Collection
Series
Publication
New York : Tom Doherty Associates Book, 2021.
Description
"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 forty 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 is poised to launch P. Djèlí Clark's SFF career to new heights as the highly-anticipated debut readers are clamoring for"--… (more)
Language
Original language
English
Media reviews
Buzzfeed
With its richly imagined world and characters and its high-stakes and thrilling plot, this novel would make such a fantastic show in the vein of The Nevers and Carnival Row, but better.
National Public Radio (NPR)
What a wonderful world P. Djélì Clarke has created here ― an Arab world never colonized, where magic-powered trams glide through a cosmopolitan Cairo and where djinns make mischief among humans.
Booklist, starred review
Clark deftly explores colonialism and the history of Cairo with an immersive setting that acts as another character in this delightful combination of mystery, fantasy, and romance. Give this to alternate history enthusiasts and mystery readers who enjoy a dose of the magical.
Publishers Weekly, starred review
Clark reconfigures history with a keen, critical eye toward gender, class, and imperialism. An epic tale of magic and mystery, this is sure to wow.
User reviews
LibraryThing member KateHonig
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I was so excited to catch up with Fatma and her fellow agents in this book, and this story was even more amazing than the first two in the series. I just love P. Djèlí Clark's writing, and his world building is finely
Fatman is saddled with a new partner Hadia who is a rookie fresh out of the academy. While Fatma is dealing with her feelings about having a partner, and trying to define her relationship with Siti she is called on to the site of a mass murder supposedly performed by the returned hero al-Jahiz. al-Jahiz was the man originally responsible for the release of the Djinn into the world, and creating the new & fantastic world that Fatma lives in now. Fatma and her team must solve the murders while determining who is pretending to be al-Jahiz. There angels, Djinn and gods who Fatma meets along the way with their own agendas and goals, and she must determine who to trust.
I was so excited to catch up with Fatma and her fellow agents in this book, and this story was even more amazing than the first two in the series. I just love P. Djèlí Clark's writing, and his world building is finely
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detailed and complex. While creating this amazing world, he doesn't shy away from hard truths or social justice concerns which only adds to the depth and realism of the story. Fatman is saddled with a new partner Hadia who is a rookie fresh out of the academy. While Fatma is dealing with her feelings about having a partner, and trying to define her relationship with Siti she is called on to the site of a mass murder supposedly performed by the returned hero al-Jahiz. al-Jahiz was the man originally responsible for the release of the Djinn into the world, and creating the new & fantastic world that Fatma lives in now. Fatma and her team must solve the murders while determining who is pretending to be al-Jahiz. There angels, Djinn and gods who Fatma meets along the way with their own agendas and goals, and she must determine who to trust.
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LibraryThing member TadAD
I found this exceptionally original. Except for one small ridiculous moment toward the end, it was fast paced, exciting, and intriguing. The short stories in the series are good; this is better. I hope more novel-length stories are forthcoming from the author.
LibraryThing member LisCarey
In 1912 Cairo, Fatma el-Sha'arawi is the youngest woman agent at the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities, and last summer, she saved the universe from destruction. Now, she's been called in on a most unusual murder. The entire membership of a small secret brotherhood
What makes this case clearly a Ministry matter is the fact that with one exception, all the dead were burnt to death--but only their flesh, no damage to their clothes. The last victim was not burnt; his head has been turned completely backwards on his body, a feat requiring superhuman strength.
All the members but two were English, not Egyptian. The head of the brotherhood was Lord Worthington, "the English basha," much admired in Egypt for having helped negotiate the peace after Egypt successfully threw out its European invaders. The meeting, and the murders, took place in his home. The only surviving witness, Lord Worthington's daughter, Abigail, says that as she returned home, a masked man clad all in black rushed past her.
It's not long before a masked man clad all in black is holding rallies in the poorer neighborhoods of the city, accompanied by ifrit, and seemingly magical warriors, claiming to be al-Jahiz returned, determined to right the social wrongs of modern Egypt.
Soon Fatma is hunting the identity of the imposter--along with her surprise new partner, Hadia, the newest woman agent of the Ministry, young and enthusiastic and with some unexpected competences. Chasing the imposter soon means chasing an artifact that's very had even to think about, the Seal of Solomon, which enables its wielder to control djinn--the djinn negotiated with the angels to cloud the minds of humans so they can't remember it even if they encounter information about it, and djinn can't speak about it.
