Having read the novellas set in this wonderful world (I would definitely recommend people read these before they pick this one up) I was really looking forward to diving back into another adventure with Fatma. The beginning of the novel was a little slow, giving people a chance to get used to the world and the character dynamics, and then the plot really kicks up a gear in the second half. I love the characters here, both those familiar from the novellas and new additions (LOVED AHMAD!) and the world is truly fabulous. I did find some of the plot elements a little bit predictable, but overall, this was a very enjoyable book and I hope we get more books in this world in future.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

3.5 stars

This book hadn't really been on my radar until one of the bookstagrammers I follow was talking about the prequel novellas and seeing their glowing recommend I had to try the first novella. I loved this reimagined historic Egypt with this steampunk feel, with magic, myths and inventions. However it was our main character Fatma that really hooked me in that novella, she is strong minded and comfortable in her skin. She is never at loss for a quip even in the unusual and often dangerous situations she finds herself in as a Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities agent.

This book follows Fatma as she called upon to investigate the supernatural death of Lord Worthington and his brotherhood. And although I was so happy to see Fatma in her investigative role along side some of the other characters we were introduced to in the novella. I feel like although I enjoyed this book and all the twists and turns of the instigation it was a bit long, and slowly loosing my engagement, because of that first novella remains my favorite part of this series so far

Fatma el-Sha’arawi might be the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantment and Supernatural Entities but, she’s a celebrity among her peers. She’s known for her impeccable taste in fashion – no one is ever going to see her in anything less than an immaculate suit – but, more than her style, a few months ago she prevented the end of the world. It’s no surprise then that when the head of the Al-Jahiz Secret Brotherhood is murdered, Fatma is the one assigned to the case.

I have been raving about the Dead Djinn universe stories for months now and I’m a huge fan of Clark’s works in general – Ring Shout is probably the best horror novella I’ve ever read. So, when I heard that Clark was finally releasing a full-length story set in his alternate 1910’s Cairo, I was beyond excited for it. I wanted more Fatma, more magic and more djinns and Clark delivered.

I don’t think you have to have read A Dead Djinn in Cairo or The Haunting of Tram Car 015 in order to understand this novel but, you definitely should! They’re awesome, super short and they give a ton of context for the novel.

A Master of Djinn beautifully expands on the world, I very much enjoyed how Clark discussed how the magic reshaped the power dynamics in this alternate world. Cairo is now the center of the world and the European countries that used to have a lot of influences over Egypt are now seen as obsolete and very behind. They are more than happy to use the murder of a rich Englishman as an excuse to meddle again in Egypt’s affairs.

The murder mystery was fun even if I guessed who the culprit was pretty early on. If you have read a few of Clark’s stories, you know most characters aren’t who they appear to be at first. When you know that, it’s easier to know who to look at.

The only thing that prevented me from completely loving the book was that it felt like a debut. The pacing dragged, especially in the second act of the book. If some parts had been edited out, then the whole story would have felt more cohesive and less episodic.

However, don’t take my criticism too harshly, I had a great time reading this book. I feel like I am rediscovering my love for series. There is something very comforting in reading a sequel from a series you love. Reading about Clark’s magical Cairo is always a great time, the world is magical and the characters are memorable. I love Fatma (even if she is annoying sometimes), Siti is a complete badass and Hamed is also great in his own ways (though I have to say that my favorites are the djinns, nobody writes about djinns as well as P. Djéli Clark!).

Even if A Master of Djinn wasn’t as immaculate as Fatma’s suits, I enjoyed it a lot and I can’t wait to read more adventures set in this world!

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. My thanks to Netgalley and Tordotcom for the ARC.

Ah the cover totally got me to read this. No Lie.
This is an alternate 1910s Egypt with a steampunk flavour, but in all honesty, I thought that mentions of the magical tech were too few – I would have loved to get much more detail on it; the balance between fantasy and police procedural is weighted a little too far towards the latter for me, though it evens up in the second half. The action is fast-paced and the mystery unfolds nicely, so even though this is a relatively chunky book, it’s easy to keep turning pages thinking ‘just one more chapter’. Highly recommend if you haven't read these stories yet!

I've begun to count Djeli Clark as one of my favourite authors, this story only builds on the fantastic world they've already created in their richly world-built novellas and short stories.

Come and enter an Egypt where djinn and magic are very much the real deal!

I was initially taken aback, as I read this book on my ereader, to discover that it was not a novella like The Haunting of Tram Car 015 or A Dead Djinn in Cairo. My bad. Once I made it past that discomfort, and got into the swing of the story, I thoroughly enjoyed the slow unfolding of the mystery.
A mythical person, Al-Jahiz, has returned to the city of Cairo to unleash some new/old magic that hasn't been seen for centuries. When Fatma and her crew, including new agent Hadia, start looking into where this imposter came from and how they've gotten their shadowy magic, they find it nearly impossible to gain and retain that knowledge. I liked this as a twist in the mystery, as it allowed for the story to unfold at a bit of a slower pace, and for myself as a reader to finally catch up with where the story had gone.
Clark has crafted a beautiful blend of mystery and fantasy, that for someone who doesn't like mysteries much, this was still and enjoyable experience to watch unfold. I love the setting in early 1900's Cairo, which feels vivid in the eyes of Fatma Siti in particular.

