Name: Pri's review of The City of Brass by Shannon Chakraborty
Item: The City of Brass
Rating: 5
Author: Pri

Shannon Chakraborty

"An extravagant feast of a book—spicy and bloody, dizzyingly magical, and still, somehow, utterly believable." –Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of Strange the Dreamer Step into The City of Brass, the spellbinding debut from S. A. Chakraborty, an imaginative alchemy 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. Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of eighteenth-century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trades she uses to get by—palm readings, zars, and a mysterious gift for healing—are all tricks, both the means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles and a reliable way to survive. But when Nahri accidentally summons Dara, an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior, to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to reconsider her beliefs. For Dara tells Nahri an extraordinary 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 birds of prey are more than what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass—a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound. In Daevabad, within gilded brass walls laced with enchantments and behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments run deep. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, her arrival threatens to ignite a war that has been simmering for centuries. Spurning Dara’s warning of the treachery surrounding her, she embarks on a hesitant friendship with Alizayd, an idealistic prince who dreams of revolutionizing his father’s corrupt regime. All too soon, Nahri 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 to be careful what you wish for . . .

A Novel

The City of Brass

Cassidy Nolan

Nisreen gazed at Jamshid. Her eyes were filled with the type of quiet awe most Daevas felt in the presence of one of their Nahids. “Yes,” she said firmly. Reverently. “I think Manizheh can do anything.”

His face turned colder, and so Nahri smiled, the first time she’d done so since Dara’s death. It was the smile she’d given the basha, the smile she’d given to hundreds of arrogant men throughout the years just before she swindled them for all they were worth.

She felt for him—truly. It was frustrating when someone upended your well-laid plans.

It’s why you never stopped planning alternatives.

Dara didn’t make a sound as he fell. She could swear he seemed to look past Ali, to gaze upon her one final time, but she wasn’t certain.

“Please.” She grabbed his hand, willing the reluctance in his eyes to vanish. She couldn’t let Dara die. The thought alone broke her heart. “I beg you. That’s all I want,” she added, and at the moment, it was true, her only desire in the world. “I only wish for him to live.”

He stared at her with open bewilderment. “I’m not sure whether to thank you for just saving my life or accuse you of betrayal.”

Nahri sucked in her breath. “I’ll let you know when I figure it out.”

”I already told you: I’m not leaving Daevabad—“

Dara pressed the zulfiqar to Ali’s throat. “You are,” he said, his voice quietly firm.

Nahri went cold. She met Dara’s eyes, praying she was wrong, praying that the man she trusted above all others was not really forcing this choice upon her.

But in his face—his beautiful face—she saw intent. A little regret, but intent.

ugh stubborn idiots doomed by the narrative i hate to love it

“And that’s what you think of me, isn’t it? Regardless of your feelings, I’m still the dirt-blood-raised thief. The con artist after the biggest score.” She gathered the edges of her chador, her hands shaking with anger and something else, something deeper than anger that she didn’t want to admit to. She’d be damned if she was going to cry in front of him. “Never mind that I might have done those things to survive . . . and that I might have fought for you just as hard.” She drew herself up, and he dropped his gaze under her glare. “I don’t need you to plan my future here, Dara. I don’t need 

This time when she left, he didn’t try to stop her.

 life, I assure you—fighting the very family you’re so eager to join, the people who would have seen our entire tribe wiped out. And then the ifrit found me.” He held up his hand, the slave ring sparkling in the sunlight. “I never had anything like this . . . anything like 

 His voice cracked. “Do you think this is easy for me? Do you think I 

She blinked, thoroughly taken aback by his reasoning. The survival of her family? 

She could see the apology in his face before he answered. “So you’ll need children. You deserve children. A whole brood of little Nahids as likely to pick your pocket as heal an injury. And I . . .” His voice broke. “Nahri . . . I don’t bleed. I don’t 

 . . . I can’t imagine that I could ever give you children. It would be reckless and selfish of me to even try. The survival of your family is too important.”

“Greatness takes time, Banu Nahida. Often the mightiest things have the humblest beginnings.”

“Don’t worry about my reputation,” she said lightly. “I do enough damage on my own.”

A wry smile played at the corner of his lips, but he said nothing, simply staring at her as if he was drinking her in.

“The Banu Nahida’s time is precious. Only those who are ill or injured—“

Dara abruptly raised a fist and then smashed it through the heavy, sandblasted glass table. The top shattered, sparkling shards of hazy glads cascading over the Afshin and the floor. He didn’t even flinch; instead, he raised his hand and looked at the jagged pieces of glass embedded in his skin with mock surprise. “There,” he deadpanned. “I’m injured.”

