Reviews

El Señor de los Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark

mneill's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

fishsticks26'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

mxunsmiley's review against another edition

5.0

Decidedly different from his novella, Ring Shout, which really threw me off but I think it showcases Clark's versatility as an author, something I haven't come across in a while. The writing style is wildly different though appropriate--it's fast-paced and has you constantly guessing while also giving us logical answers. I was able to guess who the culprit really was maybe 10-20 pages before it was revealed but I loved it!

Spoiler

I loved the commentary on white feminism in this book. It was very sharp and fitting for this age of white girlbosses in fiction. It was especially astute in how the villain, Abigail, compares herself to Fatma, how white women pretend to be on the same footing as women of color even as they simultaneously position themselves as superior through their actions, how they are agents of white supremacy and colonialism just as much as their white male counterparts. I also loved the dualism between them in general--how the tale which hints at Abigail being the true culprit can also represent Fatma as she dresses in men's clothes and takes on a traditionally male occupation.

I did appreciate a lot of the commentary on slavery and colorism as well.

Spoiler

I especially liked how the djinn didn't all simply obey the Nine Lords as you might expect. It contradicts how many viewed slaves as passively accepting their enslavement and instead rightfully shows they have a will of their own.

One thing I had an issue with was how it left the latter problem hanging; the book addressed it a lot but there was decidedly no resolution regarding it, I feel. Hadia mentions wanting to bring it up at the Egyptian Feminists meeting, but specifically women from the Cairo slums, not darker-skinned people.

If you love butch heroines who solve mysteries with other capable women of color in a fantasy setting, you will definitely love this book. I don't think many books can be described that way honestly which is very refreshing. It also doesn't feel gimmicky or like pandering at all. Clark was thorough in how he created this world in A Master of Djinn.

niamh_elizabeth_books's review against another edition

dark mysterious

3.75

blogthatbook's review against another edition

4.0

I'm a fan!
Clark has imagined an amazing and beautiful world here, full of colour, vibrance and vision. This world is so well realised you literally lose yourself in the writing, which itself is gorgeously flowing.
Every character in this story is an absolute gem. Even the city itself feels like a character in a lot of ways. Fatma, the enigmatic lead role, with her immaculate sharp suits and bowler hat, leisurely wonders her way through these pages and I for one would happily follow her on any adventure. Her girlfriend, Siti, is a wise-cracking, unflappable, badass, who emerges as not what she seems toward the end. But I'll not spoil that for you.
Speaking of the end. My big letdown to this wonderful book was the finale. To my mind, it was just too much. It felt more like a low-budget B-movie climax instead of the intelligent and subtle ending I was expecting. This entire book is incredibly well paced with a fantastically even flow through the slower scenes and into the action, without any sense of being rushed or forced. Unfortunately, the final big battle scene was the opposite, almost like the author just wanted to get it over with. But this is just my opinion and you may well consider me completely wrong when you read this. And I do, very much, recommend you read this book. You'll enjoy it, I'm sure.

mschat12's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny 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? Yes

4.75

mels_reading_rook's review against another edition

3.0

While I enjoyed the central mystery of the story, there were several things that took away from my experience. For being a highly regarded senior agent for the government, Fatma had difficulty putting together things that were fairly obvious - including many of the twists in the investigation - and despite living in a world filled with magic and strange creatures, some of the lines she drew in the sand for what she believed exists seemed arbitrary and not well explained. The pacing of the story also suffered due to several asides that were taken to explain pieces of the world's history, even if it only had the barest relevance to what was currently going on.

The buildup for the villain was very cool, and it portrayed a certain ruthlessness that was scary to see the main characters face off against. But when the villain was finally revealed, they also suddenly turned inept and went "well since you caught me, I shall now execute my evil plan for world domination and mass slavery of magical creatures!" That paired with how most of the final confrontation played out was underwhelming to me for what was built up.

I don't recommend anyone read this book without reading any of the short stories like I did. I thought I could jump in without any previous context, but I was mistaken. I felt I was missing pieces of the world and characters' relationships and histories (though some of their histories were explained throughout in short bursts). One of the focal points of the mystery relies on an element of one of the short stories, so when that piece of the mystery was brought into play, it didn't have the same gravity for me as it would for someone who read that short story. There's a point where a group of characters are all brought together, and it felt like it was supposed to be a big-deal-reunion moment and I was supposed to feel excited to finally see all these characters in a room together, but because I didn't read the short stories, it fell flat for me.

The world is really interesting, and like I said, the central mystery is a lot of fun. I definitely think this is worth giving a try, but only after reading all the short stories before it.

_durnin's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

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

2.75

tazwarf's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

Cool world building. But plot was really underwhelming. And Fatma is an insufferable main character that feels like the female version of a fedora guy. 

idowwa's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0