One of several fantastic stories set in an alternate early-twentieth century Cairo, P. Djèlí Clark’s The Angel of Khan el-Khalili is a standalone tale (featuring none of the other stories’ characters) exploring secrets, grief and worker rights. Late at night, when most of Cairo is long asleep, young Aliaa visits the market in search of an angel, hoping to bargain for a miracle. There she finds the Angel of Khan el-Khalili, and asks for its aid in healing her sister who has been grievously injured in a fire at the factory where they both work. The angel’s price seems small at first, and Aliaa pays it willingly, but it’s not long before she realises the cost to her own soul.
This alternate world of Clark’s is hugely evocative, with its beguiling blend of magical creatures (spirits, perhaps? It’s intentionally unclear exactly what djinn and angels really are) and steampunk-ish technology, and a resulting sense of modernity clashing with tradition. Told in a slightly unsettling second person, this story takes all of those fascinating elements and steers things in quite a dark direction, the bargain between Aliaa and the angel – which calls itself Seeker – examining both the fundamental differences between angels and humans, and the realities of life for young women determined to fight for their rights. It’s a fascinating story of the dangers of bargaining with otherworldly beings, and also a powerful tale of social inequality and human emotions, touching upon some of the broad themes in The Haunting of Tram Car 015, albeit with a much darker tone.
As a standalone story it proves satisfying in its own right, cleverly structured and delivering a hefty emotional impact despite its brevity. Taken in context of the wider series though, it’s another example of just how captivating this world is and just how strong a writer Clark is. It should work equally well as an entry point to the series (and this world) or a further exploration of recurring ideas and themes, so if characterful stories set in an alternate 1912 Cairo with its mixing pot of cultures, beliefs, magic and technology is of any interest, this is very much worth investigating.
See also: my reviews of A Dead Djinn in Cairo and The Haunting of Tram Car 015.
You can read The Angel of Khan el-Khalili for free over on the Tor.com website.
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