A Master of Djin by P. Djeli Clark

Synopsis
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 fifty 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 . . .

Review
A Master of Djinn is a fabulously magical novel set in an alternative Cairo in 1912. This is a Cairo where the veil to the magical world was lifted fifty years ago by Al-Jahiz, so now the djinn and humans live side by side. When Al-Jahiz suddenly reappears years after disappering the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantaments and Supernatural Entities are called in to investigate, and send their best agent Agent Fatima to investigate after Al-Jahiz is linked to the murder of twenty four people in a Secret Brotherhood. With a new partner, Agent Hadid, Fatima must track down Al-Jahiz, and try to stop him from causing unrest in Cairo and maybe from opening the veil again.

a Master of Djinn is a fabulous cocktail of police procedural, historical, supernatural and magical fiction. It is also a novel where the main characters are all strong, women trying to succeed in a man’s world. Agent Fatima is the first female agent in the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, and has to work hard to prove her worth. She is the most successful agent in the Ministry and respected by her colleagues in the Minisrty and the police. I loved her quirky dress sense, wearing a western suit with waistcoat and bowler hat in bright colours. This definitely reflects her personality, as someone who works and plays hard and enjoys life. However, she is not convinced when she is matched with a new partner Agent Hadia, prefering to work alone. Hadia is also has a strong personality and is eager to prove herself to the woman she looks up to. Watching their relationship develop was interesting, especially as Fatima treated Hadia as a young rookie, not up to the job, the same way men viewed her when he started the job. As for the djinn characters they are fascinating, a huge blue librarian whith anger issues, clockwork angels and djinn that can create illusions. There are a fabulous diverse cast of characters, both human and djinn.

I loved the Cairo that P.Djeli Clark created, it’s diversity, the different areas of the city, the small winding streets, the bazaars and food, it is a real feast for the senses. The magical element sees trams that travel by air, stunning magical architecture, and the use of boiler plate eunuchs that carry messages and serve food and drink. This alternative Cairo also gives way to themes of religion, how the old Egyptian religions to gods and goddess are on the rise and seen as subersive to the state religion, so are kept underground and hidden away as people are afraid of the consequences. The theme of colonialism is also addressed, in the aragance of the British, their superiority over everyone else. P. Djeli Clark builds up the tension in the search for al-Jahiz, sending the reader in many different directions as the suspense rises and the book hurtles towards an action packed and thrilling conclusion.

I loved reading A Master of Djinn, the mix of crime, thriller, magic and supernatural makes for a compelling and immersive read. P. Djeli Clark creates a wonderful alternative Cairo of 1912, with the amazing djinn in all their bright colours and magical qualities, and the mix of the supernatural world living alongside the human world. I was completely immersed in this world and honestly couldn’t put the book down, I hope there is going to be a sequel.

Id like to thank Orbit books and Tracy Fenton from Compulsive Readers for the invite to be part of this blog tour in retun for my honest review.