Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I went into this expecting to absolutely love it, but I just liked it in the end.
The Dead Djinn Universe is based in an alternative 1910s Cairo, a history in which djinn and magic returned to the world and altered history as we know it. I love this concept, and Clark pulls this off flawlessly. Fatma encounters people from England, Germany, and Russia among other countries, and the attitudes and prejudices they express are believable in a way that this fantasy story feels incredibly grounded in real history. Where this story faltered for me was in the actual intelligence of our main characters - Fatma, Hadia, and Siti were unique and endearing characters, but they were also presented to be clever young savants and excellent at investigating. Why then, did I figure out the ‘twist’ or answer to the big mystery just over halfway through the book, then spent the rest of the time yelling at the characters to pay attention every time my theory was validated again? It was incredibly frustrating. Many things are happening right under Fatma’s nose and she just doesn’t see anything that isn’t said directly to her, I didn’t trust her to understand anything by the end. She had so many qualities I loved, (quoting her mother, her cat, her love for fancy suits and Siti) but she should consider another line of work. I’m not sure if the author simply needed to give the reader fewer hints along the way so the reveal could have been an actual reveal? Despite the fantastic world and characters, the (lack of) mystery took me out of it too often.
I am totally wanting and willing to change my mind! I’m going to read the other books in this Universe to learn more about how Fatma earned her place as Special Investigator.
The Dead Djinn Universe is based in an alternative 1910s Cairo, a history in which djinn and magic returned to the world and altered history as we know it. I love this concept, and Clark pulls this off flawlessly. Fatma encounters people from England, Germany, and Russia among other countries, and the attitudes and prejudices they express are believable in a way that this fantasy story feels incredibly grounded in real history. Where this story faltered for me was in the actual intelligence of our main characters - Fatma, Hadia, and Siti were unique and endearing characters, but they were also presented to be clever young savants and excellent at investigating. Why then, did I figure out the ‘twist’ or answer to the big mystery just over halfway through the book, then spent the rest of the time yelling at the characters to pay attention every time my theory was validated again? It was incredibly frustrating. Many things are happening right under Fatma’s nose and she just doesn’t see anything that isn’t said directly to her, I didn’t trust her to understand anything by the end. She had so many qualities I loved, (quoting her mother, her cat, her love for fancy suits and Siti) but she should consider another line of work. I’m not sure if the author simply needed to give the reader fewer hints along the way so the reveal could have been an actual reveal? Despite the fantastic world and characters, the (lack of) mystery took me out of it too often.
I am totally wanting and willing to change my mind! I’m going to read the other books in this Universe to learn more about how Fatma earned her place as Special Investigator.
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I LOVE THIS WORLD!!!!! what a wonderful cast of delightful weirdos, what an incredible place he made, what a plot that kept me reading super late until i fell asleep against my will two nights in a row!!!!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
adventurous
mysterious
slow-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
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
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
This book was so good, amazing in fact. The way Clark wove the world was masterful. Having read some of the short stories some of the world building sentences felt repetitive. Aside from that this was all I wanted a mystery with fantastical elements set in Egypt with some depth of characters who I enjoyed. If you liked The Tainted Cup or the City of Brass you might like this.