Note to self…always, always check the page count. But, to be fair, why wouldn’t you expect the third Agent Fatma adventure to be something other than a novella. The first book in the series was maybe 50 pages and the second one was less than 150. And Clark’s debut was a novella too. I figured that was his format, he was, after all, very good at it and I do so love novellas. But no, he went at it geometrically, and just as book two tripled the length of its predecessor, so did this third one, meaning suddenly I found myself in a much longer than anticipated adventure.
So, is there such a thing as too much of a good thing? Well, no, not really. If I am to be stuck with a longer book, let it be a book by an author as talented and imaginative and entertaining as Clark. Who knew he was gearing up to this behemoth all this time. But apparently so, guess the alternative steampunk Egypt of his imagination just got too huge to be contained by novellas. So book three is expansive and it expands on all the fascinating aspects of this imagined world that previously were only glimpsed at. Agent Fatma in all her sartorial splendor is back in action on a case larger than life when the legendary Al Jahiz, the many monikered great thinker and scientist who decades ago has torn the very fabric of reality between this world and the one of djinns and other supernatural beings, appears to have returned.
This return is announced in gore and viscera when the secret society comprising wealthy Brits worshipping Al Jahiz is brutally slaughtered. Suddenly, there are rumors of a man in the golden mask. A man who performs miracles. A man who may stir the restless populace into something like revolt. Well…not if the intrepid Agent Fatma of the Ministry of Alcemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities has something to say about that.
There are some changes on the personal front for Fatma, also. She’s thrilled to have her mysterious lover Siti back in her life and considerably less thrilled to no longer work alone as she is now joined by a fellow female agent as per agency’s determination to meet the modern age’s demands of representation and equality.
So, without divulging too much of a plot, let’s just say this is indeed a grand adventure of the first order. It has suspense, intrigue, action, romance, drama…all set in a spectacularly rendered almost though not quite real world of 1912 in Egypt that the author has so prodigiously imagined and brought to life. I mean, there’s world building and then there’s this elevated version of it, with every color, every texture coming alive. Interweaving historical facts and figures and imaginary actions and characters, Clark spins a narrative worthy of Scheherazade and at this length it would have prolonged her life for more than one night.
Long but worth it. A many splendored world populated by terrific characters. Wildly original and awesome in every way. Except the mystery angle, the genius armchair detective that’s me (without even a proper armchair), I figured that one out a mile away and, frankly, was surprised that in as strongly feminist narrative with as strongly feminist characters, it took the rest of them this long. But anyway, it was still absolutely excellent and who doesn’t like to have their crime solving acumen proved once again.
Great third entry in great series. And I don’t even like series, so that’s high praise indeed. Though I sincerely hope the author doesn’t go and triple the page count yet again for the next book. That would be…unwieldy. But yeah, loved this book. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

I’ll kick off with what I think will be the biggest question people have before picking up this book: Do you need to read A Dead Djinn in Cairo or The Haunting of Tram Car 015 before picking this up?

My head says no, this book will take you into the world and I think almost all the information you might need is explained to you within the novel.

But my heart says yes. I would say at the very least go and read A Dead Djinn in Cairo because it’s not very long and you can (legally) read it for free online. I would also highly recommend picking up The Haunting of Tram Car 015 because it is utterly amazing but there is less overlap between that book and this one. You’d be doing yourself a disservice to not read the entire series but I suppose in a pinch you could and it wouldn’t spoil the reading experience (though I can’t promise it won’t include spoilers).

I think my favourite aspect of all three works has to be the worldbuilding. Clark conjures up this alternate world where all is magic and at the same time steampunk and also strangely past and future all at the same time. It’s the perfect place in which to set a mystery novel because we get to explore some of the ways in which this world works and how everything functions. There’s also that twist on the classic mystery novel usually featuring white detectives imposing a western eye on things. Compare the world Clark creates with the Egypt that features in, for example, Death on the Nile. There’s something very empowering about the setting, and the novel doesn’t shy away from some of the implications of this – particularly in the British view of Egyptian power.

The lynchpin of any detective novel is of course the detective so let’s discuss Fatma el-Sha’arawi.

Put simply I adore her.

I was captivated by her in A Dead Djinn in Cairo and I continue to love her in this book. The novel also brings in the dynamic of Fatma having to deal with a partner. I loved the way that relationship is managed throughout the book and it’ll be interesting to see if there are more books set in this world if she is a more fleeting character or if this is a detecting duo? Fatma is everything I love in a protagonist, she’s sharp, she’s witty and she’s putty in the hands of a particularly beautiful woman – sigh. I’d read any genre if Fatma were the main character.

I don’t know if any other mystery lovers out there will agree with me but I feel there are essentially two ways in which a mystery novel can hit the spot. 1) I can guess who the culprit is before the reveal and I get the joyous dramatic irony coupled with the delight at being right. 2) I guess incorrectly but it’s such a good reveal I don’t even care. In this case I won’t tell you which one it is on the off chance that ruins the experience for you but it did definitely hit the spot as far as mystery was concerned.

I think everyone should read this, and read the other books too. I cannot recommend this highly enough. I have a suspicion it will make it to one of my top 10 books of 2021 list and it’s only early January when I’m writing this review…

My rating: 5/5 stars

I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley – all opinions are my own.

A Master of Djinn publishes May 11th!

Really original pieces of fantasy. The settings, the "mythology", the world. I enjoy reading this one and would recommend it!

Clark has returned to the world of steam-punk Cairo that he established in "The Haunting of Tram Car 015" for this compelling novel. In the early twentieth century, Djinn are living among regular people in Cairo as citizens and are responsible for amazing advances in architecture and mechanization that have placed Cairo at the forefront of the world stage. All of this supernatural activity ha become so commonplace in Cairene life that an entire governmental department is devoted to it. Agent Fatma al Sha'arawi is not the first woman to work for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities, but she is probably the first to do so while wearing English men's suits. Agent Fatma has solved a host of supernatural mysteries in Cairo but none have been quite so dangerous as what she's about to encounter.

I don't want to give away too much about this amazing novel because part of the fun is discovering the people and events yourself. Clark really outdid himself this time. The world that he creates is absolutely fascinating and the characters are complex and fascinating. You won't be able to put "A Master of Djinn" down once you start it so make sure that you have some time to read and a comfortable chair!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I was so excited to catch up with Fatma and her fellow agents in this book, and this story was even more amazing than the first two in the series.  I just love P. Djèlí Clark's writing, and his world building is  finely detailed and complex.  While creating this amazing world, he doesn't shy away from hard truths or social justice concerns which only adds to the depth and realism of the story. 

Fatman is saddled with a new partner Hadia who is a rookie fresh out of the academy.  While Fatma is dealing with her feelings about having a partner, and trying to define her relationship with Siti she is called on to the site of a mass murder supposedly performed by the returned hero al-Jahiz.  al-Jahiz was the man originally responsible for the release of the Djinn into the world, and creating the new & fantastic world that Fatma lives in now.  Fatma and her team must solve the murders while determining who is pretending to be al-Jahiz.  There angels, Djinn and gods who Fatma meets along the way with their own agendas and goals, and she must determine who to trust.