The Angel of Khan el-Khalili
Ratings55
Average rating3.8
packed so much emotion within such short length. only my second read of clark's works but his lush prose is irresistible.
This was beautifully written with a recognisable “mystery” that isn't super twisty, but executed well so it was still a joy to read. I can't tell how this relates to [b:A Dead Djinn in Cairo|29635542|A Dead Djinn in Cairo|P. Djèlí Clark|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459173382l/29635542._SX50_.jpg|49993780], though. I don't think I recall any angels named Seeker in it, nor any characters named Aisha or Aliaa? I'm certainly continuing this series.
The Angel of Khan el-Khalili by P. Djeli Clark (illustration by Kevin Hong) This excellent short story takes place in the same world as A Dead Djinn in Cairo, The Haunting of Tram Car 015, and A Master of Djinn. A fantastic alternative history, set in Cairo around the turn of the last century. In this story a teenager seeks the favor of an “angel,” but at what cost? This story is short and sweet. I loved how it continues to build upon the amazing universe Clark has established in his other works, and expands the readers' view of one of the most mysterious entities in this universe, the clockwork angels that followers of multiple faiths agree are anything but. I would highly recommend this story for fans of any of the other stories I've listed by Clark. I would also recommend this story (originally published in the anthology Clockwork Cairo: Steampunk Tales of Egypt and reprinted online at tor.com where it may be read for free) as a starting point for the alternative Cairo universe. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A TOR.com short story, free at this link
Set in Cairo, in 1912, but with a steampunk overlay - mechanised automatons being repaired by the boiler eunuch mender in the opened scene; or the titular angel with a mechanised body.
But angels are another matter. They are rarer things, ethereal beings who shroud their bodies behind contraptions of mechanical grandeur and hold themselves apart from mortals and djinn alike.”
Written in the second person, the reader takes the part of Aliia, sister to a dying Aisha, who was injured in a fire in the garment factory in which they both work. Aliia visits the angel to obtain a miracle, but there is, of course, a cost.
Enjoyable atmosphere, well conjured of Cairo's souks and its mystical nights. Author P. Djèlí Clark has however tripped on detail - locating looms in his garment factory, which produces clothes, not fabric. A small detail perhaps, but an annoyance in the scheme of things.
To offset this, the opening sequence was very good, reproduced here:
If you want to find the Angel of Khan el-Khalili, you have to make your way to the market at night. Not when the sun goes down, and Cairo's masses spill out into the opening shops, where soot-smudged factory workers and well-groomed ministerial clerks mingle at open-air coffeehouses to debate local politics. Not even after the first stars have appeared and, beneath the glare of gaslight, hawkers practice their best chat-up lines to seduce idle wanderers to their stalls—where everything from counterfeit medieval antiques to driveshafts for automated wheel carriages are up for sale. No, to find the Angel of Khan el-Khalili means going to the market late at night, when most of the city have long retired to their beds, leaving the souk to the curious, the adventurous, and the desperate...
**