Name: Chiara Vitale Zelaia's review of The Empire of Gold by Shannon Chakraborty
Item: The Empire of Gold
Rating: 5
Author: Chiara Vitale Zelaia

Shannon Chakraborty

"No series since George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire has quite captured both palace intrigue and the way that tribal infighting and war hurt the vulnerable the most." --Paste Magazine The final chapter in the bestselling, critically acclaimed Daevabad Trilogy, in which a con-woman and an idealistic djinn prince join forces to save a magical kingdom from a devastating civil war. Daevabad has fallen. After a brutal conquest stripped the city of its magic, Nahid leader Banu Manizheh and her resurrected commander, Dara, must try to repair their fraying alliance and stabilize a fractious, warring people. But the bloodletting and loss of his beloved Nahri have unleashed the worst demons of Dara's dark past. To vanquish them, he must face some ugly truths about his history and put himself at the mercy of those he once considered enemies. Having narrowly escaped their murderous families and Daevabad's deadly politics, Nahri and Ali, now safe in Cairo, face difficult choices of their own. While Nahri finds peace in the old rhythms and familiar comforts of her human home, she is haunted by the knowledge that the loved ones she left behind and the people who considered her a savior are at the mercy of a new tyrant. Ali, too, cannot help but look back, and is determined to return to rescue his city and the family that remains. Seeking support in his mother's homeland, he discovers that his connection to the marid goes far deeper than expected and threatens not only his relationship with Nahri, but his very faith. As peace grows more elusive and old players return, Nahri, Ali, and Dara come to understand that in order to remake the world, they may need to fight those they once loved . . . and take a stand for those they once hurt.

The Empire of Gold

Cassidy Nolan

Ali gave the crowd an uncertain glance, looking a little overwhelmed. “An auspicious start to a new government.”

But Nahri laughed. “Bargaining, you said?” She surveyed the crowd with the practiced air of a professional, smiling graciously as various arguing delegates glanced their way.

They were at the doors to the old Royal Library. “Until the end,” Nahri replied.

For Nahri was going to bring forth a world in which her mother would have been free.

 Nahri had spent so much of her life focused on her Nahid heritage, and yet it was her mother, the smooth-talking shafit fighter who’d outwitted Manizheh in death to protect her child, whom Nahri had more in common with.

Ali was already reaching for her. Sobbing too hard to speak, Nahri threw herself in his arms and there, in the garden where her parents had met, finally mourned them.

Of the words her mother had told her every night, simple ones, but ones no one had told Nahri since, not in language she still used to summon flames.

I love you, little one. I love you so much.

He was changed. But it felt so good to be in his arms that Nahri didn’t care.

Muntadhir glanced up idly from where he was twisting a blade of grass. “What’s that for?”

“Nothing. Everything.” Ali smiled. “I am just so very grateful.”

Nahri pressed her we face into her shedu’s silky mane. “Let’s go home, Mishmish. I don’t think he’s coming back.”

“May the fires burn brightly for you, Afshin.”

Dara straightened up, holding her gaze another moment. She drank him in, memorizing his brilliant eyes and wine-dark hair. This was the man she would remember.

Then her Afshin stepped back and was gone.

Dara brought her hand to his lips one last time, kissing her knuckles again. “Find your happiness, little thief. Steal it and do not ever let it go.”

“Back at the Euphrates, when I asked if you wanted to continue, and you took my hand . . . would you do it again? Should I have stopped, returned you to Cairo—“

Nahri instantly reached for his hand. “I would do it again, Dara. I would take your hand a thousand times over.”

“You don’t have any supplies,” she protested. “No weapons. How will you protect yourself?”

The half smile he gave her, amused and brokenhearted, would follow her to the end of her days. “I can become the wind. I think I can manage.”

She wiped her eyes. “Still so arrogant.”

She pulled Dara back into her arms, burying her head into his shoulder. She breathed in the smoky citrus of his skin and summoned every bit of strength she could. Another time Nahri would let herself grieve. She’d let herself mourn everything they could have become.

“I am off to have adventures.” He gave her a shattered half smile. “You’re the one who has to stay behind with bureaucrats.”

Nahri let out a weeping laugh. “Infuriating man. You don’t get to make me laugh when you’re breaking my heart.”

“But then how would I see you smile one last time?”

“You have earned your happy ending, little thief. Let me do the same. Let me earn a place in the garden with my family.”

“What I’ve always wanted,” she finally answered. “I want to be a doctor. I want to fix people and fill my head with knowledge. And maybe find some riches and happiness along the way.”

He opened his eyes. Irtemiz had returned, her dark gaze filled with apprehension. Of course she had disobeyed. In a way, he had counted on it.

Dara took her hand. “My friend, I must beg a favor of you.”

An odd sensation settled over him, and it took Dara a moment to realize it was peace.

“Do you think Nahri will take the throne with Muntadhir?”

The priest laughed. “They are already divorced. When I visited the Banu Nahida at the hospital this morning, I found them taking tea over the burning remains of their marriage contract, and it was the happiest I’ve ever seen them together.”

“Afshin, can I ask you something?” When he nodded, Razu ventured forth. “Do you love her? Truly love her?”

 If Dara had doubted his feelings for Nahri would survive all their betrayals and battles, he’d known the moment she’d smiled at him from her hospital bed that he was besotted as ever.

“Yes,” he answered after a time. “I love her. More than my life. I do not imagine I will ever love another in such a manner.”

It was a group that should not have been together, but for the unconscious woman at its center holding them fast—and perhaps more importantly, keeping them peaceful. Because Dara suspected the only thing preventing him and the Qahtani prince from coming to blows was the fear of Nahri’s wrath.

There were only two people in Daevabad that Nahri hadn’t needed to restore power to, the two men whose paths had tangled with hers even as they each went their own way, claimed by opposing factions and families, by the elements themselves. Water and fire and earth. Held in check. Balanced.

It had taken some wrangling, since it was in Tiamat’s realm, but in the end, the mother of chaos seemed to enjoy the outrageous plan he had in mind.

It’s preposterous and will almost certainly result in many, many deaths.

Chiara Vitale Zelaia

Adele Etheridge Woodson

This series was amazing, with this final book the best in the trilogy!  It's been a long time since I've been so consumed with wanting to read all the time. Characters were engaging and flawed. Morality and vengeance were constantly questioned.  Loved it.

Jenny Engel

This series was AMAZING and has me hooked on non-western fantasies 

Maria Fernanda Arnay

The finale. All questions answered. Things resolved. Relationships settled. Drama concluded (mostly.) Battles waged. Legacies resolved etc etc. I think this stuck the landing. I don't think that there was another way to end it and it made sense. I don't know that you necessarily want in your heart the ending you get, and I kind of personally felt a bit like, wrung out by the end of it all. But it was well done. The issue with a book series this epic and this complex is that the climb is so high you sort of have to compromise the dramatics a bit to have it land on it's feet and the twisted asshole that I am, I sort of was expecting it to not land on it's feet and to get my guts punched out because it just felt like that kind of epic. So I guess I am saying that I didn't give this 5 stars because I wasn't emotionally destroyed at the end and given the ride we were on, I thought that's where we were heading. 

Apiecalypse Jen

Really disappointed on how the romance has been handled. I know there’s more to the story but the two love interests is what kept me going so …

Amira BEN

This series will stick with me forever. Somehow, each book was better than the last, and this final book in the series was a masterful conclusion tying every single piece together. It was heart-wrenching and brave - I found myself wanting in turns to scream or cry for these characters. The growth, the flaws, these characters were so real and vivid. This fully imagined world was so beautifully written. This is an incredible work of fantasy and to have it set in the Middle East and among Middle Eastern culture made it that much more interesting. I will recommend this series to everyone. 

Katie Allard

This series was fantastic all the way through. I loved seeing how much emotional growth the characters did in this last one. I never feel like I know what’s coming next. 

Alissa 

Boothby

Completely satisfying as a conclusion. The action kept up the entire time; It must be challenging to keep finding ways to intensify the action, but in spite of all the action, it was never exhausting to read. As always, there was a lot of insightful discussion about Nahri's experience living in an occupied society, but she finally also notices and starts taking account for the ways that her family also failed their people as rulers. I had let too much time elapse between reading the first and second books to really understand or be invested in the intricacies of Daeva/Djinn society for the first two books. However, since I read this last one immediately after the second when everything was still fresh, all the little details about the relationships between the factions and their old histories and grudges finally clicked for me, and I was so surprised that all the world building was actually nuanced enough to be interesting and had a strong enough payoff to be worth learning about. This book delivered on the many ideas, threads and hints that were set up throughout the series, and the characters were unforgettable.

