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 … 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.
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Wow! I had trouble tearing myself away from this thrilling ride. Chakraborty does an amazing job of bringing folklore to life, with beautiful descriptions and engaging story telling all throughout The City of Brass. To any who are hesitant to read this adventure—don’t be! Buy and read this book!
Each fantastical page of City of Brass is soaked in a heady brew of myth, action, and history, and I was hooked from the opening pages set amidst the crooked alleys of Ottoman Cairo all the way to the final scenes of mythical Daevabad. I can’t wait to see what sorts of trouble Nahri, Dara, and Aliyzad get into in the next installment of the series!
Beautifully-written and highly absorbing. The setting was a vivid tapestry of Persian mysticism and mythology cloaked in YA-style adventure and Games of Thrones-style royal intrigue. One of the best YA novels to come around and there’s a lot of talented storytellers emerging in that genre–highly recommended.
I really loved this book. Every time I picked this book I found myself being lost in the story. There are no words for how amazing this book was. This book is a must read.
The world building was great. I loved the sense of adventure and danger constantly following Nahri and Dara on their way to Daevabad. It was easy to follow the different races and how they were treated in Daevabad. I liked that the author explains things that happened in the past in the war and how the djinn and Qahtari in the present. While I didn’t love Nahri or Ali, the two main characters whose POV switches, I can say that I was immersed in their story. They have to face a lot throughout the story so I can’t be too hard on them, but there are moments where they rise to the occasion. Most of the time they are immature and think of themselves. Although Ali cares very much for his family and is torn between loyalties. Dara is hands down my favorite character in this book. He is a warrior, but his past is a dark one. Bits and pieces of the man he used to be slowly get revealed, but I still love all the mystery surrounding him and what really happened in the war. I just want more Dara.
I am so excited for the next book in this series and see what’s in store for Nahri and Ali. The ending was fantastic and now I’m yearning for the next book. This is a highly recommended book that you should not pass up. There so many things to love about this book.
Oh my goodness.
This was beautiful. And I’m not just talking about the writing; the descriptions were vivid, the characters were heartbreaking, and the subplots were carried out with so much dignity and mastery that I wonder how this could have been any better. This was one of the first books where I shed unabashed tears, actually and usually, it’s impossible to get me to even tear up. Even minor supporting characters were fleshed out and believable. SA Chakraborty definitely dominated with this.
But guess what? I’m totally ruined. I need the next book now.
What can I say about city of brass…. It’s absolutely amazing! Djinn packed world filled of turns I thought I knew were coming but actually ended up being twist of what I couldn’t have seen. Nahri is a character I want to read again and again.
Since the time I wanted to read this book, here it is, a real crush, I immediately hooked into the story.
The story takes place in Cairo in the eighteenth century where we find Nahri a con artist with multiple talents. She reads palms, practices exorcism and can heal people. Her main target is the Ottoman nobles to survive. Except that one day she unintentionally evokes Dara a djinn warrior and her mistake will have many consequences.
Fleeing Cairo, this famous djinn and Nahri will travel together and meet creatures of fire and river, the famous Marids, their destination: Daevabad, the famous city of Brass.
I was immediately hooked on the story so gripping, captivating, addictive, full of intrigue, suspense and twists and turns with very endearing characters. I can’t wait for the sequel.
I’m writing this review of the first book after having torn my way through the entire trilogy, neglecting children, pets and my own book drafts in the process. Daevabad is an utterly engrossing fantasy world that richly reimagines Islamic and Zoroastrian mythology and folklore. It is populated by a host of dynamic and complex characters who could each have easily carried their own novels. Chakraborty crafts a wickedly action-packed story that sweeps you mercilessly from page to page. Highly recommended.
Another great start to another fantasy series I have been delayed in reading! I was captivated by the world building and the magic. The pace of this story was quick and kept the action going. I cannot wait to see how the trilogy plays out!!
I stumbled on this book at the library and I couldn’t walk away from that cover. I devoured the book and the next two in the series as soon as I could get my hands on them. A world of djinn and other elemental spirits, alongside but apart from Napoleonic Egypt, featuring love, betrayal, and unknown identities, there is a lot to love in this series.
Everyone that I know has recommended this book series to me and I am so glad that it lived up to the hype. Chakraborty how me out of the water with her unique characters. I loved the Magic and the politics that was in this book and the ending definitely threw me for a loop. I can’t way wait to dive into book two to see what happens to Nahri next.
This is definitely one of my favourite books of the year. It was fresh and completely absorbing. The characters all had unique personalities and autonomy. I was impressed by the characters’ banter, which the author managed to make funny, realistic, and smooth. The setting was well-developed, and the plot was unpredictable. I can’t wait to read the next in the series!
This. Is. An. Amazing. Book. It’s the story of an orphaned young woman, who accidentally brings forth a djinn. When she’s attacked by ghouls, the djinn protects her, then, as all good genie do, he flies her off on a makeshift carpet. Of course, they have interesting and exciting adventures.
This book has remarkable world building, and the storytelling is equally wonderful. I enjoyed the characters and cared deeply about them. I sped through this book, until I reached the epilogue. Then I slowed down because I didn’t want the book to end. Yes, it was that good.
There are a ton of characters to keep track of, and several locations that are important to keep in mind. In the beginning, I actually had to make a chart to help me remember. It wasn’t long though until everything fell into place. Then it was a delight of a read.
I can’t wait until I can get my hands on the next book in this trilogy.
This is definitely a five star read. If you’re into fantasy, then I highly recommend this book.
I received a free ebook copy from the publisher through Netgalley. I thank them for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.
I literally gift this book to everyone I know. I’ve read it three times, and it just gets better each time.
So glad I read it, what a wonderful world the Author has created!
How is it that I waited so long to try this series? I adored it!!! It is full of magic carpets, djinn, Ifrits, safrits and all sorts of wonderful beings. It is action packed with great world building and awesome diverse characters full of complexity. There’s some good twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting. The more I read the harder it was to put down. I cannot wait to see where this goes!!!
Well, this book certainly gets points for having an unexpected, twisty ending! I didn’t see any of THAT coming (with Ali, specifically). This novel was a massive tome that I admit was initially a bit daunting to pick up, with 526 pages in the paperback version I bought. But it was overall very readable, especially once my brain got stretched enough to take in all the many character and creature and place names. It didn’t feel overly long, since things were constantly happening to Nahri, Dara, and Ali. The author has a vast imagination and wasn’t afraid to use it in this story. The book definitely has a Game of Thrones feel to it, especially considering how thoroughly bloody it is in parts, with characters dying or getting injured in quite gory ways (not my fave thing, or the profanity either). Weirdly, I also got Harry Potter vibes, like when the djinns would do something magical, or do something like go into a room that was magically illuminated. I like how traditional genie/djinn lore was woven into the storyline.
Four stars for Nahri’s chapters. Two stars for Ali’s chapters. Meeting in the middle and giving this a three.
I loved the writing in this story, but I only felt captivated by Nahri’s narrative. I feel like if she had been the soul narrator, I would have enjoyed this a lot more.
Review is for the Audiobook version:
The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy, Book 1) by SA Chakraborty, narrated by Soneela Nankani.
The lure for me was that this deals with middle eastern and eastern mythology rather than the standard European fare we get so much of. Complex, flawed characters, intricate world building, no clear good guy (everyone’s got an agenda), and fab politics. I could easily visualise this world as I listened. I had only a few minor complaints and actually finished it with a book hangover which is a rarity for me.
This book was not an easy read for me. I didn’t understand a lot of the cultural terms used and was forced to google and use the glossary in the back extensively. Please do not let that deter you. The story was worth the learning experience. The characters were well developed and the imagery was transporting. I couldn’t put this book down and am now starting the second in the series!