Ah, I am a great fan of Clark's short pieces but sadly his first novel A Master of Djinn failed to capture my heart. At 86% mark, I wanted to DNF the book, I simply wasn't interested in the ending. The characters are not engaging - they seem mechanical and work like mouthpieces? The worldbuilding is great though. But the book shouldn't have been THAT long. People would just quote scriptures right, left and centre and yet some of them are not that religious? It was almost unbelievable.

Having read both of Clark's novellas set in this universe I was very excited when this book appeared on Netgalley and it did not disappoint. The writing is so descriptive, and the setting of steampunk/fantasy/alternate historical Cairo is interesting to read about, it was great getting to spend time there for a novel length work. I also really enjoyed the characters of this story, especially Fatma and her relationship with Siti, and it was great to see cameos from the characters of the prior novellas. The only thing that slightly took away from the book for me was that I managed to guess a twist prior to it being revealed, although I still had a lot of fun watching how the plot unfolded.

(Many thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.)

“I will make you hurt. I will make you understand. And drag your secrets into the light.”
ARC provided by the publisher Orbit UK through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A long awaited debut novel full of adventure, magic, and mystery followingwith special investigator Fatma el-Sha’arawi from the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities as she dives back into a world where magic exacted a price and nothing is what it seems.

In 2020, I discovered P. Djèlí Clark’s novellas after my friend Raf recommended me to read a short story by Clark titled, A Dead Djinn in Cairo. I listened to the audiobook and it was the best novella I read that year. The audiobook elevated the story to newer heights narrated by the amazing Suehyla El-Attar. Then I continued with Clark’s other novella set in the same world as its predecessor following two other characters titled The Haunting of Tram Car 015. Again! It was a hit for me. When I saw that Clark announced that he is set to release a full length novel following Fatma el-Sha’arawi yet again as she tries too get to the bottom of a mysterious involving magic and murder. I was beyond excited!

A Master of Djinn is originally published by TOR (US) on 11th May 2021. Around the end of April, Orbit UK acquired the debut novel by Clark in a two-book deal from Anna Carmichael at Abner Stein on behalf of Seth Fishman at the Gernert Company. The fantastic cover of the UK version is done by Little Brown Books’ in house cover artist Matthew Burne. The mozaic design with the lamps, the bowler hat, the pocket watch and the vibrant colors really caught my attention. A very special thank you to Orbit UK for accepting my request for the book on NetGalley. The eBook is set to release in May and the trade paperback version will be released on August 19th 2021 so be sure to pre-order a copy now! For those who are interested and don’t want to commit just yet, you can read a free sample of the book on Orbit’s website, click here.

Usually the secrets we keep deep down . . . we hide away because we’re afraid what other people might think. How they might judge us, if they knew. Maybe that was worth considering. But there was more at stake here.

A Master of Djinn is wondrous fantasy adventure set in an alternate Cairo in the year of 1912, where humans and djinns coexist by Nebula and Locus winner and Hugo award nominated writer P. Djèlí Clark. The story centers around special investigator Fatma el-Sha’arawi from the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities. She is tasked to investigate a case involving a cult that has been slaughtered and a mysterious figure claiming to be Egypt’s most well known icons in history that has long disappeared, Al-Jahiz. The story is full of twists and turns, stunningly sharp suits, magic, and familiar characters from Clark’s novellas. Readers that have read the novellas will be reunited with Siti and Aasim (from A Dead Djinn in Cairo); Hamed and Onsi (from The Haunting of Tram Car 015). Not just that there are relevant things from A Dead Djinn in Cairo that also became an important point in this new book. Readers don’t be discouraged both novellas are relatively short and fast reads. You can read A Dead Djinn in Cairo for FREE on TOR.com, click here. If you want to read this book you don’t need to read the novellas but if you do read the novellas it makes the experience of reading A Master of Djinn much more interesting.

The world in A Master of Djinn is much more vivid than its novella predecessors. Cairo expands to include more places compared to before we only get glimpses of the world. Clark’s worldbuilding is astounding, detailed, and vibrant. One setting that is still engrained in my mind is the Ministry building. Mini spoiler if you look at the US cover of the book that is a sneak peek of one part of the building. It is absolutely stunning! Everything about the world is rich with history and lore, which are inspired by Muslim mythology, Egyptian mythology, and other African and Middle Eastern cultures. What drew me in the first time I read A Dead Djinn in Cairo is how effortless it is for me to dive into the world. It is no different reading A Master of Djinn. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about every setting, the many tidbits of folklore mixed in with the plot, the variety of Djinn and their powers, and other magic related creatures and things. AH AND THE FOOD! The food sound so delicious when Clark describes it. I had to Google each one of them because in my head I find them tasty.

