Book Review: The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djeli Clark

The Haunting of Tram Car 015
by P. Djeli Clark (Clark)

P. Djeli Clark’s 2021 novel, A Master of Djinn was one of the finalists for the Hugo Award this year. I picked up a copy of that full-length novel, and even though it didn’t ultimately win the Hugo, I still look forward to reading that story. But in the meantime, I discovered that there were two novellas that established the background for the novel, which were each acclaimed in the years they came out. A Dead Djinn in Cairo (2016) and The Haunting of Tram Car 015 (2019) both introduce readers to this fabulous alternate history version of Cairo, Egypt, in which the existence and normalization of Djinn and other supernatural/magical forces allow the native Egyptians to throw off British imperialistic rule in the late 1800s and help establish Cairo as one of the most cosmopolitan and progressive cities in the world.

 

In The Haunting of Tram Car 015, the action takes place in Cairo, 1912, and features two agents of The Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, Hamed Naser (the older, more serious, senior officer) and Onsi Youssef (the young, enthusiastic, but still inexperienced officer), called in to solve the problem of an elevated tram car that appears to be possessed by a malevolent entity. Misunderstandings and a lack of cultural reference points for the agents lead to major complications — all while the city of Cairo is roiling with activists both for and against a referendum giving women the right to vote for the first time.

The world-building is absolutely tremendous, and the characters are engaging and compelling — I loved the geeky agent Onsi, and his tendency to try to provide too much information at all times. This short (140 page) story really whetted my appetite for more stories in this setting, so I know really look forward to reading Master of Djinn. This is a terrific example of how the field of science fiction publishing is truly broadening to provide a more multi-cultural point of view.

 

I loved The Haunting of Tram Car 015, especially the Steampunk feeling of the setting and time period!

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try A Dead Djinn in Cairo and A Master of Djinn , also by P. Djeli Clark.)

 

( official The Haunting of Tram Car 015 page on the official P. Djeli Clark web site )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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