“I was also once a young warrior from the ruling tribe. It’s a privileged position. Such utter confidence in the rightness of your people, such unwavering belief in your faith.” His smile faded; he sounded wistful. Regretful. “Enjoy it.”

“I am nothing like you,” Ali shot back. “I would never do the things you did.”

The Afshin pulled open the door. “Pray you’re never asked to, Zaydi.”

“And here we are discussing ancient history again when I promised you a challenge.” He raised the zulfiqar.

It burst into flames, and Ali’s eyes went wide.

The Afshin looked more intrigued than surprised. He gazes at the flames, the fire reflected in his bright eyes. “Ah . . . now isn’t that fascinating?”

And then he stopped, staring at the cloth in his hands. He had dreamed of wearing this for years, had trained for this position his entire life.

He unwound the turban and let it drop in the dust.

Let Abba take my titles. Let him banish me to Am Gezira. It matters not.

“Stop.” Nahri startled as his hands suddenly cupped her face. He leveled his gaze on hers, and her heart skipped a beat.

But Dara went no further—though there was no denying the flash of regret in his eyes as his thumb lightly brushed her lower lip. “I’m coming back, Nahri,” he promised. “You’re my Banu Nahida. This is 

 city.” His expression was defiant. “Nothing will keep me from either of you.”

He squeezed her hand, sending a rush of warmth straight to her heart. “Go,” he urged. “I promise not to go to war without your permission,” he added with a sharp smile at the Qahtanis.

“Will you put that thing away? There are dozens of armed soldiers about—what are you going to do with that?”

“I’m being delivered to my enemy in a floral box,” Dara replied and flicked the chintzy curtains with the dagger. “I might as well be armed.”

“Your ancestors, Banu Nahida,” he said, gesturing to the statues. He pressed his hands together and bowed. “Welcome to Daevabad.”

“So what do we do now?” She thought back to Khayzur’s easy banter and Dara’s quip about how the peri could rearrange the landscape with a single sweep of his wings.

“The only thing we can,” he said, his breath soft against her ear. He snatched up the reins again, holding her tight. There was nothing affectionate or remotely romantic about the gesture; it was desperation, like a man clinging to a ledge.

He glanced up at Nahri, a mixture of fear and sadness in his expression. “Oh, little thief, I’m so sorry.”

 expect to be greeted in Daevabad?” she asked. Dara looked up, a wry smile on his face. “You mentioned being locked up in a dungeon,” she reminded him.

“Then how fortunate I travel with Cairo’s premier picker of locks.” He gave her a wicked grin before spurring his horse. “Try to keep up. It seems I cannot afford to lose you now.”

Isabela L.

It was riveting, disastrous, played with all my emotions and left me berfit at the end. I don’t know how I survived the last 20% of this book it took turns I didn’t expect I was left gasping for air.

I love when a book takes you unexpectedly you go into it not knowing much and at the end you’re left with an emptiness because it’s over. 

Magical, filled with wonder mind and a con artist and djinn that stole my heart. An epic take of Persian fantasy - they don’t make them like this anymore woven with an expert skill the author created a tapestry of characters and a world that will live on for years to come. 

Onto the next because I need to know what happens! 

It was riveting, disastrous, played with all my emotions and left me berfit at the end. I don’t know how I survived the last 20% of this book it took turns I didn’t expect I was left gasping for air.

I love when a book takes you unexpectedly you go into it not knowing much and at the end you’re left with an emptiness because it’s over. 

Magical, filled with wonder mind and a con artist and djinn that stole my heart. An epic take of Persian fantasy - they don’t make them like this anymore woven with an expert skill the author created a tapestry of characters and a world that will live on for years to come. 

5 blazing fire worshipping stars 

Onto the next because I need to know what happens! 

I couldn't put this book down!  Really intrigued to see where the story goes in next book.

Jenny Engel

At first, I wasn't sure that the story would thrill me, but what a rollercoaster. Halfway through the book, my curiously was already well piqued, but the last hundreds of pages had me in shock. The story was so rich overall - the writing so good - and the end really made me want to read the following books. 

Yenale

Linara K.S

Didn't expect to love this so much haha. ❤ Nahri is an icon and omg I just love Ali.

