*Actual rating: 4.5/5*

Ok, so this one had been sitting on my digital shelf for so long I had almost forgotten all about it until I randomly decided to pick it up in the summer. Oh, the joys of mood reading... I was actually really excited about a Middle Eastern fantasy since it seems to be a setting I usually enjoy but, I'll admit, some of the reviews I'd read mentioning heavy politics had me worried for a minute. Seems I worried for nothing though, because I ended up liking this one a lot!

Everything about this book was fascinating: the plot, the setting, the characters, the writing... I also started listening to the audiobook because I couldn't bear to tear myself away from it while walking or doing chores. That's quite rare for me, so it was an excellent sign. The way it was all woven together actually felt new and refreshing, even though it builds on several common tropes and mythology. Still, it never feels that way, certainly thanks to the author's amazing writing.

The worldbuilding was a bit intricate and I'll admit to getting lost at times (and I'm still not sure about a few things), but I did like the focus on the politics and the relations between different social groups in Daevabad. I decided to just roll with it and enjoy the ride, which proved to be the winning choice as otherwise I would have ended up too confused to appreciate the settings and the relationships between the characters. Speaking of which, the characters were one of the things I liked the most here: morally grey, flawed and with plenty of secrets to hide... just what we like to read about! I will admit to rolling my eyes a bit when a love triangle reared its head, especially since I definitely wasn't a fan of one of the pairings.

Now, I did have some issues with the pace, which felt very uneven. After a great start, things sort of dragged along for a while and then exploded again towards the end. While the emotions stirred up by the end were plenty and made up for the slight boredom in the middle, it still felt unbalanced. Still, I had a great time with this and definitely hope to pick up the second book in the trilogy in the New Year!

This copy was kindly gifted to me from the publisher in exchange for an honest review (submitted on Instagram)

Oh my god. I obtained this ARC in 2018 and I regret not reading it sooner. This book is everything! Based on Middle-Eastern myths and beliefs, Chakraborty has without a doubt given the world a showstopping fantasy novel.

So this book follows Nahri, an orphan, as she basically tries to look out for her own in the world. She's never had anyone show her how to be or tell her who she is, so she's a mystery unto herself. She's not the most common protagonist, but she is still highly lovable, in part I think because it's easy to be sympathetic towards her cause.

Nahri ends up meeting people who, for better or for worse, give her some insight into her past and change the world she lives in. Very exciting for Nahri. Not so fortunate for the rest of Daevabad who have happened across her path.

I loved this book for the fantasy and magical elements - it is so nice and different from the bogstandard fantasy novel about vampires and werewolves. I also loved this book because of the diverse range or characters, and the drama. It's hard knowing who to trust, and there are twists and turns around every corners. And I both loved and hated that what I wanted to happen wouldn't happen, so in that sense Chakraborty has done some A+ novel writing.

When I opened this book, I was almost set on not liking it. I'm not sure why, maybe it's because it's been on my TBR for so long. But now I can't wait until I read the rest of the series to find out what's happened next. I absolutely LOVED this novel, and would highly recommend it to lovers of fantasy and/or historical fiction.

I cannot believe how long it took me to read this book and I still don’t know why it was. The City of Brass was a book I went into completely blind and without any kind of ideas about what it was about at all. I don’t know what I was expecting but this wasn’t it, but in the best way possible. The City of Brass gave me such feels and I fell in love with the world and the characters. There is so much going on within the story and there is a lot of story building all the way through this book, which I assume helps in the later on in the series.

The main characters change throughout this book, there are tribes and a lot of different things happening all at once. It was at times tough to remember who was who and what they were doing within the story. Plus as it was following two separate point of views and they each had their own relationships with the different tribes and the people within them. It became a little difficult to connect with all of them.

The first main characters we meet are Nahri and Dara who begin the story by walking across the desert and running away from a threat. I will say that this was probably my least favourite part of the book but then also the best paced part of the story. The banter and the way that the two of them interacted with each other was really brilliantly done, however I feel as though their chemistry trailed off as soon as they reached Daevabad. It was just a little bit of a weird arc that they went on.

The other characters within The City of Brass is the ruling tribe. This is where the pacing of this book threw me off a little bit and I know that I was supposed to care about each of them but I felt as though there were so many of them within the city it was difficult to connect to all of them. Plus Ali who is narrating these parts is quite unemotional so it was difficult to be involved in the character’s lives when he didn’t seem to care at all.


