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The Daevabad Trilogy #2
The Kingdom of Copper
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Fantasy (2019)Nahri’s life changed forever the moment she accidentally summoned Dara, a formidable, mysterious djinn, during one of her schemes. Whisked from her home in Cairo, she was thrust into the dazzling royal court of Daevabad and quickly discovered she would need all her grifter instincts to survive there.
Now, with Daevabad entrenched in the dark aftermath of the battle that saw Dara slain at Prince Ali’s hand, Nahri must forge a new path for herself, without the protection of the guardian who stole her heart or the counsel of the prince she considered a friend. But even as she embraces her heritage and the power it holds, she knows she’s been trapped in a gilded cage, watched by a king who rules from the throne that once belonged to her family and one misstep will doom her tribe.
Meanwhile, Ali has been exiled for daring to defy his father. Hunted by assassins, adrift on the unforgiving copper sands of his ancestral land, he is forced to rely on the frightening abilities the marid-the unpredictable water spirits-have gifted him. But in doing so, he threatens to unearth a terrible secret his family has long kept buried.
And as a new century approaches and the djinn gather within Daevabad's towering brass walls for celebrations, a threat brews unseen in the desolate north. It’s a force that would bring a storm of fire straight to the city’s gates . . . and one that seeks the aid of a warrior trapped between worlds, torn between a violent duty he can never escape and a peace he fears he will never deserve.
Return to Daevabad in the spellbinding sequel to THE CITY OF BRASS.
Now, with Daevabad entrenched in the dark aftermath of the battle that saw Dara slain at Prince Ali’s hand, Nahri must forge a new path for herself, without the protection of the guardian who stole her heart or the counsel of the prince she considered a friend. But even as she embraces her heritage and the power it holds, she knows she’s been trapped in a gilded cage, watched by a king who rules from the throne that once belonged to her family and one misstep will doom her tribe.
Meanwhile, Ali has been exiled for daring to defy his father. Hunted by assassins, adrift on the unforgiving copper sands of his ancestral land, he is forced to rely on the frightening abilities the marid-the unpredictable water spirits-have gifted him. But in doing so, he threatens to unearth a terrible secret his family has long kept buried.
And as a new century approaches and the djinn gather within Daevabad's towering brass walls for celebrations, a threat brews unseen in the desolate north. It’s a force that would bring a storm of fire straight to the city’s gates . . . and one that seeks the aid of a warrior trapped between worlds, torn between a violent duty he can never escape and a peace he fears he will never deserve.
Return to Daevabad in the spellbinding sequel to THE CITY OF BRASS.
640 pages, Paperback
First published January 22, 2019
About the author
S.A. Chakraborty
10 books12.6k followersS. A. Chakraborty is the author of the critically acclaimed and internationally best-selling The Daevabad Trilogy. Her work has been nominated for the Locus, World Fantasy, Crawford, and Astounding awards. When not buried in books about thirteen-century con artists and Abbasid political intrigue, she enjoys hiking, knitting, and re-creating unnecessarily complicated medieval meals. You can find her online at www.sachakraborty.com or on Twitter and Instagram at @SAChakrabooks, where she likes to talk about history, politics, and Islamic art. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, daughter, and an ever-increasing number of cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,640 reviews
March 22, 2021
if i thought
‘the city of brass’
was the start of an enticing and ambitious journey, then this next installment is the part of the trek where you have reached a fork in the road and you discover you have lost your map.
one road leads to a familiar civilisation and old problems. the way is lined with lush history, but requires a steep toll that many people cannot pay. is the guarantee to avoid the unknown worth the price?
the other direction leads to new leadership and the promise of being reunited with your loved one, but paved with violence along the way and the likely loss of your friends. is a possible future with more power and family worth the danger faced?
this installment proves that no matter which route you take, you sure are headed for a surprising destination, but not with sacrifices along the way.
i cant wait to see how this story ends.
↠ 4.5 stars
one road leads to a familiar civilisation and old problems. the way is lined with lush history, but requires a steep toll that many people cannot pay. is the guarantee to avoid the unknown worth the price?
the other direction leads to new leadership and the promise of being reunited with your loved one, but paved with violence along the way and the likely loss of your friends. is a possible future with more power and family worth the danger faced?
this installment proves that no matter which route you take, you sure are headed for a surprising destination, but not with sacrifices along the way.
i cant wait to see how this story ends.
↠ 4.5 stars
February 21, 2023
1.) The City of Brass ★★★★★
content and trigger warnings for graphic violence, torture, death, murder, slavery, human trafficking, talk of stillbirth, talk of past threat of rape, and war themes.
Buddy read with Jocelyn at Yogi with a Book! ❤
content and trigger warnings for graphic violence, torture, death, murder, slavery, human trafficking, talk of stillbirth, talk of past threat of rape, and war themes.
Buddy read with Jocelyn at Yogi with a Book! ❤
January 19, 2023
Can you ever make a new world that properly addresses the wounds of the past? - from Lightspeed interviewThe Kingdom of Copper is the second in S.A. Chakraborty’s Daevabad Trilogy, and it must be trying harder, as the first was amazing and this one is at least as good. I suppose you might pick this book up and have an entirely fine time reading it, but I would not advise it. If you have not read the first one, The City of Brass, jump on your flying carpet and dash off to your local bookstore. (Oh, and could you pick up some lamp oil at the bazaar on your way back? Thanks.) I suppose you could use one of your wishes to just make it appear, but really, that would be cheesy. It’s like Game of Thrones. Yeah, you can jump in at some point and catch up bit by bit, but, really, you have to be there from the beginning to get the most from it. Ditto here. Come back after you have read volume one, ok? And if you have already read #1, then Salaam and good evening to you, worthy friend.
Shannon A. Chakraborty - image from her site
So, when we left our heroes, Nahri, an orphan of a hustler from Cairo, who discovered she had skills, is stuck in Daevabad, the nominal city of the series title. Her buddy of a prince, Ali, had been banished from the kingdom for opposing his pop, the ruthless, genocidal, king Ghassan, and Darayavahoush (Dara to you and me), a complicated Djinn sort, monstrous warrior, hottie, and decent guy, was done in by said Prince Ali, although Ali may not have been entirely in charge of himself when it happened.
There is at least one sand ship that flies through the story, and this was the closest image I could find – image from Munin’s sketchblog
We are several years on. Nahri is married to Muntadhir, Ali’s older brother, the heir apparent, handsome, smart, and the epitome of Mr. Wrong. More of a political alliance than a love match. (Marry my son, or I will start slaughtering your people. Well, since you put it that way, sure.) Ali is making a life for himself in a desert town, using his newfound talent for things aqueous to locate underground water, or make it appear, or something. He is reluctant to make too much of a life for himself, as he remains the target of occasional assassins, and would spare potential family members the discomfort of having to plant him, or maybe get caught in the crossfire. Dara, who we thought was gone, is only sort-of gone. He is brought back from some plane of existence where he was wandering by forces that are less than divine, but hey, he gets to live a bit more, so whatev. On the other hand, Dara is enslaved again, made to take on a mission he would probably be happier skipping. (Mass slaughter is sooo last millennium) And he is stuck in a material form he is not thrilled with. So, a mixed bag. All three must contend with not only external hostile forces, but internal moral crossroads. (yeah, like Grand Central Station)
The World of the Daevabad Trilogy – from the author’s site
In book #1 we alternated between Nahri and Ali’s POV. This book adds Dara’s, although for far fewer pages than the other two. There is overlap, of course, as combinations of the three engage at diverse points.
Political intrigue continues to be a major feature here. Very GoT, as sundry tribal groups (even within families) vie for influence, power, and turf. Instead of the Seven Kingdoms with their associated Targarians, Lannisters, and Starks, et al, there are tribes. The Geziri are the current ruling class, to which Ali, Muntadhir, and Ghassan belong. Nahri is of the Daeva group. Her ancestors used to rule in Daevabad, until the Geziris drove them out with extreme prejudice. Since you read the first volume, (you read it, right?) you know, it gets complicated.
The City of Daevabad - image from author’s site
The motive force for the story in Book #2, Nahri has discovered the remnants of an ancient Nahid hospital in less than wonderful shape, and seeks to have it restored so she can expand her work. In addition, she has learned of non-magical healers in the city, and looks to join with them to broaden her knowledge base and treat all the city’s residents. As one might imagine, this notion meets considerable resistance from those in power. (No, not Steve King) But with the help of Ali, whom she hates, by the way, for killing Dara, (Ali had gotten suckered into coming back to the city, wondering if he would be slaughtered when he arrived.) there is some hope of gettin’ ‘er done. It takes a village, though. Others are brought in to the attempt and politics are played. (Can’t we all just get along?)
There is a big centennial event planned for the city, called Novatetem, Mardi Gras on steroids, parades, floats, feasts, competitions, and, well, there are folks who are planning some unpleasantness. The action accelerates as we get closer and closer, the November 1963 moment in Dallas, the coming hurricane, the ticking bomb. You know the deal. Michael Bay cum White Walkers cum ILM magnificence, and great fun. But also, with characters you care about trying to make it through.
Image by Juan De Lara
There are secrets aplenty, double-crosses, and some pretty neat magical tech. Toss in a few nifty large-scale monsters for good measure. One of the really cool things about the fabulous environment Chakraborty has created is that buildings constructed by the Nahid respond to Nahri, who is now the #1 Nahid in the place, so is referred to as Banu Nahri e-Nahid, (aka Banu Nahida) or Lady Nahri of the Nahid people, which comes with perks. Pictures on the walls of Nahid buildings animate when she passes. Things like that, and some that are more substantive. Pretty cool.
In addition to the internal struggles with which each of the characters must cope, there are broader-scale motifs. The notion of Occupied People is a strong one in the book.
[In medieval history] so many of these cities and civilizations were the products of waves of conquest. How does that shape the societies that survive them generations later? How do conqueror and conquered influence each other and how do their stories and legends of what happened get transmitted? Can you ever make a new world that properly addresses the wounds of the past? - from the Lightspeed interview
Image from Shkyscrapercity.com
It is a major challenge trying to figure out how to make peace with the travesties wrought on the Nahid by the Geziri, but also on others by the Nahid. How can you step off the eternal wheel of revenge and retribution, how can you heal the wounds of the past? In a very concrete way, Nahri attempts to do just that. Even though she was an impressive healer in book one, she was largely an uneducated one. But she has been working and studying hard, is learning some new tricks, and now, in a place that seems to act as a booster to her abilities, she is becoming an even better doctor. But can Nahri, in league with others, keep the city from descending into the usual cycle of eternal genocidal violence? Can she forgive Ali? Can she survive her crappy, shotgun marriage and her psycho genocidal father in law? It takes more than an ability to repair bodies to heal a city. Chakraborty’s decision to make Nahri a doctor grew out of her own experience.
I wrote a lot of this while managing a large obstetrics & gynecology practice (while my husband went to medical school), and I really wanted to capture the messy reality of medicine. It’s not always glamourous and noble; it can be exhausting, the work is bloody and tiresome and challenging, and sometimes your patients are terrible. It requires a confidence bordering on arrogance to cut into a person for their own good, and I wanted to show how a character might grow into that. - from the QuilltoLive interview
Image by Juan De Lara
There are bits of humor sprinkled throughout. My favorite is when a shape-shifter with a fondness for turning into a statue, cannot get back to normal, and Nahri is stuck removing pieces of rock from him. “But it’s so peaceful,” he pleads. There is another LOL scene in which Ali is compelled by his father to taste some impressively appalling dishes from around the kingdom. A ref to a hospital room specially designed to keep floating djinn from injuring themselves puts one in mind of a Mary Poppins scene in which characters and furniture dispense with gravity. These were delightful.
There are a lot of details to keep track of, tribes, places, words, characters. Thankfully appendices are provided, as are rather broad view maps, which I included here. My only disappointment with the book was that Dara did not get as much time as the other two, the definition of a quibble.
Image from The Thief of Baghdad
I’ve gotta say that volume 2 was a major page-turner for me. The ARE I read came in at 608 pages and I wished it were longer, really. (oops, there goes another wish. How many do I have left?) The action is almost non-stop. The characters are seriously engaging. There is actual character development. Moral considerations are treated seriously. There is real content woven into this fantasy world, an appreciation for the literary history of Islamic civilization, and there is wonderful creativity in the details of magic here. The Kingdom of Copper is pretty much all you could possibly wish for in a fantasy read. And you don’t even have to use up the limited supply in your special lamp.
Review first posted – January 18, 2019
Publication date – January 22, 2019
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author’s personal, Twitter and FB pages
Interviews
-----SYFY Wire - S.A. Chakraborty's The City of Brass started out as history fan fiction - by Swapna Krishna
Shannon Chakraborty didn’t want to be a writer when she grew up. “I wanted to be a historian, but I’ve been a bookworm since I was a kid,” she said. She originally wanted to be a historian, with a specialization in the Middle East. “That plan got a bit derailed for a variety of reasons, one of which was graduating in 2008 when the economy collapsed, so I figured I’d work while my husband went to medical school and keep my mind occupied with a little world-building/historical fan fiction,” she explains.-----The Quill to Live - The City of Brass – An Interview With S. A. Chakraborty
It’s that experience that led Chakraborty, who was born raised in New Jersey by blue-collar Catholic parents, to the seed that became The City of Brass. “It sprouted the day I set foot in the rare books library of the American University of Cairo,” she explains. There she lost herself in the stories and lore around her. “As a homesick, homework-laden, and rather wide-eyed new Muslim myself, I found in these stories a refuge; they spoke of a history that dazzled, a faith of breathtaking diversity in which my weird background was nothing new nor particularly noteworthy.”
I come from a pretty big family and always enjoy seeing well-done portrayals of complicated, messy, exasperating and yet also still loving relatives; I think it’s a thing many of us can relate to. And I’ve always had a particular fascination with rival princes. They’re fairly common in history, and yet I can’t imagine the emotions that go behind making a decision to war against your own brother.-----Pen America - On Magic, History, and Storytelling: The PEN Ten with S. A. Chakraborty by Lily Philpott – an interesting, wide-ranging chat
There was certainly some inspiration from my own family. My twin brother and I are very close, and I was very protective of him, especially when we were younger, even when we were fighting. This was definitely an emotion and dynamic that I was trying to capture with Muntadhir and Ali. Though my brother isn’t a wealthy, libertine playboy destined to rule a shaky kingdom so the similarities end there!
-----Lightspeed Magazine - Interview: S.S. Chakraborty - by Christian A. Coleman – Lots of excellent information here
Items of Interest
-----The World of Daevabad on the author’s site
-----Barnes & Noble - From City to Kingdom: S.A. Chakraborty on Building the Magical World of the Daevabad Trilogy - this is credited as B&N editors, but seems really the author talking about the development of her magical world
-----My review of Book #1 in the Daevabad Trilogy, The City of Brass
February 6, 2023
WRESZCIE JĄ SKOŃCZYŁAM!
Nie pamiętam kiedy ostatnio czytałam aż tak długo jakąś książkę... ale to naprawdę dobra fantastyka. Momentami trudno się połapać, w innych fragmentach jest może zbyt mozolnie, ale kończy się z poczuciem dobrze spędzonego czasu.
Nie pamiętam kiedy ostatnio czytałam aż tak długo jakąś książkę... ale to naprawdę dobra fantastyka. Momentami trudno się połapać, w innych fragmentach jest może zbyt mozolnie, ale kończy się z poczuciem dobrze spędzonego czasu.
Read
September 23, 2021Clearing my review because if trilogies are so god awful at sticking the landing, the previous books are no longer good in my eyes unforch.
April 19, 2020
This was so good! Cannot wait for Book 3!!!
“Pragmatic. Heartless. That’s how you survive in this place. It’s how I’ve survived everything.”
What a fantastic sequel! A fantasy full of magic and political intrigue with long held grudges and feuds all coming to a head.
3 POVs. Nahri, Ali and Dara - I didn’t love Dara’s chapters all that much, but I understood they were crucial to the plot.
Nahri is married to Muntadhir and hating life. Meanwhile Ali’s father runs the show like a dictator controlling everyone and everything.
At the same time, ancient enemies are planning an attack on Daevabad and suddenly everyone’s lives are at risk.
There is war and violence, hatred between brothers. This book has pretty much everything you’d need in an epic fantasy novel. If you’ve not picked up this series yet then make sure you do!!
“Pragmatic. Heartless. That’s how you survive in this place. It’s how I’ve survived everything.”
What a fantastic sequel! A fantasy full of magic and political intrigue with long held grudges and feuds all coming to a head.
3 POVs. Nahri, Ali and Dara - I didn’t love Dara’s chapters all that much, but I understood they were crucial to the plot.
Nahri is married to Muntadhir and hating life. Meanwhile Ali’s father runs the show like a dictator controlling everyone and everything.
At the same time, ancient enemies are planning an attack on Daevabad and suddenly everyone’s lives are at risk.
There is war and violence, hatred between brothers. This book has pretty much everything you’d need in an epic fantasy novel. If you’ve not picked up this series yet then make sure you do!!
February 21, 2020
$1.99 Kindle sale, Feb. 21, 2020. 4.5 stars! Excellent sequel to The City of Brass, a near-Eastern inspired fantasy. I liked it even better than the first book, but you do need to read The City of Brass before this one.
Final review, first posted on Fantasy Literature:
The Kingdom of Copper, the second book in S.A. Chakraborty’s DAEVABAD TRILOGY, picks up soon after the ending of the first book, The City of Brass. Alizayd (Ali) al Qahtani, younger son of Ghassan, the king of Daevabad, has been exiled and is fair game for assassins. He's rescued by a raiding party from the drought-ridden area of Bir Nabat, who have noticed Ali’s newly-developed magical ability to summon water. Nahri has been forced by Ghassan into a loveless match with his older son Muntadhir, the pleasure-loving crown prince. Darayavahoush, the powerful djinn with a long and unspeakably violent past, is summoned from his sister’s side in the land of the dead to a new life by Nahri’s outlaw mother Manizheh, who controls Dara’s emerald slave ring and has plans to use him for her political takeover of the djinn's city of Daevabad.
After setting the stage, the story jumps forward five years. Nahri, who has long felt trapped by the royal family, finds new inspiration in her plan to restore a long-ruined hospital, helping the outcast shafit, who are of human/djinn mixed blood, as well as pureblooded djinn, or daeva. Ali’s magical affinity for water has brought new life to Bir Nabat, changing it from a wasteland to a fruitful place where Ali has found safety and respect. But political forces are combining to bring Ali back to Daevabad and into danger. And Dara has become Manizheh’s military advisor, helping her plan an invasion of Daevabad to retake the city from Ghassan and the Geziri tribe, who have controlled it for many years.
It’s always a pleasant surprise for me when the second book of a series isn’t a let-down, and I consider The Kingdom of Copper a better book than The City of Brass. Most of the confusing elements from the first book have been worked out. The plot is far more coherent and focused, and the pacing has noticeably improved. This is just excellent story-telling!
