Title: The Master of Djinn

Author: P. Djèlí Clark

Series: Dead Djinn Universe #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 3/5 stars

The Overview: 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 50 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 her clever girlfriend Siti, 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… -Goodreads

The Review:

A fun read…

Yet oddly not my favorite djinn book. I devoured the entire Bartimaeus series by Jonathan Stroud recently and, as my experience with djinn books is limited, I couldn’t help but compare the two. The djinn in this universe were interesting and helped set a cool, moody atmosphere right from the start. There were some really good scenes throughout, but I couldn’t help but wish they were a little less humanoid and a little more other-worldly. They came across as slightly quirky humans with a bit a magic, but otherwise fit into society without much trouble.

I liked the characters well enough, and actually found one or two of the more minor ones stole the show – their contributions leading to the most memorable parts of the story for me. The MC was likable and adept enough without being over-the-top, which I thought a good balance.

The mystery was enough to keep me engaged through most of the book, although I have to admit I’m a tad disappointed with it. I’m discovering that I’m a bit of a mystery snob. If it doesn’t keep me guessing through at least most of the book, I get ornery. In most cases with the mystery as the secondary component to the story, I’m content with the exotic setting, fun characters, and fantasy elements. However in this case, the mystery was more than a secondary driver to the plot, it WAS the plot. And I think it should’ve required a bit more than my Nancy Drew-level detective skills to solve… is all I’m sayin.

Overall The Master of Djinn was a fun jaunt with a few good twists and I’m glad I read it. Thanks to my Patrons for going on this venture with me!

Recommendations: If you’re in the mood for a transportive, atmospheric fantasy/mystery hybrid, this is a great option, especially if you need something fun and palate-cleansing between denser reads.

Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Jen, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, and Elizabeth! <3

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