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…
I seem to be taking a bit of a circuitous path through P. Djèlí Clark’s work, and that’s ok. He’s fucking incredible & I kinda want to read it all?
The first of his books that I read was RING SHOUT & it was just a mind-blowing experience: gnarly & with moments of stunning violence, but also really funny and emotionally impactful.
Last fall I read THE DEAD CAT TAIL ASSASSINS, a novella that basically did everything I would ever want a fantasy story to do. A fucking amazing book & a world I am desperately hoping to visit again.
So while A MASTER OF DJINN is technically DEAD DJINN UNIVERSE #1, there’s a couple short stories & a novella in this world that were published first. I had it on good authority (strangers on the internet) that A MASTER OF DJINN was a perfectly fine place to start & so that’s what I did! Definitely planning to check out the other stories in this world, but I never felt like I was missing anything here.
The book takes place in a fantastical version of Cairo, in 1912. Our main character is Fatma el-Sha’arawi, an investigator with the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities. Fatma wears a seemingly-never-ending variety of badass suits, carries a cane with a hidden sword in it, is extremely good at her job, and is one of the more engaging and immediately likable protagonists I’ve met all year.
She catches a strange case early in the book: an entire secret society (cult vibes strong) of people who worship a historical figure named al-Jahiz have been brutally murdered. Al-Jahiz disappeared more than 50 years prior, after lifting the veil between our realm and a more magical realm.
But the person claiming responsibility for the crime? None other than al-Jahiz himself.
DUN DUN DUNNNN
Nothing is adding up though, and everyone believes this person is little more than an imposter. It’s up to Fatma to begin unraveling the clues and trying to not just solve the case, but save the whole city in the process.
This was such a fun read! It’s fantasy, first & foremost. But you’ve also got a hard boiled/detective/procedural element happening, as well as a handful of moments that lean pretty far into horror. Add in a bustling world full of djinn & organized crime & steampunkish/mechanical characters, and you’ve got one of the most original novels I’ve read in ages!
The characters are all phenomenal, too. Fatma is a really compelling lead, but she gets plenty of backup from a group of incredible secondary characters.
Clark uses some time-honored police procedural tropes here, the most delightful of which is the introduction of Fatma’s new partner, Hadia. How many times have you seen the grizzled detective working a case, when the fresh-faced new recruit stumbles onto the scene and introduces themself as the new partner?
Fatma works alone, that’s just her thing. But the powers that be have decided she needs to take on a partner. Hadia is no bumbling rookie, though. She’s dedicated, serious, and extremely good at what she does. I adored the dynamics between Fatma & Hadia, as Fatma slowly warms up to her new partner. And then comes to rely on her. And then, perhaps unexpectedly, it’s Hadia that becomes fiercely protective of Fatma. Oof. Loved these two.
Fatma’s sorta-girlfriend Siti also plays a big role in the wider story, but I think the less said about her the better!
I had such a good time with this one. There’s plenty of danger afoot & the characters find themselves in some serious peril, but the overall tone never gets terribly dark. Clark’s characters really shine here; they’re all messy & relatable & funny…just an incredibly enjoyable cast of characters. I definitely need to go back and read the stories/novella, but also I’m hopeful this is a world that Clark plans to explore further! Loved this one so much!
Grimdark Dad 