The point of view shifts between Nahri, Ali and Dara, but each of their stories pulled me in, and it was easy to see the connection points between the three plot threads and point-of-view characters. Each of these characters has a distinct challenge to overcome in his or her life, and in the process questions who they really are and what they want to achieve. It’s not a simple answer in any of their cases. Nahri and Ali both have parents who they love, but cannot agree with their actions. Dara is bound to assist Manizheh with her invasion, but has serious reservations about her plans.
This complexity of character extends itself to the secondary characters. It’s refreshing to see characters that I had dismissed as one-dimensional (Nahri’s husband Muntadhir is a good example) begin to display unexpected depths. Ghassan’s tyranny is indisputable, but it’s easy to see how his reign began with good intentions.
The related themes of conquest and oppression, so prevalent in The City of Brass, are explored in some new ways. Manizheh considers the city rightly hers, but her plans for taking it over begin to look suspiciously like the same methods her enemies used long ago. Revenge and violence are poisons that can make you morally indistinguishable from your enemies. Nahri’s efforts to rebuild the hospital and to serve shafit as well as Daeva may hold the seeds for cooperation and peace, but is it too late?
The Kingdom of Copper was both heart-wrenching and a pleasure to read. It’s certainly not all heavy and downbeat; there are doses of humor and enchanting magic, like the palace stairs that rise to help Nahri when she’s fleeing her enemy, along with the passageways that magically brick themselves up behind her. And it’s easy to root for the three main characters ― even Dara, by far the most morally gray of the trio. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book … even without the cliffhanger ending that promises to be a major game-changer!
Initial post: Me at 60%: I think I actually like this sequel better than the first book!
Update: YES. Yes, it is better than the first book!Genie djinni Daeva battles FTW!
I received a free review copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss. Thank you!!
Final review, first posted on Fantasy Literature:
The Kingdom of Copper, the second book in S.A. Chakraborty’s DAEVABAD TRILOGY, picks up soon after the ending of the first book, The City of Brass. Alizayd (Ali) al Qahtani, younger son of Ghassan, the king of Daevabad, has been exiled and is fair game for assassins. He's rescued by a raiding party from the drought-ridden area of Bir Nabat, who have noticed Ali’s newly-developed magical ability to summon water. Nahri has been forced by Ghassan into a loveless match with his older son Muntadhir, the pleasure-loving crown prince. Darayavahoush, the powerful djinn with a long and unspeakably violent past, is summoned from his sister’s side in the land of the dead to a new life by Nahri’s outlaw mother Manizheh, who controls Dara’s emerald slave ring and has plans to use him for her political takeover of the djinn's city of Daevabad.
After setting the stage, the story jumps forward five years. Nahri, who has long felt trapped by the royal family, finds new inspiration in her plan to restore a long-ruined hospital, helping the outcast shafit, who are of human/djinn mixed blood, as well as pureblooded djinn, or daeva. Ali’s magical affinity for water has brought new life to Bir Nabat, changing it from a wasteland to a fruitful place where Ali has found safety and respect. But political forces are combining to bring Ali back to Daevabad and into danger. And Dara has become Manizheh’s military advisor, helping her plan an invasion of Daevabad to retake the city from Ghassan and the Geziri tribe, who have controlled it for many years.
It’s always a pleasant surprise for me when the second book of a series isn’t a let-down, and I consider The Kingdom of Copper a better book than The City of Brass. Most of the confusing elements from the first book have been worked out. The plot is far more coherent and focused, and the pacing has noticeably improved. This is just excellent story-telling!
The point of view shifts between Nahri, Ali and Dara, but each of their stories pulled me in, and it was easy to see the connection points between the three plot threads and point-of-view characters. Each of these characters has a distinct challenge to overcome in his or her life, and in the process questions who they really are and what they want to achieve. It’s not a simple answer in any of their cases. Nahri and Ali both have parents who they love, but cannot agree with their actions. Dara is bound to assist Manizheh with her invasion, but has serious reservations about her plans.
This complexity of character extends itself to the secondary characters. It’s refreshing to see characters that I had dismissed as one-dimensional (Nahri’s husband Muntadhir is a good example) begin to display unexpected depths. Ghassan’s tyranny is indisputable, but it’s easy to see how his reign began with good intentions.
The related themes of conquest and oppression, so prevalent in The City of Brass, are explored in some new ways. Manizheh considers the city rightly hers, but her plans for taking it over begin to look suspiciously like the same methods her enemies used long ago. Revenge and violence are poisons that can make you morally indistinguishable from your enemies. Nahri’s efforts to rebuild the hospital and to serve shafit as well as Daeva may hold the seeds for cooperation and peace, but is it too late?
The Kingdom of Copper was both heart-wrenching and a pleasure to read. It’s certainly not all heavy and downbeat; there are doses of humor and enchanting magic, like the palace stairs that rise to help Nahri when she’s fleeing her enemy, along with the passageways that magically brick themselves up behind her. And it’s easy to root for the three main characters ― even Dara, by far the most morally gray of the trio. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book … even without the cliffhanger ending that promises to be a major game-changer!
Initial post: Me at 60%: I think I actually like this sequel better than the first book!
Update: YES. Yes, it is better than the first book!
I received a free review copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss. Thank you!!
February 1, 2021
Ummm if I thought The City of Brass was good....holy sh*t this sequel blew my MIND. Didn’t even expect to finish this so quickly, but I breezed through the last half of the book in almost one single sitting.
Oh my god. Oh my GOD. I don’t even know what to say. I love this world, these characters, all the crazy crap that’s flying around but makes the story so unbelievably GOOD.
I’m obsesssssssed! Ready for book 3 please :-)
Oh my god. Oh my GOD. I don’t even know what to say. I love this world, these characters, all the crazy crap that’s flying around but makes the story so unbelievably GOOD.
I’m obsesssssssed! Ready for book 3 please :-)
July 7, 2023
How is this even better than book 1?! I hardly even noticed this book had nearly 650 pages, because they all flew by.
Kingdom of Copper picks up five years after City of Brass. Nahri lives in a gilded cage in the Daevabad palace, under the close watch of her husband Mutadir and his father as she works tirelessly healing the city’s sick and injured. Ali, after being banished from his home and left to die in the desert, is taken in by friendly Northerners. He becomes something of a legend among them as he struggles to control his newfound water powers, until a tragedy calls him home again. And Dara, against all odds, awakens to find himself more powerful than ever, but locked out of Daevabad and unable to reach the woman he loves.
I have so much affection for Nahri and Ali. They could commit war crimes and I would still be like:
Speaking of committing war crimes…
Dara also gets a narrating voice in this book. I know many people aren’t fans of Dara, but I’ve actually always loved him. Maybe I should do some examining of my instinctive love of morally gray to dark-gray protagonists (that’s one to bring up with the therapist, perhaps). But Dara is just so compelling. He’s stuck in this perpetual cycle of horrific violence, never able to break free. Puts me in mind of that Fiona Apple song:
Pictured here is Dara, considering which war crime he should commit this time to make up for the fallout of the last war crime he committed. You got this, buddy!
I’ve been wondering since mid book 1 whether Nahri and Ali are meant to be platonic soulmates or extremely slowburn lovers. I think we get some answers at the end of book 2, even if only from one party. I’m happy either way, as long as they stay on the same team.
I loved the hospital plot, things always get so much more interesting when Ali and Nahri’s paths align.
Now having read The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, which takes place in the same universe but several centuries earlier, I’m also much more intrigued by the Marids and their role in the magical world.
Kingdom of Copper picks up five years after City of Brass. Nahri lives in a gilded cage in the Daevabad palace, under the close watch of her husband Mutadir and his father as she works tirelessly healing the city’s sick and injured. Ali, after being banished from his home and left to die in the desert, is taken in by friendly Northerners. He becomes something of a legend among them as he struggles to control his newfound water powers, until a tragedy calls him home again. And Dara, against all odds, awakens to find himself more powerful than ever, but locked out of Daevabad and unable to reach the woman he loves.
I have so much affection for Nahri and Ali. They could commit war crimes and I would still be like:
Speaking of committing war crimes…
Dara also gets a narrating voice in this book. I know many people aren’t fans of Dara, but I’ve actually always loved him. Maybe I should do some examining of my instinctive love of morally gray to dark-gray protagonists (that’s one to bring up with the therapist, perhaps). But Dara is just so compelling. He’s stuck in this perpetual cycle of horrific violence, never able to break free. Puts me in mind of that Fiona Apple song:
Evil is a relay sport, when the one who’s burned turns to pass the torch…
Pictured here is Dara, considering which war crime he should commit this time to make up for the fallout of the last war crime he committed. You got this, buddy!
I’ve been wondering since mid book 1 whether Nahri and Ali are meant to be platonic soulmates or extremely slowburn lovers. I think we get some answers at the end of book 2, even if only from one party. I’m happy either way, as long as they stay on the same team.
I loved the hospital plot, things always get so much more interesting when Ali and Nahri’s paths align.
Now having read The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, which takes place in the same universe but several centuries earlier, I’m also much more intrigued by the Marids and their role in the magical world.
August 6, 2020
I really think I’m the only one who hates Dara’s guts with a passion and thinks Nahri and Ali are endgame lmao. Once again a really enjoyable book, but I just didn’t have that full 5 star feeling.
April 19, 2020
me coming to the realization that I'll have to wait a whole year to know what happens next:
Seriously though! How date this book end like that? Who does it think it is? What right does it have to leave me hanging on that cliff all by myself?!?!?!
On a more composed and serious note, this book was so many times better than its predecessor, The City of Brass, in so many fantastic ways.
I read The City of Brass in February and while I had some problems with it, I actually really enjoyed it. One of my main issues with it was that it read very much like a YA novel at times. And while I do love YA novels, it made these characters seem childish at times. With this novel taking place five years after the end of the first, and with the stakes having been tremendously raised, there was no time for being juvenile here.
This is the book where the characters fully come into themselves and are able to really develop, especially Dara. While at first I was disappointed when I'd heard that Nahri and Dara didn't interact for the first 90% of the novel, I was actually really glad for it. Seeing them focused on things other than each other allowed me to see true character development. Here we also get to read from Dara's point of view for the first time and it was fascinating to see the world and the war and all that was happening through his eyes. His contradicting beliefs and inner conflict when it came to both his and Manizheh's actions definitely added depth to his character.
Also, Ali! You thought I forgot about him, didn't you? Ali has grown so much! While I liked him in book one, his chapters were a bit on the boring and long-winded side, but that was part of his personality in a way. All he ever talked about was politics in book one. In this book, we actually get to see some action and emotion out of him and it was so good!
And all the other characters were great too. I also really enjoyed all the minor charcters and their arcs, especially Ali's siblings, Muntadhir and Zaynab.
Now, there is politics. I really enjoyed them in book one although they oftentimes felt a bit overwhelming. This book had just the right amount of intrigue and family drama and city politics. There was no one right side. Everyone is standing in a morally gray area, doing what they need for what they believe is their right. Everyone believes themselves justified in their cruel actions and their hatred. Everyone was equally wrong, and yet, in a way, I could completely see and understand where each of them was coming from. To manage such a complex system in a book this big is certainly a talent that S. A. Chakraborty has clearly mastered.
And that ending! I was honestly so stressed for the entire last 20% of this book. I was at the edge of my seat, wondering what the heck was going to go down. So many questions have been answered in this book. And now I have even more questions than ever before! I am super excited to see how it's all going to end in Empire of Gold and am only sad that I have to wait a whole year to find out!
(Also, I kinda really ship Dara and Nahri, so something better happen in the next book that brings them back together!)
Overall, I totally recommend this series! But be warned, book one does drag a bit in the middle and is, for the most part, little more than a very long prologue to this novel. And while I clearly suck at convincing you to read it, I promise that it was actually quite good!
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Seriously though! How date this book end like that? Who does it think it is? What right does it have to leave me hanging on that cliff all by myself?!?!?!
On a more composed and serious note, this book was so many times better than its predecessor, The City of Brass, in so many fantastic ways.
I read The City of Brass in February and while I had some problems with it, I actually really enjoyed it. One of my main issues with it was that it read very much like a YA novel at times. And while I do love YA novels, it made these characters seem childish at times. With this novel taking place five years after the end of the first, and with the stakes having been tremendously raised, there was no time for being juvenile here.
This is the book where the characters fully come into themselves and are able to really develop, especially Dara. While at first I was disappointed when I'd heard that Nahri and Dara didn't interact for the first 90% of the novel, I was actually really glad for it. Seeing them focused on things other than each other allowed me to see true character development. Here we also get to read from Dara's point of view for the first time and it was fascinating to see the world and the war and all that was happening through his eyes. His contradicting beliefs and inner conflict when it came to both his and Manizheh's actions definitely added depth to his character.
Also, Ali! You thought I forgot about him, didn't you? Ali has grown so much! While I liked him in book one, his chapters were a bit on the boring and long-winded side, but that was part of his personality in a way. All he ever talked about was politics in book one. In this book, we actually get to see some action and emotion out of him and it was so good!
And all the other characters were great too. I also really enjoyed all the minor charcters and their arcs, especially Ali's siblings, Muntadhir and Zaynab.
Now, there is politics. I really enjoyed them in book one although they oftentimes felt a bit overwhelming. This book had just the right amount of intrigue and family drama and city politics. There was no one right side. Everyone is standing in a morally gray area, doing what they need for what they believe is their right. Everyone believes themselves justified in their cruel actions and their hatred. Everyone was equally wrong, and yet, in a way, I could completely see and understand where each of them was coming from. To manage such a complex system in a book this big is certainly a talent that S. A. Chakraborty has clearly mastered.
And that ending! I was honestly so stressed for the entire last 20% of this book. I was at the edge of my seat, wondering what the heck was going to go down. So many questions have been answered in this book. And now I have even more questions than ever before! I am super excited to see how it's all going to end in Empire of Gold and am only sad that I have to wait a whole year to find out!
(Also, I kinda really ship Dara and Nahri, so something better happen in the next book that brings them back together!)
Overall, I totally recommend this series! But be warned, book one does drag a bit in the middle and is, for the most part, little more than a very long prologue to this novel. And while I clearly suck at convincing you to read it, I promise that it was actually quite good!
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February 4, 2019
3.5 stars.
The Kingdom of Copper was my most anticipated book of 2019, hands down. Ever since I finished The City of Brass, I couldn’t wait to read this sequel. I was counting down the days; my anticipation for this was so high. I am so upset that I didn’t love this more... :(
The second half, more specifically the last 30% or so, was really the redeeming part of this. I really, really struggled to get through this. That’s something I NEVER anticipated.
I feel like everything I adored in The City of Brass was just nonexistent here. Sometimes it hooked me, but I was never truly transfixed or captivated while reading this. The first book was magical and so engrossing, this was missing that. I kept reading for the sake of my love for the first book, I had to see if this eventually got better. And thankfully it did, but it took so long to get to that point.
I should be dying to read the third book, but instead I’m left feeling sad that I didn’t love this. I’m sincerely hoping the last book turns my feelings for this series around.
Thoughts before reading:
———————
ME AFTER READING THE LAST LINE OF THE DESCRIPTION
________
UPDATE: release date pushed back to January 2019........⚰️⚰️⚰️
Dying for even a SLIVER of info about this! 😩
The Kingdom of Copper was my most anticipated book of 2019, hands down. Ever since I finished The City of Brass, I couldn’t wait to read this sequel. I was counting down the days; my anticipation for this was so high. I am so upset that I didn’t love this more... :(
The second half, more specifically the last 30% or so, was really the redeeming part of this. I really, really struggled to get through this. That’s something I NEVER anticipated.
I feel like everything I adored in The City of Brass was just nonexistent here. Sometimes it hooked me, but I was never truly transfixed or captivated while reading this. The first book was magical and so engrossing, this was missing that. I kept reading for the sake of my love for the first book, I had to see if this eventually got better. And thankfully it did, but it took so long to get to that point.
I should be dying to read the third book, but instead I’m left feeling sad that I didn’t love this. I’m sincerely hoping the last book turns my feelings for this series around.
Thoughts before reading:
———————
ME AFTER READING THE LAST LINE OF THE DESCRIPTION
________
UPDATE: release date pushed back to January 2019........⚰️⚰️⚰️
Dying for even a SLIVER of info about this! 😩
March 6, 2024
“You don't stop fighting a war just because you're losing battles. You change tactics.”
THIS WAS PHENOMENAL. A masterpiece of a storytelling, this book had me completely invested in it. The compelling narrative and intricate plot had me at the edge of my seat, no kidding. I can't believe that everybody is sleeping on this series. Pick it up right away!!
THIS WAS PHENOMENAL. A masterpiece of a storytelling, this book had me completely invested in it. The compelling narrative and intricate plot had me at the edge of my seat, no kidding. I can't believe that everybody is sleeping on this series. Pick it up right away!!
July 10, 2020
9.14 on CAWPILE.
I adored this.
I adored this.
April 24, 2019
This is ten times better than book one. I really enjoyed reading this book, it was hard for me to put down, the writing and characters were more matured than the first book.
This book has a five year time jump, I didn't mind much, it made it easier to understand lots of things. The beginning was quite slow but things picked up later. The fight scenes were perfectly depicted.
World building and Writing
There is a major improvement in the world building department, its way better than that of book one which was none existent. The book is written in third person multiple POVs of Nahri, Ali and Dara.
Characters
Nahri is more matured than before, she is even more cynical than before due to the incidents in the first book. Even at that she a confident young lady, she goes for what she believes in and she is so kind.
Ali managed to survive his exile, just when things started going well for him trouble strikes again. I feel bad for him though. In a way he is still as naive and pious as he once was but now he toned it down a bit.
“You don’t stop fighting a war just because you’re losing battles, Alizayd. You change tactics. Surely, that’s a lesson you learned in the Citadel.”
Dara was an idiot 90% of the book, like how could he that is thousands of years old and be that naive. He lets Manizheh detects his actions, just can't wait for book three.
And he had gone along, had bowed his head in submission to a Nahid again and dismissed the disquiet in his soul. Now it had blown up in his face.
It wasn’t even the first time. His own history had taught him nothing.
I also like Jamshid and Muntadhir even though the later was annoying most of the time but he made up for it at the end of the book.
This book has a five year time jump, I didn't mind much, it made it easier to understand lots of things. The beginning was quite slow but things picked up later. The fight scenes were perfectly depicted.
World building and Writing
There is a major improvement in the world building department, its way better than that of book one which was none existent. The book is written in third person multiple POVs of Nahri, Ali and Dara.
Characters
Nahri is more matured than before, she is even more cynical than before due to the incidents in the first book. Even at that she a confident young lady, she goes for what she believes in and she is so kind.
Ali managed to survive his exile, just when things started going well for him trouble strikes again. I feel bad for him though. In a way he is still as naive and pious as he once was but now he toned it down a bit.
“You don’t stop fighting a war just because you’re losing battles, Alizayd. You change tactics. Surely, that’s a lesson you learned in the Citadel.”
Dara was an idiot 90% of the book, like how could he that is thousands of years old and be that naive. He lets Manizheh detects his actions, just can't wait for book three.
And he had gone along, had bowed his head in submission to a Nahid again and dismissed the disquiet in his soul. Now it had blown up in his face.
