Book Notes: The Haunting of Tram Car 015

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 is an amusing novella, set in Cairo, in an alternate-history Egypt where portals to magic have been opened and djinns and other spirits coexist with humans. Two agents from the Ministry of Magic get a call to deal with a haunting air tram, hijinks ensue.

The plot itself and the characters are ok, entertaining but without a lot of development. What really stood out to me was the worldbuilding, the descriptions of this alternate steampunk woven-through-with-magic Cairo, against a backdrop of masses of women campaigning for suffrage.

All in all, this was a fun read, but a forgettable one. I’d be intrigued to read more set in this world.

Book Highlights

Djinn had taken to the modern world in every way, including demanding proper wages. Many were even unionized. Their abilities didn’t come cheap.