Overall a solid read. A good, not excellent, end to a trilogy. Still would recommend and do enjoy S.A. Chakraborty's writing style. They way she writes her characters and has them interact. Love that she found some 'irregular' mythology and creatures to focus on. Is nice to not have the 'same old, same old.' Would definitely like to see more about the ifrit, Dara, the marid and peri from her in the future. 

Ariel Johnson

Pros: 

1. Characters are likeable. Nahri is a strong female character, Ali is respectful and determined in his own right. Even the antagonists, Dara and Manizheh, are understandable, if not relatable. The introduction of the myriad was interesting. 

2. Settings are described beautifully with much detail. An example - " Bathed in starlight, Daevabad was beautiful—the jagged lines of towers and minarets, domes and pyramids—astonishing like a jumble of jeweled toys. Beyond the sliver of white beach, the dappled lake shimmered with movement against the black embrace of mountains."

3. Lots of action. Epic duels and chases. 

4. The story: Emotional. It was nice to see some of the characters get the opportunity to escape. Gave them the choice if they wanted to fight for Daevabad. The internal plights of those choices was very heartfelt and well written. Also enjoyed the backstory for Sobek and his reasonings for helping both Ali and Nahri. Nahri also has some of her lifelong "blanks" filled in.

Cons: 

1. The story: Dara's story felt unfinished. He didn't get the redemption he deserves, I feel. Qandisha was also skimmed passed. She had an epic scene when she met Nahri, but nothing came of it. Manizheh's plight felt rushed near the end. She was intricately written in the beginning, only for that care to be lackluster near finish. Much of the finish felt more for convenience, over what would have been messier and taken more pages to flush out properly.

2. The structure. The book jumped back and forth between characters. In the past two books, they pushed the story forward, continuing along the timeline. This one, it would crescendo a character's story to a point of action, only to switch to another character taking it back to where they were left off before the first character's point of view. It would be several more chapters before getting back to the plot line that was invested in. Made the book's pacing trudge along slowly in several spots.


Overall a solid read. A good, not excellent, end to a trilogy. Still would recommend and do enjoy S.A. Chakraborty's writing style. They way she writes her characters and has them interact. Love that she found some 'irregular' mythology and creatures to focus on. Is nice to not have the 'same old, same old.' Would definitely like to see more about the ifrit, Dara, the marid and peri from her in the future. 

Prashanth Srivatsa

A perfect ending to a fantastic series, and a beautiful world.

In the protagonist, Nahri, there’s much to praise and love about how she is written and who she is as a character- but for the sake of this review I’ll keep it to just discussing her logic and pragmatism. Although at times taken by emotions and impulsivity, she’s a driven individual who never loses sight of her values or goals, and ultimately acknowledges her weaknesses and endeavours to learn from them. 

Additional to all this, quite possibly one of my favourite things about the Daevabad Trilogy is how clearly it presents deep questions and considerations about the nature of power, war, discrimination, and justification for vengeance. 

In the beginning, I struggled to remember all the new terminology and lore, especially about different clans but, ultimately, this is part of the reading experience and was something I became familiar with as I read.

I couldn’t recommend this series enough! Don’t be intimidated by the length of the books, because soon enough you’ll find yourself too drawn in to the Daevabad Series to notice.

Lauren

Brilliant from start to end.

In the protagonist, Nahri, there’s much to praise and love about how she is written and who she is as a character- but for the sake of this review I’ll keep it to just discussing her logic and pragmatism. Although at times taken by emotions and impulsivity, she’s a driven individual who never loses sight of her values or goals, and ultimately acknowledges her weaknesses and endeavours to learn from them. 

Additional to all this, quite possibly one of my favourite things about the Daevabad Trilogy is how clearly it presents deep questions and considerations about the nature of power, war, discrimination, and justification for vengeance. 

In the beginning, I struggled to remember all the new terminology and lore, especially about different clans but, ultimately, this is part of the reading experience and was something I became familiar with as I read.

