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The City of Brass: A Novel (The Daevabad Trilogy) Kindle Edition
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Library Journal | Vulture | The Verge | SYFYWire
Step into The City of Brass, the spellbinding debut from S. A. Chakraborty perfect for fans of The Golem and the Jinni, The Grace of Kings, and Uprooted, in which the future of a magical Middle Eastern kingdom rests in the hands of a clever and defiant young con artist with miraculous healing gifts.
On the streets of eighteenth-century Cairo, Nahri is a con woman of unsurpassed skill. She makes her living swindling Ottoman nobles, hoping to one day earn enough to change her fortunes. But when Nahri accidentally summons Dara, an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior, during one of her cons, she learns that even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences.
Forced to flee Cairo, Dara and Nahri journey together across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire and rivers where the mythical marid sleep, past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises and mountains where the circling birds of prey are more than what they seem, to Daevabad, the legendary city of brass.
It’s a city steeped in magic and fire, where blood can be as dangerous as any spell; a city where old resentments run deep and the royal court rules with a tenuous grip; a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound—and where her very presence threatens to ignite a war that has been simmering for centuries.
*Finalist for the World Fantasy Award: Best Novel
*Nominated for the Locus Award: Best First Novel
*Finalist for the British Fantasy Award: Best Newcomer
Featuring a stepback and extra content including a bonus scene and an excerpt from The Kingdom of Copper.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHarper Voyager
- Publication dateNovember 14, 2017
- File size3300 KB
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
From School Library Journal
Review
“The City of Brass is the best adult fantasy I’ve read since The Name of the Wind. It’s stunning and complex and consuming and fantastic. You must read it.” — Sabaa Tahir, #1 New York Times bestselling author of An Ember in the Ashes
“An opulent masterpiece. Chakraborty’s debut is desire-soaked, intrigue-laced, and rife with so-delicious-you’ll-sink-your-teeth-into-it worldbuilding and equally mesmerizing characters. A must-read.” — Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen
“[The City of Brass] reads like an invitation for readers from Baghdad to Fairbanks to meet across impossibly divergent worlds through the shared language and images of the fantastical.” — New York Times Book Review
“Chakraborty writes a winning heroine in Nahri — flawed but smart and engaging. And her portrayal of the cultural conflicts in the magical city of Daevabad and of Ali’s inner turmoil is compelling and complex, serving as a strong counterpoint to the thrilling action.” — Washington Post
"I loved the protagonist, there was a nice cast of supporting characters, and the plot had some twists and turns that I did not see coming… Her style is vivid and colourful and very readable. The best thing, though, was the setting. Instead of drawing on the European Dark Ages and Middle Ages, Chakraborty evoked the flavours of the Middle East and ARABIAN KNIGHTS and the legends of the djinns. I enjoyed the novel hugely, and I just ordered the second and third books in the trilogy so I may continue the adventure." — George R.R. Martin
“Chakraborty’s debut dazzles...The City of Brass takes readers on an emotional roller-coaster, leaving them with an open ending that will have them desperate for the follow-up. Majestic and magical.” — Shelf Awareness (starred review)
“Against [a] syncretic yet nonderivative and totally credible backdrop, Chakraborty has constructed a compelling yarn...culminating in a cataclysmic showdown that few readers will anticipate....Best of all, the narrative feels rounded and complete yet poised to deliver still more. Highly impressive and exceptionally promising.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“This lyrical historical fantasy debut brings to vivid life the ancient mythological traditions of an Islamic world...Chakraborty’s grasp of Middle Eastern history, folklore, and culture inspires a swiftly moving plot, richly drawn characters, and a beautifully constructed world that will entrance fantasy aficionados.” — Library Journal (starred review)
“The City of Brass is more than a promising debut — it beguiles all the way...Chakraborty’s research and imagination are equally strong, and she deftly sets up a rich world — and ample suspense — for the rest of this trilogy.” — Vulture (The Ten Best Fantasy Books of 2017)
“It’s hard to describe just how gorgeous and intricate this fantasy novel is.” — SYFY Wire
“The City of Brass is a mesmerizing fantasy tale of magic and intrigue that showcases the very best that the fantasy genre has to offer...a superbly written, lush fantasy story that deserves to be at the top of your to-read list.” — Hypable
“With this rich and layered novel, Chakraborty builds a fantasy world as intricate and intriguing as its Middle Eastern setting. Following the various subplots is like pondering vibrant Arabic design; readers will lose themselves in the wonder and complexity.” — BookPage
“Vivid descriptions percolate the lush prose, and a final twist leaves room for a sequel. Recommend this scintillating, Middle Eastern fantasy to fans of thoughtful, mystical adventures.” — Booklist
“Chakraborty’s first book in her in Daevabad Trilogy introduces an enchanting world of magic and treachery that will leave you clamoring for book two.” — Paste Magazine
“Chakraborty combines the plot’s many surprises with vivid prose, and leavens the action with wry humor. There is enough material here—a feisty, independent lead searching for answers, reminiscent of Star Wars’s Rey, and a richly imagined alternate world—to support a potential series.” — Publishers Weekly
“An extravagant feast of a book—spicy and bloody, dizzyingly magical, and still, somehow, utterly believable.” — Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of Strange the Dreamer
“Fast-paced, strong characters, and immersive world-building—S. A. Chakraborty debut is a carpet-flying adventure of djinn-filled wonder that leaves you wishing for more.”
— Michael J. Sullivan, New York Times bestselling author of the Riyria Revelations
“S. A. Chakraborty’s debut novel is an adventure that sweeps readers through the streets of Cairo and out into a spellbinding landscape of magic, warring clans, sacrifice, and betrayal. Each page reveals a new wonder. Con-woman Nahri, djinn warrior Dara, and the enchanted city that they--and we--are only just beginning to understand, are captivating. What an exciting ride!” — Fran Wilde, award-winning author of Updraft, Cloudbound, and Horizon
“The City of Brass immerses you in a magnificent and vivid world. It’s a thrilling adventure, brimming with fabulous magic, compelling characters, and wonderful intrigue. I can’t wait for book two!” — Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Queen of Blood
“A richly imagined, stunningly immersive book that takes you into a world of darkly alluring djinn and beguiling magic...Peopled with irresistible characters and steeped in the myths of the Middle East, The City of Brass is a dazzlingly inventive tale.” — Ausma Zehanat Khan, award–winning author of the Khattak/Getty mysteries and The Bloodprint
“I particularly love a story of twisty, complex, dangerous, and character-driven family and palace politics, steeped in hidden history, cruel betrayals, and desires that can’t be admitted. The City of Brass delivers on all counts.” — Kate Elliot, New York Times bestselling author of the Court of Fives
“The City of Brass is a true testament to Chakraborty’s writing [...] She has constructed a fantastic and immersive world brimming with Islamic lore, written characters that will stay with you long after the end of the book, and created a plot that will have you on tenterhooks.” — Cultured Vultures
“The City of Brass is fast-paced and totally engrossing. It’s the kind of book you can really immerse yourself in, and I’m so glad I was able to spend some time in this richly-detailed world.” — All About Romance
“The political corkscrews of George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones meets the emotion and imagination of Naomi Novik’s Uprooted in this marvelous debut fantasy.” — The Amazon Book Review
“Even a few pages will enmesh you in its magic.” — Robin Hobb, New York Times bestselling author
From the Back Cover
Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of eighteenth-century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trades she uses to get by—palm readings, zars, and a mysterious gift for healing—are all tricks, both the means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles and a reliable way to survive.
But when Nahri accidentally summons Dara, an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior, to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to reconsider her beliefs. For Dara tells Nahri an extraordinary tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire and rivers where the mythical marid sleep, past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises and mountains where the circling birds of prey are more than what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass—a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound.
In Daevabad, within gilded brass walls laced with enchantments and behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments run deep. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, her arrival threatens to ignite a war that has been simmering for centuries.
Spurning Dara’s warning of the treachery surrounding her, she embarks on a hesitant friendship with Alizayd, an idealistic prince who dreams of revolutionizing his father’s corrupt regime. All too soon, Nahri learns that true power is fierce and brutal. That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences.
After all, there is a reason they say to be careful what you wish for . . .
About the Author
Shannon Chakraborty is the author of the critically acclaimed and internationally bestselling Daevabad Trilogy. Her work has been translated into over a dozen language and nominated for the Hugo, Locus, World Fantasy, Crawford, and Astounding awards. You can find her online at www.sachakraborty.com or on Instagram and Twitter as @SAChakrabooks.
Product details
- ASIN : B06VXWPMV5
- Publisher : Harper Voyager; Reprint edition (November 14, 2017)
- Publication date : November 14, 2017
- Language : English
- File size : 3300 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 569 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #24,274 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #129 in Historical Fantasy (Kindle Store)
- #303 in Action & Adventure Fantasy (Kindle Store)
- #594 in Epic Fantasy (Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
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The City of Brass: A Novel (The Daevabad Trilogy)
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About the author
Shannon Chakraborty is the author of the critically acclaimed and internationally best-selling The Daevabad Trilogy. Her work has been translated into over a dozen languages and nominated for the Hugo, Locus, World Fantasy, Crawford, and Astounding awards. When not buried in books about medieval seafarers and con artists, she enjoys hiking, knitting, and re-creating unnecessarily complicated historical dishes. 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 currently lives in New Jersey with her husband, daughter, and an ever-increasing number of cats.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the story engaging and unique. They describe the book as brilliant, enjoyable, and one of their favorite reads of the year. Readers appreciate the compelling characters and well-written writing style. The world-building is solid and complex, with solid motivations and intentions. Customers find the book exciting, magical, and fulfilling. They appreciate the vivid descriptions and intricate details.
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Customers enjoy the engaging story with its unique premise and interesting world-building. They find the tale twisting throughout, offering a glimpse into a mythology they never explored. The book features heart-pounding scenes and a detailed journey through an expansive world.
"...make you question everything in it and blow your mind, scenes that will make your heart pound, and unique and marvelous settings - you don’t want to..." Read more
"...This series is a fantastic example of an adult fantasy with limited romance...." Read more
"...It is such a beautiful, vibrant, and detailed journey that I dove into book 2 right after finishing this one." Read more
"...There are three major ingredients to a story - setting, character, and plot - and The City of Brass is marvelous on all three...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it brilliant, enjoyable, and one of their favorite reads of the year. The book has multilayered characters and epic storytelling that readers can enjoy. It is recommended for fantasy readers looking for a different experience and inspiring for years to come.
"...If you like rich worldbuilding, gray and multilayered characters, epic and complex story telling that will make you question everything in it and..." Read more
"...While young adults can certainly enjoy these books, I think more mature audiences will be able to fully appreciate the themes and characters...." Read more
"...The characters, main and secondary, are all flawed and so well written...." Read more
"...to a story - setting, character, and plot - and The City of Brass is marvelous on all three...." Read more
Customers enjoy the character development. They find the characters compelling and fascinating, with alternating chapters about two main characters.
"...If you like rich worldbuilding, gray and multilayered characters, epic and complex story telling that will make you question everything in it and..." Read more
"...Ali is probably the most likable and my favorite character. He is a genuinely good, if sometimes misguided, person...." Read more
"This story sucks you in. The characters, the politics, the worldbuilding, the history...." Read more
"...There was excitement and action, but also many beautifully drawn moments between the characters...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's writing quality. They find it well-written, with unique characters and an engaging storyline. The author shows, not tells, and provides a glossary, maps, and explanations for everything. While not too wordy, the narrative is deliberate without being forgettable. Readers appreciate the skillful presentation, world-building, and vibrant dialogue.
"...amazing to read a book like this - which is so well researched and written (recognizing correct and well used terminology was a delight!)...." Read more
"...than others, but this series as a whole is some of the best writing I’ve ever read...." Read more
"...It is all so beautifully written that the pages and chapters fly by without needing a break...." Read more
"...a competent warrior and member of the city's elite guards, he is also bookish and empathetic to the sufferings about him of the Shafits...." Read more
Customers appreciate the author's skill in worldbuilding. They find the book engaging and well-crafted, with a complex society and modern techniques. The characters are endearing and have solid motivations.
"...And I really appreciated the positive portrayal of Islam through the character of Ali - whose faith urges him to be more compassionate and fair...." Read more
"...It starts out very strong. Our main character, Nahri is a con artist with magical abilities living on the streets of Cairo...." Read more
"...The characters are layered, likable, and strong...." Read more
"...makes up for it by incorporating middle-eastern myths and modern world building techniques to bring to life an amazing world in her debut novel..." Read more
Customers find the book engaging and exciting. They say it transports them to a magical experience with its world-building. The story is fulfilling and refreshing, with twists and revelations that keep readers hooked.
"...characters, incredible twists and revelations that will make your heart pound - this book has it all and more!..." Read more
"...There was excitement and action, but also many beautifully drawn moments between the characters...." Read more
"Building a believable and realized world is not an easy task...." Read more
"...their feelings were developing, but I still thought their feelings were believable enough, and they had a cute dynamic sometimes...." Read more
Customers appreciate the vivid descriptions and attention to detail in this epic fantasy novel. They find the setting and world-building fantastic, with a visual writing style that is engaging. The author's imagery and attention to regional folklore are also appreciated. Overall, readers describe the book as rich and lush, immersing them in an immersive world.
"...I absolutely devoured this book. It is such a beautiful, vibrant, and detailed journey that I dove into book 2 right after finishing this one." Read more
"...The world is refreshingly unique for epic fantasy and filled with vivid, intricate detail...." Read more
"...This is a very rich and lush book of will engulf you into a world full of Djinn, Ifrits, and many other magical creatures...." Read more
"...’ve been using when I recommend it to friends and family is “bright and shining fantasy”...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book. Some find it fast-paced and engaging, with unexpected plot twists. The pages and chapters move quickly, making it a quick read. Others feel the beginning is slow and lacks details and world-building, leading to a flat pacing in the middle and end.
"...It is all so beautifully written that the pages and chapters fly by without needing a break...." Read more
"...The book's pacing is perfect to me and often compared to One Thousand and One Nights...." Read more
"...This book was a little long and somewhat slow-paced, and I may have skimmed some of the descriptions of rooms and gardens, but those were my only..." Read more
"...Well paced. Has exciting parts but overall it’s a lot of beautiful world building." Read more
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Aladdin Meets the Mummy In This But So Much Deeper!
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2017Wow! This book completely had be captivated from start to finish!
Summary : A Middle Eastern influenced epic Fantasy that starts with Nahri, a cunning thief in Cairo, with hidden healing abilities who (while pretending to heal a possessed girl) accidentally awakens the evil spirit in the girl, and also calls upon a mysterious djinn warrior - who then reluctantly (but also insistently) protects her from terrifying creatures like Ifrits and ghouls, and takes her to the hidden and magnificent City of Brass, Daevabad.
Our second point of view is through Ali, the passionate and kind hearted second prince of a Daevabad - a city with 6 diverse tribes of djinn barely holding on to peace after a centuries’ old war. His secret sympathies for the ill-treated mixed blood Shafit (half human/half djinn) put him in a conflicting position with his father, brother and other tribes.
* Actually, there is no way to even scratch the surface with a summary on this book! The reimagined history and vast world-building, the deeply complex conflicts where no one is completely right or wrong, deep and compelling characters characters, incredible twists and revelations that will make your heart pound - this book has it all and more!
Characters: I absolutely loved the characters! Nahri and Ali (total cinnamon roll, this one) were main characters that made me completely root for and feel for them. And then there’s Dara... the moody and haunted ‘Daeva’ warrior with a seriously complicated past - I can’t even begin to describe him. I think the book itself needs more pages (where is the sequel?? I need it!) for me to wrap my head around this one! Wow. But they were all so amazingly developed, and I loved the dynamics between them so much!
And I really liked that there was romance (no triangle) - it’s not the main focus but it’s the kind that makes things more interesting, and I’m really really curious about what’ll happen with that in the next book!
The supporting characters are also so well written and complex too! Even the tyrant king so that sometimes you forget he’s not a good guy! The very complicated but deeply loving sibling relationship between Ali and his brother (the crown prince) Muntadhir really tugged on my heart.
Actually everyone and everything in this book took turns squeezing my poor heart and even crushing it a few times!
And also, as an Arab woman and muslim, it felt amazing to read a book like this - which is so well researched and written (recognizing correct and well used terminology was a delight!).
And I really appreciated the positive portrayal of Islam through the character of Ali - whose faith urges him to be more compassionate and fair. But even he is a flawed character, torn and conflicted.
It is a world where everyone has their own views, beliefs, and way of looking at events - there is no clear right or wrong side, everything is multilayered, and the book is never biased with the conflicts it presents. That just creates and builds a really compelling story.
* I really appreciated the diversity within this world! It’s set in one city that encompasses a variety of cultures inspired by African, Arabian, Chinese, Persian and South Asian! It’s in the characters’ appearances, languages, but also in the magical creatures in the story!
Most (the main ones like the types of djinn - with every facet of folklore explored!) I’ve grown up hearing stories about, but then there were also new creatures from Persian, Egyptian, and Greek (I think?) mythology! It was so fascinating and a lot of fun!
Oh, and there are magic carpet rides - what more can I want?
Overall , this book had me completely enthralled! If you like rich worldbuilding, gray and multilayered characters, epic and complex story telling that will make you question everything in it and blow your mind, scenes that will make your heart pound, and unique and marvelous settings - you don’t want to miss this book! I didn’t want it to end! And now I’m desperate for the sequel and have no clue what to do with this massive book hangover!
Also, if you enjoyed The Grisha Trilogy, Throne of Glass series, An Ember in the Ashes, The Wrath and the Dawn — this book has everything you loved in those, but it’s also refreshingly unique at the same time!
- Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2024City of Brass was generally good, at times fantastic, but occasionally tedious. It’s the weakest in the series, but the series as a whole is 10/10.
It starts out very strong. Our main character, Nahri is a con artist with magical abilities living on the streets of Cairo. She lives her life basically ignoring that she is different until she accidentally summons a djinn named Dara. She then discovers that she’s the half-blood (aka shafit) descendent of a thought to be extinct powerful family that Dara had dedicated his life to serving. Dara must put his prejudice against the shafit aside to protect Nahri and escort her to the djinn city of Daevabad. There she befriends the second born prince, Ali, and must take her place as the last member of her family.
Some parts of this book were genuinely great. I really liked the chemistry between Dara and Nahri at first and thought the time they spent traveling to Daevabad was the most enjoyable. There’s a few months’ time jump during their travels, and I think readers could have benefited from getting to see the events during that time and watch Dara and Nahri’s friendship grow.
Once they got to Daevabad it became less interesting. It was very dense with clan politics and culture, which was a lot to take in and at times could be boring. It seemed like very little happened in a large number of pages.
I have mixed feelings about the characters as they aren’t the easiest to like. Ali is probably the most likable and my favorite character. He is a genuinely good, if sometimes misguided, person. I take issue with religion, so I wasn’t a huge fan of Ali’s devoutness, but overall he was easy to root for. I really enjoyed his friendship with Nahri.
Nahri is a hard character to grasp and I feel that she could have used some more depth in this book. I enjoyed that she was smart and tough without being infallible. But I didn’t like that she didn’t seem to care or be particularly concerned about how the shafit were treated, especially since she was one. Even some internal monologue on the topic would have been welcome. The lack of it made her come across as shallow. I also wish she would have challenged Dara’s outlandish views more and wasn’t as blindly loyal to him. I wanted her to have more of her own opinions and be a person apart from Dara. At the end of the book, I still didn’t feel like I knew her.
I really wanted to like Dara. And I did at first. After all, what’s not to like about an attractive, morally grey, tortured male main character with a tragic backstory? But the fact that he’s extremely prejudice with no signs of change makes him difficult to accept. Dara needed some more redeeming qualities or moments where we saw a better side of him. Though I expect my reaction is exactly what the author was aiming for. Still, I wish I could like him more.