Along the way Fatma learns some startling new information about her clever and sometimes evasive girlfriend, Siti, and ramifications of the ways magic and technology have changed Egyptian life--but not for everyone. We also get to see more of Siti's family, learn from Hadia the advantage of paying attention in Egyptian literature class, and something of the extent of the revival of the worship of the old Egyptian gods in this now solidly Muslim country.
Oh, and there's the international peace conference disrupted by the imposter, and the awakening of the "Nine Sleeping Lords," the most powerful of the ifrit, who are not at all friendly to mixed society largely governed by human rules that now exists.
It's a good mystery, and a good story with solid, interesting characters, and we get to know the characters and the society better in this novel, after the two previous novellas.
Highly recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
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dedicated to al-Jahiz, one of the most famous men in history, who among other things opened the wall between our world and the world where djinn had retreated to, has been killed.What makes this case clearly a Ministry matter is the fact that with one exception, all the dead were burnt to death--but only their flesh, no damage to their clothes. The last victim was not burnt; his head has been turned completely backwards on his body, a feat requiring superhuman strength.
All the members but two were English, not Egyptian. The head of the brotherhood was Lord Worthington, "the English basha," much admired in Egypt for having helped negotiate the peace after Egypt successfully threw out its European invaders. The meeting, and the murders, took place in his home. The only surviving witness, Lord Worthington's daughter, Abigail, says that as she returned home, a masked man clad all in black rushed past her.
It's not long before a masked man clad all in black is holding rallies in the poorer neighborhoods of the city, accompanied by ifrit, and seemingly magical warriors, claiming to be al-Jahiz returned, determined to right the social wrongs of modern Egypt.
Soon Fatma is hunting the identity of the imposter--along with her surprise new partner, Hadia, the newest woman agent of the Ministry, young and enthusiastic and with some unexpected competences. Chasing the imposter soon means chasing an artifact that's very had even to think about, the Seal of Solomon, which enables its wielder to control djinn--the djinn negotiated with the angels to cloud the minds of humans so they can't remember it even if they encounter information about it, and djinn can't speak about it.
Along the way Fatma learns some startling new information about her clever and sometimes evasive girlfriend, Siti, and ramifications of the ways magic and technology have changed Egyptian life--but not for everyone. We also get to see more of Siti's family, learn from Hadia the advantage of paying attention in Egyptian literature class, and something of the extent of the revival of the worship of the old Egyptian gods in this now solidly Muslim country.
Oh, and there's the international peace conference disrupted by the imposter, and the awakening of the "Nine Sleeping Lords," the most powerful of the ifrit, who are not at all friendly to mixed society largely governed by human rules that now exists.
It's a good mystery, and a good story with solid, interesting characters, and we get to know the characters and the society better in this novel, after the two previous novellas.
Highly recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
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LibraryThing member quondame
It's fun spending time with Fatma in 1912 alt-Cairo, but the novel lacked the smart pacing of Clark's novellas, and was mechanical in execution.
LibraryThing member whitreidtan
I've never read a steampunk novel before. I've read very few books with djinn in them. Fantasy is not my usual genre. Nor is alternate history. But P. Djeli Clark is an award winning master and I'm trying to be more open to books I normally wouldn't read. I have to say, what a book to start with! A
It's 1912 and Alistair Worthington, a rich English businessman living in Cairo is the head of the Hermetic Brotherhood of Al-Jahiz, a secret society of his own creation. When the entire society is murdered in spectacular fashion in Lord Worthington's home, each member's flesh burned but their clothing untouched by the flames, it is clear that something supernatural is involved. Fatma el-Sha'arawi, the youngest agent and one of the few women in the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities, is called in to investigate the sinister happening. It isn't hard for Fatma and her new partner Hadia, a young woman assigned to her by the Ministry who Fatma accepts reluctantly, to discover who committed the murders but stopping the man in the gold mask, a man who claims he is the revered al-Jahiz returned, a man who can command the most terrifying of djinn, a man who is holding rallies in the poorest sections of town to profess his intention to address the enormous social inequalities of this world, a man who is capable, at every turn, of besting Fatma and her girlfriend Siti who seems to possess a certain magic of her own, a man who is bent on the destruction of the Ministry, Cairo, and this world, will be much harder.
The world that Clark has built here is indeed magical and fantastical and even those who have not read the previous novellas set in this same world (me!) will appreciate the detail about the world and the way it works here. Fatma is a quirky character, with her sharp sartorial sense--each of her suits lovingly described--and her curmudgeonly response to being assigned eager, new agent Hadia as a partner. She says that the reappearance of Siti in her bed has muddled her a bit but without her somewhat mysterious girlfriend and Siti's contacts, Fatma herself, as sharp and as smart as she is supposed to be, would make zero progress on the case. And it does seem as if there is a lot of running from pillar to pole to add more plot elements. Perhaps this is because Clark normally writes in shorter form but occasionally this feels quite forced. For instance, the man in the gold mask has no need of the rallies to win over the Cairenes given his ultimate goal but without the rallies, Fatma would never track him down. The political bickering at a peace conference felt inserted simply to remind the reader that Europe is in the run up to WWI rather than serving this particular story. And the unmasking in the end is completely, and perhaps intentionally, predictable. Despite this, Clark's novel was ultimately an engrossing story, filled with piquant commentary on anti-colonialism, racism, misogyny, mentorship, and relationship. It has convinced me to keep a more open mind toward the genre for sure.
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Master of Djinn has a complex and fascinating world, a strong female main character, and a mystery that has to be solved in order to save humanity. I never knew what I was missing.It's 1912 and Alistair Worthington, a rich English businessman living in Cairo is the head of the Hermetic Brotherhood of Al-Jahiz, a secret society of his own creation. When the entire society is murdered in spectacular fashion in Lord Worthington's home, each member's flesh burned but their clothing untouched by the flames, it is clear that something supernatural is involved. Fatma el-Sha'arawi, the youngest agent and one of the few women in the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities, is called in to investigate the sinister happening. It isn't hard for Fatma and her new partner Hadia, a young woman assigned to her by the Ministry who Fatma accepts reluctantly, to discover who committed the murders but stopping the man in the gold mask, a man who claims he is the revered al-Jahiz returned, a man who can command the most terrifying of djinn, a man who is holding rallies in the poorest sections of town to profess his intention to address the enormous social inequalities of this world, a man who is capable, at every turn, of besting Fatma and her girlfriend Siti who seems to possess a certain magic of her own, a man who is bent on the destruction of the Ministry, Cairo, and this world, will be much harder.
The world that Clark has built here is indeed magical and fantastical and even those who have not read the previous novellas set in this same world (me!) will appreciate the detail about the world and the way it works here. Fatma is a quirky character, with her sharp sartorial sense--each of her suits lovingly described--and her curmudgeonly response to being assigned eager, new agent Hadia as a partner. She says that the reappearance of Siti in her bed has muddled her a bit but without her somewhat mysterious girlfriend and Siti's contacts, Fatma herself, as sharp and as smart as she is supposed to be, would make zero progress on the case. And it does seem as if there is a lot of running from pillar to pole to add more plot elements. Perhaps this is because Clark normally writes in shorter form but occasionally this feels quite forced. For instance, the man in the gold mask has no need of the rallies to win over the Cairenes given his ultimate goal but without the rallies, Fatma would never track him down. The political bickering at a peace conference felt inserted simply to remind the reader that Europe is in the run up to WWI rather than serving this particular story. And the unmasking in the end is completely, and perhaps intentionally, predictable. Despite this, Clark's novel was ultimately an engrossing story, filled with piquant commentary on anti-colonialism, racism, misogyny, mentorship, and relationship. It has convinced me to keep a more open mind toward the genre for sure.
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LibraryThing member jakeisreading
3.5 stars
When a wealthy Englishman and the members of his secret society are found burnt alive with their clothing left miraculously intact, Special Agent Fatma is called to the scene. She discovers they were a Brotherhood dedicated to uncovering the secrets of Al-Jahiz and learns that the murderer
Clark’s alternate history Egypt is without a doubt one of the most alluring and vibrant settings in modern fantasy. It’s a steampunk playground of magic, technology and social revolution that jumps off of the page and demands to be explored. His Dead Djinn universe is the only fantasy I’ve come across that celebrates Arab culture and features Muslim protagonists, which in itself is exciting.
In this instalment, Clark delves a little further into how Cairo’s status has shaped international politics. This is done more playfully than seriously, with his depiction of European leaders and English aristocracy almost approaching caricature. I read somewhere that, despite the serious source material, Clark wrote Ring Shout to be more fun than commentary, and a little of that tone is present in A Master of Djinn.
