Name: Linara K.S's review of The Kingdom of Copper by Shannon Chakraborty
Item: The Kingdom of Copper
Rating: 5
Author: Linara K.S

Shannon Chakraborty

S. A. Chakraborty continues the sweeping adventure begun in The City of Brass—"the best adult fantasy I’ve read since The Name of the Wind" (#1 New York Times bestselling author Sabaa Tahir)—conjuring a world where djinn summon flames with the snap of a finger and waters run deep with old magic; where blood can be dangerous as any spell, and a clever con artist from Cairo will alter the fate of a kingdom. Nahri’s life changed forever the moment she accidentally summoned Dara, a formidable, mysterious djinn, during one of her schemes. Whisked from her home in Cairo, she was thrust into the dazzling royal court of Daevabad—and quickly discovered she would need all her grifter instincts to survive there. Now, with Daevabad entrenched in the dark aftermath of a devastating battle, Nahri must forge a new path for herself. But even as she embraces her heritage and the power it holds, she knows she’s been trapped in a gilded cage, watched by a king who rules from the throne that once belonged to her family—and one misstep will doom her tribe.. Meanwhile, Ali has been exiled for daring to defy his father. Hunted by assassins, adrift on the unforgiving copper sands of his ancestral land, he is forced to rely on the frightening abilities the marid—the unpredictable water spirits—have gifted him. But in doing so, he threatens to unearth a terrible secret his family has long kept buried. And as a new century approaches and the djinn gather within Daevabad's towering brass walls for celebrations, a threat brews unseen in the desolate north. It’s a force that would bring a storm of fire straight to the city’s gates . . . and one that seeks the aid of a warrior trapped between worlds, torn between a violent duty he can never escape and a peace he fears he will never deserve.

A Novel

The Kingdom of Copper

Return to Daevabad in the spellbinding sequel to THE CITY OF BRASS.

Nahri’s life changed forever the moment she accidentally summoned Dara, a formidable, mysterious djinn, during one of her schemes. Whisked from her home in Cairo, she was thrust into the dazzling royal court of Daevabad—and quickly discovered she would need all her grifter instincts to survive there.

Now, with Daevabad entrenched in the dark aftermath of a devastating battle, Nahri must forge a new path for herself. But even as she embraces her heritage and the power it holds, she knows she’s been trapped in a gilded cage, watched by a king who rules from the throne that once belonged to her family—and one misstep will doom her tribe..

Meanwhile, Ali has been exiled for daring to defy his father. Hunted by assassins, adrift on the unforgiving copper sands of his ancestral land, he is forced to rely on the frightening abilities the marid—the unpredictable water spirits—have gifted him. But in doing so, he threatens to unearth a terrible secret his family has long kept buried.

And as a new century approaches and the djinn gather within Daevabad's towering brass walls for celebrations, a threat brews unseen in the desolate north. It’s a force that would bring a storm of fire straight to the city’s gates . . . and one that seeks the aid of a warrior trapped between worlds, torn between a violent duty he can never escape and a peace he fears he will never deserve.

The Daevabad Trilogy #2

Cassidy Nolan

On the opposite shore, standing unmoving and eternal against the dawn sky, were the three Pyramids of Giza.

The words came to her in Arabic first, of course. “Ya masr,” she whispered softly as the Egyptian sun warmed her cheeks, the scent of the Nile’s silt on her skin. “I’m home.”

“I do not think it is your magic alone,” he whispered. “I think it is all of Daevabad’s.”

 Dara didn’t care if she greeted him with a dagger to his heart; after tonight, part of him would welcome it. But this couldn’t be how Nahri’s story ended.

She glanced down at Ali, reaching out her hand. “Are you with me?”

Ali took a deep breath but then clasped her hand and climbed to his feet. “Until the end.”

Clearly, the man Nahri knew as Dara was gone—if he’d ever truly existed in the first place. This Dara was the Afshin first, the Scourge. He’d brought a war to Daevabad’s doorstep and declared himself a weapon of the Nahids.

But he had no idea what kind of Nahid he’d just set himself against.

She brought the ceiling down on me. She actually brought the

 He’d been shocked by the sight of her looking like some sort of wrathful goddess, smoke twisting around her hands, her black curls blowing wildly in the scorching wind she’d summoned. She’d looked like a Nahid icon he might have bowed to in the Temple.

But the hurt in her eyes, the betrayal . . . that was the woman from Cairo.

“Now go. I can count my short reign a success if I manage to convince the two most stubborn people in Daevabad to do something they don’t want to do.”

“I’m supposed to protect you,” he whispered. “I’m supposed to be your Qaid.”

Muntadhir gave him a sad smile. “I’m pretty sure that means you have to do as I say.” His expression softened. “It’s okay, Zaydi. We’re okay.” He nocked an arrow, something broken in his face even as he winked. “Hell, I think this means I might even make it to your Paradise.”

He hit the wall hard enough to leave a dent in the stone and crumpled to the floor. A piece of her heart broke at the sight, still traitorously linked to the man who kept finding new ways to shatter it.

“I am truly sorry, Nahri,” Dara said, and she could hear it, the heartbreak in his voice. “But yours are not the orders I follow anymore.”

But the flicker of resentment that flared in his eyes—that took her by surprise.

“Of course they are true,” he said tonelessly. He touched the mark on his brow, a grim salute. “I am the weapon the Nahids made me. Nothing more, nothing less, and apparently for all of eternity.”

She stared at Dara, aching to see a glimmer of the laughing warrior who’d teased her on a flying carpet and sighed as she kissed him in the quiet dark of a secluded cave.

Dara closed the distance between them and took her hands, his fingers hot against hers. Nahri did not have it in her to pull away; it looked like it was costing Dara everything not to grab her and 

 The dashing warrior who’d taken her hand in Cairo and spirited her away to a land of legend. Her broken Afshin, driven to destruction by the crushing politics of the city he couldn’t save.

The ifrit fell to his knees before her, bringing his hands up in the Daeva blessing. “Nahri, it’s me. I swear on my parents’ ashes. I found you in a Cairo cemetery. I told you my name in the ruins of Hierapolis.” The same hollow grief swirled into his eyes. “You kissed me in the caves above the Gozan.” His voice broke. “Twice.”

Dara stared back at her, his face inches from hers. The scent of cedar and burnt citrus tickled her nose, and then he spoke one word, one word that left his lips like a prayer.

Nahri screamed. The ifrit’s fiery eyes met hers, and she caught her breath, startled by what looked like grief swirling in the depths of their alien color.

And then the scorching yellow vanished, his eyes turning the shade of green that haunted her dreams.

The Daeva commander whirled around, and Ali’s heart stopped. The cold green eyes from his nightmares, the black tattoo that declared his position to the world . . .

Lubayd grabbed his wrist, pulling him close. “Don’t you fucking die, Alizayd al Qahtani,” he said, pressing his brow to Ali’s. “I did not drag your starving ass from a crevasse to see you eaten by ghouls.”

“Are you ready?” Nahri asked when she and Muntadhir were alone.

He laughed as he strapped a wicked-looking sword to his waist. “Not in the slightest. You?”

“God, no.” Nahri grabbed another needle-sharp dagger and flipped it into her sleeve. “Let’s go die.”

“Watch yourself, fire worshipper,” one of the guards warned. “Believe me when I say none of us have patience for the Scourge’s whore.”

Nahri straightened up like a shot. “Call me that again and I’ll see you dead before dawn.”

Nahri glared at Wajed. “I will kill your king if you hurt him. I swear to you Qaid, on my ancestors’ ashes. I will kill your king and then I will kill you.”

Ali paused, seeing Muntadhir and Zaynab in his mind. Their father.

Bir Nabat and the life he might have lived.

“Go steal some happiness for yourself, my friend,” she said softly. “Trust me when I say the chance doesn’t always come back.”

