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A review by queer_bookwyrm
The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: violence, torture, slavery, descriptions of blood and gore, kidnapping, rape, whipping
The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty is book one in the Daevabad trilogy. I've been meaning to read this for awhile, and I'm glad I finally did! I love intricate world building and morally gray characters, and we have plenty.
We follow Nahri, a thief in Cairo who can heal herself and others, although she mainly uses her ability to fleece her marks. During a "fake" ritual, she accidentally summons a daeva named Dara who is determined to take her to Daevabad, the City of Brass, because Nahri is not human. Dara is a daeva who was enslaved thousands of years ago, and was made to do terrible things, but Nahri trusts him anyway. I really like their dynamic throughout the books and the way it ebbs and flows.
We also follow Ali, the youngest son of the King and Future Qaid to his older brother, Muntadhir. Ali is young, brash, and self-righteous, which makes him quite annoying most of the time, ah youth. Ali is a bit of a contradiction, he believes in the rights of the shafit, a mix of human and djinn blood, but despises and wants to oppress the Daeva clan for their religion. Ali was a compelling character, though, being the second son, and fighting a moral war within himself: stop the mistreatment of shafit, or do as his father says. Speaking of his father, he is a fascinating character. He's not someone I'd say I like, but he's wonderfully complex and brilliant, if diabolical.
There is so much political and clan intrigue in this. It was all a little confusing and overwhelming at first, but it picks up once the world-building is established. Nahri makes a good stand in for the reader in Daevabad, so there is some exposition, but it doesn't feel like info dumping. I want to learn more about the Daeva religion and the shafit as well as more about Nahri's abilities.
Nahri is definitely my favorite character, but I also really liked Muntadhir, who is bisexual. He's your typical charming prince who often drinks too much and has too much fun with courtesans. I can't wait to see how he develops over the series.
The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty is book one in the Daevabad trilogy. I've been meaning to read this for awhile, and I'm glad I finally did! I love intricate world building and morally gray characters, and we have plenty.
We follow Nahri, a thief in Cairo who can heal herself and others, although she mainly uses her ability to fleece her marks. During a "fake" ritual, she accidentally summons a daeva named Dara who is determined to take her to Daevabad, the City of Brass, because Nahri is not human. Dara is a daeva who was enslaved thousands of years ago, and was made to do terrible things, but Nahri trusts him anyway. I really like their dynamic throughout the books and the way it ebbs and flows.
We also follow Ali, the youngest son of the King and Future Qaid to his older brother, Muntadhir. Ali is young, brash, and self-righteous, which makes him quite annoying most of the time, ah youth. Ali is a bit of a contradiction, he believes in the rights of the shafit, a mix of human and djinn blood, but despises and wants to oppress the Daeva clan for their religion. Ali was a compelling character, though, being the second son, and fighting a moral war within himself: stop the mistreatment of shafit, or do as his father says. Speaking of his father, he is a fascinating character. He's not someone I'd say I like, but he's wonderfully complex and brilliant, if diabolical.
There is so much political and clan intrigue in this. It was all a little confusing and overwhelming at first, but it picks up once the world-building is established. Nahri makes a good stand in for the reader in Daevabad, so there is some exposition, but it doesn't feel like info dumping. I want to learn more about the Daeva religion and the shafit as well as more about Nahri's abilities.
Nahri is definitely my favorite character, but I also really liked Muntadhir, who is bisexual. He's your typical charming prince who often drinks too much and has too much fun with courtesans. I can't wait to see how he develops over the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Rape, Slavery, Blood, and Gore
Minor: Kidnapping