This was so highly anticipated for me after reading P Djèlí Clark’s novellas. Especially when I realised who the book was following.
Unfortunately it was kind of a let down 🙈.
There’s no doubt on Clark’s writing skill. It’s very captivating and easy to read, so I did finish this one pretty quickly.
The story was enjoyable in general but was just a bit off pacing wise for me. It felt like more aspects were being added as the book went on that took away from the initial plot that I was invested in.
The world building was excellent however and this is definitely a world I can see more stories coming from. It’s such a rich and vibrant world with such beautiful descriptions it’s definitely one of my favourite aspects of Clark’s writing.
It’s frustrating because I was sad the novellas weren’t longer but now we get a full length novel and I think that maybe because Clark isn't used to longer storytelling that was why this suffered.
Also Agent Fatima who in just a short novella I fell completely in love with…well she just wasn’t that interesting in this book!
Don’t get me wrong as a character I’m still in love with her feminist and snappy dresser side.
I just felt like she was kind of incompetent as an agent and needed a lot of help along the way.
Hadia who is introduced as Agent Fatima's new partner was the shining star in this book for me. I wish we had more of her in the story and she was definitely the comic relief this book needed. It gave the book a buddy cop movie feel and I loved it.
I would say I want a book with her as the main character but then that’s what I wanted for Fatima so… 😅.
I will definitely read more from P Djèlí Clark in the future and I’m just sad this didn’t live up to my expectations!

This was so highly anticipated for me after reading P Djèlí Clark’s novellas. Especially when I realised who the book was following.
Unfortunately it was kind of a let down 🙈.
There’s no doubt on Clark’s writing skill. It’s very captivating and easy to read, so I did finish this one pretty quickly.
The story was enjoyable in general but was just a bit off pacing wise for me. It felt like more aspects were being added as the book went on that took away from the initial plot that I was invested in.
The world building was excellent however and this is definitely a world I can see more stories coming from. It’s such a rich and vibrant world with such beautiful descriptions it’s definitely one of my favourite aspects of Clark’s writing.
It’s frustrating because I was sad the novellas weren’t longer but now we get a full length novel and I think that maybe because Clark isn't used to longer storytelling that was why this suffered.
Also Agent Fatima who in just a short novella I fell completely in love with…well she just wasn’t that interesting in this book!
Don’t get me wrong as a character I’m still in love with her feminist and snappy dresser side.
I just felt like she was kind of incompetent as an agent and needed a lot of help along the way.
Hadia who is introduced as Agent Fatima's new partner was the shining star in this book for me. I wish we had more of her in the story and she was definitely the comic relief this book needed. It gave the book a buddy cop movie feel and I loved it.
I would say I want a book with her as the main character but then that’s what I wanted for Fatima so… 😅.
I will definitely read more from P Djèlí Clark in the future and I’m just sad this didn’t live up to my expectations!

Absolutely fantastic novel. The worldbuilding is strong, the characters compelling, and everything holds together from the first page to the last. I also highly recommend the audiobook read by Suehyla El-Attar.

My interview with P. Djèlí Clark is here: https://intermultiversal.space/an-interview-with-p-dj%C3%A8l%C3%AD-clark/

P. Djèlí Clark’s debut novel A Master of Djinn builds upon the world already introduced in several fantastic shorter tales – A Dead Djinn in Cairo, The Angel of Khan el-Khalili and The Haunting of Tram Car 015 – and delivers more in every sense. More of this wonderful world of djinn, angels and mechanical marvels in 1912 Cairo. More scope, more scale, more danger and adventure, and more of the marvellous agent Fatma el-Sha’arawi from the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities. The streets of Cairo are fired up when the man responsible for a horrifying mass murder proclaims himself to be Al-Jahiz, the legendary mystic who ushered in this new age of magic and wonder, returned from his long absence. As tensions rise, Fatma has the unenviable task of hunting down and stopping a man who, whether he truly is Al-Jahiz returned or not, wields fearsome powers and seems to know exactly how to get the poor and downtrodden of Cairo on his side.

Whether you’ve read the preceding stories or not, there’s so much to enjoy in this beguiling blend of Egyptian urban fantasy and detective drama, set in a vividly drawn world with a tangible sense of history and an intriguing perspective on ‘modernity’. In Fatma’s world, Egypt – and in particular Cairo – is at the forefront of cultural and technological progression, but at the same time as it’s driving the world forward it’s still struggling with the conflict between modern and traditional values. For all the incredible technology (automated carriages and clockwork automatons are only the tip of the iceberg) and otherworldly beings there are plenty of societal issues too, which Clark tackles head on in both the foreground and background of the main narrative. Even as the supposed Al-Jahiz wreaks bloody violence in the streets, Cairenes deal with income equality, racial and religious discrimination and all manner of believable, real-world problems.

A beautifully-developed world is nothing without great characters and compelling stories, but A Master of Djinn has both in spades. The central mystery here revolves around who this dangerous man claiming to be Al-Jahiz truly is (because surely he can’t actually be the great mystic returned) and what he’s trying to achieve, which Fatma has to work out while juggling, amongst other things, the unwanted burden of a young partner foisted on her by the brass, her complicated relationship with the mysterious woman Siti, and the tedious prejudices of a still heavily-male dominated Ministry and police force. All cool competence and sartorial style on the surface, there’s much more to Fatma than just jaunty suits and bowler hats. She’s an endearing mix of the classic weary investigator and a driven, determined, self-sacrificing badass, and whether she’s drinking in jazz dens, battling ghuls or running down leads, it’s never less than engrossing to watch her work.

These characters – not just Fatma but her new partner Hadia, Siti, and the various agents, officers, priests and other assorted citizens – are easily entertaining enough to carry any story. This particular narrative is a lot of fun in its own right though, providing a cleverly constructed mystery that makes complete sense once the reveal takes place, but until then leaves the reader guessing and happily trying to put the pieces together. There’s a pitch-perfect balance of stakes in play, with considerable danger posed to Egypt and potentially the world as a whole, alongside very personal dramas taking place with Fatma and Siti, Hadia, and the Ministry. For a fantasy reader interested in exploring a thought-provoking alternate world enjoyably different to the regular Western-centric norms, with brilliant characters and smart plotting, delivered by a ferociously talented author with plenty to say, this really does come highly recommended.

Many thanks to Tor.com publishing and P Djèlí Clark for providing a review copy of A Master of Djinn, in exchange for my honest review.

God knows this book took me forever to finish. I’d pick it up, get confused, then set it back down. I almost let my confusion get the best of me, and I almost gave up, but i’m SO glad that I didn’t. This book is fantastic, the world was so beautifully crafted and the characters are full of life. I would recommend this book a million times over and I pray for a second one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for sharing this title. All opinions are my own.

Excellent read for anyone who enjoys fantasy/mythology. Egyptian mythology may be new to some readers, and it sure to entice! Alternate histories are a great vehicle for fantasy storylines, giving just enough familiarity to enhance the magical elements within reality. Also recommend Mary Robinette Kowal's Glamourist Histories for a similar setup. With an engaging plot line and mystery to unravel, the story continues to twist and turn through the end. While I haven't yet read the short stories and novellas by this author, I look forward to them!

I really enjoyed this book, however, there were points where I was left a little confused because the book is from a series, however it can be read by itself.

The excitement behind the plot was gripping and would definitely recommend this to another reader

This is one of the most original works of fiction I've come across in a while. I really enjoyed reading this book.

a really solid debut and an awesome reimagining of history. I really like the steampunk vibes and the character building. I think it would have been fun to read some of the prequel novellas first tho.

A Master of Djinn is a beautifully written alternate history fantasy set in WWI Egypt by Dr. P. Djèlí Clark. Released 11th May 2021 from Macmillan on their Tor/Forge imprint, it's 392 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

This is such a transportive novel. I was reading it at a difficult time in my life; a time when I often simply didn't have the endurance to sit and read (and this is a shocking condition for me - I read constantly - voraciously). The narrative is so beautifully and evocatively written that it enraptured me and gave me a little respite from the real world.

The protagonist (introduced in a currently free prequel available in Tor's website) is a smart, funny, badass sharp dressing investigator with impressive skills. The plotting is tightly written and despite being fantasy, it feels *real* and believable. Fatma's not perfect. She's not supergirl, just breezing through every hurdle. She's good at her job and part of that is knocking up against her limitations and knowing when to accept help from her team.

I really loved the writing. It's good and the dialogue is sublimely readable. The subgenre (fantasy cop procedural set in an alternate world) is one of my absolute favorites and I finished the book impatient for the next. I promptly went back and re-read the earlier stories in the series (two of them are currently free from Tor). This author (already richly rewarded by his peers and fans with multiple nominations and wins for Hugo, Nebula, BFAs, Locus, etc) is also genuinely talented and readable.

This is one of the best books I've read this year (and it's almost November and I'm bumping 700 books reviewed for 2021, so that's a fairly big field of competition). For readers who enjoy fantasy, alternate history, and mystery, this is a very very good book. The protagonist is in a lesbian relationship, but it's not a huge focus of the book; nor is the romance element overplayed in my estimation.

