A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark – Review | Blog Tour

A great read.

WHAT’S THE BOOK ABOUT

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 familiar 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 by P. Djèlí Clark – Review | Blog Tour

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK

A kick-ass female detective helming the investigation into the murder of a secret brotherhood in an alternate-reality Cairo of 1912 where djinns and humans coexist is what attracted me to A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark. I am pleased to say I loved it.

The book has an impactful beginning detailing the gruesome murder of the secret brotherhood who worshipped al-Jahiz, a much-revered saint/magician. The rest of the story is a test of how soon Fatma (and the reader) can find the murderer before he wreaks even more havoc. I could guess who the murderer was after a big clue at the end, however, the journey till then was enjoyable.

A Master of Djinn has an intricate plot. I found it to be a splendid detective fiction set in early twentieth-century Cairo which is full of magic, djinns, and mechanical bots. Clark’s vividly descriptive writing immersed me in alternate-early-twentieth-century Egypt which is a melting pot of cultures.

His lucid prose not only made his imaginary world more immersive but also let me be privy to the thoughts of every character. Further, if you think this book has only sleuthing and no action, then you are wrong. Though the action scenes are few, they are good. Like, really good.

I also loved how Clark championed the freedom of the colonies in his alternate-reality world. The colonialists all over the world have lost vast swathes of their colonies and are struggling to hold the remaining ones. I also loved how some of the pivotal positions in the Ministry are held by women. Not just the Ministry, but outside of it too.

However, I felt disconnected from the story sometimes due to the inconsistent pacing.

Nevertheless, Clark ties up all the loose ends in the end and delights his readers with loads of action. Though this book is built in the same universe as Clark’s previous books but reading them is not necessary to enjoy this book.

I would recommend A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark to lovers of fantasy, action, and detective fiction.

A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark

BOOK DETAILS

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure || Pages: 396 || Published on May 11th 2021 by Orbit

Many thanks to Tracy @ Compulsive Readers for organizing this blog tour. Many thanks to the publisher for my copy of the book. This does not affect my opinion on the book. I opted to provide an honest review on my blog.

AUTHOR BIO

P. Djèlí Clark

P. Djèlí Clark likes creating fantastic, dangerous, and exciting worlds. Usually with heroines & heroes. Almost always with magic & monsters. His short fiction has appeared in Daily Science Fiction, Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, Lightspeed, Tor.com and in print anthologies including Griots, Steamfunk, Myriad Lands and Hidden Youth.

Author Link: Website

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