A review by sephiefoxx
A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark

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

4.25

“I don’t have sad tales to tell you. I’m not some tragic character from a story, lost between two worlds. I revel in who I am. What I am.”

There is something deeply addictive about the worldbuilding in this book. I found myself almost immediately enraptured by this fantasy, steampunk version of 1912 Cairo. 

There is a lot going for this book: the deeply rooted mystery, the fascinating worldbuilding, the cast of interesting characters, and of course the prose that maintained an air of humour without. 

It may not be a book without flaws. There were some noticeable cases of repetition throughout, both in the writing style and descriptions - as well as the characters themselves. Conversations that felt like they’d happened before and descriptions pulled out multiple times for the same characters or instances. But all in all, that worldbuilding though. 

This is such a rich and fascinating world of magic, enchantment, and steampunk innovation. It is a world I could happily revisit again and again. And then you sprinkle on top the sapphic romance and the finely tailored suits! I did really enjoy this book, its mystery, its characters, and most importantly its world. And I sure do hope there is even more where that came from going forward.
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