3.5 stars
An enjoyable police procedural with supernatural elements. P Djèlí Clark's Djinn flavoured steampunk version of early 20th Century Cairo is a rich and rewarding backdrop for storytelling. I was already familiar with the exploits of Agent Fatma el-Sha’arawi of the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities from earlier novellas.
In this first novel in the setting, Fatma has a new partner Hadia. She is thrilled! The first case the pair must investigate is a doozie. A couple of dozen folk have been magically barbecued to death in the mansion of eccentric the English Basha Alastair Worthington. All members of a seccret society colecting the relics of the legendary al-Jahiz, who freed the Djinn and other supernatural being to roam the streets of Cairo, and to springboard Egypt to Great Power Status.
And now a man claiming to be Al-Jahiz is roaming the streets of Cairo, promising a grand new age. Fatma suspects he might be responsible for the murders. So the game is afoot!
The tale is slow to build up steam, taking nearly half its length to hit its straps. Once there it is a fast and tesnse chase to the climax, with escalating dangers, twists and surprises, with dire consequences in the case of failure for all the participants. A masterclass in Djinn contract lawyering makes for a satisfying conclusion.
An enjoyable police procedural with supernatural elements. P Djèlí Clark's Djinn flavoured steampunk version of early 20th Century Cairo is a rich and rewarding backdrop for storytelling. I was already familiar with the exploits of Agent Fatma el-Sha’arawi of the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities from earlier novellas.
In this first novel in the setting, Fatma has a new partner Hadia. She is thrilled! The first case the pair must investigate is a doozie. A couple of dozen folk have been magically barbecued to death in the mansion of eccentric the English Basha Alastair Worthington. All members of a seccret society colecting the relics of the legendary al-Jahiz, who freed the Djinn and other supernatural being to roam the streets of Cairo, and to springboard Egypt to Great Power Status.
And now a man claiming to be Al-Jahiz is roaming the streets of Cairo, promising a grand new age. Fatma suspects he might be responsible for the murders. So the game is afoot!
The tale is slow to build up steam, taking nearly half its length to hit its straps. Once there it is a fast and tesnse chase to the climax, with escalating dangers, twists and surprises, with dire consequences in the case of failure for all the participants. A masterclass in Djinn contract lawyering makes for a satisfying conclusion.