Beyond this and further developing Djinn lore, much of the story is similar to the previous novellas, and Clark sticks with police procedural (though the stakes are arguably higher). This whodunnit formula meant that I saw a couple of plot developments coming from a mile away which diminished the tension somewhat, and Fatma has some pretty questionable interviewing and sleuthing skills for the sake of maintaining mystery.
Regardless, the book is a lot of fun and it was great to be back in Clark’s incredible world. I really enjoyed the concept of homegrown magic beating imperialism, which reminded me a little of The Unbroken.
I also got strong Legend of Korra vibes from A Master of Djinn: a modern city struggling to catch up with its own exponential rate of change, and a masked stranger sowing seeds of unrest among the population.
I found a new favourite character in Hadia, a good Muslim woman who doesn’t let long skirts get in the way of completely dominating in hand-to-hand combat. The creepy race of clockwork giants who call themselves angels also make a return, and I suspect they will be central to the story in the next book.
A Master of Djinn is another example of Clark’s talent in creating immersive stories that play with magic and modern history. It can be picked up without having read the previous instalments, but for the sake of in-world chronology (and because I loved the novellas so much), I recommend reading them in order of publication.
When a wealthy Englishman and the members of his secret society are found burnt alive with their clothing left miraculously intact, Special Agent Fatma is called to the scene. She discovers they were a Brotherhood dedicated to uncovering the secrets of Al-Jahiz and learns that the murderer
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claims to be the mystic himself, returning after 40 years. Fatma sets out to uncover the true identity of the imposter, and bring him to justice before he can bring Cairo to its knees.Clark’s alternate history Egypt is without a doubt one of the most alluring and vibrant settings in modern fantasy. It’s a steampunk playground of magic, technology and social revolution that jumps off of the page and demands to be explored. His Dead Djinn universe is the only fantasy I’ve come across that celebrates Arab culture and features Muslim protagonists, which in itself is exciting.
In this instalment, Clark delves a little further into how Cairo’s status has shaped international politics. This is done more playfully than seriously, with his depiction of European leaders and English aristocracy almost approaching caricature. I read somewhere that, despite the serious source material, Clark wrote Ring Shout to be more fun than commentary, and a little of that tone is present in A Master of Djinn.
Beyond this and further developing Djinn lore, much of the story is similar to the previous novellas, and Clark sticks with police procedural (though the stakes are arguably higher). This whodunnit formula meant that I saw a couple of plot developments coming from a mile away which diminished the tension somewhat, and Fatma has some pretty questionable interviewing and sleuthing skills for the sake of maintaining mystery.
Regardless, the book is a lot of fun and it was great to be back in Clark’s incredible world. I really enjoyed the concept of homegrown magic beating imperialism, which reminded me a little of The Unbroken.
I also got strong Legend of Korra vibes from A Master of Djinn: a modern city struggling to catch up with its own exponential rate of change, and a masked stranger sowing seeds of unrest among the population.
I found a new favourite character in Hadia, a good Muslim woman who doesn’t let long skirts get in the way of completely dominating in hand-to-hand combat. The creepy race of clockwork giants who call themselves angels also make a return, and I suspect they will be central to the story in the next book.
A Master of Djinn is another example of Clark’s talent in creating immersive stories that play with magic and modern history. It can be picked up without having read the previous instalments, but for the sake of in-world chronology (and because I loved the novellas so much), I recommend reading them in order of publication.
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LibraryThing member bell7
Fatma works for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities, helping keep Cairo safe and secure now that djinn are roaming the earth and living among us. When a group of Englishmen are killed by someone calling himself al-Jahiz, Fatma and her new, unwanted partner Hadia, race
This first novel by Clark is a doozy, a lot of fun if you enjoy fantasy, steampunk, and mystery. The setting of 1912 Cairo is superbly imagined with prolific descriptions giving you a taste of the architecture, clothing style, and more. You don't have to be familiar with the prior stories set in this world to read the novel, but at the very least I do recommend reading "A Dead Djinn in Cairo" over on Tor.com to first introduce you to the characters and their world. And the characters are indeed fabulous, from Fatma and her tailored suits, to her lover Siti, to Hadia and the other co-workers in the Ministry. I can't wait to see what Clark does next.
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to discover why and how, and attempt to arrest this slippery fellow who has the city in an uproar.This first novel by Clark is a doozy, a lot of fun if you enjoy fantasy, steampunk, and mystery. The setting of 1912 Cairo is superbly imagined with prolific descriptions giving you a taste of the architecture, clothing style, and more. You don't have to be familiar with the prior stories set in this world to read the novel, but at the very least I do recommend reading "A Dead Djinn in Cairo" over on Tor.com to first introduce you to the characters and their world. And the characters are indeed fabulous, from Fatma and her tailored suits, to her lover Siti, to Hadia and the other co-workers in the Ministry. I can't wait to see what Clark does next.
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LibraryThing member Shrike58
Over the past few years, the author's tales of the women and men of the Egyptian Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities have given me as much pleasure as any other genre fiction that I've read, and the first full novel set in milieu I really have no problems giving it top
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marks. This time out Agent Fatma el-Sha'arawi is front and center again, and yeah, she's basically going to have to save the world again, as what starts out as an investigation into a very lurid case of mass murder turns out to have much bigger implications. One of things that Clark does to expand his story is to consider the impact of magic on early-20th century international relations, as Cairo is holding its first diplomatic congress, as befits its role as a major power. I look forward to seeing how Clark continues to expand his reach in these stories. Show Less
LibraryThing member sennebec
Take a cup of steampunk, add in a generous dollop of Middle Eastern myth, some history, plenty of action, and interesting characters. Flavor with just the right amount of red herring and stir. When served, readers will find the mixture easily keeps their interest and will provide a satisfying
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plunge into a new world. Show Less
LibraryThing member macha
the first full-length novel set in the Dead Djinn Universe, an alternate-history steampunk world of magic. it wouldn't hurt to have read the earlier short-form works "A Dead Djinn in Cairo" and "The Haunting of Tram Car 015", which introduces these characters and their adventures. very action
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oriented, this careens through a well developed story, with an energy that's infectious. i hope he writes more into this world in future. Show Less
LibraryThing member BethYacoub
This is not your grandfather's Cairo BUT is it mine?? I don't think so. I listened to the previous novella via Audible and loved it! I tried listening to this book as well and even though the narrator is the same, I just couldn't get into the story. I found it difficult to care about what was
This one is a DNF for me at ~ 50%. I tried over and over to psych myself up to go back to it but, ultimately, I failed.
~ Sorry
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happening or for the characters... an unforgivable travesty that is difficult to overlook and power through in my opinion.This one is a DNF for me at ~ 50%. I tried over and over to psych myself up to go back to it but, ultimately, I failed.
~ Sorry
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LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba
This is a solid novel that has managed to new way to do steam punk and in a setting not explored yet. I found it to go on a bit too much, but maybe that is just me. The ending is over the top, and there was a much easier solution. Also, the mystery was fairly transparent. I was fairly certain who
I really liked the setting- Cairo has always been a multicultural place, where people from all places move to. And I think the author has that spot on, with the all the restaurants, the diversity of the shops, everything you would find in a city that is made of many people.
I also think that this book is too modern for its setting, specifically in attitudes of acceptance of people who are different. It really felt like a modern fantasy pushed on top of a setting that isn't modern.
So to sum up - Its not a perfect book, but it is fun. Its a fast read, with interesting characters.
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our bad guy was fairly early in the book. I really liked the setting- Cairo has always been a multicultural place, where people from all places move to. And I think the author has that spot on, with the all the restaurants, the diversity of the shops, everything you would find in a city that is made of many people.
I also think that this book is too modern for its setting, specifically in attitudes of acceptance of people who are different. It really felt like a modern fantasy pushed on top of a setting that isn't modern.
So to sum up - Its not a perfect book, but it is fun. Its a fast read, with interesting characters.
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LibraryThing member kevn57
4 stars
The worldbuilding was fantastic, I enjoy steampunk but just about every steampunk book I've read were either set in London or felt like London. Clark's Cario is nothing like London. I think the worldbuilding is helped along by the real and subtly subverted world history details that only a
I love books about books and while this wasn't strictly the case, plenty of the
clues for the mystery were either in books, or revealed through books when the character was spellbound not to speak or write about something.
Endless books. Everywhere. In shelves. Stacked onto tables. In towering piles that looked like orderly mounds of art. But it was the size of the room that stood out. The apartment was immense, with archways and columns, and a wide stone floor. She looked back through the still-open doorway that showed the narrow stairs and then to the scene before her.
“It’s bigger on the inside than the outside?” Hadia whispered, incredulous.
Apparently so. Djinn magic was sometimes perplexing.
I liked Fatma and Siti the best but "creepy" Ahmad almost stole the show.
I haven't read any of the authors other stories but I'm so glad I now have three more trips into this world.
The worldbuilding was fantastic, I enjoy steampunk but just about every steampunk book I've read were either set in London or felt like London. Clark's Cario is nothing like London. I think the worldbuilding is helped along by the real and subtly subverted world history details that only a
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historian would think of including, the bigotry for example.I love books about books and while this wasn't strictly the case, plenty of the
clues for the mystery were either in books, or revealed through books when the character was spellbound not to speak or write about something.
Endless books. Everywhere. In shelves. Stacked onto tables. In towering piles that looked like orderly mounds of art. But it was the size of the room that stood out. The apartment was immense, with archways and columns, and a wide stone floor. She looked back through the still-open doorway that showed the narrow stairs and then to the scene before her.
“It’s bigger on the inside than the outside?” Hadia whispered, incredulous.
Apparently so. Djinn magic was sometimes perplexing.
I liked Fatma and Siti the best but "creepy" Ahmad almost stole the show.
I haven't read any of the authors other stories but I'm so glad I now have three more trips into this world.
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LibraryThing member SandyAMcPherson
Clark's novel was quite an "up and down" narrative for me, although I do recommend it for the concept of a steampunk mystery novel with an imaginative setting in an alt-Cairo, plus assertive female characters (I especially admired Fatwa and Siti).
While the main characters are interesting, the story
Much of the warring and convoluted intrigue was too long and took away from moving the story forward. Unfortunately, the finale was sort of a letdown,because the AW allusion as to who was the fraud gave away the reveal too soon . Based on the author's accomplished plotting in earlier novellas, this novel could have been handled more adroitly.
While the main characters are interesting, the story
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loses its punch with action that was choppy, and sometimes, rather boring in the sense of here we go again repetitive.Much of the warring and convoluted intrigue was too long and took away from moving the story forward. Unfortunately, the finale was sort of a letdown,
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LibraryThing member KittyCunningham
This was fun and I'll read the next one.
LibraryThing member SChant
Could have done with tighter editing to weed out unnecessary infodumps and keep the story a bit more coherent - some of it is very confusing, with too many pages of fight scenes - but overall it's a lively and entertaining read within an intriguing world of djinns crossed with a bit of steampunk in
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early 20th century Egypt. Show Less
LibraryThing member Tikimoof
This ended up not being very satisfying. The answers seemed obvious to the reader many chapters before Fatma figured them out (usually by somebody telling her, not by her own deduction). Absolutely no subtlety.
I just wish Fatma was more capable on her own. As it is, she seems a petty tyrant hiding
3 stars for the rest of the setting, which is still super duper awesome. I love the research that has gone into things, and I love basically every other character but Fatma.
Side note: weird choice to have Wilhelm II be even remotely sympathetic, but I guess he gets it by being influenced by some outside force either way.
I just wish Fatma was more capable on her own. As it is, she seems a petty tyrant hiding
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her lack of knowledge behind fashion and haughtiness.3 stars for the rest of the setting, which is still super duper awesome. I love the research that has gone into things, and I love basically every other character but Fatma.
Side note: weird choice to have Wilhelm II be even remotely sympathetic, but I guess he gets it by being influenced by some outside force either way.
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LibraryThing member ladycato
I received a galley of this book via NetGalley.
P. Djèlí Clark is one of the best historical fantasy authors out there right now, and his debut novel proves it yet again. I've enjoyed his novellas set in this same magical, steampunk-tinged Cairo as well as his Nebula-nominated Ring Shout, but this
The set-up of the book uses the formula of most mystery novels: it begins by showing a murder, though the victim's perspective. It then switches to the investigation. Fatma is a dapperly-dressed woman, one of few who work within the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities. She's called to the scene of a disturbing mass murder that reeks of magic, and soon encounters something she finds even more disturbing: she has been assigned an enthusiastic new partner. The gruff detective wants no part of this arrangement, but together they start an investigation that abounds in dark magic, conniving angels, and powers no human should command.
The book doesn't shy away from the horrors of colonialism, homophobia, and racism. The world feels realistic, even filled as it is by djinn and spirits and old gods reborn. Fatma is a fantastic heroine--a rare lesbian lead character. She's smart, impeccably-dressed, and I couldn't help but root for her from the very start. The plot of the book has many twists and turns, and while I predicted the identity of the Master of Djinn early on, that didn't spoil my enjoyment one bit.
I hope there are many, many more books set to come in this world.
P. Djèlí Clark is one of the best historical fantasy authors out there right now, and his debut novel proves it yet again. I've enjoyed his novellas set in this same magical, steampunk-tinged Cairo as well as his Nebula-nominated Ring Shout, but this
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novel is even better because it delves deeper into the setting, into the characters.The set-up of the book uses the formula of most mystery novels: it begins by showing a murder, though the victim's perspective. It then switches to the investigation. Fatma is a dapperly-dressed woman, one of few who work within the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities. She's called to the scene of a disturbing mass murder that reeks of magic, and soon encounters something she finds even more disturbing: she has been assigned an enthusiastic new partner. The gruff detective wants no part of this arrangement, but together they start an investigation that abounds in dark magic, conniving angels, and powers no human should command.
The book doesn't shy away from the horrors of colonialism, homophobia, and racism. The world feels realistic, even filled as it is by djinn and spirits and old gods reborn. Fatma is a fantastic heroine--a rare lesbian lead character. She's smart, impeccably-dressed, and I couldn't help but root for her from the very start. The plot of the book has many twists and turns, and while I predicted the identity of the Master of Djinn early on, that didn't spoil my enjoyment one bit.
I hope there are many, many more books set to come in this world.
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LibraryThing member krau0098
Series Info/Source: This is the third book in the Fatma el-Sha'arawi series. I got this book from Netgalley for review.
Story (4/5): This was hands down my most anticipated book of the year and (while I enjoyed reading it and am glad I read it) I did find it a bit disappointing. Now, keep in mind I
The big issue here was pacing and awkward insertions of information that didn't feel in keeping with the series. There are parts of this story I loved and parts that just felt very awkward. For example mid-book Fatma ends up at a political event at the palace and suddenly we are meeting tons of delegates from other countries. It was a huge political diversion and info dump mid story. Tons of names are thrown at you, we find out there are goblins, and none of it really relates to anything we care about. It was really really tough to get through and really didn't match the pace of the rest of the story. This portion was just not well done.
Characters (4/5): I continue to really enjoy Siti and Fatma. They are amazingly strong female characters. Clark does an amazing job writing about strong female characters; in fact he’s so good at it that sometimes I find his male characters a bit lacking. While I love a clever, strong, and tough female character I do like to see some balance as well.
Setting (4/5): The world building is awesome in this series. Clark has created an amazing world here that is engrossing and outstanding. The description is amazing and things are easy to picture. I do think the way some new elements were thrown in (goblins??!!) were a bit clunky but hopefully they will be expanded on in future novels/novellas.
Writing Style (4/5): The main thing I love about this series is the amazing world-building, the tight storytelling, and the strong characterization. While this book contains a good mystery and I really love the world and characters; the story-telling was a lot less polished and felt clunky this time around. Too much extra information and awkward transitions between scenes had me wincing at points. Unfortunately, I think the amazing qualities that Clark displays in novella writing were a bit lacking in this full length novel (a novel that feels very long and lengthy when you read it). Clark might just be better at writing novellas, which is still amazing. I love good novella authors!
My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this but was a bit disappointed. I had very high expectations for this novel and they just weren’t quite met. I continue to love the world and characters, but was a bit disappointed with the pacing and overall mystery. Hopefully these are just growing pains as Clark transitions from writing novellas to novels. I do plan on continuing the series. I just hope that it's either transitioned back to novella style or Clark's writing tightens up a bit and flows better in future novels.
Story (4/5): This was hands down my most anticipated book of the year and (while I enjoyed reading it and am glad I read it) I did find it a bit disappointing. Now, keep in mind I
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did have this book on a pretty high pedestal before reading, my expectations were just really, really high. I have been absolutely infatuated with everything else Clark has written and was super excited to see what he would do with a full length novel.The big issue here was pacing and awkward insertions of information that didn't feel in keeping with the series. There are parts of this story I loved and parts that just felt very awkward. For example mid-book Fatma ends up at a political event at the palace and suddenly we are meeting tons of delegates from other countries. It was a huge political diversion and info dump mid story. Tons of names are thrown at you, we find out there are goblins, and none of it really relates to anything we care about. It was really really tough to get through and really didn't match the pace of the rest of the story. This portion was just not well done.
Characters (4/5): I continue to really enjoy Siti and Fatma. They are amazingly strong female characters. Clark does an amazing job writing about strong female characters; in fact he’s so good at it that sometimes I find his male characters a bit lacking. While I love a clever, strong, and tough female character I do like to see some balance as well.
Setting (4/5): The world building is awesome in this series. Clark has created an amazing world here that is engrossing and outstanding. The description is amazing and things are easy to picture. I do think the way some new elements were thrown in (goblins??!!) were a bit clunky but hopefully they will be expanded on in future novels/novellas.
Writing Style (4/5): The main thing I love about this series is the amazing world-building, the tight storytelling, and the strong characterization. While this book contains a good mystery and I really love the world and characters; the story-telling was a lot less polished and felt clunky this time around. Too much extra information and awkward transitions between scenes had me wincing at points. Unfortunately, I think the amazing qualities that Clark displays in novella writing were a bit lacking in this full length novel (a novel that feels very long and lengthy when you read it). Clark might just be better at writing novellas, which is still amazing. I love good novella authors!
My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this but was a bit disappointed. I had very high expectations for this novel and they just weren’t quite met. I continue to love the world and characters, but was a bit disappointed with the pacing and overall mystery. Hopefully these are just growing pains as Clark transitions from writing novellas to novels. I do plan on continuing the series. I just hope that it's either transitioned back to novella style or Clark's writing tightens up a bit and flows better in future novels.
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LibraryThing member tornadox
New entry in the djinn universe where most of the characters from the earlier stories get to interact. Multiple times. I love Fatma, especially her sartorial style.
LibraryThing member lavaturtle
It took me a little while to get into this one, but once I did, it was a wild ride! I loved the diverse cast of characters and the intriguing setting. Fatma's love of suits! Abagail 's secret villainry! Siti riding a steampunk motorcycle! That crocodile guy! Hadia was also a great character. And the
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ending was perfect. Show Less
LibraryThing member KatyBee
Quite entertaining - a refreshing change from much of the recent fantasy being published.
LibraryThing member eklein86
I love the premise, but the first half of the book was a painfully slow read. If you can make it through the first 150-200 pages, then it goes much faster and more enjoyable from there.
LibraryThing member renbedell
A fantastic fantasy detective book set in Egypt, filled with magic and folklore. The story follows an agent in a magical branch of the ministry, as they try to discover and catch a mass murderer and magical beings. It is a great story, with great characters. It is set in the same universe as P.
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Djeli Clark's novellas, so if you have read and enjoyed those, you will definitely enjoy this novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member ShellyS
Having seen a bunch of glowing reviews for this, I decided to give it a try, and I'm glad I did. Clark has created a delightful version of Egypt in 1912. Decades earlier, a mystic/scholar called al-Jahiz opened a portal between realms, before vanishing, and now magical beings, including djinn,
Fatma, a rare woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities, prefers to work alone, but her superior assigns a newly minted female agent to be her partner, which provides a logical way to present info dumps as Fatma fills in her unwanted partner and their budding friendship helps keep things moving along. This is a breezy read and I hope to be able to read more about Fatma and her adventures in Cairo. My volume included the story that preceded the novel ("A Dead Djinn in Cairo"), which is a nice plus.
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co-exist with humans in an independent Egypt that has benefited from djinn design and technology. But trouble is brewing. When the members of a secret British brotherhood dedicated to al-Jahiz are all murdered in a mystical manner, Agent Fatma el-Sha'arawi must find the killer and prevent an al-Jahiz imposter from recreating al-Jahiz's work to bring yet more powerful beings to Earth. Fatma, a rare woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities, prefers to work alone, but her superior assigns a newly minted female agent to be her partner, which provides a logical way to present info dumps as Fatma fills in her unwanted partner and their budding friendship helps keep things moving along. This is a breezy read and I hope to be able to read more about Fatma and her adventures in Cairo. My volume included the story that preceded the novel ("A Dead Djinn in Cairo"), which is a nice plus.
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