“I am many things to many people. Teacher. Thinker. Inventor. I have been called other things. Saint. Madman.” He paused. “And to those of whom you speak, who perished in fire, I was vengeance.”

Based on the lore of the world, magic existed in the world after the arrival of Djinn into the world. When humans and djinns start to coexist with each other in society. This magic is relatively unknown and is slowly being regulated to keep the peace between djinn and humans. Hence the existence of the Ministry. The magic is a double edged sword and comes with hefty price. I always liked when magic is used as something of a gamble that can instantly back fire depending on the outcome. Relating to the magic, there are different kinds of it as well. It all depends on what type of djinn or magical creature they are. Readers will learn as they go about the variety of djinns that exist in the world. The powers of each Djinn is limitless and varies depending on how old they are or what kind they are, it is intriguing yet scary at the same time. Finding that the djinn and humans laid laws to regulate such things is beyond me, how would discussions go? Truly, I wanna know how that whole meeting went when they were laying down the laws.

“Why do these colonizers always claim what isn’t theirs?”

There are underlying themes of anti-colonialism, racism, sexism, misogyny, colorism and so on that are weaved into the world. Without revealing much about the main plot, there is one moment that involved colorism, how one Egyptian women refused Siti, a character with a darker skin tone, to enter the woman’s house. An act that is fueled by centuries of prejudice and bigotry reminiscent to real life occurrences. This scene is so memorable to me because of how realistic it is. Then there are also scenes involving a group of white men, colonizers, casually talking about how the Anglo-Saxon are the superior race *eye rolls*. I will say that Clark did a marvelous job in exploring these important relevant themes into his story without making it the center piece of the story. Though it does play a big part in the politics and the world, it is done effectively by conveying it through characters and scenes that is near to realistic depiction to show readers that any reader of color can encounter it in real life. Besides that the all round female empowerment that is present in the diverse cast of characters filled me with so much joy. The messages about feminism and the indirect toxic behavior women have towards each other are also explored in the story. There are so many things I can point out about the book that discuss about a variety of topics. Any reader that picks this book up will find something that sparks conversation and thoughts about the themes being spotlighted by Clark. The sheer wit and humor that is present in Clark’s writing is charming and smart. I never get tired of the “ugh men…” jokes in the book.

“I’m no lord or ruler. I’m just the daughter of a watchmaker, from a village outside Luxor. I don’t desire any of those things. I just want to save this city.”

One of the strong points about Clark’s books is the distinct and unique way he writes his characters compared to other writers. There is a certain magnetic flair to Clark’s characterization making each one of character have that “IT” factor that can draw you in and easily latch to. I cansurely say that P. Djèlí Clark’s character has depth and personality that is believable. In the novella I only got a glimpse of Fatma el-Sha’arawi but in this book we get to see more of her in action. Fatma is a well written and fleshed out character. Her presence as a character is felt through the pages. Comparing the past Fatma in A Dead Djinn in Cairo and current Fatma, she is much more developed. We get to see all facets of her character in this book. Fatma shows vulnerability, growth, and a much more human side to her previous imposing lone wolf attitude. Anyone will be captivated by Fatma, even other characters in the story are captivated by her. And not to mention we get to see more of the stunningly well tailored and dapper suits she wears!

“… I expected when I got assigned, I’d have to deal with people who didn’t think I could measure up. Who thought I was in the wrong place. Who only saw some girl they’d stick behind a desk. But, wallahi, I didn’t think one of them would be you!”

In A Master of Djinn, we are introduced to a combination of old and new characters. One character that will make an impact in Fatma’s development as she is assigned a partner named Hadia Abdel Hafez. Through the introduction of Hadia, Fatma is able to grow exponentially as a character. Even though both Fatma and Hadia are the only female agents in the Ministry they are polar opposites. Hadia is proper, religious, and a doe eyed rookie in the agency. But they both have something in common besides being female, they are both ambitious, strong, and full of spirit to prove themselves capable or even surpass their male colleagues. What I like about Hadia is that she humbles Fatma by showing her that she isn’t just a sheltered girl that needs protecting. After Hadia confronts her, Fatma did a lot of contemplation that lead her to embrace Hadia as a partner. Hadia herself also showed growth becoming a much more assertive, fearless, and risk taking woman.