I couldn’t recommend this series enough! Don’t be intimidated by the length of the books, because soon enough you’ll find yourself too drawn in to the Daevabad Series to notice.

The final chapter in the bestselling, critically acclaimed Daevabad Trilogy, in which a con-woman and an idealistic djinn prince join forces to save a magical kingdom from a devastating civil war.

Elisa Bieg

I just finished this, the conclusion to what is without a doubt one of my absolute favorite series, EVER. And I may be slightly book-hungover. 

One thing I liked about this book is that it gets going right away. The world building is mostly established, the characters well fleshed out thanks to the first two books. So we pick up right after that cliff-hanger from Kingdom of Copper, and boy is there a lot happening. 

One thing I want to mention is that I really appreciate how well the different POVs are done in this trilogy. It might be the best instance of multiple POVs I’ve read so far. The characters are distinct, you can distinguish their voices without even looking at the chapter header to see on whom we are focusing at any given moment. 

Though the world and characters are already well established, we get even MORE here. More dimension to each of them, new characters to love (hello Fiza, talking to you girl!), and more mythology interwoven with court politics that you do not see coming. And more social commentary.

I loved the romance, too, I admit. In fact I wouldn’t have minded a bit more kissing, TBH. (WHAT. I said what I said. Don’t look at me like that, you don’t scare me. One should be perfectly capable of getting it on in between political machinations.)

A couple of complaints: a few instances of anachronistic and slightly off-character language (modern swear words and colloquialisms) and the pace getting a bit funky in the last 1/3 of the book, largely due to the whole Marid thing which took, in my opinion, a larger chunk than it should have. 

Its not my favorite of the three, but overall, a nice conclusion to the Daevabad trilogy.
4 STARS

Pamela Fitzhugh 

I don’t even know if I can write a review on this book. It was honestly one of the only books that made me sob while reading it. I have legit tear stains on my book because after the war was so sad. Decisions made that are heartbreaking. Everyone got what they deserved and it was all wrapped up in a nice little bow. I hope to get a spin off of Dara’s adventures and him finding the vessels that would make for a lovely story and maybe one day accidentally meeting one of Nahid’s offspring generations past to meet him. Then maybe find a way to bring him back into the city one last time.

Marisa Petri

Excellent trilogy that litteraly ruined my sleeping schedule cus it kept me awake at night.

Zahia Saeed 

I just... I am destroyed. How do I live after this?????
100stars

“No series since George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire has quite captured both palace intrigue and the way that tribal infighting and war hurt the vulnerable the most.” —Paste Magazine The final chapter in the bestselling, critically acclaimed Daevabad Trilogy, in which a con-woman and an idealistic djinn prince join forces to save a magical kingdom from a devastating civil war. Daevabad has fallen. After a brutal conquest stripped the city of its magic, Nahid leader Banu Manizheh and her resurrected commander, Dara, must try to repair their fraying alliance and stabilize a fractious, warring people. But the bloodletting and loss of his beloved Nahri have unleashed the worst demons of Dara’s dark past. To vanquish them, he must face some ugly truths about his history and put himself at the mercy of those he once considered enemies. Having narrowly escaped their murderous families and Daevabad’s deadly politics, Nahri and Ali, now safe in Cairo, face difficult choices of their own. While Nahri finds peace in the old rhythms and familiar comforts of her human home, she is haunted by the knowledge that the loved ones she left behind and the people who considered her a savior are at the mercy of a new tyrant. Ali, too, cannot help but look back, and is determined to return to rescue his city and the family that remains. Seeking support in his mother’s homeland, he discovers that his connection to the marid goes far deeper than expected and threatens not only his relationship with Nahri, but his very faith. As peace grows more elusive and old players return, Nahri, Ali, and Dara come to understand that in order to remake the world, they may need to fight those they once loved . . . and take a stand for those they once hurt.

A Novel

ugh 3.5★ ...? like, i don't know, this book was so. damn. long, i was too annoyed to form an opinion. it had this huge issue where bc the characters were at different locations, once one finds out some sort of information, people at ALL the other locations would also find it out right after but in a different way.

honestly this book should have been either two fully fleshed out books or shorter. this sort of back-loaded plotting (the extent of it in the case of the empire of gold) is just bad writing imo.

