'A Master Of Djinn' by P Djèlí Clark,
is the first full length novel in his 'Dead Djinn' universe, an alternative pre-WWI Cairo, Egypt, where the magical and otherworldly live side by side with the mundane and the mortal.
And where the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities investigate disturbances between the two.
So when a mysterious individual claiming to be al-Jahiz, one of the most famous men in this reimagined world; who fifty years previously managed to open the veil between the earthly and the ethereal, then promptly vanishing, suddenly reappears at a secret brotherhood devoted him and immediately murders all that were present, it's up to the Ministry to solve the case.
In steps dapper agent Fatma el-Sha'arawi, the youngest woman at the Ministry, and known mostly for her bowler hat and sharp suits as she is for solving cases. Reluctantly partnered with wide eyed rookie Agent Hadia, and with the occasional help from the mysterious Siti, they set about unravelling the clues and cracking the case.
This was a delight to read. I've previously read the other short stories / novellas in this wonderful universe that P Djèlí Clark has imagined - The Angel of Khan el-Khalili, A Dead Djinn In Cairo, The Haunting Of Tram Car 015 (which are actually alluded to in conversations between characters during this story, although not essential to the plot, they are nice Easter Eggs for fans of the series) - and it was a real pleasure to return to this world and get reacquainted with the characters again!
The world building and the character development are a standout. Clark has crafted a vision of a vivid cosmopolitan city that feels very lived in, so full of life and details that you could easily find youself transported from reading the page to standing in the streets of this alternate Cairo and experiencing it for yourself. I also liked the strong female cast of characters, with their own distinct charms and personalities shining through. From the rapport between Fatma and Hadia - essentially the classic grumpy mentor / rookie dynamic - which takes time to develop as they get to know each other, Fatma's sapphic relationship with Siti, as well as the other interactions with the secondary and minor characters throughout the story, I felt they all worked really well, everyone had a sense of realism, feeling fleshed out and very human.
'A Master Of Djinn' is a slow paced but riveting read that works well in this longer format, giving the story more room to breathe whilst weaving in the twists and turns, the politics and the commentary, the magic and the mundane, the seriousness and the humour, into the narrative as the plot slowly unfurls itself before all is revealed in this magical murder mystery.
If you want to escape reality for a while, then you could do worse than lose yourself in this imaginative and highly enjoyable world crafted by P Djèlí Clark. Recommended!
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