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A review by laurareads87
A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
5.0
I loved A Master of Djinn! This novel follows Fatma el-Sha'arawi, an agent with the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, in Cairo in 1912. The world is populated with djinn, beings who call themselves angels, and a host of other ‘supernatural entities,’ all amidst steampunk-esque technology. The plot follows Agent Fatma as she investigates a mass murder with the clear hallmarks of supernatural activity which, it becomes clear quite quickly, is only the tip of the iceberg.
P. Djèlí Clark is certainly a master at world-building. The magical Cairo he’s created in this series really comes alive here, and one really gets a sense of the city itself – its class divisions, cultural tensions, religious diversity, and shifting political and gender dynamics and norms.
What I might have appreciated most about A Dead Djinn in Cairo, though, is the character development. Agent Fatma is a hero to root for, both as the investigator trying to solve the mystery and save the world and as a young woman navigating a very male-dominated profession, the shift from solo work to work with a partner, a complex romantic relationship, and life in big city Cairo. This novel features a strong cast of multi-faceted, interesting, complex female characters – Hadia, Fatma’s new partner, and Siti, her lover, particularly stand out – and the dynamics of relationships between women, including both romantic and platonic / professional / friendly, play a central role. As a queer woman who loves fantasy I really appreciate the representation here so much that it did bring me to tears at one point. While I very much enjoyed the two earlier works in the series, I feel like the longer length of A Dead Djinn in Cairo has really allowed for more detailed development of more characters beyond just the leads – there are so many interesting figures in the story that really come alive.
A question many will no doubt be wondering is whether it is necessary to read the two prior stories -- A Dead Djinn in Cairo and The Haunting of Tram Car 015 -- before this one. The former features the same protagonist as this novel does and its plot is mentioned in this novel; the latter’s main characters appear in supporting roles here. A Master of Djinn can absolutely be read as a standalone; however, I would suggest reading the others first, not only as they do provide useful backstory but also simply because they’re great reads as well.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor/Forge; I’m thrilled that this was my first ever ARC.
P. Djèlí Clark is certainly a master at world-building. The magical Cairo he’s created in this series really comes alive here, and one really gets a sense of the city itself – its class divisions, cultural tensions, religious diversity, and shifting political and gender dynamics and norms.
What I might have appreciated most about A Dead Djinn in Cairo, though, is the character development. Agent Fatma is a hero to root for, both as the investigator trying to solve the mystery and save the world and as a young woman navigating a very male-dominated profession, the shift from solo work to work with a partner, a complex romantic relationship, and life in big city Cairo. This novel features a strong cast of multi-faceted, interesting, complex female characters – Hadia, Fatma’s new partner, and Siti, her lover, particularly stand out – and the dynamics of relationships between women, including both romantic and platonic / professional / friendly, play a central role. As a queer woman who loves fantasy I really appreciate the representation here so much that it did bring me to tears at one point. While I very much enjoyed the two earlier works in the series, I feel like the longer length of A Dead Djinn in Cairo has really allowed for more detailed development of more characters beyond just the leads – there are so many interesting figures in the story that really come alive.
A question many will no doubt be wondering is whether it is necessary to read the two prior stories -- A Dead Djinn in Cairo and The Haunting of Tram Car 015 -- before this one. The former features the same protagonist as this novel does and its plot is mentioned in this novel; the latter’s main characters appear in supporting roles here. A Master of Djinn can absolutely be read as a standalone; however, I would suggest reading the others first, not only as they do provide useful backstory but also simply because they’re great reads as well.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor/Forge; I’m thrilled that this was my first ever ARC.