It wasn’t even the first time. His own history had taught him nothing.
I also like Jamshid and Muntadhir even though the later was annoying most of the time but he made up for it at the end of the book.
February 11, 2022
THIS BOOK IS INSANE THIS BOOK IS INSANE THIS BOOK IS INSANE THIS BOOK IS INSANE
this is the best MENA Adult fantasy I have ever read in my life. I devoured the first in this trilogy, I dare say the SEVOND is INSANELY better which is in itself crazy to say considering how much I loved it.
I cant, I’m fucking reeling, the politics in this book were the best I’ve ever read, the constant shift in power was addicting at best and so intense at other times - seeing relationships tested as a result of this power shift was KAHSAJEHWKWHAKEHAJSH STOP
so many deaths, it felt like so many characters changed for the worse and i had no idea how they could redeem themselves but my GOD MY STUPID BRAIN COULDN’T CONJURE UP THE EVENTS OF THIS BOOK IT WAS JUST INSANITY, PURE FRICKING INSANITY
ALIZAYD AL QAHTANI IS MY ULTIMATE BOOK BOY, I HAVE SAID IT AND I SHALL REPEAT IT AGAIN
muslim, on deen, justice seeker who holds a warmth and kindness within his heart for all? babe pass me the marriage certificate, i’m about to have a spring wedding
cant recommend this series enough i want to cry akshakehwjsh
Shelved as 'd-n-f'
February 21, 2023Okay no. Sorry, but not even Ali could get me through this 😩
DNF
___
I'm continuing this series for Alizayd alone
DNF
___
I'm continuing this series for Alizayd alone
May 29, 2024
This escalated in a really satisfying way! I was completely locked in on the last 150 pages.
What City of Brass was missing for me were clear motivations and aims for the main characters. They all seemed swept up and bulldozed by others for the whole book. In this second book, Nahri has clear vision and strategy. She is still limited, but she is able to maneuver, utilize her influence, and master her impulses. On top of that, she has matured as a healer and magic-wielder and has an empowered outlook on her situation. Ali similarly embraces his circumstances and resources to do what he can to create a more safe and peaceful city. Even Dara is in a role with a clear mission in this book. This helps with plot, pacing, and character arc work immensely. I was so much more invested in character relations. The way each character leveraged secrets, reveals, threats, and bribes in this book felt well-engineered and executed.
The setting and magic system are some of the toughest parts of this story for me. I've chucked this up to my unfamiliarity with the cultural mythology on which the story is based. I find it hard to picture; it feels too ungrounded and unbelievable at times. It can pull me out of the story. But I struggled with it less in this second book, so familiarity and more time spent with the setting does help.
Alternately, I really appreciate the complexity of the political climate, the history makes it all feel realistically complex. Each faction's motivations are believable and understandable. It's not clear what is right. A big theme that surfaces in this installment is that motivations may be moral, but the means to achieve those ends can be massively immoral. This is cool.
I'm so much more excited about this story and completing the trilogy after Kingdom of Copper. I now feel like I can recommend this series whole-heartedly to fantasy readers!
What City of Brass was missing for me were clear motivations and aims for the main characters. They all seemed swept up and bulldozed by others for the whole book. In this second book, Nahri has clear vision and strategy. She is still limited, but she is able to maneuver, utilize her influence, and master her impulses. On top of that, she has matured as a healer and magic-wielder and has an empowered outlook on her situation. Ali similarly embraces his circumstances and resources to do what he can to create a more safe and peaceful city. Even Dara is in a role with a clear mission in this book. This helps with plot, pacing, and character arc work immensely. I was so much more invested in character relations. The way each character leveraged secrets, reveals, threats, and bribes in this book felt well-engineered and executed.
The setting and magic system are some of the toughest parts of this story for me. I've chucked this up to my unfamiliarity with the cultural mythology on which the story is based. I find it hard to picture; it feels too ungrounded and unbelievable at times. It can pull me out of the story. But I struggled with it less in this second book, so familiarity and more time spent with the setting does help.
Alternately, I really appreciate the complexity of the political climate, the history makes it all feel realistically complex. Each faction's motivations are believable and understandable. It's not clear what is right. A big theme that surfaces in this installment is that motivations may be moral, but the means to achieve those ends can be massively immoral. This is cool.
I'm so much more excited about this story and completing the trilogy after Kingdom of Copper. I now feel like I can recommend this series whole-heartedly to fantasy readers!
March 25, 2022
dnf @ 67%
Listen, I read the first half of this TWICE. And while I understand what's going on now, I just don't care. I took a step back and realized that if I am over halfway through the series and still don't care, I don't think I am going to magically start caring in the last half. So, unfortunately, this series is a permanent dnf for me.
Listen, I read the first half of this TWICE. And while I understand what's going on now, I just don't care. I took a step back and realized that if I am over halfway through the series and still don't care, I don't think I am going to magically start caring in the last half. So, unfortunately, this series is a permanent dnf for me.
December 26, 2020
*** Major Spoilers***
3.5⭐
‘The Kingdom of Copper’ is S.A. Chakraborty’s sophomore novel but there is no sign of second book syndrome here. It is a firm but subtle step up from its predecessor. Shannon demonstrates a masterful understanding of social and political tension and The City of Daevabad is dripping with it. The book is only let down by a slightly anti-climactic final confrontation following a superb leadup.
As was the case in ‘City of Brass’, Chakraborty’s talent for vivid descriptions of the environment and the objects/people within turns an otherwise mundane picture into a crystal-clear image. It might not seem like much but I felt like more often then not her use of simile hit the nail on the head.
“… he watched the ferry course through the water. Its stern looked like a blunt knife dragged through oil, leaving not a single wave in its wake.”
“He and Manizeh flew East, traveling across a stunning landscape that spread before them like crumpled silk…”
As I said, not exactly poetic or anything, but paints the picture remarkably well.
By the same token, she does have a tendency to use the same phrases with regards to character’s mannerisms enough that it’s definitely noticeable. My “jerked back like he/she had been slapped” counter is off the richter.
I also have to praise the all-consuming tension weaved into The City of Daevabad throughout these pages. There is so much distrust, paranoia, resentment and open hatred bottled up in these pages that it was only a matter of time before these feelings manifested themselves in bloodshed. Up until about 300 pages through the book, the situation looked truly hopeless.
At some point, Nahri decides she wants to rebuild an old hospital and, with the help of a shafit healer, intends to heal anyone who requires attention, regardless of race or tribe. This was like a beacon of hope amongst all the negativity within the book.
There is a conversation between Nahri and Jamshid which makes it clear how deeply the Djinn’s (particularly the Daevas) prejudice against the Shafit is embedded in the psyche of their people. Nahri is trying to convince Jamshid, an otherwise kind and thoughtful individual, that the hospital should be available to all those in need and he strongly resists before being persuaded by the idea that peace is earned by coming together, not by separating ourselves. It’s unfortunate that despite the strong, positive message that this scene holds, Nahri has largely chosen Jamshid to convince as a means of upsetting Muntadhir.
“I’m tired of everyone in this city feeding on vengeance. I’m tired of teaching our children to hate and fear other children because their parents are our enemies.”
Amen Ali, Amen.
The characters are expanded upon well. They follow well established tropes but definitely have attributes all their own.
Nahri and Ali are both coming to grips with their newly developing powers. Ali, due to his seeming possession by one of the fabled Marid and Nahri due to her inherent Nahid connection to the city of Daevabad. Nahri grows in confidence and capability throughout this book and begins to take her situation by the balls as opposed to ‘City of Brass’ where she had no idea what she was doing and was just going with the flow. These two seem to be the only main characters truly sympathetic to the Shafit’s plight.
“I renounced my Afshin. I married your son. I bow my head while you sit on a shedu throne. But if you try to take this from me, I will rip this city and your family apart.”
Muntadhir cranks the asshole level up to 11. He believes that Ali wants to take both Nahri and his promised throne from him. He feels both insulted and embarrassed with the amount of time that Ali and Nahri spend together and threatened by the fact that Ghassan has a great fondness for his brother despite his constant disobedience. We see him spiralling into alcoholism and most likely depression. He makes some awful choices which will be hard to come back from.
Dara is frustrating. There are several times throughout the book where he redeems himself and doesn’t look entirely like the monster painted in the first novel that just blindly hates on every Shafit and Geziri that ever lived. The first is when he sees Kaveh for the first time since gravely injuring Jamshid. He shows true remorse here. The second is when he begins to question Manizeh’s tactics after witnessing the true effect of the copper vapour that she intends to use on the geziri and openly confronting her about it. The problem is that regardless of how much compassion he shows through his words, he never has the conviction to follow through on them. He seems a mentally weak character, easily manipulated and coerced into taking part in unspeakable things even after reflecting on the exact same mistakes that he made in the past. I mean, he’s working with the Ifrit! It was an Ifrit that enslaved him for 1400 years! I suppose you could argue that being enslaved for 1400 years has made it impossible for him to act on his own wishes. That is a hell of a long time!
We’re also introduced to Hatset, Ali and Zaynab’s mother, who I think has the potential to be a really strong character. She reminds me of Olenna Tyrell, grandmother of Queen Margaery from GOT, and she was a boss.
At this point, it doesn’t seem fair to have Nahri end up with any of the guys in this series.
Muntadhir is not a genuine option. She was coerced into marrying him and essentially blackmailed into having sex with him. On top of this physical abuse was the emotional, relentlessly belittling her and turning a blind eye when his soldiers referred to her as his Nahid whore. Make no mistake, he’s a fucker. Side note: It’s beyond messed up that she found any pleasure in that setup whatsoever.