There’s a tiny bit of romance, but it’s definitely a fantasy rather than a romantasy. But don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s YA. This series is a fantastic example of an adult fantasy with limited romance. While young adults can certainly enjoy these books, I think more mature audiences will be able to fully appreciate the themes and characters. The target audience is adults, which I appreciate.
Overall, some parts of book one are better than others, but this series as a whole is some of the best writing I’ve ever read. The 2nd and 3rd book are phenomenal and this series is one I recommend 100%.
Top reviews from other countries
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Mirella MonteiroReviewed in Brazil on September 11, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars MEU DEUS!!
assim que comecei esse livro entendi completamente porque tem tanta gente obcecada nele, ele simplesmente é MUITO bom, é um daqueles livros que o melhor é trajetória que você faz acompanhando os personagens. o caos dos últimos capítulos? IMPECÁVEL. não vejo a hora de ler o restante!!
- Charlotte WatkinsReviewed in the United Kingdom on November 28, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars An Utterly Immersive, Richly Imagined, Middle Eastern Inspired Fantasy Novel
’”There’s no magic, no djinn, no spirits waiting to eat us up. I’ve been doing my tricks long enough to learn none of it’s real.”’
If you’re looking for an utterly immersive, vividly realised, Middle Eastern fantasy novel filled with djinn, daeva and numerous other mystical entities then look no further; ’The City Of Brass’ is undoubtedly the book for you. With a rich and fascinating world, complex and compelling characters and a plot that has enough twists to make your head spin the first book within ’The Daevabad Trilogy’ has something to delight pretty much any fantasy fan.
What initially drew me towards this book and swiftly reeled me in is its Middle Eastern inspired setting; starting off in 18th century Cairo before turning to more mystical, yet similarly inspired, land. It was utterly delightful to discover the myriad mixture of mythical beings within this world and start to uncover the complicated dynamics involved within them. There’s past wars and current prejudices; there’s complex history and varying cultural beliefs. There’s politic turmoil and mesmerising magic. Altogether it’s a gloriously compelling world to immerse yourself within although I will admit that it can be a bit of a struggle initially to keep all of the terminology straight . With numerous different tribes within the famed City Of Brass, it takes time to familiarise yourself with everything. Yet I highly recommend sticking with it as familiarity will come, and the overall payoff is more than worth it.
Character wise I loved the unexpectedly delightful mixture of individuals involved. Nahri has mysterious origins, a stubborn personality and a con artists eye given how she had to raise herself. Ali is the second prince, raised to protect his brother and keep balance within Daevabad; yet he can’t help but feel moved by the struggles of those deemed ‘lesser’ in his lands. Those two individuals make up the perspectives that you receive but there are many other standout characters to meet over the course of the novel too; including an impossibly old daeva that is likely to thrill and alarm you, quite possibly in equal measure.
Then there’s the plot which utterly captivated me. Personally I didn’t think that there was a dull moment as I loved the banter between several of the characters and getting to naturally discover such a richly compelling and complex world. There’s lots of action and intrigue scattered throughout too however and a fair few moments that I certainly did not see coming. The stakes of this novel feel exceptionally high for the first within a series. It’s certainly one of those rare fantasy novels that gives you the sense that nobody is safe.
Truthfully I could go on gushing about this novel but instead I’ll highlight just one other aspect of it that I particularly appreciated: the way that it managed to believably paint the prejudice and hardships of both sides in a clashing world. Throughout ’The City Of Brass’ you see the prejudice beliefs and attitudes of individuals on both sides of the Djinn/Daeva divide along with the suffering that comes as a consequence of it. There are horrors and atrocities – both past and present – within both sides of this conflict and I truly don’t know how it’ll ultimately pan out. It’s harrowing to read and truly pushes you to think about these kinds of conflict in a much more detailed light.
