Reviews with content warning for Body horror - A Dead Djinn in Cairo

❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜 my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara 💜 💙 💚 💛 🧡 ❤️

I think I'd love this if I could stand steampunk. The setting was great, the writing fantastic, I don't care for the steampunk, but I enjoyed the plot nonetheless.

I really did hate the whorephobia though, stop shitting on sex workers you assholes.

content warnings
medium suicide, body horror,

major gore, murder, death, gun violence, body horror, unreality, anti sex worker sentiment, whorephobia,

Content Warnings

for_esme_with_love's review

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

An intriguing introduction to Clark's steampunk fantasy Cairo. It went by a little quick but I am interested to dig into the full length book next!

Content Warnings

alayamorning's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny lighthearted mysterious reflective fast-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

4.0

Content Warnings

ceallaighsbooks's review

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

“Many believe al-Jahiz tore a hole to the Kaf,” the Jann said. “It’s better stated by saying that he unlocked a door by finding a particular moment in space and time unique to the Kaf. That, in turn, weakened the barriers of other worlds, allowing magic and beings beyond the djinn to find their way into this one. There are worlds upon worlds that exist. Finding their locks requires knowing their unique places in the pattern.”

TITLE—A Dead Djinn in Cairo

AUTHOR—P. Djèlí Clark

PUBLISHED—2016

GENRE—alternative historical fantasy

SETTING—an alternative historical Cairo in the 1920s

MAIN THEMES/SUBJECTS—magic, power, corruption

WRITING STYLE—⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

CHARACTERS—⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️—Ob*sess*ed with the characters.

PLOT—⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BONUS ELEMENT/S—I LOVED the atmosphere of this book!! The world building was outstanding!

PHILOSOPHY—⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“When I was in school in Luxor I would see these photographs of Englishmen and Frenchmen who visited Egypt, before the djinn came. Mostly they were in suits. But sometimes they’d put on a jellabiya and headscarf. I found out they called it ‘going native.’ To look exotic, they said.”
“Did they?” Aasim cut in.
“Did they what?”
“Look exotic.”
“No. Just ridiculous.”
Aasim snickered.
“Anyway, when I bought my first suit, the English tailor asked me why I wanted it. I told him I wanted to look exotic.”

I LOVED this novella! I am immediately starting novella number two and pre-ordering the third book which I’ve heard is 400 pages long and that is definitely more like the amount of attention Clark’s incredible worldbuilding and fascinating characters deserves! He’s very quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW // gore, violence

Further Reading—

the rest of the series
Ring Shout, by P. Djèlí Clark
The Inheritance Trilogy, by N. K. Jemisin
How Long Til Black Future Month, by N. K. Jemisin
I also kind of got some His Dark Materials vibes from this book as well...

Content Warnings

muzzfuzz's review

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adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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