Master of Djinn - P. Djèlí Clark

⭐ 9.0/10

(Originally written by Magdalene)

Fatma is the only female inspector in the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities in an alternate historical Cairo where, a couple decades ago, a man named al-Jahiz poked a hole in the universe and allowed djinn back in the world. Now there's been a mass murder and Fatma and her new partner are on the tail of a person claiming to be al-Jahiz, back to condemn the modern age.

This book was SO fun, and the world is just fascinating. This novel is preceded by two short novellas, which I've read, that give you a bit of an introduction to the world. It's helpful to read those first, but not necessary. Anyway, this book is just a wild ride, and the sense of place is amazing, which is especially great because it's so different from the usual fare we get in North America. It's filled with great, diverse characters, and is highly feminist, even though it was written by a man. I recommend it on audio, because the narrator is great, and the accents and everything really add to the story.