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Available
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Series
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Collection
Publication
HarperVoyager (2019), 544 pages
Description
"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 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 and a reliable way to survive. But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior to her side during one of her cons, she's forced to question all she believes. For the warrior tells her 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 not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass--a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound. In Daevabad, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. A young prince dreams of rebellion. 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 to be careful what you wish for"-- "A brilliantly imagined historical fantasy in which a young con artist in eighteenth century Cairo discovers she's the last descendant of a powerful family of djinn healers. With the help of an outcast immortal warrior and a rebellious prince, she must claim her magical birthright in order to prevent a war that threatens to destroy the entire djinn kingdom. Perfect for fans of The Grace of Kings, The Golem and the Jinni, and The Queen of the Tearling"--… (more)
Media reviews
At the moment, speculative fiction has an exciting relationship with protest fiction and feminist narratives, and while “The City of Brass” doesn’t blow away cultural notions of difference or reconfigure the male-female divide, it does exploit the genre’s penchant for inclusion. In fact,
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the novel feels like a friendly hand held out across the world. (I hope very much that it will be translated into Arabic and Farsi.) It reads like an invitation for readers from Baghdad to Fairbanks to meet across impossibly divergent worlds through the shared language and images of the fantastical. Show Less
The expected first-novel flaws—a few character inconsistencies, plot swirls that peter out, the odd patch where the author assumes facts not in evidence—matter little. Best of all, the narrative feels rounded and complete yet poised to deliver still more.
Highly impressive and exceptionally
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promising. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member heylu
I have held onto The City of Brass by SA Chakraborty for almost a year after receiving an advanced copy from Book Expo of America. I knew I wanted to read it the moment I laid eyes on the gorgeous cover and then learning the book doesn’t follow the typical Eurocentric fantasy standard? I
Now, this book was read for the Pages and Pause Screen podcast where myself and co-host Ally go super in-depth on the problems we had with this book. Be aware that the podcast does have spoilers, but I’ll keep this review spoiler-free.
When I say that this book failed to do what the majority of books do in general, I mean that this book seemed only to confuse. There was no solid ground for me as I reader to cling to. Every single piece of information we receive is either negated or muddled. Things don’t get explained until very late in the game, and even then, not explained fully. Best example? I finished this book and I still don’t know what the difference between a djinn and a daeva. Some don’t like using the term daeva and others hate the term djinn but what is the difference? Some groups feel the term djinn is a pejorative, everyone else uses it freely and dislike daeva. We never find out what the heck the difference is. I have no idea why x person is so offended at being called a djinn. Also, that bare bones explanation about djinn possibly being a pejorative? That doesn’t come until approximately 20% through the book.
From a technical standpoint, I understand why Chakraborty frames the book as she does, with nothing solid and everything constantly changing. We follow, mainly, Nahri’s point-of-view. Nahri has no clue about this new world she’s been sucked into, so therefore we as readers, by extension, have no clue about this new world. But still, this feels like a very novice mistake — trying to constantly keep your readings guessing, jumping, unnerved. There needs to be SOMETHING solid that readers can cling to.
Apart from the unclear worldbuilding, we have the characters that are too fluid. What do I mean by that? Well, there are only TWO characters in this novel that remain the same personality wise from the start to the end. Dara and Ghassan. Dara, from the beginning, is an ass and he ends the book, an ass. A lovable ass, but an ass none-the-less. Ghassan begins as someone to be suspicious of, who has his own best interests in mind first second and last, and he ends exactly this way. Every other character? Full of inconsistencies and OOC moments. Nahri goes from being a really smart, self-sufficient street rat, to trusting strangers immediately (accepting food and drinks from a princess she knew she should be suspicious of). Ali’s only consistency is being inconsistent — putting down those he says he’s trying to rescue, all the time.
So, with all of these flaws, why did I give it three stars? Because there are definitely kernels of greatness. This feels like a debut novel, and that’s because it is Chakraborty’s first novel. So these mistakes are to be expected. If she’d had a stronger editor, a lot of these issues I had with the novel would likely be fixed. There is so much for Chakraborty to play around with in this world, that she only needs to focus on a handful and flesh that out instead of trying to focus on everything, and keep everything a secret. The City of Brass by SA Chakraborty is definitely not the strongest #OwnVoices YA Fantasy choice, but it is one with a lot of potential. Chakraborty definitely has the talent, she only needs someone to help guide and focus that attention into something concise and clear.
// I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this title. //
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excitedly thought this would be a fantastic new story in the same vein as Beasts Made of Night. Unfortunately, City of Brass failed to do what Beasts Made of Night did so well. In fact, City of Brass failed to do what the majority of books do, period.Now, this book was read for the Pages and Pause Screen podcast where myself and co-host Ally go super in-depth on the problems we had with this book. Be aware that the podcast does have spoilers, but I’ll keep this review spoiler-free.
When I say that this book failed to do what the majority of books do in general, I mean that this book seemed only to confuse. There was no solid ground for me as I reader to cling to. Every single piece of information we receive is either negated or muddled. Things don’t get explained until very late in the game, and even then, not explained fully. Best example? I finished this book and I still don’t know what the difference between a djinn and a daeva. Some don’t like using the term daeva and others hate the term djinn but what is the difference? Some groups feel the term djinn is a pejorative, everyone else uses it freely and dislike daeva. We never find out what the heck the difference is. I have no idea why x person is so offended at being called a djinn. Also, that bare bones explanation about djinn possibly being a pejorative? That doesn’t come until approximately 20% through the book.
From a technical standpoint, I understand why Chakraborty frames the book as she does, with nothing solid and everything constantly changing. We follow, mainly, Nahri’s point-of-view. Nahri has no clue about this new world she’s been sucked into, so therefore we as readers, by extension, have no clue about this new world. But still, this feels like a very novice mistake — trying to constantly keep your readings guessing, jumping, unnerved. There needs to be SOMETHING solid that readers can cling to.
Apart from the unclear worldbuilding, we have the characters that are too fluid. What do I mean by that? Well, there are only TWO characters in this novel that remain the same personality wise from the start to the end. Dara and Ghassan. Dara, from the beginning, is an ass and he ends the book, an ass. A lovable ass, but an ass none-the-less. Ghassan begins as someone to be suspicious of, who has his own best interests in mind first second and last, and he ends exactly this way. Every other character? Full of inconsistencies and OOC moments. Nahri goes from being a really smart, self-sufficient street rat, to trusting strangers immediately (accepting food and drinks from a princess she knew she should be suspicious of). Ali’s only consistency is being inconsistent — putting down those he says he’s trying to rescue, all the time.
So, with all of these flaws, why did I give it three stars? Because there are definitely kernels of greatness. This feels like a debut novel, and that’s because it is Chakraborty’s first novel. So these mistakes are to be expected. If she’d had a stronger editor, a lot of these issues I had with the novel would likely be fixed. There is so much for Chakraborty to play around with in this world, that she only needs to focus on a handful and flesh that out instead of trying to focus on everything, and keep everything a secret. The City of Brass by SA Chakraborty is definitely not the strongest #OwnVoices YA Fantasy choice, but it is one with a lot of potential. Chakraborty definitely has the talent, she only needs someone to help guide and focus that attention into something concise and clear.
// I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this title. //
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LibraryThing member dandi
When I started this book I loved it, adored it, was sure it was going to end up in pride of place on my favorites shelf. The charismatic but troubled main character with mysterious abilities, the (to me) unfamiliar and therefore extra interesting setting, the hint of danger, the magic! Then,
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suddenly, it was politics. Pages and pages of politics. Even the bits with the main character were mostly backstory politics. I spent a few days picking the book up with fresh determination, only to catch myself skimming and put it down again. I've never loved a book so much at the start only to not finish it. Maybe I'll try again someday when I'm not so weary with real world politics, but I just can't do this book now. Show Less
LibraryThing member imyril
So good I've read it twice in a year - and it was better the second time around. A beautifully-imagined Middle Eastern fantasy where social tensions threaten to tear apart the capital city of the djinn. I loved the characters, I loved the world-building, and I loved the way Chakraborty holds her
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characters to account. Show Less
LibraryThing member barlow304
An amazing debut novel that mixes in Islamic mythology, war, magic, and more to create a tasty, moving, and exciting tale.
For that is what this book is: a tale. Like any good tale, it has a plucky antagonist, conflicted main characters, and exotic locations. Swift moving, the story introduces us to
A second plot brings us Ali, the idealistic second son of the king of Daevabad, the famous city of brass. Within that city are tribes of djinn and people of mixed blood. In the melting pot of Daevabad, not all tribes want to mingle and tribal and ethnic tensions are rising. Ali wants to look after the mixed bloods, who historically have been persecuted.
Highly recommended.
For that is what this book is: a tale. Like any good tale, it has a plucky antagonist, conflicted main characters, and exotic locations. Swift moving, the story introduces us to
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Nahri, a street hustler and con woman in 18th century Cairo who accidentally summons a Djinn (genie). We learn about the world of the djinn as Nahri does, seeing what she sees and learning as she learns. A second plot brings us Ali, the idealistic second son of the king of Daevabad, the famous city of brass. Within that city are tribes of djinn and people of mixed blood. In the melting pot of Daevabad, not all tribes want to mingle and tribal and ethnic tensions are rising. Ali wants to look after the mixed bloods, who historically have been persecuted.
Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member ladycato
The City of Brass has an original feels as it explores the incredible world of djinn, peris, and marids through the viewpoint of Cairo-raised Nahri. Nahni has always known that she is different with her ability to sense lies and to understand and speak any language, with some healing skills
The worldbuilding in this book is extraordinary, the descriptions exquisite. Nahri is refreshing as a heroine since she has a definite edge; even when in the lap of luxury, she can't shake the hoarding habits she knew as a starving thief of Cairo. The pace is good, too, making this a fast read despite its 500-plus pages.
I have a hard time keeping track of a multitude of names, and that made the book's various political factions a source of constant confusion for me. I just could not keep track of who was who and allied with what. The romantic angle within the book isn't heavy, which is good, because it actually left me pretty cold. I am not attracted to the bad boy types in books or reality, and Dara held zero appeal for me from the start. It's evident early on that he did some bad things in the past (a major understatement, which I won't explore in more detail due to spoilers) and the end only confirmed his alignment.
In all, a good escapist read, and I can easily see why it garnered such hype with its originality and fast pace.
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besides. But when she accidentally summons a djinn, she ends up on the run with him, other fearsome beings in pursuit. They take refuge in the City of Brass, and Nahri soon find the complex world of politics and ancient grudges is no refuge at all.The worldbuilding in this book is extraordinary, the descriptions exquisite. Nahri is refreshing as a heroine since she has a definite edge; even when in the lap of luxury, she can't shake the hoarding habits she knew as a starving thief of Cairo. The pace is good, too, making this a fast read despite its 500-plus pages.
I have a hard time keeping track of a multitude of names, and that made the book's various political factions a source of constant confusion for me. I just could not keep track of who was who and allied with what. The romantic angle within the book isn't heavy, which is good, because it actually left me pretty cold. I am not attracted to the bad boy types in books or reality, and Dara held zero appeal for me from the start. It's evident early on that he did some bad things in the past (a major understatement, which I won't explore in more detail due to spoilers) and the end only confirmed his alignment.
In all, a good escapist read, and I can easily see why it garnered such hype with its originality and fast pace.
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LibraryThing member Guide2
A fantasy story mixing different mythology, but mainly focused on djinns. Interesting main character and good story that moves along pretty well.
LibraryThing member jdifelice
Day-um, that ending though. This book was a rollercoaster. I had so many emotions, I was excited, angry, laughing, smiling, sad, all of the things!
In City of Brass we are introduced to Nahri - a swindler living in Cairo, who then finds out she is shafit - half human, half djinn. She learns of
This book was full of action, developing relationships, political intrigue and court politics, sibling rivalry, and just a bunch of mystery and backstabbing. It was great. I really enjoyed the writing, and the descriptions. The nuance of the world that was created and how much thought went into everything. Once I got into the story, I didn't want to stop reading.
The plot didn't feel slow, it was paced really well. I enjoyed both POV characters - although Ali got on my nerves a lot. They had unique voices and distinctive personalities and I really enjoyed that. I loved getting to know Nahri and her motivations, and how she developed throughout the novel. There is definitely room for more development, but I think that will come in later books. Ali I felt didn't have as much development, he was very set in his beliefs, yet it still worked. We were given glimpses into his past, and from his family as to how he came to be like this, and I think that helped.
I loved the world building as well! It was well done, although I felt sometimes we were left in the dark just to keep a mysterious aura around things until the author was ready to reveal it. Otherwise, it was done really well and incorporated into the story in a great fashion.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this, and it's been a while since I've been so mad and exclaiming out loud and telling my partner how the book was making me feel. I definitely recommend!
In City of Brass we are introduced to Nahri - a swindler living in Cairo, who then finds out she is shafit - half human, half djinn. She learns of
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Daevabad, the City of Brass, and this story is her journey there and what happens once she gets there. This book was full of action, developing relationships, political intrigue and court politics, sibling rivalry, and just a bunch of mystery and backstabbing. It was great. I really enjoyed the writing, and the descriptions. The nuance of the world that was created and how much thought went into everything. Once I got into the story, I didn't want to stop reading.
The plot didn't feel slow, it was paced really well. I enjoyed both POV characters - although Ali got on my nerves a lot. They had unique voices and distinctive personalities and I really enjoyed that. I loved getting to know Nahri and her motivations, and how she developed throughout the novel. There is definitely room for more development, but I think that will come in later books. Ali I felt didn't have as much development, he was very set in his beliefs, yet it still worked. We were given glimpses into his past, and from his family as to how he came to be like this, and I think that helped.
I loved the world building as well! It was well done, although I felt sometimes we were left in the dark just to keep a mysterious aura around things until the author was ready to reveal it. Otherwise, it was done really well and incorporated into the story in a great fashion.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this, and it's been a while since I've been so mad and exclaiming out loud and telling my partner how the book was making me feel. I definitely recommend!
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LibraryThing member Daniel.Estes
The City of Brass comprises of two stories that come together into one. First, there's Nahri, the Cairo-based young women who's barely getting by. She's also... odd. Odd as in there's something different about her. Second, there's the story of Ali, or Alizayd, the second son of the King of the
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mysterious city of Daevabad. Show Less
LibraryThing member Dave068
Fantastic world building and eloquent prose. Just a well written and captivating debut!
LibraryThing member rgruberhighschool
RGG: Alex Award winner; Another Middle Eastern mythology fantasy; Nahri is another fantastic female heroine and Dara and Ali are great supporting characters. Not sure it measures up to all the hype, and the mythology is at times rather confusing, but a fun read. Reading Interest: 14-YA.
LibraryThing member dcoward
I finally gave up about 3/4 of the way through. It was difficult to keep straight the different djinn factions, and the book, oddly, slowed down when the heroine and the djinn Dara reached their destination.
LibraryThing member sussura
I blurbed this book - and loved it. Each page reveals a new wonder.
LibraryThing member emeraldreverie
I think I loved it. I'm still processing a bit, and there were parts that bugged me, but overall it was excellent. I eagerly anticipate the next in the series!
LibraryThing member VioletBramble
Nahri is a young woman living in Cairo in the late 18th century. She is an orphan, a thief, a con artist, and a healer. She is unaware that she's not human despite the fact that she heals extremely quickly. One night after accidentally alerting an Ifrit to her existence she is attacked. As she
This is the first book in a new adult fantasy series. The second book is out in Jan. or Feb. I loved the world building, the characters and the story. I've already pre-ordered the second book.
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prays for help she, once again accidentally, calls forth a Daeva, a fire elemental, that rescues her. This Davea, named Dara, recognizes her as the last of the Nahids, a family of healers. He takes her to Daevabad, their ancestral homeland, now ruled by the Geziri tribe who destroyed their families. Once in Daevabad Nahri must learn the ways of the healers while trying to find her way at court among her enemies.This is the first book in a new adult fantasy series. The second book is out in Jan. or Feb. I loved the world building, the characters and the story. I've already pre-ordered the second book.
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LibraryThing member greeniezona
I'd been drooling over this book for months (gorgeous cover, djinn), but resisting (ginormous hardback, series) until the paperback came out and I had to finally give in. I was shocked that I had to special order it, as it seemed like a big deal getting a good push -- but maybe that's just the
This book was really everything I wanted out of it. Not just djinn but ALL THE DJINN. A comprehensive mythos that embraces everything from Solomon's seal to wish-granting "genies" to all the different categories of djinn, marids, ifrit, etc. Plus, deserts, hidden cities, intersections of science and magic, lots and lots of prejudices that you sense will be challenged by the end.
I did sometimes lose patience with Dara's drama, but with his very long and very troubled past, I suppose he's allowed to be a little moody. I'm really hoping we get a lot more story on him in the next book. I'm reserving this judgement until then.
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corner of social media that I live in.This book was really everything I wanted out of it. Not just djinn but ALL THE DJINN. A comprehensive mythos that embraces everything from Solomon's seal to wish-granting "genies" to all the different categories of djinn, marids, ifrit, etc. Plus, deserts, hidden cities, intersections of science and magic, lots and lots of prejudices that you sense will be challenged by the end.
I did sometimes lose patience with Dara's drama, but with his very long and very troubled past, I suppose he's allowed to be a little moody. I'm really hoping we get a lot more story on him in the next book. I'm reserving this judgement until then.
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LibraryThing member SimplyKelina
Every now and then I am in the mood for a great fantasy. I went into this with low expectations and ended up really enjoying it.
I do agree with others when they say that majority of this is developing the world. I appreciated that though as I was able to figure out different things going on more. I
The story is told between two characters: Nahri and Ali. It was like you are reading two different stories, as they really do not collide until almost 300 pages when Nahri finally makes it to the city. However; I found both POV interesting. There was action on both sides to keep your interest. So much happened with nothing happening at all (if you read this you will understand). I had a few people ask me what this was about, and it was really hard to say as there was individual things happening but I was not sure how they were all going to come together. There was not a solid plot for the first 300 pages, so that maybe something you want to consider when going into this. It still worked for me though.
Overall, this was something I would not think was for me at all and I ended up really liking it. I am happy to have the second book on half so I can continue with the series.
I do agree with others when they say that majority of this is developing the world. I appreciated that though as I was able to figure out different things going on more. I
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enjoyed learning about the world and the history around the world.The story is told between two characters: Nahri and Ali. It was like you are reading two different stories, as they really do not collide until almost 300 pages when Nahri finally makes it to the city. However; I found both POV interesting. There was action on both sides to keep your interest. So much happened with nothing happening at all (if you read this you will understand). I had a few people ask me what this was about, and it was really hard to say as there was individual things happening but I was not sure how they were all going to come together. There was not a solid plot for the first 300 pages, so that maybe something you want to consider when going into this. It still worked for me though.
Overall, this was something I would not think was for me at all and I ended up really liking it. I am happy to have the second book on half so I can continue with the series.
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LibraryThing member foggidawn
Nahri can make a decent living on the streets of Cairo as a fortune teller and sometimes thief, but when she unwittingly summons Dara, a djinn warrior, her life changes drastically. Dara whisks her away to Daevabad, the hidden city of the djinn, where she is welcomed as the last surviving member of
I enjoyed this quite a bit, though it is a rather slow build into the world of the series, and few questions are answered in this first book. That's not to say that the pacing lags -- there's a good bit of action in the book, balanced out by the necessity of detailed description of the world of the story and the different classes and races of djinn. I'm still not sure I grasped all of the subtleties there. I did enjoy the story, though once again I'm not on board for a romance between an 18-year-old girl and a magical being who has lived for millennia. However, that aspect of the story was fairly slight, overshadowed by other relationships and the political maneuvering that Nahri found herself embroiled in. If you're up for a chunky epic fantasy trilogy with Middle-Eastern flavor, I'd recommend this one. I'll be reading the second book soon, I suspect.
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a noble race. . . but, of course, all is not as it seems, and even Dara may be hiding secrets from her.I enjoyed this quite a bit, though it is a rather slow build into the world of the series, and few questions are answered in this first book. That's not to say that the pacing lags -- there's a good bit of action in the book, balanced out by the necessity of detailed description of the world of the story and the different classes and races of djinn. I'm still not sure I grasped all of the subtleties there. I did enjoy the story, though once again I'm not on board for a romance between an 18-year-old girl and a magical being who has lived for millennia. However, that aspect of the story was fairly slight, overshadowed by other relationships and the political maneuvering that Nahri found herself embroiled in. If you're up for a chunky epic fantasy trilogy with Middle-Eastern flavor, I'd recommend this one. I'll be reading the second book soon, I suspect.
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LibraryThing member pgmcc
SPOILER FREE!
This was a recommendation from a friend who very accurately divined that it would appeal to me. As soon as I started reading it I was hooked and it did prove to be a book I was reluctant to put down, made time to read, and was very engaged with.