When I was thinking about writing this review and trying to pinpoint why I loved The City of Brass as much as I did and I still can’t quite figure it out. This book felt a little a like escaping from the world around me, I was completely immersed in the world and I loved the world building. It was brilliantly written and there was so much detail about the different tribes and the way everything was set up. This book really is the perfect setup to the rest of the series and I cannot wait to find out how everything ends up happening by the end.

The things I weren’t too sure about when it came to The City of Brass was just how much information was ploughed into this book and all of the politic intrigue. I know, I know I usually love political intrigue but there was just something about this one that just didn’t click with me. Instead of feeling as though I was a part of it all I just didn’t understand what was going on at some points purely because it felt as though I was getting a superficial look at something that was way deeper than everything that was going on.

I really want to expand on that point because this really was the only reason this book didn’t get 5 stars. There were certain character’s histories that were discussed all the way through this one and I still don’t know what the heck was going on. I couldn’t tell you what was the truth and how everything happened which just ended up with me being super frustrated with everything!

I really would recommend this one, The City of Brass was a brilliant end of the month and I loved the world and the characters. I do think my issues with the story will be sorted out in the later books which is what I’m holding out for!

A bit of a slow starter but there was something about it that kept me reading. A nice story with plenty of twists to keep you guessing.

I loved this so much I bought book two within seconds of finishing. This book has everything I'd want from a fantasy and I am very invested in the characters and I can't wait to get started on the second book.

I enjoyed this book so much that I bought my own copy, it's that good.

The setting is fantastic and well-built. I loved learning more about the city and honestly, I would happily read a book that was literally just the history of the city. The characters are well developed and I loved watching them interact. I don't want to go in to too much detail about this book though because part of the thing I loved about it was going in with almost zero expectations and being delightfully surprised.

The writing is good, the plot is interesting and moves at a good pace and I just adore it.

This was a fantastically rich book. Full of mythology, cast systems and magic.
It wrapped its pages around me and wouldn’t let me go. Truly spell binding.

Really enjoyed this a lot - have already bought the next in the series and cannot wait for the third book, due out later this year! I have had this sitting on my shelf for a while and had a feeling that I was going to like it. However, I will admit being intimidated by the sheer size of the book. When I did eventually start it though I read it in a matter of hours and, despite it taking a while to actually reach the City of Brass, I didn't feel like it was too long of a book.
I loved the originality of the different powers and all of the characters, even the more morally-grey ones. The world-building was immersive and, at times, a bit confusing, but I honestly feel that good world-building requires a bit of uncertainty on the part of the reader so you don't feel like you've had everything info-dumped on you.Why would a character take the time to explain something that is common knowledge for everyone present? Be prepared to work to understand the world a bit.
Looking forward to more from this world and these characters!

I went into this book not knowing much and honestly so much went on that I came out of it also not knowing much but in a good way. This book was full of excitement, magic and twists and turns that left me scratching my head. The start was quite slow with its pacing, taking time to get going as we were introduced to the narratives of Nahri and Ali. One is a royal and the other a girl with a magical ability to heal people. 

It is an own voices novel following two different characters as they try to rebel against the system and survive. Nahri is a healer in Cairo and Ali is a djinn prince in Daevabad, a magical city. It very much appears that Nahri is swept up in something she doesn't understand when she accidentally summons Dara, a rebel and daeva warrior. In the meantime, Ali is trying to do what he thinks is right in a city that isn't under his control. So there are two different storylines going on here and I spent a lot of the start of the book waiting for them to collide! 

I really liked the banterous relationship forming between Nahri and Dara, they were good fun to read about and I definitely enjoyed more of their chapters as Nahri discovered more about the world she didn't know she was part of. I found Ali's chapters a little slower, but I think these are setting up for what happens in the second book... I assume. 

The setting felt rich and beautiful and left me feeling fully immersed in the story. I haven't really read many books set in Egypt and I enjoyed this change of setting from what I was used to. The atmosphere of the book certainly contributed to how fantastical the magic system felt and made me want to keep reading. 

So much went on in this book and at times I found it hard to follow, but overall I did enjoy reading it. It was certainly a rich fantasy, with an interesting and unique magic system. I do feel like I need to read through the plot properly somewhere before I move onto the second book though.

Actual rating 3.875

Finally, after God only knows how long I have finished a book and not just a book but the City of Brass itself.

At first I thought of writing a proper review for it but as I kept reading I just realized I didn't know how to put everything into words so it could all make sense.

Most of the things I disliked were technical things in the writing itself like her one sentence structure which I, no matter how hard i try, can't remember what it was called. It's the 'no sooner ... than...' structure. The author seems very fond of it but it disrupts her otherwise good writing which flows very well and is easy to read.

