is the most obvious example of the misogyny that they’re promoting, not fighting. With all that said, Hadia was a more interesting and less judgmental character, and I think I would have enjoyed the story more from her perspective.

I probably could’ve gotten past all of that and gotten lost in the story, though, if I had gone in knowing that this wasn’t actually the first book in the series, just the first novel-length instalment. There are so many references to the previous short stories/novellas involving these characters that I felt out of the loop and totally lost. Some of the relationships introduced are already fully formed from previous adventures, and I was left playing catch up.

I think A Master of Djinn had the potential to be a four-star book if I had read the previous instalments in the series, regardless of how short they may be. Too much of the plot assumed that I already knew the history of this world and these characters. Instead of feeling lost and confused, I could have enjoyed the police work, magical creatures, and great action scenes. Instead of being immersed in the world, though, I felt left out in the cold.