A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark

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I love this cover!

Reader Friends, I did it again. I was given the opportunity to read this book ages ago and I waited and waited to finally start it. Why? Because I knew once I read it, no other book would be as good and it would just ruin all books for me.
I was not wrong.

This book is absolutely amazing and I can’t wait for more in the series! This book truly has every bit of my catnip in it. A Master of Djinn is an alternate history, set in 1912 Egypt where the djinn are real and living amongst us. There is a badass female agent with the Egyptian Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities who looks amazing in tailored suits and refuses to be held back because she’s a woman. There’s a complicated love interest who mysteriously disappears for months at a time only to return when the world goes to hell. There’s a mysterious character who is using magic to inflict horrifying murders and take over the world. There’s a ton of rich-people problems.

It’s so good friends. So, so good.

Here’s the synopsis from the Publisher:

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…

A Master of Djinn is a fast-paced adventure full of history and djinn lore. I really appreciate when an author gives the reader just enough information about the history of a region and the lore involved to keep a story flowing, and trusts the reader to look up any information they may need for more context. Several times throughout the book, Fatma or one of her colleagues would refer to a magic-related incident from their past without divulging many details. I hope as the series progresses that there will be some novellas or short stories that flesh out those incidents as they sounded like a lot of fun magical action occurred. The action never stops in this fantastical steampunk adventure through Egypt. From a true djinn in a bottle, magical sandstorms, fights in the streets and at fancy parties, the story moves along quickly .

Fatma is a strong and interesting character who felt really alive and whole. Her complicated relationships with religion, work, and her intimate relationship with Siti were all very relatable. Fatma is a true badass who never backed down from a fight, magical or mortal, but was also very vulnerable in her relationship with Siti. It was interesting how even in a magical world there could still be sensitive conversations about differences of religion as the djinn and magic were everywhere. A Master of Djinn also touches on bigger topics like cultural appropriation, racism, and sexism.

I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait to read more from this author!

If you would like to add this book to your collection, you can find ordering information here:

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post also contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.