So ultimately I certainly recommend checking out ’The City Of Brass’. Initially it may feel a little bit overwhelming to wrap your head around so many unfamiliar varying names but its one hundred percent worth sticking with it. The world is vividly rich and immersive, the plot compelling and studded with twists and the characters the sort that can worm their way beneath your skin. Simply put I cannot wait to carry on with this trilogy.
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Jessica SuarezReviewed in Mexico on July 8, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
Hace cientos de años seis tribus fueron creadas luego de una terrible guerra, Nahri está a punto de conocerlas. Por accidente ella convoca a un guerrero Djinn durante una de sus presentaciones, ahora ambos deben escapar del Cairo por el inminente peligro en el que se encuentran, el único lugar seguro es Daevabad, la legendaria City of brass. Nahri no sabe que ella está unida a esta ciudad y que su presencia ahí será toda una revelación.
A pesar de los cientos de nombres de tribus que tuve que aprenderme, de ciudades, de criaturas míticas, de dialectos, de armas, de vestimenta, de palabras que se usan específicamente para algo, sin contar que tenia que estar adivinando si ciertas palabras eran inventadas o las podía traducir, realmente disfruté este libro. No saben lo bien construido que está el mundo en el que se desarrolla, todo es asombroso, quedé maravillada por el world building. La historia es realmente buena, porque en ocasiones se crea un buen universo pero la historia no es convincente, City of brass no es uno de esos libros, los personajes se ganaron mi corazón, la historia me mantuvo súper enganchada de principio a fin, y hace mucho no me pasaba eso, reí, sufrí, gocé, me enamoré. Tienen que leer este libro.
Cabe aclarar que este es un libro introductorio a todo lo demás que sea que vaya a ocurrir, nos ponen en contexto con acontecimientos del pasado y con todo el mundo que conforma está trilogía, eso no quiere decir que sea un libro aburrido donde solo se enseña la historia de Daevabad.
Yo le doy 4.8 de 5 ⭐ porque me hubiera gustado que se desarrollara un poco más la interacción de ciertos personajes antes de crear una amistad, digo, con 4 veces que interactúen no pueden crear un súper vínculo.
La mala noticia es que este libro por ahora solamente está en inglés, si leen en inglés no duden en comprarlo.
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in Canada on February 22, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Read it twice! Amazing world building and interesting characters.
Took this out from my local library. As a general rule, because I live in an immensely small space, I only buy a book if I find myself re-reading it 2-3 times first. On my third read of City of Brass, I decided it was time to buy it for my collection.
I really enjoy the world building here; there's a clear divide between worlds within the book, but their coexistence is explained simply and wonderfully. I found the characters rich and diverse, their motives interesting and less predictable than other novels of the same "found fantasy" genre, and though there IS a romantic subplot, it was not the main focus of the plot itself, and it didn't feel too forced.
Read this book if you enjoy character-based journeys in richly cultured fantasy lands, a little political intrigue, and a lot of magic. If you like other, similar fantasy novels, you will love this one.
- Sumaiya KhatoonReviewed in India on October 21, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended for fantasy lovers..
4.75/5
Not gonna lie but the first half of this book was incredibly slow and confusing as hell. I kept turning to the glossary , re-read certain portions and even take notes in order to keep myself up to date with the information overload.
But all that hardwork paid Off because of the delicious second half . All that build up seemed necessary and I couldn’t help myself craving for more.. hence, immediately started reading kingdom of copper..
Highly recommended for all fantasy lovers ..
and for all impatient readers, I urge you to keep going till the halfway mark, I guarantee you are going to love this book and forgive the slow start..
Sumaiya Khatoon
Reviewed in India on October 21, 2020
Not gonna lie but the first half of this book was incredibly slow and confusing as hell. I kept turning to the glossary , re-read certain portions and even take notes in order to keep myself up to date with the information overload.
But all that hardwork paid Off because of the delicious second half . All that build up seemed necessary and I couldn’t help myself craving for more.. hence, immediately started reading kingdom of copper..
Highly recommended for all fantasy lovers ..
and for all impatient readers, I urge you to keep going till the halfway mark, I guarantee you are going to love this book and forgive the slow start..
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