Sheree Paskin

Linara K.S

Read this in a month and a half and BOIIIIII this was AMAZING. 
Basicaly, we follow Nahri and Ali AND Darayavahoush this time around (yes, he gets a POV strange but necessary) 
The story: 
Without spoiling anything, the story kept on getting better and better because not only did we get to see our characters change and realise how they need to change but the setting and the world-building gets more and more complicated by the page. It's as though teh author had only written a superficial part of the world and was only now showing teh true extent of its lore and complexity. I keep repeating complexe, and complicated, but its true I have no otehr words to describe how wondrefully interwoven the world is to the characters and the principal storyline. It amazes me everytime I think of it. 
The characters: 
The pace: 
What I liked: 
What I hated:

kitty 

Megan

why must i wait so long for the library to give me the third one omgggg

akynn 

I’ve never encountered a more useless map in my entire life

Ellys MC

A second book that felt like a second book. I love a headstrong woman for sure, and I like always when someone who gets dumped into a new place where they don't know anything doesn't just fly off like they can just make up all the rules and disregard everyone's advice or warnings which is something I have always liked about this series... that there isn't as much of that as in a lot of other fantasy books of this kind. Good world-building and we get more of that. With most things there were parts I liked and didn't like about the relationships especially between women... but we don't get everything we want. I immediately went into book 3 because I didn't feel like I wanted to let this one sit and the end wasn't gonna do for me at all as a wait and see so, prepare for that. 

Apiecalypse Jen

I totally get what everyone was saying now about this series. The second book was even better than the first. The political scheming, the character growth, twists, turns, heartache, etc. was all there. It’s so well written that even after reading 100 pages in one sitting I wanted to keep going. Rich culture and history, you can tell Chakraborty cares deeply about the customs of the Middle East. These characters are flawed, and in their quest to do what they think is right, they make mistakes with sometimes grave consequences. I also loved this realistic passage of time. It might seem inconsequential, but I honestly think it was vital for this story. I cannot wait to finish this trilogy!

Katie Allard

SO STRESSFUL. Game of thrones level political intrigue and fear 

Savannah Lowe

Hope Gamble

Fantastic second installment of one of my favorite new series! That ending has me wanting the third book already!

these books are so good. I can’t wait to read the next one. 

Alissa 

More political than the 1st in its series, but a great complimentary 2nd. 

Set 5 years after the 1st book, Nahri is trapped in Davabad by king Gussan. She is forced to play in his political games between the tribes, his sons, and Queen. Never fully recovering from the loss of Dara, but trying her best to move on and find her rightful place with the Davea. 

Compared to book 1, the author's writing has matured. The flow of conversations between characters is much smoother. There seems to be more detail. She really does capture the feel of sibling rivalry betwwn Ali and his brother and sister. The pacing, however, is slower and I think that has more so to do with the switch of focus of palace life for Nahri. 

The action doesn't really come in until about 70% in where all bits of set up tie together. Had some reveals of threads opened in the first, some revelations of its own, and set up for the next. 

Overall made for a different, but solid read. An excellent continuation of the series. 

Ariel Johnson

More political than the 1st in its series, but a great complimentary 2nd. 

Set 5 years after the 1st book, Nahri is trapped in Davabad by king Gussan. She is forced to play in his political games between the tribes, his sons, and Queen. Never fully recovering from the loss of Dara, but trying her best to move on and find her rightful place with the Davea. 

Compared to book 1, the author's writing has matured. The flow of conversations between characters is much smoother. There seems to be more detail. She really does capture the feel of sibling rivalry betwwn Ali and his brother and sister. The pacing, however, is slower and I think that has more so to do with the switch of focus of palace life for Nahri. 

The action doesn't really come in until about 70% in where all bits of set up tie together. Had some reveals of threads opened in the first, some revelations of its own, and set up for the next. 

Overall made for a different, but solid read. An excellent continuation of the series. 

It started with a slight middle book syndrome, during the first 17 chapters or so. Not so page turning at first.

And then after that it was just insane events upon insane events. 

The politicking in this book is sooo interesting and that’s the main strength of this book if we don’t count the awesome cast of the book. Each of them so interesting in their own way. 

Also, Ali ! Ugh 🤌🏼 the most misunderstood character ever I will never say this enough 😂😂 a sweet cinnamon roll, loyal though very clumsy and impulsive. He has all my heart, he deserves some happiness although he still has quite some growing to do

Amira BEN

It started with a slight middle book syndrome, during the first 17 chapters or so. Not so page turning at first.