Ali and her have a great friendship that has stood up through some testing circumstances. He’s definitely the most likely of the three but despite what Ali would like, I don’t think it fits.
The third option is Dara… Nope. There’s no coming back from the shit that he’s done. Holy shit, that guy is mentally unstable. I don’t “ship it” or “stan it” or whatever else the kids are saying these days (Stop saying that kids, you sound ridiculous).
The book ended on a massive cliffhanger so needless to say there are a lot of loose ends to be resolved. I have high hopes for a strong ending to this compelling trilogy.
3.5⭐
‘The Kingdom of Copper’ is S.A. Chakraborty’s sophomore novel but there is no sign of second book syndrome here. It is a firm but subtle step up from its predecessor. Shannon demonstrates a masterful understanding of social and political tension and The City of Daevabad is dripping with it. The book is only let down by a slightly anti-climactic final confrontation following a superb leadup.
As was the case in ‘City of Brass’, Chakraborty’s talent for vivid descriptions of the environment and the objects/people within turns an otherwise mundane picture into a crystal-clear image. It might not seem like much but I felt like more often then not her use of simile hit the nail on the head.
“… he watched the ferry course through the water. Its stern looked like a blunt knife dragged through oil, leaving not a single wave in its wake.”
“He and Manizeh flew East, traveling across a stunning landscape that spread before them like crumpled silk…”
As I said, not exactly poetic or anything, but paints the picture remarkably well.
By the same token, she does have a tendency to use the same phrases with regards to character’s mannerisms enough that it’s definitely noticeable. My “jerked back like he/she had been slapped” counter is off the richter.
I also have to praise the all-consuming tension weaved into The City of Daevabad throughout these pages. There is so much distrust, paranoia, resentment and open hatred bottled up in these pages that it was only a matter of time before these feelings manifested themselves in bloodshed. Up until about 300 pages through the book, the situation looked truly hopeless.
At some point, Nahri decides she wants to rebuild an old hospital and, with the help of a shafit healer, intends to heal anyone who requires attention, regardless of race or tribe. This was like a beacon of hope amongst all the negativity within the book.
There is a conversation between Nahri and Jamshid which makes it clear how deeply the Djinn’s (particularly the Daevas) prejudice against the Shafit is embedded in the psyche of their people. Nahri is trying to convince Jamshid, an otherwise kind and thoughtful individual, that the hospital should be available to all those in need and he strongly resists before being persuaded by the idea that peace is earned by coming together, not by separating ourselves. It’s unfortunate that despite the strong, positive message that this scene holds, Nahri has largely chosen Jamshid to convince as a means of upsetting Muntadhir.
“I’m tired of everyone in this city feeding on vengeance. I’m tired of teaching our children to hate and fear other children because their parents are our enemies.”
Amen Ali, Amen.
The characters are expanded upon well. They follow well established tropes but definitely have attributes all their own.
Nahri and Ali are both coming to grips with their newly developing powers. Ali, due to his seeming possession by one of the fabled Marid and Nahri due to her inherent Nahid connection to the city of Daevabad. Nahri grows in confidence and capability throughout this book and begins to take her situation by the balls as opposed to ‘City of Brass’ where she had no idea what she was doing and was just going with the flow. These two seem to be the only main characters truly sympathetic to the Shafit’s plight.
“I renounced my Afshin. I married your son. I bow my head while you sit on a shedu throne. But if you try to take this from me, I will rip this city and your family apart.”
Muntadhir cranks the asshole level up to 11. He believes that Ali wants to take both Nahri and his promised throne from him. He feels both insulted and embarrassed with the amount of time that Ali and Nahri spend together and threatened by the fact that Ghassan has a great fondness for his brother despite his constant disobedience. We see him spiralling into alcoholism and most likely depression. He makes some awful choices which will be hard to come back from.
Dara is frustrating. There are several times throughout the book where he redeems himself and doesn’t look entirely like the monster painted in the first novel that just blindly hates on every Shafit and Geziri that ever lived. The first is when he sees Kaveh for the first time since gravely injuring Jamshid. He shows true remorse here. The second is when he begins to question Manizeh’s tactics after witnessing the true effect of the copper vapour that she intends to use on the geziri and openly confronting her about it. The problem is that regardless of how much compassion he shows through his words, he never has the conviction to follow through on them. He seems a mentally weak character, easily manipulated and coerced into taking part in unspeakable things even after reflecting on the exact same mistakes that he made in the past. I mean, he’s working with the Ifrit! It was an Ifrit that enslaved him for 1400 years! I suppose you could argue that being enslaved for 1400 years has made it impossible for him to act on his own wishes. That is a hell of a long time!
We’re also introduced to Hatset, Ali and Zaynab’s mother, who I think has the potential to be a really strong character. She reminds me of Olenna Tyrell, grandmother of Queen Margaery from GOT, and she was a boss.
At this point, it doesn’t seem fair to have Nahri end up with any of the guys in this series.
Muntadhir is not a genuine option. She was coerced into marrying him and essentially blackmailed into having sex with him. On top of this physical abuse was the emotional, relentlessly belittling her and turning a blind eye when his soldiers referred to her as his Nahid whore. Make no mistake, he’s a fucker. Side note: It’s beyond messed up that she found any pleasure in that setup whatsoever.
Ali and her have a great friendship that has stood up through some testing circumstances. He’s definitely the most likely of the three but despite what Ali would like, I don’t think it fits.
The third option is Dara… Nope. There’s no coming back from the shit that he’s done. Holy shit, that guy is mentally unstable. I don’t “ship it” or “stan it” or whatever else the kids are saying these days (Stop saying that kids, you sound ridiculous).
The book ended on a massive cliffhanger so needless to say there are a lot of loose ends to be resolved. I have high hopes for a strong ending to this compelling trilogy.
February 23, 2021
**Reread in 2021 and the thoughts below are still very much true. Still a solid 4*s and excited to now finish up the series and see where it ends as that one is new to me!**
I really enjoyed this one and I am super glad that I have audiobooked both of these as I think the narrator gives a more immersive look at the Egyptian-inspired culture of this world. This is a sequel so I cannot say too much about the plot, but I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed the direction this book took, and although I have some small quibbles with some of the ways that the author acted, I think it's a whole lot of fun to read through too.
Nahri is our main character throughout the series, but we also follow Dara and Ali who have become very key players in the world of Daevabad too. I think that they all have something unique to bring, Ali is overly caring, sometimes too much; Nahri is a character trapped by others but determined to do good and use what power she does have; Dara is a character whose story has taken quite a few meandering turns, but he now serves a woman with the potential to destroy a lot of people.
I like each of them in their own way and they also all frustrate me at times, but I think this makes them realistic and I think that the politics and crazy manoeuvring of these characters keeps you on your toes :)
I definitely recommend it and I think that this is a series a lot of people who want a new setting for fantasy would enjoy. 4*s from me.
I really enjoyed this one and I am super glad that I have audiobooked both of these as I think the narrator gives a more immersive look at the Egyptian-inspired culture of this world. This is a sequel so I cannot say too much about the plot, but I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed the direction this book took, and although I have some small quibbles with some of the ways that the author acted, I think it's a whole lot of fun to read through too.
Nahri is our main character throughout the series, but we also follow Dara and Ali who have become very key players in the world of Daevabad too. I think that they all have something unique to bring, Ali is overly caring, sometimes too much; Nahri is a character trapped by others but determined to do good and use what power she does have; Dara is a character whose story has taken quite a few meandering turns, but he now serves a woman with the potential to destroy a lot of people.
I like each of them in their own way and they also all frustrate me at times, but I think this makes them realistic and I think that the politics and crazy manoeuvring of these characters keeps you on your toes :)
I definitely recommend it and I think that this is a series a lot of people who want a new setting for fantasy would enjoy. 4*s from me.
July 25, 2022
(3,5 stars)
"Get out. You want to avoid a war? Then get out of my garden before I bury this in your heart."
This is a three POV book, told by the POVs of Nahri, Ali and Dara.
I really liked Nahri´s independence in this book. She is so stubborn that it sometimes almost bothered my a little, but she stayed true to herself and to her path the whole book long. As to who is the love interest, I am honestly a little bit confused. At this point I don´t know if it is Dara or Ali anymore and I don´t even know if this will be a love triangle incoming, but I guess I´ll have to wait and see for the third book.
I really liked that this book has a lot of strong women and that it is filled with women power (however morally grey that might be). I liked loads of the side characters, although I would have loved to see more of the newly added ones. They felt like they barely had any backstory or depth to them.
The world building and the magic systems and everything in this book is so rich and it really is a lot, which I loved. The book is really politcially driven, there is a lot of talking politics, a lot of political schemes etc etc, which normally isn´t really for me. I enjoyed parts while others felt a bit long and slow to me. But if you are somebody who enjoys a fantasy book with lots of politics, I feel like you would love that aspect about the book. Overall the pacing seems fine, some parts seem a lot slower than others, and to be honest I feel like this book could do with a few less pages and bit faster pace.
Overall it was a good read that I enjoyed and I am looking forward to reading the third and final book.
trigger warnings: war, executions, rebellion, trauma, terror attack
"Get out. You want to avoid a war? Then get out of my garden before I bury this in your heart."
This is a three POV book, told by the POVs of Nahri, Ali and Dara.
I really liked Nahri´s independence in this book. She is so stubborn that it sometimes almost bothered my a little, but she stayed true to herself and to her path the whole book long. As to who is the love interest, I am honestly a little bit confused. At this point I don´t know if it is Dara or Ali anymore and I don´t even know if this will be a love triangle incoming, but I guess I´ll have to wait and see for the third book.
