and fast to act, whether to wield a sword against impossible odds or to speak up in a crowd of dignitaries. She’s a lone wolf at heart, but does have a loyal following when she looks up long enough to notice.

---- "Partner? Another lady Spooky Boy? Pretty like you? With a thing for suits and infidels? Should bring her by."----

Fatma’s pseudo-girlfriend Siti is a funny one. There’s no doubt that there’s something odd going on with her (fortunately we find out what this is), and at times she’s quite intimidatingly fierce, but the more time we spent with her, the more I liked her and, more importantly, the more I (and Fatma) trusted her. It’s hard not to like Hadia from the start. She’s more traditional than Fatma but by no means glued to her rule book. She’s eager to learn and determined to improve, but she seeks more than just her own advancement, she seeks the advancement of women everywhere. Onsi is an adorable, over-excited puppy and Hamed is definitely getting softer around the edges. I can’t wait to see more of all of them in the future.

---- "I think the mortal wishes to do me harm. Fascinating!"----

Even better than the characters though, is the world-building. Djèlí Clark at last as room to play with and boy to we get the whole package. There’s djinn and jann, ifrit, Ggyptian gods, ghuls, marid, daeva, angels, golems, goblins and more. Honestly, it was amazing. What was better was that because this wasn’t a retelling, Djèlí Clark could delve into the source of some of these mythological creatures and the history of the stories in “One Thousand and One Nights”.

Like the Mercy Thompson or the Kate Daniels books, the premise is that our myths and fairytales are based on true creatures and characters and these have now come to the fore once more. In some ways, this was even better for being based in a historical, non-western setting. I loved all the details around Arab culture, from dress to food and more. It felt authentic, as if written by someone who actually knew what they were talking about, rather than someone just picking and choosing the ‘exotic’ aspects of the culture for their otherwise western novel (whether that’s actually the case I don’t know, not knowing Djèlí Clark or actual Arab culture well). On the one hand, I think it would be interesting to listen to the audiobook so that I could hear the terms as they’re meant to be said (rather than in my mangled renditions), but on the other hand I was glad to be reading the book so I had time to digest the more unfamiliar aspects.

Why then did I not rate it the full five stars? I’m not entirely sure, but I wasn’t desperate to do so so I didn’t. Perhaps it was because it was a little slow at times, but really we’re talking in increments not great leaps. Perhaps it was just because as a romance-fantatic I would have liked a little more swoon-worthy material and there was little to be had here. Fatma and Siti certainly have their sexy moments but I’m not gushing over their relationship and nor are they. Regardless, I will 100% be reading the next book (assuming their is one) and would recommend this highly. It’s high quality writing with a rich, unique world for all that others have written about djinn for centuries. Not to be missed.

I don’t normally do this – posting my review so early. This book publishes in just over 3 weeks actually. But sometimes you run into a book that you love SO MUCH that you need to start talking about it immediately because you can’t contain your thoughts! This is that time.

First I need to mention something before I begin word vomitting about how much I love this book. There are two short stories that act as prequels to this. The first is A Dead Djinn in Cairo and the second is The Haunting of Tram Car 015. No, you don’t really need to read them before getting into this book. I’m sure that you’ll completely understand without the prior knowledge, but I do HIGHLY recommend reading those first! They introduce the characters and lay the plot to a few events that do in fact impact this novel. As I said, you’ll understand this novel just fine, but you may feel a little confused and like you’re missing out on an inside joke of sorts. They’re very short, and absolutely mind blowing, so do yourself a favour and read them!

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to this book!

Wow! This book was everything I hoped it would be and more! The setting in and of itself is so unique. We are in 1912 Cairo, but not the Cairo you would expect. Here we have djinn walking the streets as Egyptian citizens, and magic is everywhere. Sometimes you’re aware of it and other times not. The society found a way to co-exist with these djinn and even find a way to take advantage of what they have to offer, allowing to make their lives a little bit easier using their magic and technology. It had an old world feel with a mix of magic and steampunk. Yeah, I know. It sounds fantastic because it is!