Can't wait to see what comes next.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Loved this inventive Egyptian, queer, magical steampunk novel. This was an engaging, well plotted mystery filled with wonders. The freshest fantasy I've read in quite awhile.

Beautiful descriptions, great setting, very atmospheric. Love the diversity and the own voices. I would say you need to be in an epic fantasy mood to read this. Do not approach if you are looking for light, fluffy reading!

I greatly enjoyed the short stories A Dead Djinn in Cairo, The Haunting of Tram Car 015 and The Angel of Khan el-Khalili, so when I heard there was a full length novel set not only in the same universe, but featuring one of the protagonists, I was totally on board.

The book delivered exactly what it promised: and intriguing alternate historical setting with a story focussed on 1912 Cairo featuring lots of magic and mysteries.
I loved the blend of technologies, magic, history and mythology, and it was pulled of excellently.

Fatma is a great protagonist, and the side characters were all super cool too. I especially liked the cameos from the other short story protagonists and important characters. The book can definitely be read without reading the short stories first, but they are great and add so much enjoyment to this one I highly recommend to do so.

The plot was great and similar enough to the short stories to bring the same appeal, but scaled way bigger to fit the much longer format, and it worked out well. At times I did however feel like the revelations in-character were going a bit too slow for me as a reader.
Still, I enjoyed myself greatly.

Back in 2017, I discovered P. Djeli Clark on the Tor.com website.  Tor had posted a short story he had written called, "A Dead Djinn in Cairo".  Set in a steampunk insdpired Cairo in the early 1900's, the main character Fatma el-Sha’arawi is an officer of the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities. The only female officer in the field, she sets about solving the case of a murdered djinn.  I loved this story so much that I saved the link to it on my ipad & would go back and read it occasionally. So, needless to say, I was super excited when P. Djeli Clark announced that he was coming out with a full length adventure set in this world.

The year is 1912 and Fatma is still working as a detective at the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities. She is assigned a murder investigation when someone murders twenty members of a secret brotherhood devoted to Al-Jahiz. Complicating matters is the fact that almost all of the murdered people were white Europeans. There murderer claims to be Al-Jahiz returned. He proceeds to incite unrest in Cairo while block Fatma's investigation at every turn. So, Fatma must solve the mystery, unmask the imposter and save her beloved Cairo from further destruction all the while dealing with a new, and unwanted partner.

Merriam Webster defines steampunk as, "science fiction dealing with 19th-century societies dominated by historical or imagined steam-powered technology". I love steampunk. Unfortunately, there are not many steampunk writers left. My guess is that the book industry became oversaturated with steampunk as it was the "new" genre to write about. So many of the steampunk novels that did get publish were just copies of one another.  They are almost always (almost) set in England with white characters. The may explore a few societal women issues in them, but that is about it. Very rarely are minorities a character or anything to do with minority issues. Unfortunately, the majority are also labelled as romance novels which prevents many new readers from picking up the books.  Clark has turned steampunk on its head.

This is an amazing novel on so many levels.  Let's start with the setting and genre. Setting the base of his universe in Cairo immediately injects life and vibrancy to the story. Egyptian history is not something that most Americans are knowledgeable about with the exception of some pharaohs and Cleopatra. Within A Master of Djinn, Clark is able to weave in true historical references while also putting them in context of a non-European point of view.  Also, the exploration of the different parts of Cairo and the various cultures that have settled there add a richness to the story that we don't often get in steampunk.  Clark has injected this genre with new life just from this alone.

Character-wise, I love Fatma.  I love Siti. Let's be honest: I love all of the characters, even the villains. They come off as real people.  Complex and complicated. They have issues that each one deals with outside of the mystery. The relationships between characters feels organic and true to life. Another thing to note is that this universe is LGTBQ+ friendly. There are gay, bisexual and even a possible trans character (I have seen people call this character trans.  Personally, I don't think she is, but I could be wrong). . These relationships are presented a a normal, everyday occurrence which is refreshing in it's own right.  A lot of time portraying LGTBQ+ relationships try to hard. I think by making them so matter of fact within this universe, Clark has legitimized his LGTBQ+ characters without sacrificing authenticity of them as people.

The mystery itself was really engaging.  I wanted to know who killed the brotherhood.  So often in fantastic fiction, the mystery is sacrificed in the name of presenting cool ideas about the in-book universe, but here the mystery drives the plot and the characterization so that no element of the novel is sacrificed for another. There was not really a last minute twist or deus ex machina (plot armor) to wrap up the mystery.  The solution, the identities of the fake Al-Jahiz and the true villain made sense and were logical. I loved it!

As you can tell, I absolutely loved this novel! I have not been disappointed with anything that P. Djeli Clark has written so far.  This is definitely an author to put on your must read list.