Reviews

A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark

claireltravers's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

emmiemk's review against another edition

adventurous funny tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

maria_ionela's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

"A Master of Djinn" by P. Djèlí Clark is a exhilarating blend of Mystery Fantasy and Steampunk.
Set in an alternate Egypt, filled with djinn, mechanical angels and ghouls, we follow special investigator for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, Fatma and her new partner Hadia, in a captivating and action-packed investigation.
Everything from the unique setting with a immersive worldbuilding, magic and technology, to the significant character and relationship development, the cultural respect, the creative play on a certain story from "The One Thousand and One Nights", absolutely everything was crafted with so much dedication, love and consideration.
It was such a joy to read "A Master of Djinn", a novel that became an instant favorite that I am going to revisit over and over.
For the best reading experience I highly recommend starting with the novellas and short story set in the "Dead Djinn Universe" and then proceeding to the main novel. They are "A Dead Djinn in Cairo", "The Angel of Khan el-Khalili" (one of my favorite short stories of all times), both available to be read for free on TOR.COM and "The Hunting of Tram Car 015".

You can now support my passion for books with a small donation here https://ko-fi.com/mariareadssff

crico's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed a lot about this book. It was really entertaining and the cast of characters was really enjoyable, especially their different interactions with each other. However, I will say I spotted the villain as soon as they were introduced and that was a bit annoying 

mystery_jb's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

sarahastley's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

bookwyrm76's review against another edition

5.0

Dense and a chunk of a book. Wish I had realized the short story was included at the end of the ebook before I read it instead of after, but still glad it was there. I really liked the world building and the characters. A bit steam punk, bit fantasy, and a dose of social commentary done well.

mitskacir's review against another edition

4.0

After reading one of the short story prequels, I was excited about Clark's full length novel in the Djinn Universe and felt very satisfied with the longer format. The book is fairly slow paced, with a lot of time conducting interviews in an attempt to piece together the crime, and lots of detailed descriptions of what everyone is (very fashionably) wearing. However, I enjoyed these parts more than the action scenes, since the characters are fun and interesting and the dialogue is generally quippy. I liked how Siti and Fatma's relationship developed more in this book, and it felt more believable and fleshed out than in the prequel. Clark really paints a picture, and I had a good time imagining the decadent (sometimes illusory) interiors and the fantastical djinn.

My one issue with the book is probably the resolution of the conflict. This scene was action packed but sometimes confusing, and the magic ring became a bit hand-wavy in parts. It almost felt like the issue of the Nine Ifrit Lords was solved a bit too easily, and I'm conflicted in how I feel about the justice served to the Imposter.

Note: While not necessary, I was glad that I had read [b:A Dead Djinn in Cairo|29635542|A Dead Djinn in Cairo (Dead Djinn Universe, #0.1)|P. Djèlí Clark|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459173382l/29635542._SX50_.jpg|49993780] prior to reading this one. It gave some good foundation, particularly the relationship with Siti and the Clock. I have not read the other prequels, so not sure how those would have influenced my understanding/enjoyment.

kytah's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

mschwartz315's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0