Publisher: Harper Voyager
Series: N/A
Format: Paperback ARC: 528 pages
Source: Publisher
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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...
**I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
I had a serious book hangover after reading this wonderful book. It was the perfect combination of historical fiction and fantasy wrapped into one decadent package.
Our story begins in the streets of Cairo during Napoleon's occupation of Egypt. Nahri is a clever con artist using her gifts to survive. She has an unnatural ability to see illness in the people around her, which also allows her to sustain her income.
During one of her cons she manages to summon a long lost Djinn warrior named Dara, which sets in motion a chain of events that will lead Nahri on the biggest journey of her life, to the magical city of Daevabad which holds the answers to who she really is.
I knew this one would be good, but I wasn't prepared by how good it really was. It is full of magic, mythology, complex characters, and an ending that will leave you shocked and ready for more! Chakraborty did such an amazing job with The City of Brass. I was never bored because the pacing was steady throughout, and the descriptions were so real and lush that I actually believed that I was there with Dara and Nahri, seeing the brass gates of Daevabad through their eyes.
All of the characters were complex and felt very real. There were no perfect characters, including Nahri. They were all flawed in their own way. I really liked how Nahri is known to be special, but she was not perfect at all. Unlike most "chosen one" MCs, Nahri struggles with her gifts and magic throughout the story. Nothing comes easy to her. It was refreshing to finally have a character that was not a special snowflake. I also really loved Dara's character. He was facing his own battles and demons the closer he got to Daevabad, where he was forced to confront the ugly truth about his past. But I loved his interactions with Nahri. You could tell that they really had a connection, and it felt very natural. Another favorite was Prince Ali. Chakraborty could have written him as another spoiled Prince, but he was quite different. A lover of science and religion, Ali was the polar opposite of his playboy brother and cruel father. All he wants to do is study what he loves, and fight for what he believes in.
That's another part of The City of Brass that really stuck out to me. There were various social issues presented in the story that can be applied to real life. There are the Daeva (purebloods), and Shafit (Djinn and human parents). The Daeva are considered superior while the Shafit are treated as second class citizens. Prince Ali wants equality among them all but faces resistance from his father, the King.
The ending was shocking and completely caught me off guard. It was one that I did not see coming at all. It really sets the tone for the next book in the series, because I already know that it will be action packed!
My only complaint is that the dialogue felt too modern for a story that is supposed to be set in the 18th century. While it was easy to read, it would have felt more authentic if it was not modern.
If you are looking for a wonderful fantasy mixed with mythology and historical fiction, pick up The City of Brass, because you will not be disappointed!
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