I never like to categorise books as it
Middle Eastern mythology is the environment in which this story takes place but this is simply the backdrop to what is a tale of racial prejudice, political machinations, and the manipulation of historical events to influence the thinking of a population with the intent of keeping the current rulers in their place of power and suppressing any dissent that might arise. I do not know if the author had any particular real life situation in mind when she was writing this book, but I can see the actions and reactions in this book being relevant in so many real world circumstances that exist today. Having grown up in a divided community with history being used to foment violent political action I can relate to many of the incidents in this book and the way people’s emotions were used to direct the thoughts and actions of individuals and mobs.
In addition to the story demonstrating how those in power and those who are not operate to try to advance their respective group’s position, the book was very well written. Having recently read John Yorke’s excellent book “Into the Woods: how stories work and why we tell them” I was more conscious of structure and technique while reading “The City of Brass” than I otherwise would have been. In Yorke’s terminology “The City of Brass” is a three dimensional story; the characters clearly develop and the reader can see how their experiences influence their development, growth an action.
One excellent technique was the use of two viewpoints, i.e. the viewpoints of two characters drawn from each of the two main factions involved in the story. Chapters alternated between the two characters and this gave a balanced view of the situation; the reader could understand the thinking and actions of the two main parties and this gives the reader an overview of the story that allows observation of how each side is manipulating facts to influence people. In every real conflict on Earth each party uses prejudices to stir up hate against the group portrayed as the enemy; historical characters are presented as heroes despite atrocities they might have initiated; the atrocities of the other side are pulled out of the history of the group to demonise the present day enemy and fire up the crowds with fear and a desire for vengeance. I have lived through this sort of activity and recognized it very clearly in this book.
No one should be put off from reading this book because they see it as Fantasy. No one should be put off from reading this book because it has magic in it. The Fantasy and the magic in it are simply backdrops to a story about prejudice, conflict, and political manipulation. This story could be set in any nation on Earth and the tale of political struggle and inter-group conflict could be told in any environment; dressing it up in a world where magic is the norm is a technique to let people enjoy a story without being drawn into the real world conflicts that it reflects. This book is an exposé of how political power is wielded and control maintained. From that viewpoint it is a good companion book to “The Leopard” by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa and “Dune” by Frank Herbert.
This was a recommendation from a friend who very accurately divined that it would appeal to me. As soon as I started reading it I was hooked and it did prove to be a book I was reluctant to put down, made time to read, and was very engaged with.
I never like to categorise books as it
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may close a book off to readers that would find it worthwhile and interesting. This book is in the style of an Arabian Nights story involving characters and creatures with magical powers, and as such it will probably be found on the Fantasy shelf in bookshops and libraries. For people not inclined to read Fantasy novels this would be a terrible shame as they may never even consider reading it.Middle Eastern mythology is the environment in which this story takes place but this is simply the backdrop to what is a tale of racial prejudice, political machinations, and the manipulation of historical events to influence the thinking of a population with the intent of keeping the current rulers in their place of power and suppressing any dissent that might arise. I do not know if the author had any particular real life situation in mind when she was writing this book, but I can see the actions and reactions in this book being relevant in so many real world circumstances that exist today. Having grown up in a divided community with history being used to foment violent political action I can relate to many of the incidents in this book and the way people’s emotions were used to direct the thoughts and actions of individuals and mobs.
In addition to the story demonstrating how those in power and those who are not operate to try to advance their respective group’s position, the book was very well written. Having recently read John Yorke’s excellent book “Into the Woods: how stories work and why we tell them” I was more conscious of structure and technique while reading “The City of Brass” than I otherwise would have been. In Yorke’s terminology “The City of Brass” is a three dimensional story; the characters clearly develop and the reader can see how their experiences influence their development, growth an action.
One excellent technique was the use of two viewpoints, i.e. the viewpoints of two characters drawn from each of the two main factions involved in the story. Chapters alternated between the two characters and this gave a balanced view of the situation; the reader could understand the thinking and actions of the two main parties and this gives the reader an overview of the story that allows observation of how each side is manipulating facts to influence people. In every real conflict on Earth each party uses prejudices to stir up hate against the group portrayed as the enemy; historical characters are presented as heroes despite atrocities they might have initiated; the atrocities of the other side are pulled out of the history of the group to demonise the present day enemy and fire up the crowds with fear and a desire for vengeance. I have lived through this sort of activity and recognized it very clearly in this book.
No one should be put off from reading this book because they see it as Fantasy. No one should be put off from reading this book because it has magic in it. The Fantasy and the magic in it are simply backdrops to a story about prejudice, conflict, and political manipulation. This story could be set in any nation on Earth and the tale of political struggle and inter-group conflict could be told in any environment; dressing it up in a world where magic is the norm is a technique to let people enjoy a story without being drawn into the real world conflicts that it reflects. This book is an exposé of how political power is wielded and control maintained. From that viewpoint it is a good companion book to “The Leopard” by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa and “Dune” by Frank Herbert.
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LibraryThing member decaturmamaof2
I loved this book! Richly detailed, nuanced, exciting!
LibraryThing member BethYacoub
WOW, I absolutely inhaled this book!! The writing was seamless. The world was devine. The middle did drag a bit but royal politics and in-depth character development can tend to lend itself to this type of dilemma. I decided not to penalise the rating too harshly because of this though I did waiver
Now onto the dual POVs. Imo the very distinctive POVs played perfectly off one another, a frequently attempted endeavour that many stories fail to accomplish. The backdrop seemed both masterfully crafted as well as meticulously researched creating an undeniably authentic atmosphere. The characters were breathtakingly, "humanly"flawed. Nahri, our heroine, was a little annoying at times but ultimately her loyalty and overall potential was endearing. I can definitely see camps for favored male characters being formed down the road. Who was my favorite you ask?!? Well I won't go into too much detail but I will say that though Dara seems like the perfect companion/protector, I couldn't help but root for sweet naive Ali. Speaking of camps, it's probably obvious from my previous admission BUT fair warning: there was a most salacious love triangle percolating (though very minimally acted upon) which happened to be the impetus for much of the drama SO if that's not your thing...you've been warned.
I couldn't help but obsessively check Chapter and Location progress. This is usually a bad sign in my world BUT here it was for all the right reasons. I watched the pages fly by wishing to stall the inevitable and THAT hasn't happened to me in a long while....sad, I know, but true.
Anyhow, ultimately many MANY questions went unanswered, leaving me with a nagging hunger for the next book, STAT. So hurry up please, I NEED answers!!!
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back and forth between 4 & 4.5 star...BUT seeing as how the sluggishness was coupled with some great writing... a grand and unique premise (especially for a topic so fervently explored)... a plot that had me constantly questioning everything I had presupposed along the way...I couldn't help but bump up the rating sooooo a well deserved 4.5 stars it is. Now onto the dual POVs. Imo the very distinctive POVs played perfectly off one another, a frequently attempted endeavour that many stories fail to accomplish. The backdrop seemed both masterfully crafted as well as meticulously researched creating an undeniably authentic atmosphere. The characters were breathtakingly, "humanly"flawed. Nahri, our heroine, was a little annoying at times but ultimately her loyalty and overall potential was endearing. I can definitely see camps for favored male characters being formed down the road. Who was my favorite you ask?!? Well I won't go into too much detail but I will say that though Dara seems like the perfect companion/protector, I couldn't help but root for sweet naive Ali. Speaking of camps, it's probably obvious from my previous admission BUT fair warning: there was a most salacious love triangle percolating (though very minimally acted upon) which happened to be the impetus for much of the drama SO if that's not your thing...you've been warned.
I couldn't help but obsessively check Chapter and Location progress. This is usually a bad sign in my world BUT here it was for all the right reasons. I watched the pages fly by wishing to stall the inevitable and THAT hasn't happened to me in a long while....sad, I know, but true.
Anyhow, ultimately many MANY questions went unanswered, leaving me with a nagging hunger for the next book, STAT. So hurry up please, I NEED answers!!!
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LibraryThing member m_mozeleski
I love stories about the Djinn & their histories & stories. This is no less an incredibly moving novel as it is an a story about a lost woman finding home...& that home is both less and more like the place she grew up in.
Also, the depictions and descriptions of food made me hungry. Yay!
Also, the depictions and descriptions of food made me hungry. Yay!
LibraryThing member Darcia
Magic, mystery, and danger in a historical setting—yes, please!
I'm so glad I had the opportunity to listen to this book on audio. The narrator is a fantastic storyteller, and I was thoroughly engaged throughout.
This is a slow-moving story with a strong sense of setting and atmosphere. The author
The characters are all well-developed and complex, with constantly evolving dynamics in their relationships.
I enjoyed every aspect of story. My only problem now is that I need the next two books, preferably in audio, because I need to know how it all turns out.
*I won an audio download in a giveaway from HarperAudio.*
I'm so glad I had the opportunity to listen to this book on audio. The narrator is a fantastic storyteller, and I was thoroughly engaged throughout.
This is a slow-moving story with a strong sense of setting and atmosphere. The author
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takes her time orienting us in the characters' world, placing us right there alongside them. History and fantasy are woven together with incredible realism. I might have been less patient with the pacing had I been reading, but listening allowed me to float away and experience it all as it unfolded.The characters are all well-developed and complex, with constantly evolving dynamics in their relationships.
I enjoyed every aspect of story. My only problem now is that I need the next two books, preferably in audio, because I need to know how it all turns out.
*I won an audio download in a giveaway from HarperAudio.*
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LibraryThing member krau0098
This is the first book in the Daevabad Trilogy. I was really looking forward to reading this book and had heard many good things about it. Unfortunately, I ended up stopping it about 60% of the way through; I realized I had a ton of this book left to read and just did not care.
I listened to this on
The story goes back and forth between Nahri and Alizard. Nahri is a thief with an interesting healing talent who accidentally summons Dara, a djinn warrior. As Nahri learns about her past she ends up embarking on a journey with Dara to a magical djinn city. Alizard (Ali), is a Prince of Daevabad. Ali has recently been given a position of power in the city and is trying to reconcile his religious beliefs with his father’s political ambitions.
I loved the beginning of this book. Nahri is a fun character with interesting talents but it felt like she left Cairo way too quickly. Her journeys with Dara are entertaining and introduce us to some intriguing magical races. I never really warmed up to Ali’s parts of the book; he has some very black and white views and spends most of his portion of the story trying to navigate djinn politics. The djinn were depressingly human-like in their pettiness and very little discussion about their magical talents was included in the story.