We have Agent Fatma, working as one of the few women in the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities. One night, after saving some poor men who mistakes one of the worlds most dangerous djinn as a genie in a bottle (never assume folks!), she is called to a mansion in Cairo where people are found burnt to a crisp but their clothing was unaffected. The case was large enough that the Ministry thought it the right time to assign her a partner, who is also a female, and one of the youngest recruits. Being the strong minded solitary woman that she is, this doesn’t go so smoothly. And neither does solving the case!

I’m not the biggest fan of murder mysteries and never have been. But this mystery was so complicated and layered that I loved every minute of it! We had the added complication of magical beings being responsible. We also had an INCREDIBLE layer of politics woven in which I loved! The “Imposter” who committed the crimes was claiming to be the returned person responsible for bringing djinn to the human world in the first place, and is now taking this opportunity to make political statements and changes. The combination of politics, magic, and mystery was so intense it felt like my brain never had time to rest! I was always working out motives and plot points, and constantly thought about the book even while not reading it.

Another aspect that I loved about this book is the theme of the power of women. Being that this is taking place in 1912, women were still very much behind the curve. In the prequel, The Haunting of Tram Car 015, there was talk of making it legal for women to vote in Egypt. Here we see that the law had passed. There’s also the fact that the protagonist is one of the few Agents within the ministry and one of the most celebrated forensic scientists within the ministry covered the fact that she was a woman due to the fact that she would be discredited. Like in real life today, women need to work that much harder and smarter to prove themselves within their field to be taken seriously. I deal with this on a daily basis being that my work field is mainly men, so I appreciate this more than I can express!

The magic and the djinn – there’s just so much to take in! Djinn are not all the same. You’ve got many different types, all of which have different abilities and demeanours. Some are peaceful and can do no harm. Some are more dangerous than they seem. Some look human while others look wildly different. Others are so terrifying they will haunt your nightmares (read The Haunting of Tram Car 015 if you really want to know!). It was so interesting to learn about all of them and what they are capable of.

Now here’s the kicker…….. you’re never going to believe this…… but one of my favourite parts about this book was the ROMANCE! What?! I know! I usually complain about romances in fantasy but THIS one was stand out! We have a female female romance that was already established when the book opens….. how often does that happen? It was so refreshing! We watch them interact with each other, talk about their past, their inside jokes, and their hang outs. But we learn early on that their relationship has always been unstable, almost shrouded in mystery and secrecy, but never really know why. As the story goes on we learn about what makes their relationship what it is and how they got to this point. Hands down the best part of this romance though was how realistic it was. It was never the focal point in the book. When you’re solving a crime and trying to stop the end of the world, who has time to focus on relationship issues?? This was more of a side quest of sorts, coming in and out of the story as the plot rode the waves. As Fatma had some downtime, she would revisit her love interest and it never took away from the story as a whole. It always added a bit of grounding through the drama of the mystery and it was just SO. WELL. DONE!

One thing I will say though – I figured out the “imposter/murderer” as soon as they were introduced. The author did a good job throwing me off a few times, but I still guessed it. But having guessed correctly, it never took away from the wow factor of the reveal. I could never figure out the motives and how it was actually accomplished so it didn’t feel like the ending was spoiled.

Also (yes, I’m still talking, sorry about that) this book had one of the most satisfying endings i’ve read in a long time! We got the “here’s your murderer and here’s why/how it happened” and then we got the “Oh you thought this was over? I haven’t even started yet! Here’s 40 more pages of shit hitting the fan to blow your mind. You’re welcome.” It wasn’t a long drawn out ending, but one that gave you more than you thought you wanted and you drank it all down. It was just so satisfying!

There. I’m done. That might be one of the longest reviews i’ve written. But, having now read three books/short stories by this author, I can say with 100% certainty that this is a new all time favourite author and I will literally read anything they write!

It's 1912, and Fatma el-Sha’araw is the youngest female agent at Egypt's Ministry of Alchemy, Enhancements, and Supernatural Entities. As you can probably already tell, this is a different world than our own. Magic exists in abundance for the last 50 years, and Cairo, not London, is the center of the world. Despite Fatma's youth, she prevented a magical catastrophe the prior year, so she's naturally assigned to a case involving the murders of the members of a secret cult-- a cult dedicated to worshipping al-Jahiz, the man who bought magic into the world. When someone appears, claiming to be al-Jahiz himself, Cairo is thrown into chaos.

I've had the pleasure of reading A Dead Djinn in Cairo, and returning to Clark's Egyptian steampunk world with capable female characters was a delight. I had previously complained that I wanted MORE-- more world-building, more fleshing out of characters, and I got my wish. This presents a complex, heady world of scents and flavors and Fatma's beautiful suits. I really enjoyed it.

* Thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGally for an advance copy for review purposes *

Before tackling "A Master of Djinn", I did take the time to go read "A Dead Djinn in Cairo", and I am glad I did as that provided an introduction to the main characters, and there were references to the events in that novella. "A Dead Djinn in Cairo" introduced this world where a mystic opened up a portal to another world resulting in Djinns roaming Cairo and turning Egypt into super power, but the idea was not fully fleshed out. "A Master of Djinn" really delivers on the promise of that world.

I loved the world building here, blending steampunk and fantasy! The characters are also interesting, particularly Fatma, Hadia and Siti, all female, and all amazing in their own way. There are a variety of Djinn, with different abilities and interests, and interactions with them are fun to watch. Some of the scenes involving pre-WWI foreign dignitaries felt a little out of place and forced, but maybe there is something else planned involving other countries for future books. Racism and colonialism are touched upon, in an alternate history without a lot of Bristish influence in Egypt, and even plays with biases to hide big plot elements in plain sight.

And then the last quarter of the book happens, where things take on epic proportions. I had a blast reading this part. There is tension throughout the whole story - after all, it starts on a crime scene, and our heroes seem to be playing catch up for most of the book - but the last section really raised the stakes, and I loved it.

I really enjoyed having a full length novel to savor this world at a more leisurely pace, and hope to see more of it.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This book will be available on May eleventh.

This book takes place in a fantastical version of Cairo. I loved the creativity of the world. The way it was described painted a vivid picture of a new twist on an already interesting setting. I’m a big fan of that steampunk sort of world, so I was immediately enchanted. Magic abounded and everything was just a little heightened. I happily began to expect the unexpected.

A Master of Djinn follows agent Fatma el-Sha’arawi, who works for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, as she tries to solve a murder that rapidly goes sideways. I wanted to like Fatma, I really did. However, she just sort of irked me. She really wasn’t all that…competent, to be honest. I had a hard time believing she was the experienced agent she is supposed to be. Worse, though, is her personality. She was judgmental and condescending and it just really grated on me. Thankfully, her new partner Hadia was pretty much the opposite of Fatma. She was smart, eager to prove herself, and a fun character to read about.

Of course, the mystery soon turned into a much bigger situation. I’m a big fan of stakes being raised, but I do sort of wish this particular mystery had stayed just that-a mystery, as opposed to being a huge conspiracy (for lack of a better word). I was hoping for a whodunnit. I got both less and more.

I ended up being entertained by A Master of Djinn, but I didn’t love it. I honestly think what took it from the “love” to “like” reaction was Fatma. The mystery itself was interesting, and the world was absolutely fantastic.

I suggest this book to readers looking for a fun puzzle, set in a unique, fantastical world.

'A Master of Djinn' is Harry Potter mixed in with the Sherlock Holmes as played by Robert Downey, Jr. Perfect blend of steampunk with all of the gadgets one would expect having been invented around 1932! The story centers around Fatma el-Sha'arawi, a young Arab woman, who quickly rising into the ranks at the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities!

A rather fun read for those who love to delve into deep imaginative worlds that exist just outside of human existence! Who knows if the worlds are there or not. I personally, would like to believe that they are! Yes, I do believe that many are going to enjoy this blend of so many genres set in such an exotic location. If they write a sequel, it would be great fun to give Fatma an even younger sidekick!

P. Djèlí Clark had me hooked with the first short story of his I ever read, "The Black God's Drums." So, when I saw Netgalley had this FULL LENGTH book available I hit the request button so fast. I was not disappointed. Mr. Clark had added more depth to his world of 1912 Steampunk Cairo and I was living for it. Not only is Fatma back as a main character but now she's been assigned a new lady partner! The two detectives must figure out how aand why an important business man and his entire guest list were killed in his home, and not by any normal means...

Clark's descriptions are not lacking and I was still puzzling out the mystery just pages before the big reveal. If you loved Clark's previous tales, pick this one up and give it a try, I don't think you will be disappointed.

Series Info/Source: This is the third book in the Fatma el-Sha'arawi series. I got this book from Netgalley for review.

Story (4/5): This was hands down my most anticipated book of the year and (while I enjoyed reading it and am glad I read it) I did find it a bit disappointing. Now, keep in mind I did have this book on a pretty high pedestal before reading, my expectations were just really, really high. I have been absolutely infatuated with everything else Clark has written and was super excited to see what he would do with a full length novel.

The big issue here was pacing and awkward insertions of information that didn't feel in keeping with the series. There are parts of this story I loved and parts that just felt very awkward. For example mid-book Fatma ends up at a political event at the palace and suddenly we are meeting tons of delegates from other countries. It was a huge political diversion and info dump mid story. Tons of names are thrown at you, we find out there are goblins, and none of it really relates to anything we care about. It was really really tough to get through and really didn't match the pace of the rest of the story. This portion was just not well done.

Characters (4/5): I continue to really enjoy Siti and Fatma. They are amazingly strong female characters. Clark does an amazing job writing about strong female characters; in fact he’s so good at it that sometimes I find his male characters a bit lacking. While I love a clever, strong, and tough female character I do like to see some balance as well.

Setting (4/5): The world building is awesome in this series. Clark has created an amazing world here that is engrossing and outstanding. The description is amazing and things are easy to picture. I do think the way some new elements were thrown in (goblins??!!) were a bit clunky but hopefully they will be expanded on in future novels/novellas.

Writing Style (4/5): The main thing I love about this series is the amazing world-building, the tight storytelling, and the strong characterization. While this book contains a good mystery and I really love the world and characters; the story-telling was a lot less polished and felt clunky this time around. Too much extra information and awkward transitions between scenes had me wincing at points. Unfortunately, I think the amazing qualities that Clark displays in novella writing were a bit lacking in this full length novel (a novel that feels very long and lengthy when you read it). Clark might just be better at writing novellas, which is still amazing. I love good novella authors!

My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this but was a bit disappointed. I had very high expectations for this novel and they just weren’t quite met. I continue to love the world and characters, but was a bit disappointed with the pacing and overall mystery. Hopefully these are just growing pains as Clark transitions from writing novellas to novels. I do plan on continuing the series. I just hope that it's either transitioned back to novella style or Clark's writing tightens up a bit and flows better in future novels.

Absolutely fabulous and a huge recommendation from this reader. Who wouldn't want to read an alternative history set in Egypt just before the first world war ? Add in magic, greed, a little steam punk and of course a protagonist who is comfortable in her own skin and this was a book that just pulled me in.
Fatma has to be one of the coolest, most determined heroines I've read about in a long time. She's used to working alone and coping with the bigotry that often surrounds her. Yet even she balks at the idea of a young female partner so I liked that she wasn't perfect and had her own flaws. I won't rehash the plot but will say I happily solved the crime alongside this awesome agent and yes I too came to the right conclusion because the clue was whilst hidden in plain sight !
This book is set in a time period that is fascinating with characters straight out of the history books. It even mentions topics I hadn't expected including racial prejudice as well as sexual bias. It's the ending of colonial rule, the Raj has had its day and countries such as Great Britain can no longer overrun or oppress but have to trade and make treaties. The background made this fantastical story come to life although I was surprised how frequently the US and its racial inequalities were mentioned as that didn't particularly add anything to this story. Was there too much background at times ? Absolutely yes lots of dialogue added nothing to the plot but I honestly did not care. If you wish to be thoroughly entertained and get a completely different perspective of the Djinn and indeed what it felt like to be if not a suffragette then certainly a woman in a man's world then read this book. There's mystery, magic and romance here but mostly a rollicking good yarn !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