Also, there was this one inconsistency where the author put some foreign words to show them speaking a foreign language when before and after that single moment she would usually explain that it was a different language. While I get that it was supposed to show that the character didn't speak that language, there are many ways that could've been shown without using 2 lines of foreign or made up words that would never be used again in the entire book.

She does have very long chapters and the first half of the books is quite slow but it gets a lot faster-paced after Nahri gets to Deavabad and therefore it becomes a faster read.

Now, I find Ali's Character way more interesting and especially in the first half i found his parts a lot more intriguing. I was quite interested in Deavabad's politics and history and it is very relevant for the later plot. I also love Ali as a character, his morals and beliefs are quite clear and understandable and while he does sound naive I think that that's the charm of the youth, said the modest 21-year-old 😂

I loved his plot and the way he doesn't care about the discrimination happening in the city and wants to help everybody.

Also, there's a lot to Ali's character that we don't know and I can't wait to find out more about him.

I don't know how I feel about Nahri. I think that even tho I spent a lot of time in her head, I don't know her as well as Ali. Yes, there is a lot of information but to me her Character is a bit more unclear and a bit more flexible than his. I also found her to be very impatient with magic and I hope we all find out soon why that is. Is it because her intentions aren't clear enough or is it because of something else?

Her Dynamics with Dara were weird and I'm divided between living for them and wondering if I missed something along the way 😅😅😅 kind of predictable tho, he is the first guy she met so yeah, take that as you will.

I liked Dara bc he's the type of Character i have a soft spot for. However, I didn't like the way how conveniently he would never tell her anything even tho it was important. This trope, so to speak, is as old as time and no, thank you. Communication is key 😂😂 I get why he wouldn't want to share but if you have to choose between revealing your dark past and saving somebody's life...

Anyway, I also enjoyed Muntadir's Character and Jamshid's as well. I wish we'd seen more of them.

The king is interesting and I get why he does whatever he does, it's very logical and I like that.

I found myself rolling my eyes at the last few chapters even though I enjoyed them. I really loved the epilogue and I have questions 😂😂

I definitely enjoyed this book even if it looks like I have more criticisms than anything good to say. I did enjoy it.

However, it was very hard to choose a rating so i settled on the middle ground of what i was trying to choose from which was 3.75 and 4 stars 😅

I will definitely finish the trilogy.

Additionally, I didn't say anything about the culture bc I'm not the target audience and I don't know anything 😂 I've been told it's quite accurate and I've also been told that some of the things are real and others are fiction, idk which is which.

I'd say the world-building is well-done, even tho sometimes the information would get a bit too cramped up for me. Depends on if you like your info dumps in small sections or longer monologues. The way she used to give information is by a character talking about it and while I do like it and it was consistent, I would sometimes find myself skimming through it.

I did skim some of the book, hence the lower rating 😅.

I haven't been reading fantasy for very long. My friend suggested that I give Sarah J Mass a try and I absolutely loved those books so I figured I would branch out a bit more and try some more titles. I absolutely loved this book! The world building was just so unbelievably talented! I could picture standing inside the city amongst the market. My favourite character started off being Dara but that didn't work out very well so I am looking forward to picking up the next in the series to see what happens to the rest of the characters!

A wonderful tale of ancient Cairo, djinns and magical beings. Nahri is a con-artist with undiscovered magical powers, she performs a ritual to free a young girl of demon and unexpectedly summons her own djinn. What follows is a intricate and absorbing tale, full of action as she is taken by Dara to his homeland of Daevabad. I couldn't put it down and was so frustrated when I found out it was a trilogy. Needless to say I bought the second book immediately and carried on reading. The third book, is out in February.... can I wait that long!!
Highly recommended.

Since reading the Rebel of the Sands trilogy, I had yet to find another series to fill the hole left by that series, alas! Here comes the Daevabad trilogy!!

Oh I loved this book, loved it a lot. Nahri is just brilliant, I love female leads like her. She’s strong, witty and you’re never quite sure what she’ll do next. She’s a survivor and given that she’s thrown into a brand new world, she adapts quickly.

Nahri starts as a bit of a charlatan, unsure of her origins and her unusual healing abilities and strange black eyes. She knows languages she shouldn’t know and songs in a tongue she cannot describe. Songs which unknowingly to her, would summon someone to her side.

That someone is Darayavahoush. I have a lot of love for this man 😂. He’s a protector and fiercely so. He takes her to Daevabad, a place where you’re divided by clan and split again by blood. In Daevabad, we meet Alizayd, he’s a prince but is also a bit of a rebel and we learn that Nahri is not what she seems. It is here that centuries of prejudice, war and politics lead. Nahri must learn to navigate this strange world and survive.

