Scan barcode
lorie336's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A whole different vibe from the first book, this was depressing, political, gray characters, but we learn more about our three main perspectives. There is still adventure especially the last 100 pages, the author knows how to write an epic fantasy world.
I loved learning what happened to our characters and we are thrust 5 years into the future where Nahri discovers more about her past yet she is trapped in the royal walls while Prince Ali was exiled and no longer wishes to return to Daevabad, but something or someone may force him. Again this was unputdownable and again this author creates relatable characters, issues that matter, politics, and a beautiful landscape. I am looking forward to reading the third installment of this trilogy.
I loved learning what happened to our characters and we are thrust 5 years into the future where Nahri discovers more about her past yet she is trapped in the royal walls while Prince Ali was exiled and no longer wishes to return to Daevabad, but something or someone may force him. Again this was unputdownable and again this author creates relatable characters, issues that matter, politics, and a beautiful landscape. I am looking forward to reading the third installment of this trilogy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
achingallover's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Medical content, Murder, Police brutality, Racism, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
theespressoedition's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I do this really terrible thing where I finish a book and then wait way too long to write the review, promptly forgetting most of what I read and how I felt about the book. I guess this is my toxic trait.
That being said, I listened to the audiobook for The Kingdom of Copper, despite stating in my review for The City of Brass that I should read the physical books for the remainder of the series. However, the narrator did an excellent job and it was much easier to get my hands on the book this way, so I should be grateful for the fact that I was able to digest the plot at all.
Like its predecessor, the sequel had a slower start with more world-building and politics, but a little more than halfway through, all the adventure began to happen, quickening the pace and honestly giving me a bit of a heart attack. I couldn't believe all that transpired! In fact, I would've preferred this to be separated into two books. There was so much information that it became hard for me to follow at a certain point.
That being said, I listened to the audiobook for The Kingdom of Copper, despite stating in my review for The City of Brass that I should read the physical books for the remainder of the series. However, the narrator did an excellent job and it was much easier to get my hands on the book this way, so I should be grateful for the fact that I was able to digest the plot at all.
Like its predecessor, the sequel had a slower start with more world-building and politics, but a little more than halfway through, all the adventure began to happen, quickening the pace and honestly giving me a bit of a heart attack. I couldn't believe all that transpired! In fact, I would've preferred this to be separated into two books. There was so much information that it became hard for me to follow at a certain point.
The frustrating thing for audiobook listeners is how we know the correct pronunciation for every name, but have no clue where to begin with the spelling. Therefore, I had to search up the Daevabad Wiki in order to confirm (and wowza, I was misspelling so many of these names in my head).
Muntadhir had the craziest character arc in this book. I started off absolutely loathing the guy, went to kinda tolerating him, and wound up appreciating him more than nearly any other character by the end. What a rollercoaster!
I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next in this trilogy. I really, really am. I'm totally hooked now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Murder, and Trafficking
Moderate: Addiction, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
tahsintries's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Torture
totallyshelfaware's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Violence, Slavery, Religious bigotry, Murder, Hate crime, Grief, Genocide, Gore, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Trafficking, Alcoholism, and Infidelity
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
leahsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I seriously adored reading The City of Brass, so I obviously knew I had to get my hands on this book as soon as possible. However, once I did, I sat with this book on my shelf until I couldn’t renew it any more times through my library for some reason. Does anyone else do this, or is it just me? I think part of the reason was because I wanted to prolong my enjoyment of the series, and another part was because I was a little worried that it wouldn’t live up to the incredible memories I had of the first book. However, I had absolutely nothing to worry about.
Within the first few pages of the book, I felt like I had stepped right into a doorway that transported me back to this magical world of flying carpets and djinn, complete with political intrigue and characters that I couldn’t help but love. The descriptive writing made me feel as though I was also in Daevabad, rather than just reading about it.
“But this ship was nothing like any of those. It looked large enough to fit hundreds, its dark teak dazzling in the sunlight as it floated lightly on the lake. Teal banners adorned with the icons of studded golden pyramids and starry silver salt tablets flew from the masts. Its many amber-colored sails — and Nahri counted at least a dozen — dwarfed the glimmering decks. Segmented and ribs, the sails looked more like wings than anything that belonged on a boat, and they shivered and undulated in the wind like living things.”
The story is told from the POV of the three main characters, Nahri, Ali, and Dara, and after the prologue, it picks up 5 years after the events in book 1. For the majority of the book, the characters aren’t engaged with each other, and deal with their own struggles, but the entire book was building up to a major climax. And when it happened, I still wasn’t prepared.
Each of the characters have their own flaws, and they’re so morally gray (although Ali isn’t morally gray so much as rigidly upstanding), but also so endearing that I wanted to see them each wind up happy, even though each of them is trapped in circumstances beyond their control. I honestly didn’t see a way for any of them to get out of their individual situations, but I still hoped.
Nahri’s still a character that is amazing. She’s smart, strong, and tough, even in a place that doesn’t feel like home, isn’t safe, and where she is surrounded by people she can’t trust. And being alone for so long is causing her to question herself, even as she’s forced to become a pawn in the political maneuverings in the royal family of Daevabad. Her character arc is definitely one of the most striking in this series.
“Nahri had once quietly feared that it was her, that growing up alone on Cairo’s streets with abilities that terrified everyone had broken her, shaped her into a person who didn’t know how to forge a genuine bond.”
Ali changes a little less throughout the series, but he grew a lot in this book. His whole life changed as a result of the events in the first book, and there’s something about him that just drew me in. He’s a major player in the book, and I respect his courage to stand up for his values, no matter how difficult that is.
Dara is the other piece of the puzzle. I truly empathized with his struggle. All he wants is peace and to be free, but he’s forced into a life of service. He wanted to do something different, but wasn’t able to. It made it even more clear that rather than being seen as a person, he’s viewed as a weapon instead, and he’s really starting to resent that role. Hopefully, he’s realizing that only Nahri ever saw him differently.
The story weaves a variety of plot threads together to create a stunning tapestry, combining character arcs, politics, romance, emotions, intrigue, surprising plot twists, and elements drawn from a range of cultures. I was hooked immediately and couldn’t stop reading. I’m planning to get my hands on the next book soon, and I have already promised myself that I won’t wait long before starting it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Murder, Violence, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, and Child death
Minor: Slavery
annalisaely's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A bit slow in the middle, and some characters *cough* Dara *cough* are a little hard to listen to winge after a while, but overall I liked seeing the continuous world building and getting to know our characters more and seeing how what has happened to and around them has shaped them. It's definitely interesting to look at the question of how to stop racism when everybody hates everybody and all three groups have done horrible things whenever they have been in power. Usually in books these issues are simplified a lot, so it's nice to see S.A. Chakraborty really going in on them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Police brutality, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, and Genocide
More...