Master of Djinn by P Djeli Clark

Master of Djinn (Fatma el-Sha’arawi, #1)

by P. Djèlí Clark

Nebula, Locus, and Alex Award-winner P. Djèlí Clark returns to his popular alternate Cairo universe for his fantasy novel debut, A Master of Djinn

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 fifty 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 a mysterious person from her past, 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…

A Master of Djinn is poised to launch P. Djèlí Clark’s SFF career to new heights as the highly-anticipated debut readers are clamoring for.

Reviewed by Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub on

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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.

https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2021/04/18/a-master-of-djinn-by-p-djeli-clark/

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  • 1 January, 2021: Reviewed