*I’d like to thank Netgalley for an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

*Sigh* I said I’d give an honest review and I will… I devoured A Dead Djinn in Cairo and The Hauting of Tramcar 015, so to say I was looking forward to the first full novel in the Agent Fatima series by P. Djèlí Clark was a little of an understatement. I imagined this book to have all the excellent elements of the two novellas before and some more…


What is it about?
Its 1912 and we are back in Cairo with our myriad of Djinn, Angel’s and other ghoulish creatures from the supernatural that we have encountered in the two previous books. Agent Fatima el- Sha’awari is sent to the residence of an Englishman where a group of people known as “The brotherhood of al-Jahiz” were congregated the night before. That’s right… the same al-Jahiz who opened up the dementions between supernatural beings and our world, thus giving us Djinn and Angel’s and ghuls.

When Fatima arrives she discovers all members of the cult have all been murdered brutally and the only witness says that the culprit claims to be al Jahiz himself.

This sends Fatima and her girlfriend, Siti back into the underbelly of Cairo to find out who this person is and if it is al Jahiz… what his secrets on summoning Djinn into our world are.

What I loved…
P. Djèlí Clark is phenomenal when setting the scene. His descriptions of Cairo are detailed and lure me in like a street vendor selling spices. I am encapsulated and in awe of how beautifully the underbelly is described! I really enjoyed the scenes where Siti and Fatima were questioning suspects, looking for clues and speaking with the local people.

I also am still in love with the ethereal beings that are Angel’s… they carry a sense of wonderment that, as a reader, makes one feel inconsequential… EXACTLY how I imagine an being of no time or age would make me feel should I ever come into contact with one.

What I wanted more of…
I felt like this book was very slow, I was expecting the punchiness of the novellas carried through the full novel and I found that this was just not so. I have to say in all fairness I was very disappointed.

I did at one point skip 40% of the book to see if there was anything I could not deduce and if it was worth while me reading on… I found that I had figured out the twist and that not much had occurred in the section I had skipped.

HOWEVER, in wanting to give a fair and honest review I decided that I should go back and read the section I had skipped and still found nothing (I feel) of worth that was gripping.

Secondly, there were sections of dialogue that I just couldnt emotionally link with; for example, in one scene between Siti and Fatima they have a disagreement and the dialogue reads…

“Did we just have a fight?”Siti asked, a smile forming. “I think we just had a fight!”

“We had a fight,”Fatma agreed. Her irritation all but vanished at the realization. It was a wonder it’d taken this long. “How about tonight you make it up to me—”Siti began. Fatma’s eyes rounded.

“Make it up to you?”

“Make it up to me, by taking me to the Spot. It’s still there, isn’t it?”

“The Spot is always there.”

“Then looks like you’ve got a date, investigator. Dress sharp.”Fatma gave a slight snort as Siti turned to walk inside. She always dressed sharp.

It felt really unrealistic and I feel like there was a whole depth of the characters that was missed here. Almost like a fight would have been too much of a dynamic to put between these two.

I loved A Dead Djinn in Cairo and The Haunting of Tram Car 015 but was sorely disappointed in this book. That being said I will not be giving up on the author as there are pockets of pure genius in Master of Djinn. And I do feel that P Djèlí Clark has a talent for story telling that is incredible.

I’m truly sorry but it wasn’t my cup of tea.