I really liked that this book has a lot of strong women and that it is filled with women power (however morally grey that might be). I liked loads of the side characters, although I would have loved to see more of the newly added ones. They felt like they barely had any backstory or depth to them.
The world building and the magic systems and everything in this book is so rich and it really is a lot, which I loved. The book is really politcially driven, there is a lot of talking politics, a lot of political schemes etc etc, which normally isn´t really for me. I enjoyed parts while others felt a bit long and slow to me. But if you are somebody who enjoys a fantasy book with lots of politics, I feel like you would love that aspect about the book. Overall the pacing seems fine, some parts seem a lot slower than others, and to be honest I feel like this book could do with a few less pages and bit faster pace.
Overall it was a good read that I enjoyed and I am looking forward to reading the third and final book.
trigger warnings: war, executions, rebellion, trauma, terror attack
September 12, 2022
Wow! The second book was even better than the first. The tension between the royals, suffering among the masses, and power-struggle between ancient magical beings. It got ugly pretty quickly.
Nahri has seen more pain, suffering and death as a young healer than most trained soldiers, and as if the pressure was not enough, she was forced to dance to the tune of the king, or it is death for the people she cared for. All of that combined was nothing compared to what happened when war finally broke out, and the mastermind turned out to be the least people Nahri expected.
I also enjoyed seeing the love triangle between Nahri, and the two major players, from opposing sides of the war. I can't wait to see how it is resolved in the last book in the series.
So far, so great. I am moving on to the last book in the series. 5 Stars.
Nahri has seen more pain, suffering and death as a young healer than most trained soldiers, and as if the pressure was not enough, she was forced to dance to the tune of the king, or it is death for the people she cared for. All of that combined was nothing compared to what happened when war finally broke out, and the mastermind turned out to be the least people Nahri expected.
I also enjoyed seeing the love triangle between Nahri, and the two major players, from opposing sides of the war. I can't wait to see how it is resolved in the last book in the series.
So far, so great. I am moving on to the last book in the series. 5 Stars.
November 1, 2022
Welcome back to the Zaydi show ! Where I mostly showcase Ali’s amazing features (I swear even his flaws are attractive ) and drone on and on about how much I love him . But that aside , I read this book so fast I can barely remember it’s contents ! I’m gonna take that as an excuse to reread it . From what i do remember though , this was a whirlwind of emotions ; from despair and hate to anger to love , resulting in something bittersweet and passionate . The characters have come to mean a lot more to me and this book just feels like a homecoming . I am absolutely smitten with this triology.
He kept his gaze on the floor as he passed her( she was uncovered)"In peace" , he said softly .
"Go jump in the lake",she returned under her breath in arabic . She saw him tense but he didn't stop.
I know -oooomphhh . see what i mean ?so unecessary but we'll just let that slide .
Lets begin with Nahri this time . I came to like her a lot more in this book than the one before , maybe coz she opened her eyes to the light of our lives Alizayd *swoons* ahem ahem , sorry back to Nahri .Its the independance , strength and wisdom of the females this time round . From Nahri trying to make life better for those in Daevabad , refusing to be controlled and opening her own hospital with an awareness that ensures safety , to the sceptic doctor Subha and her modern , genius methods and ideas , to the queen Hatset ruling Ta Ntry and seizing up Ghassan ( i swear he holds so much power that it feels wrong to not have his name in full caps ) and lets not forget Nisreen . Nahri is determined after being thrust into a whole new world ( excuse the unintentional aladdin pun😂 ) , she remained strong and and adapted to her surroundings and situation . You gotta give it to her , girls been through a lot .
"Nothing we cant fix " Nahri plastered a grin on her face . She was determined to win over the other healer today . "Would you like some refreshments before we take a tour ? tea?
"Im fine", Subha replied , her expression displeased. "Lets get this over with"
The blunt refusal of her hospitality ruffled something very deep in the egyptian part of her heart , but Nahri stayed polite. "Certainly "
Applause , truly . Lets all clap for Nahri please . Babes just witheld her Arabness AND was civil? wow . Think of it like this : She DIDNT make tea or kahwa BEFORE her guest arrived and accepted her refusal without insisting ATLEAST 100 times? Yall should know when youre offered 'just a lil dessert' which is really a whole tableful, you just SUCK it up wallah . THEN LATER is when you can go throw up the ridiculous amount you were made to eat . Trust me thats choosing the easy way out. Not to mention this girls name is Subha ? as in 'the morning after '? After as in...after...👀 . I loved these CULTURAL references with some of the arabic thrown in...it just made me feel so warm inside.Nahri wanting so desperately to be of egyptian lineage as well ... everyone knows arabs are hella proud and boy was she💕
"Dont be ridiculous", Jamshid touched Muntadhirs cheek."I want you to come to me with things like this",he smiled."To be honest...the rest of your companions are fairly useless sychophants"
That drew a laugh from her husband."Whereas I can always rely on you to honestly insult me"
"And keep you safe"
Jamshid and Muntadhir- The ship lives on !!! c'mon theyr too cute. They've got this forbidden/secret romance thing going on . With Muntadhir being the easygoing , charming and fun crown prince and Jamshid ,his sweet ,caring 'best friend' at his side . I absolutely love Jamshid if you didnt know. throughout . Muntadhir and I...half half , hes way too comfortable as he is and idk . lemme give u a lil extra jamshid scene u might remember. eh? eh?
Jamshid shifted in his saddle , looking pleased with himself. "This should do nicely . oh what? "He asked when i glared at him . "Your not my mother . I dont need your permission" . He brought his hand together as if holding imaginary reins . "Im your elder anyway"
"Im your Banu Nahida! " , she argued back."I could...I could...", she trailed off,thiniking fast.
Jamshid , the former priest in training turned to face her ."You could do what?" , he asked her politely.
:))))))))
Because a lost little girl from Cairo thought she was living in some sort of fairytale and because for all of her supposed cleverness , she couldnt see that the dashing hero who saved her was its monster
Dara- At first i was intrigued to see that Dara would be getting his own POV . I wanted to hear his thoughts , understand him a lil more , maybe explore ideas of morality .I expected too much tho bcz boy was his POV BORING . I wasn't even the slightest bit surprised when he The poor lad just cant catch a break . Complex ideas about sense of duty WERE included but i couldn't help disliking Dara here . its like this whole chain ; he suffers , he makes others suffer , he's manipulated over and over and over again... we should just leave him alone. Let him ride out his old age peacefully .
But then...she became so much more . He had felt shockingly free with her - to be a normal man and not the celebrated Afshin or the despised scourge , free to exchange flirtatious barbs with a quick witted beautiful woman and delight in the unexpected stirring her magnetic,mocking grin caused in his shuttered heart . All because Nahri hadn't known their history . She was the first person Dara had spoken to in centuries who knew nothing of his past-so he'd been able to leave it behind
sighhh . I mean its great that Dara wants to change , it gives him some chance of redemption and yes- it makes sense that he would like to leave behind his past and horrid memories . But he cant . Honestly i see reason he shouldn't end up with Nahri from this ( no I'm not just focusing on the romance but cmon! i had to decide my ship before the final book!) He's only listed that he likes how she makes him feel-normal . Nahri could only do so before she learnt more about him , it changed things . Dara needs someone who make shim feel that way regardless of his past , him wholly. But before that he needs to work on himself , his mental health , mindset and surroundings.
"Because my brother is coming back to Daevabad"
The moment i was waiting for . My hands went up in the air as i swayed to the sweet tune those word evoked . My love returns!
"Take your fathers offer"She said firmly. "You can help people in Am Gezira without getting killed . Marry some woman who will love to hear you ramble about canals ( i cant believe she forgot economics *eye roll* the incompetence Nahri ) and have a whole band of children you'll undoubtedly be too strict with" . she cupped his cheek , her thumb brushing his beard . She didn't miss the sudden racing of his heart nor the sadness rising in her own.
Ali seemed speechless, his eyes flickering nervously across her face. It would have to do. she stood up , dropping her hand and stepping away . The sudden sting in her eyes "Go steal some happiness for yourself , my friend" she said softly " Trust me when i say the chance doesn't always come back"
This book is mainly where i developed my love for Ali from . He's still so unexpected and keeps surprising me , serious character growth . from being . Bruh! Its also where my ship began . THE YEARNING
It terrified her . Because whatever history was between them , Nahri did not think she had it in her to watch the kind man who'd built her this office , this quiet homage to the home she still loved- the man who'd taught her to read and helped her summon flames for the first time- to be executed in the arena.
Ali has always been there for her whereas Dara was just there in brief moments of fleeting passion . Ali wrote her letters from Am Gezira when she wouldn't even reply ! Letters ! I could cry from how much i wish Alizayd was mine.
Its our only hope of defeating them , are you with me ?"
Ali took a deep breath but then clasped her hand and climbed to his feet "Until the end"
He kept his gaze on the floor as he passed her( she was uncovered)"In peace" , he said softly .
"Go jump in the lake",she returned under her breath in arabic . She saw him tense but he didn't stop.
I know -oooomphhh . see what i mean ?so unecessary but we'll just let that slide .
Lets begin with Nahri this time . I came to like her a lot more in this book than the one before , maybe coz she opened her eyes to the light of our lives Alizayd *swoons* ahem ahem , sorry back to Nahri .Its the independance , strength and wisdom of the females this time round . From Nahri trying to make life better for those in Daevabad , refusing to be controlled and opening her own hospital with an awareness that ensures safety , to the sceptic doctor Subha and her modern , genius methods and ideas , to the queen Hatset ruling Ta Ntry and seizing up Ghassan ( i swear he holds so much power that it feels wrong to not have his name in full caps ) and lets not forget Nisreen . Nahri is determined after being thrust into a whole new world ( excuse the unintentional aladdin pun😂 ) , she remained strong and and adapted to her surroundings and situation . You gotta give it to her , girls been through a lot .
