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A review by theshelfarchive
The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
This was a great read and felt unlike anything I’d read before, which was refreshing. I loved the Middle Eastern-inspired setting, and while I’m no expert on Middle Eastern culture, it was a welcome change from the typical fantasy landscapes.
One of the things I liked most about this book was its characters.Nahri and Dara had a fantastic dynamic—his gruffness and secrets clashing with her sharp wit and determination. Ali was an interesting contrast to them; young, idealistic, and naive, but with a strong moral compass that made his perspective compelling. Then there was Ghassan, the king of Daevabad, who was an excellent villain—calculated, dangerous, and coldly ruthless in his machinations. He didn’t care what anyone thought of his decisions, which made him all the more formidable.
I really felt for Nahri being thrust into a world she never intended to be in and didn’t particularly care about. On one hand, she didn’t try very hard to fit into Daevabad or truly understand it, but given that she’d been on her own her entire life, it made sense that she’d be selfish in that regard—her survival had always depended on looking out for herself. On the other hand, I found it unfair that the people of Daevabad expected her to care so much and adapt so quickly. She was an outsider, thrown into the deep end of a city with centuries of history and conflict, and I don’t blame her for not immediately aligning herself with any of it.
The writing was great—smooth and easy to read—but what really stood out was the pacing. The book builds slowly, carefully layering its world and conflicts, before hurtling into a chaotic, WTF-inducing ending that had me hooked. The final stretch was intense, and the way all the moving pieces collided was incredibly well done.
The only thing that held this back from being a five-star read was the complexity of the world-building and political system. There’s a lot to take in—numerous factions, histories, and betrayals—and while the depth was impressive, it was also overwhelming at times. Just when I thought I had a grasp on the politics of Daevabad, new information would be introduced that made me question everything I thought I understood. The glossary at the back helped, but I would have loved a more structured guide—maybe a timeline or cheat sheet outlining the key conflicts and historical events. It didn’t stop me from enjoying the book or wanting to continue the series, but it did slow me down as I tried to keep everything straight.
Overall, The City of Brass was an engrossing and beautifully written fantasy with a rich setting, compelling characters, and an explosive ending. Despite some dense world-building, I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to see where the series goes next.
One of the things I liked most about this book was its characters.
The writing was great—smooth and easy to read—but what really stood out was the pacing. The book builds slowly, carefully layering its world and conflicts, before hurtling into a chaotic, WTF-inducing ending that had me hooked. The final stretch was intense, and the way all the moving pieces collided was incredibly well done.
The only thing that held this back from being a five-star read was the complexity of the world-building and political system. There’s a lot to take in—numerous factions, histories, and betrayals—and while the depth was impressive, it was also overwhelming at times. Just when I thought I had a grasp on the politics of Daevabad, new information would be introduced that made me question everything I thought I understood. The glossary at the back helped, but I would have loved a more structured guide—maybe a timeline or cheat sheet outlining the key conflicts and historical events. It didn’t stop me from enjoying the book or wanting to continue the series, but it did slow me down as I tried to keep everything straight.
Overall, The City of Brass was an engrossing and beautifully written fantasy with a rich setting, compelling characters, and an explosive ending. Despite some dense world-building, I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to see where the series goes next.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence