Name: De bronzen stad
Rating: 5 (1 reviews)
ISBN: 9789022594452

Shannon Chakraborty

Wanneer Nahri in het 18e-eeuwse Caïro per ongeluk een djinnkrijger oproept, verandert haar leven voorgoed en raakt ze verwikkeld in intriges en stammenstrijd in de bronzen stad.

De bronzen stad

Het wervelende eerste deel in de meeslepende Daevabad-trilogie, die zich afspeelt in achttiende-eeuws Egypte Tussen de marktkramen van het achttiende-eeuwse Caïro zingen nog altijd de oude verhalen rond. Verhalen over djinns en geesten. Over steden verborgen in het kolkende zand van de woestijn, vol betoveringen, verlangen en schatten die je stoutste dromen overtreffen. Daar, waar de magie door elke straat stroomt en als stof in de lucht hangt, wacht Daevabad: de legendarische bronzen stad. Achter haar hoge muren en zes djinnpoorten wacht een stad vol intrige en betovering – waar oude vetes verre schaduwen werpen en de machtsstrijd genadeloos is. Nahri heeft nooit in magie geloofd. Dromen over schatten en verborgen steden is leuk, maar als je de kost verdient met het oplichten van rijke Ottomaanse edelen, heb je wel iets anders aan je hoofd. Tot Nahri tijdens een van haar zwendelpraktijken per ongeluk een mysterieuze djinnkrijger aan haar zijde roept, en ze beseft dat de magische wereld die ze voor onzin hield maar al te echt is. Sterker nog: dat zijzelf er onherroepelijk deel van uitmaakt. Want Nahri heeft nooit geweten waar ze vandaan komt, of hoe het kan dat ze vreemde talen kan verstaan die niemand haar ooit heeft geleerd. Ze hoopt dat de krijger haar de antwoorden kan geven die ze haar hele leven heeft gezocht. Maar iedereen weet dat een wens doen bij een djinn fatale gevolgen kan hebben. In de pers ‘Een briljant debuut dat een volledig nieuwe richting in het fantasygenre aanboort en diversiteit en inclusiviteit met een aanstekelijk flair op de kaart zet.’ The Wall Street Journal ‘“Betoverend” is absoluut het juiste woord om deze pageturner te beschrijven. Een subliem fantasyavontuur dat zich kan meten met de spanning van In de ban van de ring.’ New York Journal of Books ‘Een briljante combinatie van een meeslepende schrijfstijl, plottwists, een rijke fantasiewereld, hartveroverende heldin, bloedstollende actie en droge humor. Laat die trilogie maar komen!’ Publishers Weekly

Wees voorzichtig met wat je wenst

3 stars - I sat with this for a while after finishing it. There were things I absolutely could not stand ("enemies" to lovers, the pace, Dara (yes I said it), and unnecessary details), and a few things I liked (Alizayd, the Tanzeem, the magic & fantasy aspect). 

- I hateeeee enemies to lovers to my CORE, especially when it's not done right, but it isn't something specific to the book. However, Nahri and Dara first hate each other, but just because they're stuck with together, they suddenly fall for one another...? Suddenly they're head over heels?! That's what it felt like, and that's why I hate enemies to lovers with a passion

- Now, the pace... I read this in Dutch (607 pages) so the page count is different than the English version (which is around 550 pages give or take, depends on the book format). I hated that Nahri and Ali meet in the middle of the book while we get both of their perspectives pretty early. That's just too long of a wait imo. But before Nahri meets Ali, she's stuck with Dara who's honestly a pain in the ass imo. He was unnecessarily holding back information about himself and what he knew about Nahri's family. And for what? Like, what was the reason?! He was being mysterious for absolutely nothing.

- I hate how detailed everything was explained. Of course, for some things it's necessary because this is (possibly) a whole new world which the reader plunges into. With some thing being too descriptive, there was a whole lot of meandering. And, gosh, I hate that.

- The Tanzeem had me on the edge of my seat! I loved it. I also love how Ali was cool with them in the beginning

With that being said: I did like the book overall. I initially did not want to read the second book because second book syndrome is real and I'm so sick of it. But after hearing people say that it is in fact better, I'm gonna give it try.

Joy KBA

3 stars - I sat with this for a while after finishing it. There were things I absolutely could not stand ("enemies" to lovers, the pace, Dara (yes I said it), and unnecessary details), and a few things I liked (Alizayd, the Tanzeem, the magic & fantasy aspect). 

Okay so first the things I didn't like: 

- I hateeeee enemies to lovers to my CORE, especially when it's not done right, but it isn't something specific to the book. However, Nahri and Dara first hate each other, but just because they're stuck with together, they suddenly fall for one another...? Suddenly they're head over heels?! That's what it felt like, and that's why I hate enemies to lovers with a passion

- Now, the pace... I read this in Dutch (607 pages) so the page count is different than the English version (which is around 550 pages give or take, depends on the book format). I hated that Nahri and Ali meet in the middle of the book while we get both of their perspectives pretty early. That's just too long of a wait imo. But before Nahri meets Ali, she's stuck with Dara who's honestly a pain in the ass imo. He was unnecessarily holding back information about himself and what he knew about Nahri's family. And for what? Like, what was the reason?! He was being mysterious for absolutely nothing.

- Yea Dara was just not it for me

- I hate how detailed everything was explained. Of course, for some things it's necessary because this is (possibly) a whole new world which the reader plunges into. With some thing being too descriptive, there was a whole lot of meandering. And, gosh, I hate that.

The things that I did like:

- Alizayd. That's it. That's the tweet.

- The Tanzeem had me on the edge of my seat! I loved it. I also love how Ali was cool with them in the beginning

- The magic & fantasy aspects were good

With that being said: I did like the book overall. I initially did not want to read the second book because second book syndrome is real and I'm so sick of it. But after hearing people say that it is in fact better, I'm gonna give it try.

De bronzen stad

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