Discover this spellbinding debut from S.A. Chakraborty. ‘An extravagant feast of a book – spicy and bloody, dizzyingly magical, and still, somehow, utterly believable’ Laini Taylor, Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author

THIS BOOK. THIS MASTERPIECE HAD ME NOT WANTING TO FINISH IT FOR A WHOLE MONTH. 
I struggled to turn the last five pages because as though latched onto the story i didn't want it to end (for the second time. Yes. this is a reread .) 
SA Chakraborty's writing is so rich and detailed that i couldn't help but be transported to Daevabad. The places, the smells, the people, i could sense, and grasp them all at the tip of my fingers. I'm south asian and the beautiful depiction of arabo-persian culture is so on point i found myself woven into the story itself. 
The representation was flawless; the characters insanely lifelike; the setting jaw-dropping; and the overall story: profound, mesmerising, and unpredictable.
*adds second book to shopping basket and buys despite being an utterly broke student*

Luke Harkness

A book that excelled in the final third

This was one of those books where you're reading it for 350/400 or so wondering where it's all going whilst learning a lot about the world, cultures and people. Then BAM - it all suddenly happens in the last 100-150 pages and you're brought right into the intrigue and you want to read the sequel. Very good book, though the slower pacing (not devoid of action, but lacked direction) at the start hampered it from being a 5*

I have tried over and over to read this book, and I have never finished it because of chronic mood reader tendencies. But! I finally sat down and committed and....

I don't think it will go down as one of my all-time favorites, however, I do acknowledge that this was very well-written. Especially for a debut!

The characters all had depth, the world was lush and vivid, and I found the pacing to be well thought out. And the politics! I have a weakness for political intrigue in books, and this definitely was very twisty with that aspect.

The one thing that kept this from being a full five stars was that the middle dragged a bit. It was like, once we finished our first objective, the story did not really have a direction for a little while. That fixed itself by the end, but it still affected my enjoyment.

Overall, if you want a fun story where you have no idea which side to take and who to trust, I would recommend this book. I really enjoyed it :)

Emily B

4.0 STARS:

I. Finally. Finished. THIS. BOOK!

I have tried over and over to read this book, and I have never finished it because of chronic mood reader tendencies. But! I finally sat down and committed and....

It was good!

I don't think it will go down as one of my all-time favorites, however, I do acknowledge that this was very well-written. Especially for a debut!

The characters all had depth, the world was lush and vivid, and I found the pacing to be well thought out. And the politics! I have a weakness for political intrigue in books, and this definitely was very twisty with that aspect.

The one thing that kept this from being a full five stars was that the middle dragged a bit. It was like, once we finished our first objective, the story did not really have a direction for a little while. That fixed itself by the end, but it still affected my enjoyment.

Overall, if you want a fun story where you have no idea which side to take and who to trust, I would recommend this book. I really enjoyed it :)

Finally got around to reading this and the hype I heard about this book did not disappoint. Beautifully built world, rich in cultural history with characters that I was instantly drawn to. They are also flawed and complex, their choices and mistakes done with the best of intentions with terrible consequences. This was well written and very well paced. So easy to read because I was drawn into the story so quickly. Loved the twist at the end and I cannot wait to see how the series continues. 

Katie Allard

Such an interesting world and loved the descriptions of everything. Mixed with real world aspects, language, and culture of the Middle East, I’m so grateful I got to experience this book! Will definitely be continuing the series. 

Liv N.

Nessa Luna

Hmm, I thought I would love this more. But I found it kind of long and tedious. I really enjoyed the audiobook though, so if I'm going to continue the series I will probably go the audiobook way. I loved the mythology and the way Daevabad was described but the characters didn't interest me too much, unfortunately.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Library Journal | Vulture | The Verge | SYFYWire *Finalist for the World Fantasy Award: Best Novel *Nominated for the Locus Award: Best First Novel *Finalist for the British Fantasy Award: Best Newcomer 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. Featuring a stepback and extra content including a bonus scene and an excerpt from The Kingdom of Copper. 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.

Quydasha Allen 

This is the kind of fantasy that makes you fall in love with reading all over again

Alissa 

Prashanth Srivatsa

An enthralling book, brimming with Middle-eastern and North African folklore, and excellent characters. Enough to rush me to pick up the sequel.