"Nothing we cant fix " Nahri plastered a grin on her face . She was determined to win over the other healer today . "Would you like some refreshments before we take a tour ? tea?
"Im fine", Subha replied , her expression displeased. "Lets get this over with"
The blunt refusal of her hospitality ruffled something very deep in the egyptian part of her heart , but Nahri stayed polite. "Certainly "
Applause , truly . Lets all clap for Nahri please . Babes just witheld her Arabness AND was civil? wow . Think of it like this : She DIDNT make tea or kahwa BEFORE her guest arrived and accepted her refusal without insisting ATLEAST 100 times? Yall should know when youre offered 'just a lil dessert' which is really a whole tableful, you just SUCK it up wallah . THEN LATER is when you can go throw up the ridiculous amount you were made to eat . Trust me thats choosing the easy way out. Not to mention this girls name is Subha ? as in 'the morning after '? After as in...after...👀 . I loved these CULTURAL references with some of the arabic thrown in...it just made me feel so warm inside.Nahri wanting so desperately to be of egyptian lineage as well ... everyone knows arabs are hella proud and boy was she💕
"Dont be ridiculous", Jamshid touched Muntadhirs cheek."I want you to come to me with things like this",he smiled."To be honest...the rest of your companions are fairly useless sychophants"
That drew a laugh from her husband."Whereas I can always rely on you to honestly insult me"
"And keep you safe"
Jamshid and Muntadhir- The ship lives on !!! c'mon theyr too cute. They've got this forbidden/secret romance thing going on . With Muntadhir being the easygoing , charming and fun crown prince and Jamshid ,his sweet ,caring 'best friend' at his side . I absolutely love Jamshid if you didnt know. throughout . Muntadhir and I...half half , hes way too comfortable as he is and idk . lemme give u a lil extra jamshid scene u might remember. eh? eh?
Jamshid shifted in his saddle , looking pleased with himself. "This should do nicely . oh what? "He asked when i glared at him . "Your not my mother . I dont need your permission" . He brought his hand together as if holding imaginary reins . "Im your elder anyway"
"Im your Banu Nahida! " , she argued back."I could...I could...", she trailed off,thiniking fast.
Jamshid , the former priest in training turned to face her ."You could do what?" , he asked her politely.
:))))))))
Because a lost little girl from Cairo thought she was living in some sort of fairytale and because for all of her supposed cleverness , she couldnt see that the dashing hero who saved her was its monster
Dara- At first i was intrigued to see that Dara would be getting his own POV . I wanted to hear his thoughts , understand him a lil more , maybe explore ideas of morality .I expected too much tho bcz boy was his POV BORING . I wasn't even the slightest bit surprised when he The poor lad just cant catch a break . Complex ideas about sense of duty WERE included but i couldn't help disliking Dara here . its like this whole chain ; he suffers , he makes others suffer , he's manipulated over and over and over again... we should just leave him alone. Let him ride out his old age peacefully .
But then...she became so much more . He had felt shockingly free with her - to be a normal man and not the celebrated Afshin or the despised scourge , free to exchange flirtatious barbs with a quick witted beautiful woman and delight in the unexpected stirring her magnetic,mocking grin caused in his shuttered heart . All because Nahri hadn't known their history . She was the first person Dara had spoken to in centuries who knew nothing of his past-so he'd been able to leave it behind
sighhh . I mean its great that Dara wants to change , it gives him some chance of redemption and yes- it makes sense that he would like to leave behind his past and horrid memories . But he cant . Honestly i see reason he shouldn't end up with Nahri from this ( no I'm not just focusing on the romance but cmon! i had to decide my ship before the final book!) He's only listed that he likes how she makes him feel-normal . Nahri could only do so before she learnt more about him , it changed things . Dara needs someone who make shim feel that way regardless of his past , him wholly. But before that he needs to work on himself , his mental health , mindset and surroundings.
"Because my brother is coming back to Daevabad"
The moment i was waiting for . My hands went up in the air as i swayed to the sweet tune those word evoked . My love returns!
"Take your fathers offer"She said firmly. "You can help people in Am Gezira without getting killed . Marry some woman who will love to hear you ramble about canals ( i cant believe she forgot economics *eye roll* the incompetence Nahri ) and have a whole band of children you'll undoubtedly be too strict with" . she cupped his cheek , her thumb brushing his beard . She didn't miss the sudden racing of his heart nor the sadness rising in her own.
Ali seemed speechless, his eyes flickering nervously across her face. It would have to do. she stood up , dropping her hand and stepping away . The sudden sting in her eyes "Go steal some happiness for yourself , my friend" she said softly " Trust me when i say the chance doesn't always come back"
This book is mainly where i developed my love for Ali from . He's still so unexpected and keeps surprising me , serious character growth . from being . Bruh! Its also where my ship began . THE YEARNING
It terrified her . Because whatever history was between them , Nahri did not think she had it in her to watch the kind man who'd built her this office , this quiet homage to the home she still loved- the man who'd taught her to read and helped her summon flames for the first time- to be executed in the arena.
Ali has always been there for her whereas Dara was just there in brief moments of fleeting passion . Ali wrote her letters from Am Gezira when she wouldn't even reply ! Letters ! I could cry from how much i wish Alizayd was mine.
Its our only hope of defeating them , are you with me ?"
Ali took a deep breath but then clasped her hand and climbed to his feet "Until the end"
August 23, 2024
4.5 ☆
”Because a lost little girl from Cairo thought she was living in some sort of fairy tale. And because for all her supposed cleverness, she couldn’t see that the dashing hero who saved her was its monster.”
ok, soo hear me out.. i will 100% be defending Dara with my eyes closed cause i truly feel like he’s misunderstood and although he leaves bloodshed in his wake, i can’t help but feel he’s a victim just as much as anyone else. i wasn’t expecting the time jump at the start, so it was interesting to see where Nahri was at in this moment in time. i loved how independent she’s become and the way she pushes through all the adversities to make a better situation for her people.
”You don't stop fighting a war just because you're losing battles. You change tactics.”
Ali had a huge improvement to his character and i honestly became more of a fan of his after witnessing him finally take a stand against his father after returning from exile. im curious to see how his powers will come into play and since Nahri and Ali are a unit against Dara, im holding my breath that things won’t go completely off the rails when they come face to face again. im loving this series and this was so close to getting a 5 star from me.. im both nervous and anticipating book 3.
”Because a lost little girl from Cairo thought she was living in some sort of fairy tale. And because for all her supposed cleverness, she couldn’t see that the dashing hero who saved her was its monster.”
ok, soo hear me out.. i will 100% be defending Dara with my eyes closed cause i truly feel like he’s misunderstood and although he leaves bloodshed in his wake, i can’t help but feel he’s a victim just as much as anyone else. i wasn’t expecting the time jump at the start, so it was interesting to see where Nahri was at in this moment in time. i loved how independent she’s become and the way she pushes through all the adversities to make a better situation for her people.
”You don't stop fighting a war just because you're losing battles. You change tactics.”
Ali had a huge improvement to his character and i honestly became more of a fan of his after witnessing him finally take a stand against his father after returning from exile. im curious to see how his powers will come into play and since Nahri and Ali are a unit against Dara, im holding my breath that things won’t go completely off the rails when they come face to face again. im loving this series and this was so close to getting a 5 star from me.. im both nervous and anticipating book 3.
November 1, 2022
EDIT: Giving it 5 stars bc It's just too good! It gets better every reread.
Great continuation of the series! Although it does fall victim to the same pacing issues as the first installment, specifically the first half of the book is rather slow, it definitely picks up in the second.
Some thougths:
I was surprised and delighted at the time jump.
Nahri is still a badass and I loved the more mature cunning version of her, also she is probably one of the strongest Fmc I’ve read in a long time. The way she must navigate her world is nothing short of admirable.
Ali had some of the best character growth in the book and I was here for it. Even though he is decidedly terrible at timing he at least has the strongest back bone in the city.
Muntadir was really disappointing and I still was so sad at the end for him and then genuinely relieved. Also I love Jamshid.
Finally Dara….. this is the character that caused me the most emotion in the form of frustration and anger! I’m so disappointed in him.
I’m ready for the conclusion of this amazing trilogy. Let’s do it.
Great continuation of the series! Although it does fall victim to the same pacing issues as the first installment, specifically the first half of the book is rather slow, it definitely picks up in the second.
Some thougths:
I was surprised and delighted at the time jump.
Nahri is still a badass and I loved the more mature cunning version of her, also she is probably one of the strongest Fmc I’ve read in a long time. The way she must navigate her world is nothing short of admirable.
Ali had some of the best character growth in the book and I was here for it. Even though he is decidedly terrible at timing he at least has the strongest back bone in the city.
Muntadir was really disappointing and I still was so sad at the end for him and then genuinely relieved. Also I love Jamshid.
Finally Dara….. this is the character that caused me the most emotion in the form of frustration and anger! I’m so disappointed in him.
I’m ready for the conclusion of this amazing trilogy. Let’s do it.
February 2, 2024
3,75⭐️
Syndrom drugiego tomu jest tu wyczuwalny, niczym podsmażany na patelni boczuś w słoneczny, wiosenny poranek.
No ale trzon historii jest na tyle solidny, że mi się podobało. Bardzo wporzo.
Syndrom drugiego tomu jest tu wyczuwalny, niczym podsmażany na patelni boczuś w słoneczny, wiosenny poranek.
No ale trzon historii jest na tyle solidny, że mi się podobało. Bardzo wporzo.
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