Things really slowed down for me when Nahri and Dara get to Daevabad. Suddenly Nahri loses all personality and Dara is hardly in the story at all. We mostly watch the noble djinn be cruel to Nahri and watch Ali be very wishy washy as he oscillates between trying to please his father and trying to stay true to his beliefs. I suddenly realized I was avoiding listening to this book and that I still had another 7 hours to go in the story. It made me groan in dread. This book needed much better pacing.
In the end I decided to stop listening to this because I was starting to dread the droning on about politics, Ali’s wishy washy indecision, and Nahri’s sudden inability to think or act for herself.
Overall the beginning of this book was pretty amazing; I loved the characters, the adventure, and the world. However it went downhill quickly in the middle of the book. If you like epic fantasy with a lot of complex politics and characters who don’t act, but are rather pushed, through the plot then you may like this.
I listened to this on
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audiobook and the narration was well done. If you enjoy audiobooks this is a well done one.The story goes back and forth between Nahri and Alizard. Nahri is a thief with an interesting healing talent who accidentally summons Dara, a djinn warrior. As Nahri learns about her past she ends up embarking on a journey with Dara to a magical djinn city. Alizard (Ali), is a Prince of Daevabad. Ali has recently been given a position of power in the city and is trying to reconcile his religious beliefs with his father’s political ambitions.
I loved the beginning of this book. Nahri is a fun character with interesting talents but it felt like she left Cairo way too quickly. Her journeys with Dara are entertaining and introduce us to some intriguing magical races. I never really warmed up to Ali’s parts of the book; he has some very black and white views and spends most of his portion of the story trying to navigate djinn politics. The djinn were depressingly human-like in their pettiness and very little discussion about their magical talents was included in the story.
Things really slowed down for me when Nahri and Dara get to Daevabad. Suddenly Nahri loses all personality and Dara is hardly in the story at all. We mostly watch the noble djinn be cruel to Nahri and watch Ali be very wishy washy as he oscillates between trying to please his father and trying to stay true to his beliefs. I suddenly realized I was avoiding listening to this book and that I still had another 7 hours to go in the story. It made me groan in dread. This book needed much better pacing.
In the end I decided to stop listening to this because I was starting to dread the droning on about politics, Ali’s wishy washy indecision, and Nahri’s sudden inability to think or act for herself.
Overall the beginning of this book was pretty amazing; I loved the characters, the adventure, and the world. However it went downhill quickly in the middle of the book. If you like epic fantasy with a lot of complex politics and characters who don’t act, but are rather pushed, through the plot then you may like this.
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Starts in Cairo and continues into the desert into a world of Devas and Djinn and other creatures that are part of mythology I don't get exposed to that often this is a tale of a girl who is getting by in the slums using her wits finding that she has power and then that this power has a price. It's
It took me a while to get into this one and then I was off. It was interesting and I'm curious about what's going to happen next.
Read as part of the Hugo Award Ballot.
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quite complex and has a different society but still there are castes and politics and complex things going on. She may be the last with her talents and that makes her valuable, particularly to those who would exploit her.It took me a while to get into this one and then I was off. It was interesting and I'm curious about what's going to happen next.
Read as part of the Hugo Award Ballot.
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LibraryThing member pwaites
This debut fantasy novel is truly splendid, embedding the 18th century Middle East with the magic of the djinn.
Nahri is a con artist making her living on the streets of Cairo. While she knows some of the things she can do are not ordinary (she can perceive illness in a person just by touching
But Daevabad is filled with political instability. Prince Ali, the other viewpoint character, is secretly going against his father’s wishes and funding a so called “terrorist” organization that helps the citizens with human ancestry, who are a large and oppressed underclass in Daevabad. The djinn tribe that historically ruled Daevabad (but no longer) religiously supported the inferiority of those with human ancestry and banned the mingling of blood. Their royal family was renown for being supernatural healers, but the last of them died years ago. Or so everyone thought.
At this point you can probably see how dropping Nahri into Daevabad is akin to dropping a lit match into a barrel of gunpowder. Chakraborty excels at writing political fantasy and courtly intrigue. Since the story type is sort of familiar (plucky orphan girl discovers she has magical powers and an important position in a royal court), I was worried that it could end up seeming tired. I never felt that way at all. Chakraborty’s writing keeps the story fresh, and I would count it among some of my other favorite court fantasies, such as The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison.
I loved the world Chakraborty created. It’s lush and detailed enough to feel vibrant and real, and I’m always glad to get away from Euro-centric settings. I particuarly liked how Chakraborty created different tribes of djinn, each with their own culture, history, powers, and tensions with the other tribes. The background of Daevabad’s history never felt extraneous, and it made The City of Brass that much more memorable.
I enjoyed Nahri’s cleverness and determination; plus, I have a fondness for con artist protagonists that she plays into perfectly. However, I wasn’t sure how much agency she had in the story. Her initial action sets off her introduction to the magical world, but I’m not sure what impacts her actions have afterwords. That said, I think she’s being set up to do a lot more in the sequels (The City of Brass is the first in a trilogy).
I was rather surprised when Ali’s perspective first showed up, as the back blurb gave no clue there was a POV character other than Nahri. At first, I would want to get through his sections to get back to Nahri’s, but then I found myself looking forward to Ali’s sections more. He’s the younger son of the king, being raised to be the military right hand of his older brother. He’s more religious than is the norm for the court, and he’s prejudiced against the other major religious group in the city, the tribe his ancestors conquered to rule Daevabad. Yet he’s also more empathetic than others might guess, and he cares strongly about the plight of those with human ancestry in Daevabad, who are generally mistreated by the full blood djinn. His idealism threatens to get him into trouble more than once. In short, I found him to be a very complex character, and by the end of The City of Brass, he was clearly my favorite.
