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A review by bisexualwentworth
A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Loved the worldbuilding and the characters and the themes. The pacing was a bit off at times and the mystery plot was a bit obvious, probably as a symptom of the author moving from novellas to novels with this book. I liked all of the choices. I just think the execution could be polished a bit more in future books (which I definitely plan to read).
The narration for the audiobook was kind of odd. If they were going to do accents for the entire book, surely it would have made more sense to find a narrator with an actual Egyptian accent?
If you enjoyed the Kane Chronicles or the Bartimaeus Trilogy as a child and want something that draws from the same mythologies but has a better understanding of imperialism and other issues, A Master of Djinn is definitely a great choice for that.
And it's sapphic!
One other thing: I was under the impression that Islam and magic don't mix and that it's bad to mix the two in fantasy writing, but I haven't seen anyone say anything about that aspect of the book, so it's possible that I was misinformed.
The narration for the audiobook was kind of odd. If they were going to do accents for the entire book, surely it would have made more sense to find a narrator with an actual Egyptian accent?
If you enjoyed the Kane Chronicles or the Bartimaeus Trilogy as a child and want something that draws from the same mythologies but has a better understanding of imperialism and other issues, A Master of Djinn is definitely a great choice for that.
And it's sapphic!
One other thing: I was under the impression that Islam and magic don't mix and that it's bad to mix the two in fantasy writing, but I haven't seen anyone say anything about that aspect of the book, so it's possible that I was misinformed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
Moderate: Gore, Cultural appropriation, Slavery, Colonisation, and Racism
Minor: Police brutality and Sexism