Fraser Simons

Satisfying conclusion with even more cool mythology and magic and the fruition of plotting from the start. It’s quite the beast of a book at 750 pages but it doesn’t feel like a slog and if you’re on book 3, you’re probably invested already. Team Sobek amiright?

Only thing that annoyed me is repetition on certain things. Do yourself a favour and never notice how often people flinch as a reaction to something they dislike. These people flinch wildly. And whenever anyone is knocked out, ‘And then X saw nothing at all,’ is pretty patented. However, it’s very accessible and good at bringing earnest emotion to the forefront. Mostly here for the magic and mythology; so many cool things happen in each book in that respect. A Lot to like.

Daisy Mbingu

Amanda Rocha

I like stories like this, stories about empowered women being their own hero. I read stories like this because they inspire me; though it isn’t always so easy to emulate, I like having a reminder. To be strong, to persevere. Wait for no man, be your own hero. In this final chapter of Nari’s story, we see her rise up and take control of the ending. I don’t want to spoil too much, but I very much enjoyed it. It was an amazing journey and I loved the strength that our main characters found. But the best part was the beautiful imagery! It was definitely worth the wait!!

Anna Campbell

** spoiler alert **
           I sped through this series, and it was very enjoyable! I don’t think I’ve ever read a fantasy series that incorporated the four elements as separate magical races — what an interesting way to do it. Though it took me a while to realize the humans are earth! But I found learning about the marid and peris very interesting, and appreciated that they weren’t human like at all. 
I loved the twists and turns about lineages and bloodlines. Finding out at the end of book 2 that Jamshid is Nahri’s brother, and then everyone finding out about him and the Emir, and then learning that actually, Nahri is Rustam’s daughter! So much excitement I didn’t see coming. And with Ali as well, learning he has a literal crocodile ancestor. 
As much as I appreciate a love triangle falling apart and the book not being based solely around romance… I did want Nahri and Alizayd to end up together in a perfect way, after all that hardship! It was left too open ended for me.
Beautiful world building, character development for everyone, and a unique set of magic and politics! Good job.

Aundreya Rich

" May I ask you a question? Back at the Euphrates... when I asked if you wanted to continue, and you took my hand... would you do it again? Should I have stopped and returned you to Cairo-"
" I would do it again Dara... I would take your hand a thousand times over." 

I am unsteady after reading the finale to this series.
Out of honesty I didn't know what to expect... I found the beginning of this be a "slow build" and often read the same thing multiple times because I couldn't focus.
BUT the second half of the book was action packed and full of answers and overwhelming emotions.

Empire of Gold still follows 3 POVs.
 Dara-  still struggling with his loyalty to Manizheh and the war she fights for their people, ad his conscience and heart, which tells him history is repeating itself... and the bloodshed is too much.

 Nahri-  after fleeing Manizheh to save herself, Ali and Suelman's ring, she is back in her homeland of Cairo... but if the people she loves stands a chance, its up to her and Ali to fight for the djinn and shafits.

 Ali-  with new found power tide to the marid, Ali has to come to terms with his magic if he wants to save his kingdom... but with that he will have to sacrfice himself and his beliefs and see the marid for what they are. Ali is ready to fight for his family and create new alliances along side his best friend and the only love he knows.

The webbing of history, family, fantasy and war was so well done and written by S.A C.
I typically read YA fantasy so the switch felt a bit overwhelming and confusing at the beginning of the series, but the author does a great job giving you a reference in the back and also reiterating certain parts of the world building/history to help keep you on track.

I am extremely sad to be finished with this series and know I will be returning again someday and also recommending to friends.
My heart healed for Ali, Nahri, Jamshid, and Muntadhir in the end but I am still absolutely shattered by Dara... I need more... can I get a story made of happiness, healing and love for this gorgeous soul of a Daeva?!?!?!
I just wanted to hug them all.... 

I'd also like my very own shedu....

Would recommend if you like:
-world building
-politics
-some game of thrones-esque gore and war
-family drama
-a intricate magic system intertwined with history

What I missed:
-a couple hundred less pages, or maybe more spent on happiness for Dara, Ali, and Nahri
-a weeeeee bit more romance (ugh I know sorry)

Rating:
overall- 4.5 stars
steam- lets just say showing some wrist will send your favorites into a TIZZY
characters-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

song: Unsteady- X ambassadors

Sheila

SO many loose ends are tied up in this finale! So much backstory revealed, so much character development... Dara's chapters were dark af and a lot of my emotional energy was spent being so sad that circumstances meant Nahri didn't know what he was going through. The number of times my heart was in my throat...! 

