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A review by n_asyikin_
The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-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
The Empire of Gold started by reflecting the utter helplessness that derived after the storm of violence which besieged Daevabad. The befuddlement was central, the sense of responsibility & need to escape shaping many characters' thought. So the plot was rather slow in the beginning though I personally enjoyed the introspections; a form of character study rather typical in the series.
As always, Chakraborty wrote her world vividly. The fight scenes left me feeling exhilarated. The visual imageries I derived from her writing was some of the most captivating I've ever read. How could it not be with ancient magical creatures of air, water & fire intermingled with the djinns & human (i.e.pirates!) in a clash for power involving multiple otherworldly settings. The power in focus not just in the tangible form of physical strength & variant magic, but also strategic mindgame with worthy players who weren't afraid to push the limits.
Mistrust amongst the characters with astringent set of beliefs also meant that solutions weren't easily on hand. I liked how practically all characters had to address their own prejudices, had to unlearn & hold themselves accountable for their wrongdoings. It all led to a necessary revolution that started with the importance of collaboration. There was no "The Chosen One". This revolution involved a community fighting against a common enemy. But before reaching that point, I loved how Chakraborty depicted the danger of pigeonholing our view; the consequences of othering groups of people (or creatures) & demonizing said othered. The destructions & cruelties were, unfortunately, the only way for many to recognize the inhumanity of everything - but even then, many still resisted changes.
But above the political intrigues, perhaps it was the vulnerabilities shown I found moving. I shed a few tears for these imperfect, beloved group of characters. At the end, there were many forms of grieving: grieving over the lost of loved ones, grieving over the lost dreams, grieving over a love that was never meant to be. The ending may not be concrete, but it was fitting in its hopefulness. The bittersweetness seemed reflective of the uncertainties & very human imperfections explored in the story. The Empire of Gold was worth the maelstrom of emotions it would take you through!
____
In general, The Daevabad Trilogy is heavy in character study, more psychological rather than action-driven for most part. For some, the pace might feel slow. But I was hooked by the subtle mind games the characters were in, as they sussed each other out, built half-bonds only to see it broken & needing reconstruction. It was also interesting to infer how the characters were shaped by their past neglect & abandonment.
It also depicted how highly ingrained our views can be, chiseled & moulded often by biased history, made to edify, also (critically) glorify our existence. These characters had to have their foundations destroyed & what we saw subsequently was how one struggle to challenge what they knew about their world, hence, who they were.
Centrally, The Daevabad Trilogy touched upon the concept of the self, how we must be critical of the sources that shaped our world, even if that meant going against your loved ones. That no matter how wrong your loved ones could be, you could still yearn for their love, grieved for the love they could show you - you wished they could show others - because that's just being human, in all our complicated shades. But perhaps that was also its frightening tenet, that evil often derived from normalcy. That it wasn't something glaringly obvious, that one wrong aspect of societal normalization, meant we could be the monsters we fear. The courage was in admitting it, then addressing & fixing the wrongs.
The Daevabad Trilogy were epic in every sense: bold in terms of its characters, expansive in terms of its exploration, & rich in terms of its settings. The world that Chakraborty created was fascinating. The fact that it was just as rich internally (introspection) as it was externally (physicality) was great for me. The Daevabad Trilogy were truly captivating.
As always, Chakraborty wrote her world vividly. The fight scenes left me feeling exhilarated. The visual imageries I derived from her writing was some of the most captivating I've ever read. How could it not be with ancient magical creatures of air, water & fire intermingled with the djinns & human (i.e.pirates!) in a clash for power involving multiple otherworldly settings. The power in focus not just in the tangible form of physical strength & variant magic, but also strategic mindgame with worthy players who weren't afraid to push the limits.
Mistrust amongst the characters with astringent set of beliefs also meant that solutions weren't easily on hand. I liked how practically all characters had to address their own prejudices, had to unlearn & hold themselves accountable for their wrongdoings. It all led to a necessary revolution that started with the importance of collaboration. There was no "The Chosen One". This revolution involved a community fighting against a common enemy. But before reaching that point, I loved how Chakraborty depicted the danger of pigeonholing our view; the consequences of othering groups of people (or creatures) & demonizing said othered. The destructions & cruelties were, unfortunately, the only way for many to recognize the inhumanity of everything - but even then, many still resisted changes.
But above the political intrigues, perhaps it was the vulnerabilities shown I found moving. I shed a few tears for these imperfect, beloved group of characters. At the end, there were many forms of grieving: grieving over the lost of loved ones, grieving over the lost dreams, grieving over a love that was never meant to be. The ending may not be concrete, but it was fitting in its hopefulness. The bittersweetness seemed reflective of the uncertainties & very human imperfections explored in the story. The Empire of Gold was worth the maelstrom of emotions it would take you through!
____
In general, The Daevabad Trilogy is heavy in character study, more psychological rather than action-driven for most part. For some, the pace might feel slow. But I was hooked by the subtle mind games the characters were in, as they sussed each other out, built half-bonds only to see it broken & needing reconstruction. It was also interesting to infer how the characters were shaped by their past neglect & abandonment.
It also depicted how highly ingrained our views can be, chiseled & moulded often by biased history, made to edify, also (critically) glorify our existence. These characters had to have their foundations destroyed & what we saw subsequently was how one struggle to challenge what they knew about their world, hence, who they were.
Centrally, The Daevabad Trilogy touched upon the concept of the self, how we must be critical of the sources that shaped our world, even if that meant going against your loved ones. That no matter how wrong your loved ones could be, you could still yearn for their love, grieved for the love they could show you - you wished they could show others - because that's just being human, in all our complicated shades. But perhaps that was also its frightening tenet, that evil often derived from normalcy. That it wasn't something glaringly obvious, that one wrong aspect of societal normalization, meant we could be the monsters we fear. The courage was in admitting it, then addressing & fixing the wrongs.
The Daevabad Trilogy were epic in every sense: bold in terms of its characters, expansive in terms of its exploration, & rich in terms of its settings. The world that Chakraborty created was fascinating. The fact that it was just as rich internally (introspection) as it was externally (physicality) was great for me. The Daevabad Trilogy were truly captivating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Xenophobia