The Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark

May 27, 2022

The Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark

Agent Fatma may be the youngest agent with the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities in Cairo, but she's one of the sharpest in the department. When someone murders the members of a secret society devoted to honoring Al-Jahiz, the Master of Djinn who opened up the world of magic, Fatma is assigned to the case. At the same time, a masked individual claiming to be Al-Jahiz is stirring up unrest in Cairo, urging the residents to revolt again the government and order. Fatma, her girlfriend Siti, and her colleagues must unmask the real murderer to restore peace to the city.

I am glad to see Agent Fatma and the mysterious Siti back for another adventure. Love the descriptions of Fatma's sharp suits, too. I'm looking forward to another installment.

Fatma's Cairo in the early 20th century

The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker

July 9. 2021

The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker

Chava the golem and Ahmad the jinni have both carved out lives for themselves in early 20th century New York City. They are opposites - Chava is a woman of cool clay programmed to help others, while Ahmad is a fiery djinn who prefers to keep to himself. They are friends and spend their sleepless nights walking the streets and rooftops of New York. Their lives intersect with others including an heiress who suffers from a strange illness after a brief encounter with Ahmad and a rabbi's neglected daughter who stumbles into dark magic. Chava has made a life for herself as a teacher, but realizes that her time at the school may be coming to an end since others are beginning to notice that she doesn't age. Ahmad avoids contact with humans after the disastrous effect he had on the heiress, but he has a burning desire to create something magnificent.

This is a follow-up to The Golem and the Jinni, and while not as good, it is still worth reading. The author gives enough of a summary that it's not necessary to go back and re-read the first book. Multiple narrators offer different points of view and their stories are interwoven at the end.

Djinn