Release Date: May 11th, 2021

Genre(s): Adult Fiction, Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, LGBT

Publisher: Tor Books

Pages: 400

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis

A Master of Djinn follows Fatma el-Sha’arawi, the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities, but certaintly far from a rookie. Agent Fatma is called to the case of the murder of a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, al-Jahiz, who opened the veil between the magical and mundane realms before disappearing. The killer claims to be al-Jahiz, and Agent Fatma must solve the mystery of the imposter to save the city, or face the possibility of what could happen otherwise.

Review

If you’re familiar with the kinds of books I love to read, you’ll know that I really enjoy books that blend many genres together. A Master of Djinn does this so wonderfully, combining elements of historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, and mystery set in Cairo in the 1910s. The Dead Djinn Universe were the first stories I’ve read by Clark, and after reading them I’m certainly looking forward to reading more of his works. 

Shortly after receiving a copy of this book, I realized that there were two short stories, A Dead Djinn in Cairo and The Haunting of Tram Car 015, that preface this book. And while they’re not necessary to understand A Master of Djinn, I highly recommend them. They’re excellent reads that set up the stage for this book, and A Master of Djinn even subtly references parts of those books, which thoroughly enjoyed. 

But regardless of whether you’ve read the prior stories, the world in A Master of Djinn is extensive. Just like with Clark’s previous works, this steampunk world is incredibly detailed and immersive. But just as detailed are the characters themselves, in addition to them being so likable. I loved following Agent Fatma in this book, and I definitely want to read about this world even more because of the characters we follow.

Typically the mysteries I’ve read haven’t had a magical element to them, so I’d be guessing what to expect next or what could be a potential clue. But with A Master of Djinn, I was absorbed in a world of magic. So in this case, I felt like I was just following the journey as a reader, and I really enjoyed that aspect of it. I felt like I was learning along with the characters, or learning from the characters’ experiences and intuition themselves, rather than attempting to solve the mystery myself, which was a nice change for me.

The only thing I struggled with throughout this book was the pacing. It wasn’t super consistent and that did impact my reading somewhat. However, this could vary between readers; I personally am a bit more particular about pacing!

Overall, A Master of Djinn is a wonderfully-written book with an incredibly detailed world. I’d highly recommend this to those looking for both strong worldbuilding and likable characters (but do check out the prior installments as well!).

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