Now, I wanna talk about Siti and Fatma. Their relationship left an impression on me. I loved them both the first time in A Dead Djinn in Cairo but here? I love them more. I’m glad that we get to explore more about their relationship, seeing both of them grow feels wholesome and heartwarming. We also get to know Siti’s back story and more of Fatma’s inner thoughts about Siti. There is a moment where Fatma has to confront Siti all the while confronting herself to find a middle ground to make the relationship work. The discussed it in a healthy non dysfunctional way that warms my heart so much! Both women respect each other and see each other as equals, it makes me think that everyone should find a Siti to their Fatma and a Fatma to their Siti. It’s the reckless free spirit and equally reckless lone wolf dynamic that gets me. Let me tell you sapphic couples are winning this year.

“God the most Beneficent, the most Merciful. Not this one. Not this one.” “Remember often death, the destroyer of all pleasures,” a woman’s voice sounded. “But it is not that day for this one.”

Last thoughts, A Master of Djinn is a book that I never knew I wanted. It is a story full of mystery, adventure, and magic that is rich with history and lore. All the while filled with impactful and nuanced discussions about important themes such as race, gender, anti-colonialism, colorism, and so on weaving them in with charming and humorous writing. I can see myself rereading this book in the future, it has everything I love in fantasy. It is clear why P. Djèlí Clark is an award winning writer once you read his books and I’m glad that he continues to expand the world of Dead Djinn. I’d pay anything to see Fatma, Siti, Hadia, Onsi, Hamed, and the other characters again. If you readers like City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty consider picking this book up because it is such a wonderful story with a steam punk edge, amazing suits, djinns, mystery, and its sapphic! You will not regret it!

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

Sin duda esta novela era uno de los lanzamientos más esperados del año, en parte porque P. Djèlí Clark se está labrando un nombre en el género y en parte porque el universo donde se sitúa la novela no puede ser más atractivo, algo que ya habíamos atisbado con los relatos anteriores situados en el mismo mundo.


Estamos en una ucronía, a principios del siglo pasado en Egipto. Cincuenta años en su pasado se rompió el velo que separaba el mundo mágico y nuestro mundo «normal» y desde entonces la magia, los djinns y otras criaturas pasean por la Tierra. Este hecho ha permitido a Egipto convertirse en una de las potencias mundiales, pero las tensiones y la amenaza de la Gran Guerra siguen presentes.

Para intentar controlar los desbarajustes provocados en la sociedad por la magia, el gobierno egipcio creó un ministerio dedicado a estos menesteres y la protagonista de la novela es Fatma el-Sha’arawi, la mujer más joven en ocupar un puesto en dicho ministerio. Fatma es un personaje fascinante, que lleva gran parte del peso de la narración sobre sus hombros pero que ni siquiera se inmuta por ello. Tiene una personalidad propia y aunque quizá lo primero que llama la atención es su forma de vestir masculina, esto no es si no un escaparate que enseña al mundo para ocultar su fuerza interior.

El caso que tendrá que investigar Fatma es el asesinato de casi todos los miembros de una sociedad ocultista dedicada a estudiar la figura de al-Jahiz, precisamente el hombre que rompió el velo entre el mundo mágico y el mundo real.

La ambientación, como digo, es de lo mejor. Fantasía de gran calidad en un escenario original y con ciertos toques steampunk que lo hacen aún más atractivo, pero no por ello el autor deja de tratar temas de rabiosa actualidad. El racismo y las consecuencias del colonialismo están presentes en cada una de las páginas, así como el machismo y la discriminación de las relaciones no heteronormativas.

Quizá lo menos importante de la novela es el misterio en sí, aunque la investigación es curiosa y asimilable en cierto modo a la operativa habitual de los detectives (siguiendo pistas, investigando fuentes alternativas y obteniendo datos de fuentes poco fiables) resulta un poco obvio desde el principio quién se encuentra en el punto ciego de las pesquisas.

Lo mejor de todo es que es solo el primer libro de la serie, aunque es perfectamente disfrutable por sí solo. Espero tener la oportunidad de volver a disfrutar pronto de las aventuras de Fatma.

Fatma el-Sha'arawi my beloved how I've missed you

I'm going to be completely honest - I hate it when books are described as un-put-downable. But this is how I have to describe this book. I honestly couldn't put it down as soon as I started reading it and consumed it at the speed of light (well, almost. I'm a really slow reader actually).

This absolutely delightful novel follows the events of the short story "A dead djinn in Cairo" and the novella "The haunting of tram car 015", both of which I've read before, both of which had an intriguing worldbuilding, both of which left me wanting to stay in this world and just consume everything about it one possibly could.

This book has djinns. This book has really badass women (another phrase I feel like it's a cliché, but hear me out: it's completely justified here). There are, indeed, also lesbians. It's fast paced, filled with action, lighthearted but at the same time will make yourself ask a lot of questions. Is that construct a person? Where do a person's beliefs fit in? Should I be grateful to Al-Jahiz for unleashin chaos that also brought this story to us?