And then after that it was just insane events upon insane events. 

The politicking in this book is sooo interesting and that’s the main strength of this book if we don’t count the awesome cast of the book. Each of them so interesting in their own way. 

Also, Ali ! Ugh 🤌🏼 the most misunderstood character ever I will never say this enough 😂😂 a sweet cinnamon roll, loyal though very clumsy and impulsive. He has all my heart, he deserves some happiness although he still has quite some growing to do

Prashanth Srivatsa

Brilliant! This series is getting better and better.

Sally Salinas

Cheri McElroy

Nahari, Ali, Dara, and more are back in this continuation of the Davebad trilogy. The story moved more quickly to me than the first book did and I was on the edge of my seat to see how the politics of the djinn would play out. The only negative I have is waiting for the final book of the trilogy. A definite 4.5 star read.

Yasser Yahia

A much better book compared to the first one ... I am happy that I continued with the series and now I am looking forward to start the 3rd book

Pamela Fitzhugh 

** spoiler alert **
           Sometimes books in a series get worse but this one got better. At the beginning I’m not going to lie I was bored. It skipped five years and you’re left to put the pieces together of what happened then throughout two thirds of the book is months of planning that I felt was unnecessary to an extent. The writing is beautiful which helps, but I found myself wanting to skip over the parts that were just fillers. The ending was wow, completely not what I thought at all. I had no idea that would happen at all. I knew that they would win in the end but not for Ali to have the seal. I thought Nahri would take it but the fact her mom said she was shafit like what. It’s just a lot to take in and I’m glad I have the third one with me. Because after that ending and them being in her hometown instead of Daevabad was a lot to take in. Then their magic disappeared too. The ending was the most interesting part and it is well worth all the boring pieces to get there.

Megan Lowe

I liked this book, and I like this series.
I do think the various titles, and tribes, and positions are confusing, as they were in the first book. It would be helpful if the glossary and all that were in the front of the book, not the end.
I also wasn’t a fan of the pacing of this book. It was so slow for what I would say is 60% of it. I’m not entirely sure it was entirely necessary to build everything up for that long.
But, I did like muntadhir and jamshid and am looking forward to the final book.

Catarina Silva

5 freaking stars

Holy crap, this was wild! This was book was just amazing, with the perfect amount of angst, action, sadness and mistery.

I had anxiety the whole way through this book, I just fell more in love with the characters and I was worried about everyone. I can't say much without spoiling but I still love Nahri with everything I have and freaking hate Ghassan. 

However, everyone made awful decisions here and I can't wait to know what's going to happen in the next book. This really is how you write a sequel.

Marisa Petri

Jillian Clare

Is it even possible to like the sequel even better than the first?? Kingdom of Copper just made it happen! Such a strong follow-up to City of Brass. Full review to come soon!

Aditi

Not much of an improvement from the first one. The characters are all annoying in different ways. There's a five year leap and none of them have changed or matured at all. They're supposed to be the smartest, the most skilled but of course we can't have that because how would the plot move along if they never fail. It got tiring to see them praise themselves in their heads when they're being tricked in actuality. 

The writing almost got worse in this one. They use all the modern terms and slang and it kept taking me out of the story. 

The only parts I enjoyed were when they were having stupid fights trying to hurt each other with words. I wasn't on anyone's side really, all of them are dumb so all of them being brought down a peg or two was fun to see. The plot wasn't all that interesting, the plot twists weren't surprising and the reactions that the characters have don't impact the plot in any way (because they don't have any reactions to life altering news). But again, the ending has me intrigued so I guess I will be finishing this series after all. 

I listened to the audiobook and the pronunciations are abominable. Doesn't affect my rating of the book but I think it's worth mentioning.

Zahia Saeed 

World building? ✨✨✨✨✨
Characters? ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Plot? ✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️

Sheree Paskin &
The Kingdom of Copper by Shannon Chakraborty

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Sheree Paskin &The Kingdom of Copper by Shannon Chakraborty

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Sheree Paskin &
The Kingdom of Copper by Shannon Chakraborty