Discover this spellbinding debut from S.A. Chakraborty. 'An extravagant feast of a book - spicy and bloody, dizzyingly magical, and still, somehow, utterly believable' Laini Taylor, Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author Among the bustling markets of eighteenth century Cairo, the city's outcasts eke out a living swindling rich Ottoman nobles and foreign invaders alike. But alongside this new world the old stories linger. Tales of djinn and spirits. Of cities hidden among the swirling sands of the desert, full of enchantment, desire and riches. Where magic pours down every street, hanging in the air like dust. Many wish their lives could be filled with such wonder, but not Nahri. She knows the trades she uses to get by are just tricks and sleights of hand: there's nothing magical about them. She only wishes to one day leave Cairo, but as the saying goes... Be careful what you wish for.

dija

I liked the characters, i liked the plot but it was SO UNNECESSARILY LONG.

And truth be told i didnt like the end or how it was led to it.

Honestly I was wary of how islamic culture would be represented. But omg was this the most accurate reprensentation I’ve ever read in fantasy ? Yes it is and I am so glad I have finally read it and so happy to see such a great fantasy book featuring a culture I am familiar with.

It was immersive, the characters were memorable, the dialogues very accurate and I was so pleased to see this. Now let’s get into the review itself.

of the plot. It all started at Cairo. We follow a girl who defines herself as a thief and scam artist. Until one day she finds a girl possessed in Cairo after singing an old song summoning a warrior djinn. To make it short but later we find out everything is more complicated than that. We enter a world of political intrigues and complicated family heritage.

Second, I loved most of the characters. Especially Ali. He has all my heart. I love him. I am his 

It’s dual POV and both POVs were interesting to follow. Both of them had their own importance.

. Well, technically it’s heavily inspired by “arab” folklore (yeah i quoted arab because it’s more complicated than that, i want to refer to all the arab speaking cultures but they’re not all necessary arab). Then we can’t say there aren’t much worldbuilding. But the way the story is thought out and how the author so cleverly delivers a story with djinns, the society she describes, the culture, the atmosphere. Eveyrthing was well highlighted.

Overall, I’m going to conclude this review by saying that I am 

I am excited about the future developments. 

Amira BEN

Honestly I was wary of how islamic culture would be represented. But omg was this the most accurate reprensentation I’ve ever read in fantasy ? Yes it is and I am so glad I have finally read it and so happy to see such a great fantasy book featuring a culture I am familiar with.

It was immersive, the characters were memorable, the dialogues very accurate and I was so pleased to see this. Now let’s get into the review itself.

I am not going far into the introduction of the plot. It all started at Cairo. We follow a girl who defines herself as a thief and scam artist. Until one day she finds a girl possessed in Cairo after singing an old song summoning a warrior djinn. To make it short but later we find out everything is more complicated than that. We enter a world of political intrigues and complicated family heritage.

First, I appreciated the writing and everything felt immersive to me.

Second, I loved most of the characters. Especially Ali. He has all my heart. I love him. I am his biggest fan lmao.

It’s dual POV and both POVs were interesting to follow. Both of them had their own importance.

As for the worldbuilding. Well, technically it’s heavily inspired by “arab” folklore (yeah i quoted arab because it’s more complicated than that, i want to refer to all the arab speaking cultures but they’re not all necessary arab). Then we can’t say there aren’t much worldbuilding. But the way the story is thought out and how the author so cleverly delivers a story with djinns, the society she describes, the culture, the atmosphere. Eveyrthing was well highlighted.

Overall, I’m going to conclude this review by saying that I am obsessed 😂. I am excited about the future developments. 

Jantien 

I’m not sure about this series. Initially I was excited about the aspect of islam, but actually I don’t know how I feel about combining it with fantasy. For me it’s really difficult to extinguish reality from fiction.

tina

2.5 stars
my god this book was a struggle to finish. i think if it were easy for me to dnf books, i would’ve dnf’ed this before i even made it halfway through. the city of brass focuses mainly on worldbuilding and political intrigue, and while i do love those two, i found it so difficult to care about the story because of how dry and underdeveloped the characters were. it was a struggle to read about them because i didn’t rly understand what their motivations were and it just felt like they were being dragged by the plot throughout the entire book. i wanted to like it so much because it’s based off on arabic mythology which i found very interesting, but it rly was just not an enjoyable read for me.

Janice Hopper

It was fine. Nice fantasy with elements of middle eastern/arabic creatures and myths.

I would probably have liked it better if the pandemic weren't messing with my brains.

Pooja Mahesh

Holy. Heck. What an intricately delightful world with charming characters who have made me feel just about every feeling. I absolutely cannot wait to devour the next book in the trilogy, thank the heavens this series is already out and complete.
Have I given the book five stars in the adrenaline rush of having just finished it? Absolutely, what a riveting ending.