I'd also like to give a shoutout to the chill queerness of this novel. They're just there, confident, not questioning their identities, and this story isn't about this at all. It's about the first female detective of the Ministry researching a mysterious murder case. I love this, so much.

Possibly this book was among my favourite reads so far this year, most likely will remain at the top, I will definitely keep recommending it to everyone who bothers to breathe in my general vicinity, and I absolutely cannot wait to hold a physical copy in my hands so I can wave it under everyone's nose. "Do you want to read a really fun book set in an alternative, steampunk 1912 Cairo, with a butch protagonist, her awesome girlfriend and amazing new partner, and filled with mythological beings you're probably not used seeing in English fantasy novels?" I got some GREAT news for you.

Re: the amazing new partner - adored the development of their dynamic. Loved seeing Fatma's growth of accepting someone working at her side. Cannot wait to read more about them.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher of this book for an ARC, thank you to P. Djèlí Clark for writing it. And thanks, Al-Jahiz.

I loved the world that A Dead Djinn in Cairo introduced. It's a wonderful steampunk Cairo filled with djinn, angels and lesbians and I was head over heels. The novel expands on this world, creating more fleshed out characters out of the djinn, introducing world politics and developing Fatma, Siti and their relationship. This full-length book also introduces wonderful side characters like Hadia (who is funny and stubborn and is the perfect right hand to Fatma) and Ahmad (who is also unbelievably funny) and I enjoyed it so much.

Hadia's introduction allows the book to re-tread plot that was introduced in the novella without it feeling redundant. She's the wide-eyed rookie to Fatma's noir solo detective shtick and their dynamic progressing over time to genuine friendship was lovely. The djinn in particular were such an enjoyable aspect of this book that weren't as developed in the novella. Their history is fleshed out in this and they become very enjoyable, creative side characters throughout and have much more presence in the story. Finally, Fatma's romantic relationship with Siti was as entertaining as it was in the novella with the addition of genuine feelings sneaking up on them. I really appreciated that Fatma and Siti want each other as well as care for each other and their relationship felt very realistic to me, even while surrounded by magic.

The book gets a little repetitive in the middle of the mystery but it's remedied by such imaginative worldbuilding, character relationships and funny dialogue that I didn't mind too much. The main plot in this was very solid and came with just enough little mysteries and well written twists that by the time the reveals were coming up, I was just starting to put it together. This book not only tells a competent story about a sudden magical murder of two dozen people, but ties the fantastical plot back to colonialism, Empire and Western imperialism and exceptionalism. I would warn for racism, specifically language of scientific racism and eugenics but it's condemned and is not frequent enough to overwhelm the general light-heartedness of the novel, even when serious subjects are crucial to the plot.

If you want to read a very funny book that manages to tackle important subject matter with a fancy suit-wearing lesbian with a cane and a sword at the helm, I couldn't recommend this more.

Fair to say that I have read and enjoyed immensely the authors short stories set in this alternative Cairo and it’s use of the Djinn, it was a pleasure to read and I look forward to more tales in this wonderful world

This book is so blisteringly good. P. Djèlí Clark reimagines history with vivacity, ingenuity, and pure damn style in his alternate early 20th c. Egypt that has forcibly sloughed off the British colonial yoke and risen to power with the help of Djinn. It has murder, magic, mayhem, and at the center of it all, one lesbian detective with a sharp taste in suits and even sharper monster-hunting chops. I had so much fun reading this!

It’s fair to say this book and I did not get off to the best of starts because of this absolute howler was dropped in the first few pages:

“Good hard English whiskey”

As a Scot I found this is highly offensive. Whiskey is not and has never been, nor ever will be, English. If it was meant as a joke it was a poor one it’s not even a mistake an upperclass English man in the early 20th century would make. The older and more Scottish his whiskey the better! Then he’d probably make a terrible joke about it being the only thing Scots are good for. It meant any point the author made about cultural ignorance from then on fall distinctly flat. But proves that no one is infallible.
I did read on however, and the story itself was fun but Fatma is a terrible agent. It takes her a week to interview a key witness, and she misses details like there are two AWs. And also how much is she getting paid?! A different suit everyday! She must be making an absolute mint! This seems unlikely in any government department. Her laundry bill must be through the roof.
It’s also set in the early 20th century but you wouldn’t know it as there is little attempt to place it in that time. At one point a chunk of world politics is inserted to give a wider context but on a domestic level this could be set anytime. It’s too easy to explain things away with “oh you know magic happened”.
There’s a lot to like here I like Fatma and her girlfriend and her new professional partner. I like the Djinns and the setting and the magic but they are let down by details.