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kate_arts's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Addiction
alisonvh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
bergha1998's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Historical Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, Diverse
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
strugglecity's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Murder and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Slavery and Xenophobia
ko_rax's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
First: I love, love, love Fatma's impeccable style. I got so jealous that I was debating on buying myself
My favourite aspect of this novel is its world building and how it was embedded well in its historical setting. P. Djèlí Clark spent a great time researching to turn scenes this vivid, and the unwritten rules in this magical setting bore no loopholes. It felt as if I was transported to Egypt - and I have never been to Egypt, ever - and familiarised enough with the setting to see the plot pick up as well without being overwhelmed. Also appreciated the imperialist undertones and implications in many interactions among characters.
Towards the end, however, I felt the developments a little rushed, aside from uneven/imbalanced pacing throughout the whole novel. It was intriguing to me to see
Lastly, I love
As someone who rarely dabbles in steampunk and is more into historical fiction and/or fantasy, this was a nice read for me. I have interest, though faint, in more stories set in this universe and will seek out other works of P. Djèlí Clark set in this universe, eventually.
To close it off with a quote I liked in particular:
"Usually the screts we keep deep down, ain't meant to hurt other people, [..] Not saying they won't, but not through intentions. Those deep secrets, we hide away because we're afraid what other people might think. How they might judge us, if they knew. And nobody's judgement we scared of more than the one we give our hearts to. Besides, everybody got secrets. Even you, I'm betting."
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Colonisation
emily_mh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Police brutality, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Major: six uses of the Arabic anti-Black a-slur, self-injury, body control, mind control, blackface Moderate: two uses of the archaic anti-Black n-slur, colourism, bomb Minor: gambling, apartheid, fainting, one use of the archaic anti-Black b-slur, imprisonmentasahome's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Death, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Colonisation
Moderate: Body horror, Drug use, Gore, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Self harm, Slavery, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
cozyblanketbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: War
jhbandcats's review
- 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? Yes
4.25
It opens with a chapter demonstrating Agent Fatma’s bravery and skill in dealing with an angry, powerful djinn, and goes on to give her a far more challenging assignment. She’s initially paired with an unwanted partner but very early on they work well together, with none of the squabbling common to Hollywood buddy movies. Fatma’s lover Siti rounds out the trio. The descriptions of Cairo a century ago add realism to the steampunk aesthetic.
I would probably have given this five stars but I was so frequently flummoxed by unknown words that I would really have appreciated a glossary. The words I didn’t know have to do with politics, religion, clothing, food, and magical beings. While the meaning was usually clear from the context, I spent way too much time on Google trying to find out more information.
Overall, though, I really enjoyed this. I’ve liked Clark’s novellas and like this full-length novel even more.
Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
stephanielee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Cultural appropriation