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titalindaslibrary 's review for:
A Master of Djinn
by P. Djèlí Clark
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I truly enjoy all of this author's work, but his novellas always had me saying "I wish it was longer!"
Well we finally have a full length novel, and it did not disappoint.
A Master of Djinn follows Fatma el-Sha’arawi, the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities and has already proven herself this past summer after saving the world from a nefarious plot. However, she's about to be tested again when a secret brotherhood (dedicated to the famous mystic al-Jahiz) is mysteriously murdered and she's 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....
All I can say is that when a historian writes a historical fantasy, it feels so much richer and immersive! The attention to detail was never overwrought or dense, but rather lightly layered throughout to slowly pad out this magical world. Plus, I felt like I learned some things too! Being unfamiliar with the Egyptian setting, I was able to learn about names for traditional dress, foods, and customs that were casually and easily included in the book. The first half of this book had a delightful "whodunnit" vibe while taking us through this alternate, steampunk Cairo and slowly piecing together different characters and motives. The last half was a thrilling race to unmask the villain, and while I guessed who it was fairly early on, I enjoyed the other reveals and deepening character bonds along the way!
Something else worthy of note was how much I appreciated the way Clark writes women characters (which is a rare admission to make when it comes to male authors). But most everyone in this book, from the main character to supporting characters, are women. They're complex, capable, and fueled by different motives that make it fascinating to watch their interactions.
Also, the different suits Fatma wears? I found myself looking forward to every description and wondering "Oooh what suit is she wearing today?" I loved that touch of detail to her character! Just one small example of the many to be found in this book.
Well we finally have a full length novel, and it did not disappoint.
A Master of Djinn follows Fatma el-Sha’arawi, the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities and has already proven herself this past summer after saving the world from a nefarious plot. However, she's about to be tested again when a secret brotherhood (dedicated to the famous mystic al-Jahiz) is mysteriously murdered and she's 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....
All I can say is that when a historian writes a historical fantasy, it feels so much richer and immersive! The attention to detail was never overwrought or dense, but rather lightly layered throughout to slowly pad out this magical world. Plus, I felt like I learned some things too! Being unfamiliar with the Egyptian setting, I was able to learn about names for traditional dress, foods, and customs that were casually and easily included in the book. The first half of this book had a delightful "whodunnit" vibe while taking us through this alternate, steampunk Cairo and slowly piecing together different characters and motives. The last half was a thrilling race to unmask the villain, and while I guessed who it was fairly early on, I enjoyed the other reveals and deepening character bonds along the way!
Something else worthy of note was how much I appreciated the way Clark writes women characters (which is a rare admission to make when it comes to male authors). But most everyone in this book, from the main character to supporting characters, are women. They're complex, capable, and fueled by different motives that make it fascinating to watch their interactions.
Also, the different suits Fatma wears? I found myself looking forward to every description and wondering "Oooh what suit is she wearing today?" I loved that touch of detail to her character! Just one small example of the many to be found in this book.