ARC Review: The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy #1) by S.A. Chakraborty
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Series: The Daevabad Trilogy #1
Author: S.A. Chakraborty
Published March 8th 2018 by HarperVoyager
Goodreads Synopsis
Step into The City of Brass, the spellbinding debut from S. A. Chakraborty—an imaginative alchemy of The Golem and the Jinni, The Grace of Kings, and One Thousand and One Nights, 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
Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of 18th century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trade she uses to get by—palm readings, zars, healings—are all tricks, sleights of hand, learned skills; a means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles.
But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to accept that the magical world she thought only existed in childhood stories is real. For the warrior tells her a new 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 hawks are not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass, a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound.
In that city, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, she 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 be careful what you wish for . . .
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.
This book was one of mine, and most other bloggers, most anticipated debuts for 2018. When I learnt that I would be receiving a review copy from the publisher, I was overjoyed, and dove right into the book. The City of Brass follows our two heroes, and is told in dual PoV. The first narrator is Nahri, living on the streets in Cairo, running cons and odd jobs to get by, but eventually it all comes back to her, and she has to flee. The other narrator is Ali, a prince of Daevabad (the City of Brass), who wants to do right by his family, and by his role as prince, but also to help those in Daevabad who has suffering under his family's rule. Both PoV's were distinct, and original, and I loved both of the main characters. The plot of the book was immense, with many different subplots interwoven into the main tale. Nahri, after trying her hand at a bit of magic - that she didn't really believe in anyway - and accidentally calls forth one of the daeva warriors, and a djinn warrior - Dara. Because of her new discovery of magic, and her own powers, Nahri is in danger, and the only safe place for her would be in Daevabad. Dara has to use his own powers to protect her and get her their safely, and along the way, they grow close, even if their is an aspect of animosity there too.
Ali, as the younger prince, knows he won't inherit the crown, but still has to abide by all the rules as if he would be. His role in life is to protect his older brother, Muntadhir, and self thought is not required for that. Most of the elite, and that includes his family, think that those living in and around the city for mixed descent don't deserved to be treated properly, and that's tough for Ali to cope with. He spends time in the slums, and tries to support those struggling however he can, but even he is at risk of punishment if he is caught.
The world building and history in the book was fantastic. Chakraborty spent so much effort and time to weave everything into a truly wonderful fantasy debut, and though the book may be daunting at first glance - being over 500 pages - it honestly didn't feel like that as you were reading. From the get go, you were invested in the plot, and as you discover more about all of the characters, you need to read on to find out just what happens to them.
All in all, I was just blown away by this book, and if I hadn't known any better, I would not have expected this to be a debut. I'm so looking forward to The Kingdom of Copper, and can not recommend this book enough!
Dates Read:
February 18-22, 2018Rating
5 Stars
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