Good news for me — The City of Brass wasn’t heavy on the romance. Oh, there was some. Dara, the djinn who Nahri first meets, is remarkably handsome. Believe me, Nahri lets us know. Yes, he has tragedies in his past, but I still found him to be one of those annoyingly possessive alpha male type love interests. And here we get to the remarkable bit: the narrative doesn’t idealize it! I can’t say much more for spoiler reasons, but I found it to be delightfully subversive.
The beginning of The City of Brass might have been a bit slow, but by the second half I had trouble putting it down. It’s intricate, beautiful, and possibly one of the best fantasy books I read in 2017. If you’re looking for historical fantasy, non-Western fantasy or a young adult cross over, I suggest you read The City of Brass.
Review originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
Nahri is a con artist making her living on the streets of Cairo. While she knows some of the things she can do are not ordinary (she can perceive illness in a person just by touching
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them), she doesn’t really believe in magic. That is, until she accidentally summons a djinn. But once the magical world is made aware of Nahri’s presense, it’s not safe for her to continue her life in Cairo, and the djinn, Dara, insists that she go to Daevabad, a kingdom of djinn and humans with djinn blood.But Daevabad is filled with political instability. Prince Ali, the other viewpoint character, is secretly going against his father’s wishes and funding a so called “terrorist” organization that helps the citizens with human ancestry, who are a large and oppressed underclass in Daevabad. The djinn tribe that historically ruled Daevabad (but no longer) religiously supported the inferiority of those with human ancestry and banned the mingling of blood. Their royal family was renown for being supernatural healers, but the last of them died years ago. Or so everyone thought.
At this point you can probably see how dropping Nahri into Daevabad is akin to dropping a lit match into a barrel of gunpowder. Chakraborty excels at writing political fantasy and courtly intrigue. Since the story type is sort of familiar (plucky orphan girl discovers she has magical powers and an important position in a royal court), I was worried that it could end up seeming tired. I never felt that way at all. Chakraborty’s writing keeps the story fresh, and I would count it among some of my other favorite court fantasies, such as The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison.
I loved the world Chakraborty created. It’s lush and detailed enough to feel vibrant and real, and I’m always glad to get away from Euro-centric settings. I particuarly liked how Chakraborty created different tribes of djinn, each with their own culture, history, powers, and tensions with the other tribes. The background of Daevabad’s history never felt extraneous, and it made The City of Brass that much more memorable.
I enjoyed Nahri’s cleverness and determination; plus, I have a fondness for con artist protagonists that she plays into perfectly. However, I wasn’t sure how much agency she had in the story. Her initial action sets off her introduction to the magical world, but I’m not sure what impacts her actions have afterwords. That said, I think she’s being set up to do a lot more in the sequels (The City of Brass is the first in a trilogy).
I was rather surprised when Ali’s perspective first showed up, as the back blurb gave no clue there was a POV character other than Nahri. At first, I would want to get through his sections to get back to Nahri’s, but then I found myself looking forward to Ali’s sections more. He’s the younger son of the king, being raised to be the military right hand of his older brother. He’s more religious than is the norm for the court, and he’s prejudiced against the other major religious group in the city, the tribe his ancestors conquered to rule Daevabad. Yet he’s also more empathetic than others might guess, and he cares strongly about the plight of those with human ancestry in Daevabad, who are generally mistreated by the full blood djinn. His idealism threatens to get him into trouble more than once. In short, I found him to be a very complex character, and by the end of The City of Brass, he was clearly my favorite.
Good news for me — The City of Brass wasn’t heavy on the romance. Oh, there was some. Dara, the djinn who Nahri first meets, is remarkably handsome. Believe me, Nahri lets us know. Yes, he has tragedies in his past, but I still found him to be one of those annoyingly possessive alpha male type love interests. And here we get to the remarkable bit: the narrative doesn’t idealize it! I can’t say much more for spoiler reasons, but I found it to be delightfully subversive.
The beginning of The City of Brass might have been a bit slow, but by the second half I had trouble putting it down. It’s intricate, beautiful, and possibly one of the best fantasy books I read in 2017. If you’re looking for historical fantasy, non-Western fantasy or a young adult cross over, I suggest you read The City of Brass.
Review originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
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Awards
Locus Award (Finalist — First Novel — 2018)
World Fantasy Award (Nominee — Novel — 2018)
British Fantasy Award (Nominee — 2018)
RUSA CODES Reading List (Shortlist — Fantasy — 2019)
Compton Crook Award (Nominee — 2019)
IAFA William L. Crawford Fantasy Award (Finalist — 2018)
BookNest Fantasy Award (Winner — Debut Novel — 2018)
Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire (Shortlist — 2022)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — 2017)
Original language
English
Original publication date
2017-11-01
Physical description
5.08 inches
ISBN
0008239428 / 9780008239428
Local notes
Duplicate. Accidental PB.
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.
Started and finished strong, but flagged in the middle with the heavy-handed romantic elements.
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.
Started and finished strong, but flagged in the middle with the heavy-handed romantic elements.
Other editions
Daevabad Trilogy, Book 1: The City of Brass by S. A Chakraborty (Hardcover)