Scan barcode
neldel's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
tverma1421's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
comet_aj's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
melinda_and_her_books's review against another edition
4.0
The book didn't go the way I was thinking it would but I still loved the story. I just was hoping for more romance. This book was chosen by my book club and I can't wait to discuss it with them this weekend.
yars_reading_corner's review
5.0
I'm waiting for the day that I read a book by Shannon Chakraborty and wouldn't give it five stars! This book is so genius, so beautifully detailed, and goes into such explanations and cultural aspects that most authors would overlook, even if they come from said culture, there is obviously a lot of Islamic influence on this book and Middle Eastern mythology but it shows that a lot of research has been done to collect so many pieces of info and to form a cohesive plot that isn't just throwing around concepts!
What I really love is that the main characters are not teenagers whose prefrontal cortex has not yet developed, and this was the same case with Amina Al-Sirafi even though she was older, I love that there is so many easter eggs, and references that you would only understand if you have read into the certain mythologies and ancient religions of the Mesopotamia, like the fire worshipers actually being the Zoroastrians, and even the name Daevabad is like Daev-Abad like Islam-Abad in 2 syllables, I could nerd about this book for hours, and not get tired, but I'm just going to tell you to read this if you want to experience a beautiful work of fantasy
What I really love is that the main characters are not teenagers whose prefrontal cortex has not yet developed, and this was the same case with Amina Al-Sirafi even though she was older, I love that there is so many easter eggs, and references that you would only understand if you have read into the certain mythologies and ancient religions of the Mesopotamia, like the fire worshipers actually being the Zoroastrians, and even the name Daevabad is like Daev-Abad like Islam-Abad in 2 syllables, I could nerd about this book for hours, and not get tired, but I'm just going to tell you to read this if you want to experience a beautiful work of fantasy
xsquared's review against another edition
Just not into it. I’m lost on who’s who of the characters.
rhorhoriot's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-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
4.5
zoenicole's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.0
blove0312's review
adventurous
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
4.5
4.5 rounded up (always give the first book in a series the benefit of the doubt!)
I very much enjoy being surprised because it doesn’t happen often… but this one did it. Every single major player shocked the shit out of me in the last 80 ish or so pages. And though I’m heartbroken over some of it, I’m on the edge of my seat metaphorically (bc I’m about to fall over dead asleep as I type this… at 1:41 am) and cannot WAIT to see where all of these avenues lead.
Doesn’t take away from the indifference I felt for maybe the first 150-200 pages. I get world building, truly. I have read a lot of high/epic fantasy. I’m not sure what it was with this because it moved at a decent pace; maybe the character development was slower than the pace. Sleepy brain isn’t braining well.
I’m finding I also really enjoy when politics are heavily interwoven with the story. Scheming, bribing, lying, risks, assassination attempts.
Maybe I’ll add to this when I’m awake and coherent tomorrow. My dogs will be waking me up in about 5 hours to eat and go outside 🙄
Halfway thoughts:
At the halfway mark currently. It’s a decent story so far and I’m interested in at least one character (Nahri) and one plot (Ali and his sympathies for the downtrodden).
I do want to know how Dara was summoned after 1400 years when all other Djinn only survive a few centuries in their mortal bodies as set per the Solomon guy.
But also I’ve been reading this book since 4/28 and it’s 5/2 now and this shouldn’t have taken me more than two evenings after work. True, I’ve been a little busier than usual and at least one day I didn’t read at all, but I definitely think it dragged in places at first. Maybe it’s the world building, but that doesn’t usually bother me at all; I enjoy epic fantasy for the details and harshly judge books with minimal world building.
Idk. We’ll see. I bought all 3 of the series at B&N without ever hearing about them so I’m gonna like them 😂