Jamal Jones 

Magnus Dahl

Kirsten Simkiss

This is honestly more like 4.5 star read for me. I decided to go with the full five for the express purpose of nudging the average rating closer to my ideal score from the 4.1 stars it currently sits at as I write this review.

The City of Brass was a lot of fun to read. The world is lush and beautiful and full of so much detail it's sometimes hard to wrap your head around. It's so interesting to picture cities of daeva/djinni tucked away in hidden magical realms of the world - not to mention their counterparts of the other elements. Truly, you could read history books about this fictional world and always find new things to learn with all that seems hidden away from mankind. I feel like there were almost too many details, if I'm being honest. It was all so rich and colorful, but I honestly felt a little overwhelmed at times by all of it. Almost like Nahri was! 

Speaking of Nahri...

Nahri, in all honesty, is the best. She's sharp, she's sarcastic, and she's real. She reacts in a way that you can picture a real person reacting to the insane world and the insane troubles she finds herself wrapped up in. The other characters are decent, but I didn't love any of them nearly as much as I loved Nahri. I feel like she got a little engulfed by the plot, honestly, so I'm hoping she goes back to her thieving, street-smart ways in the next book. Once she takes on the persona of Banu Nahri, she seems to have to wholly become that person and the energy I liked so much about her faded away somewhat. Still, when she's unapologetically her, she's SO unapologetically her and I love it.

Also a great character? Jamshid. He's only really a side character, but to be honest he's just nice. THE WHOLE BOOK. He's nice and loyal and good to everyone. He literally does nothing unkind to anyone the whole book. For that reason, I really want to see more of him going forward - which I'm hopeful for after that ending.

Dara, Ali, and the litany of other recurring side characters were all right for the most part. I didn't care for Ali much as I've never been a particularly religious person and his religious fervor annoyed me. Holier than thou with a temper is never a good combo. There were many times when I wanted to punch Ali in the face. Dara was more tolerable in a way, although I really didn't entirely like his relationship with Nahri if we're talking romance. On his own, as a character, I thought he was really interesting. I love a good haunted soul type character. Haunted warriors can make great characters because they're at a low point, meaning they have a lot of room to grow and change. But as a love interest, he was controlling and a little manipulative. I get sexual attraction since he was stated a few times to be a very handsome, muscular guy, but there wasn't a whole lot else to love about him from my perspective. Seriously, he spent most of the book lying to Nahri about little things and got pissy every time she did anything that didn't fit his very strict Daeva code of "The Right Way To Do Things."

And it may not have been outright stated, but I'd bet all my worldly goods that the emir is in love with his bff, Jamshid. Just saying. For posterity I guess. I know there's a second book so I'm hoping my theory will be proven in later volumes.

I really enjoyed the plot, actually. I saw almost all the plot twists coming from a mile away, though the end result with Ali wasn't quite what I had anticipated. I think the beginning was a little slow in getting there. It felt like a whole lot of plot was crammed into the second half of the book, but I still enjoyed reading both halves regardless. I'm definitely interested in seeing where the series goes from here.

I had a lot of fun reading a book that wasn't built around a Judeo-Christian world. It seems like the fiction industry, at least in America, is flooded with books like that. It was really interesting to read one based off of the Muslim faith. If you're looking for a book that glorifies the Muslim religion, this isn't going to be that book for you. It's definitely looking more like a political drama. I glanced at a few reviews and this was a complaint I saw repeated. I'm just saying it was really cool to read something where the default wasn't Christian. It isn't the focus of the book, to be honest, but it's a nice change.

This book does describe violence, slavery, racism (in a sense), and other somewhat sensitive topics that might upset people. For that reason, I do think this is a book aimed at adults but I think an intelligent young adult reader would enjoy it just the same. It's not as violent as say Game of Thrones is if you need something to compare it to, but it's definitely not as cuddly as a Percy Jackson book.

Cheri McElroy

Rich in middle eastern culture and mythology, The City of Brass is a slow-burn fantasy of the type I really enjoy. The political intrigue in this book is complex. The decisions many characters make out of prejudice make me want to smack some of them, but it kept the tension and interest high. The main character, Nahri, was not a strong character in the beginning. She didn't make many moves or decisions and seemed to be driven around by the story. By the end of the book I saw some great growth in her~and in the character of Ali~that make me excited to read the next book in the series.

Isabela L. &
The City of Brass by Shannon Chakraborty

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