I will say I found the ending to be fairly satisfying, but screw all the shippers I will die on my hill that Nahri should be single bc she is a fierce, independent woman who requires years of therapy to recover from her myriad, deep emotional scars who don't need no man. I affirm this despite (view spoiler)[tearing up during the scene between her and Dara in the woods (hide spoiler)].

I loved this trilogy so much, and would do a lot for a spinoff series on the following years as Daevabad creates and adjusts to a new form of government! Is this just me?

Leah | @LeahsLittlePleasures

Well here goes... *deep breathe*⁣
⁣
Chakraborty broke me with this one. Broke me. To my very core. If I could give this a hundred stars, the entire sky, I would. I can't stop thinking about it. I'm still getting emotional over it. It's going to stick with me for a long, long time. ⁣
⁣
This was my last read of November and WOW. It's been almost a week since I finished and I needed a few (*cough* several) days to collect myself so I wouldn't just burst into tears while writing and posting this. I'm still having moments. 👀😥⁣ This is potentially my favorite book of the year. Definitely the best of the bunch for November. Hands down.
⁣
Book 3 was action-packed and exciting and just so wonderful and heartbreaking. When I read these books, I feel like I’m completely and utterly immersed in the tale. It’s like I’m watching it. That’s how good the writing, story, and characters are as well as the general dynamic of the storytelling itself. Especially with book 3, because the depth of the world-building goes to a whole other level, I felt like I was watching an Emmy nominated and extremely well-developed TV series. You’re just that immersed in the magic of the story unfolding before you on the page and it feels that effortless. The wit and the banter are so on point. The love interest(s) are to die for. The magic of the world is just beyond fathomable in the best way possible. And then it ends... 💔⁣
⁣
I'm not sure where I go from here. My mind keeps wandering back to you, Empire of Gold.⁣ Thank you Chakraborty for this amazing, amazing, beautiful, stunning tale 🤍#teamdaraforever

Kayla 

If Dara POV chapters didn’t exist it would’ve been 5 stars 😌✨

Honestly, what can I tell you that I haven’t already said in the reviews for the previous two books? EMPIRE OF GOLD was the perfect conclusion to the Daevabad trilogy. I felt all the feels. I laughed, I shipped, I screamed, I cried. I cried a lot actually, especially during the last 100 or so pages, and I’m starting to think Chakraborty feeds off reader tears because she went all in with that ending.

But let’s proceed with order. The book naturally picks off exactly where Kingdom of Copper left us, and there was never a dull moment throughout. This is a pretty long book (around 800 pages) but there isn’t a single section that felt slow or dragging. I adored the emphasis given to the resolution of every character arc. After Kingdom of Copper it was hard to even envision how this series would end. I wanted so many things for these characters, had so many expectations…and S.A. Chakraborty managed to write an ending that was even better, despite the sacrifices her characters were called to make (because she’s evil).

If I think back on these characters in City of Brass, they all came such a long way and yet none of them lost what made me fall in love with them in the first place. Nahri is still the brave, determined con-artists she used to be, albeit a more guarded version of her. Ali is still the prince full of dreams and righteousness, although he’s also less disillusioned. And Dara…my sweet Dara… At the end of the day, no matter what rollercoaster journey S.A. Chakraborty has taken me on with this series, his character arc is the one that hit me hardest and deepest, but that somehow was also the most satisfying.

It’s hard to say much about a last book in a series without spoiling events so I’ll leave you some prompts instead. The characters were amazing. You’ll suffer, but you’ll be happy about it. The villain was probably one of the best I’ve ever read. The ending was exactly what it needed to be. 

Now I’m going to need novellas before I become ashes and die.

Chiara Vitale Zelaia &
The Empire of Gold by Shannon Chakraborty

Reviews

Highlights

Join the club

Chiara Vitale Zelaia &The Empire of Gold by Shannon Chakraborty

Reviews

Highlights

Join the club

Chiara Vitale Zelaia &
The Empire of Gold by Shannon Chakraborty