The world building is epic and it’s everything you could want for a new series. If you like magic, flying carpets, Djinn, rich worlds, brilliant characters and a badass lead. Read this book 😍

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for this digital review copy. I loved it so much that I bought it immediately as well as Kingdom of Copper.

This book was amazingly full of whitty characters more magic than I could hope for and a story that blew my mind, I loved the way the author built this world up from every page. This is one I will re read again and again ....on to the sequel I go.

There is so much hype on this book that I had to put this on hold for months but I finally felt it was the right moment to read this and just wow. I really need the sequel now. I do have to say that it felt more like a solid four stars until the last third. But what an end it was.

Unfortunately not the book for me. The writing style is quite good, and the blurb certainly piqued my interest, but unfortunately the story just wasn’t to my taste, that being said I can see how others would love it!

I struggled to rate this for a number of different reasons. On the one hand, an #ownvoices novel that features a world of djinn and politics and characters of colour, Islamic religion and curses. On the other hand, a YA novel that doesn't really seem to break out of the same tired tropes we've seen before. Sure, you can put a veil on Nahri all you want, but that doesn't make her any less of a special snowflake protagonist with a super secret backstory and ~mystical powers~. Oh and a hot bad boy love interest.

See, what The City of Brass actually wants to be is a sleek, smart novel about a girl who finds out that her small healing powers are actually so much greater than that, who has to travel to a magical realm and claim her birthright, all the while assailed from all sides by foes and danger. It's supposed to be a book about how Nahri uses her street smarts to outwit a society of haughty djinn driven by blood purity and ancient squabbles. It's also supposed to be a book about a second son who trains in a religious order for a life dedicated to serving his elder brother, the heir to the throne, but who finds himself compelled to the protect the lives of shafit (half-djinn half-human), even at the expense of inciting conflict with his family.

Instead... instead you have Nahri, a young woman who's grown in Cairo and used her magical healing abilities to bluff, trick and steal her way to a life of relative freedom (albeit poor, but at least she's not married against her will!). Until she uses a spell she barely understands and ends up summoning a djinn, whereupon she learns that she might actually be the last known member of a family of powerful djinn which used to rule Daevabad, the City of Brass. So, armed with a Hot Badboy Bodyguard, Nahri must make her way across a desert and then survive court politics, all the while seemingly falling for a guy who treats her like dirt/gaslights her constantly and then somehow forgetting everything that helped her survive in Cairo. Meanwhile, Ali is the only decent person in an entire court of djinn, but that makes him gullible, so he spends a lot of his time trying to right his own decisions, only to have them blow up in his face. But of the main trio, he's the only one who comes across as a decent person; he doesn't do this out of gullibility and he actually changes and grows throughout the novel.

I see what Chakraborty wants to do, but it never feels like she allows her characters to truly fail. Dara is basically meant to be some bad boy we all root for, even though he's a millennia old djinn who crushes on a teenager (look, seriously, this shit was creepy when Edward Cullen did it and the years haven't been forgiving on this trope) and because he knows better he decides to treat Nahri like a child and she somehow accepts this and then crushes on him like a lovesick puppy. Even at the end, when Dara goes full on nuclear with his ridiculous jealousy, it's just creepy, it's not romantic. At all.

I don't hate YA as a genre. I try my best not to judge it by its cover, I try to think that not every YA novel needs to follow the ridiculous trope route. But sadly this time it does. I expected a lot more from The City of Brass and it just didn't deliver. I don't know how I feel about the sequel - on the one hand, the promise of a timeskip means that I can perhaps hope for some character growth. But if the endgame is really going to be Dara/Nahri, then I don't think I can really endorse that. Ultimately, I feel bad only rating it a two star, because I think we need more Muslim fantasy and we need more #ownvoices works. But The City of Brass just wasn't it.

The plot of this book intrigued me. However, the book was actually better than I expected... at first. This book was so slow! Two characters hated each other and then suddenly they had a strong attraction out of nowhere that just didn't make sense. It would have been better as a slow-burn romance. The other main character's story was confusing, boring and annoying to be honest. I feel that these characters, and the story could have been improved to make it so much better. I DNFed this book after listening to almost half of the audiobook.

From GoodReads:

THERE IS A MAGIC CARPET!!!!!!!

That's really all I need to say isn't it.

Transports you right back to Arabian Nights as a child.
Great mix of hisory, geography and magical fantasy
Genies, demons, monsters, magic powers, political tinderbox and a love story
Ambitious and really looking forward to the next instalment
From GoodReads: