The Kingdom Of Copper is S.A. Chakraborty’s follow up to the really rather good The City of Brass, and like its predecessor, promises to be a tale of magic, djinn, high fantasy and low politics. Does it deliver? I’d say so.

The focus here is on the world of the djinn, individuals with magical powers, largely kept out of sight of humanity by magic surrounding the walls of their city of Daevabad. The djinn are themselves split into different tribes, and the history between the groups can be…fraught, to say the least. One of those tribes, the Daeva, ruled Daevabad for generations (perhaps unsurprisingly , given the name!). But relatively recently, they were overthrown in a bloody revolution by the Geziri tribe, who now rule instead. The conflict between these two tribes is tied to the personal relationships of their representatives, and the political machinations for power, for control, and even for personal agency, are at the core of the book.

The Daeva have Nahri, whom most of you probably remember from the first book. Nahri grew up on the streets of Cairo as a quick-fingered urchin, a con-artist with a penchant for medicine. Now she’s the leader of a group that sits out of power, and hasn’t forgotten about it. She can read people, and isn’t afraid to assert herself in the face of a misuse of authority. Nahri’s own qualms over being a face of that authority are perhaps less pronounced now, as she grows into the role previously thrust upon her. Still, there’s a strain of compassion, of a humanitarian nature and a desire to find a better, more co-operative way about her. Where others will seek to take and hold control through sheer ruthless will, Nahri is trying to build something different. The text uses Nahri’s struggles to look at themes of authority and moral certainty, as well as unpick toxic narratives of historical grievance. Every time she stands against those who want to start fights over old battles, or claim authority based on historic atrocities, I couldn’t help but smile. This is an intelligent story with a strong message, and it wants to engage the reader in a dialogue about the big issues – even when it’s using magical monsters to do it.

Alongside Nahri is Ali, prince of Daevabad, scion of the Geziri tribe. Ali has, in the past, been a bit of a stick in the mud. But hurled from the corridors of power after the end of the previous story, he’s out in the world, meeting new people and making new friends (and enemies). This requires a little more flexibility, sure. But Ali’s strength has always been that he’s basically a decent person, just with a moral code that makes him a pain for everyone else to be around. Still, he’s dealing with new issues of his own, and one can’t help but empathise as a man once certain of everything is left wading in extremely uncertain waters. That he has an emotional entanglement with Nahri is almost inevitable; that they approach it like adults, emotions captured behind walls of silence and political necessity, is a delight. Not for them (obviously) but for the reader, watching their affection wax and wane in the face of the social and political moves they find their duty forces them to make. It’s a credit to the author that this intense masked affection seems to simmer on the page, just looking for an opportunity to boil over. It’s a fraught relationship, but its intensity and complexity feels genuine; it’s a lot of fun to read.

The same can be said of much of the rest of the book, really. The world-building is rock solid. Daevabad, with its thriving neighbourhoods, social tensions and gossamer strands of amazing magic, is guaranteed to astound, whilst also keeping you grounded. It’s a playground for its people, for Nahri and Ali as they struggle with both each other, and the existing power structure of the city, which isn’t entirely accepting of young people with new ideas – to put it mildly. In particular, Ali’s family, the rulers of Daevabad, somehow manage to be astonishingly broken, often terrible people – but even as they shape the system which oppresses those around them, it’s possible to see that once they were the young people with the fresh ideas, and that the same system they now operate has ground them into new shapes – and is continuing to do so. Sure, Ali’s father is a tyrant, one who views half the city, whose heritage is mixed, as an inconvenience at best, and sure, he has a tendency to brutally execute dissenters. But he’s also terribly pragmatic, and seems to genuinely want to bring about a détente between his ruling family and the Daeva. Siimiilarly, Ali’s brother is often drunk, with a tendency to indulge a vicious temper, and perhaps a smidge of the jealous about him; and yet he loves his family, and will fight for them.

These are complicated people, living in complex times. They’re driven by wants and needs that feel genuine, their hopes and fears, pain and love brought to life for us on the page. There’s so much more, of course – I’ve avoided going into it here for the sake of spoilers. But there’s a lot going on, and it’s presented in a precision crafted, captivating story which will capture your heart. This is a more than worthy sequel, and if you’ve been waiting like I have to return to Daevabad, let me assure you: it’s been worth the wait.

FANTASTIC sequel to the first book. I absolutely loved it.

The book continues 5 years after City Of Brass. It was so well built, emotional, immersive, just amazing.
It's clear that Chakraborty knows what he's doing when it comes to world building, character development and touching your heart with them.

I can't wait for the next book in the series. totally recommended.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Once again we are drawn wholeheartedly into the world of Arabian nights. The sights and sounds of the souks, bazaars and the otherworldly beauty of the magical city of Daevabad. Underneath there is a darker cruel truth hiding behind the lies of its very existence.
We encounter Nahri now in a marriage she didn’t want slowly discovering who and what she is and piecing together more about her parentage. Not everything is beautiful in paradise. Different factions are becoming more aggressive and not everyone’s intent is clear The atmosphere is reaching breaking point and blood is about to flow.
The author has excellent world building skills and the ability to breathe life into her characters. Literally in the case of Dara. Nahri has had difficulty coping with his loss regardless that she now knows of his bloodthirsty past. Ali has returned and she feels his betrayal personally not understanding what circumstances caused him to do this or the changes that have happened to him. We encounter magical creatures deities and demons and of course magic flying carpets. This however is no tale of Aladdin, there is a lot more going on.
One foot is also kept in the real world where Nahri grew up. This is why I would suggest you need to read the first book City of Brass to get a grasp on events as they evolve. I enjoyed reading this and am looking forward to more of the same.

This is the second book in The Daevabad Trilogy by S. A. Chakraborty. The first book, City of Brass, was a good read so it made sense to continue.

It begins five years after the events of the first novel and Nahri has married the eldest son of Daevabad's ruler, though it's a sham marriage. Her friendship with the younger son has been permanently damaged by the events that killed her real love, Dara. Again we have a magical world with Djinn and halfbreeds called Shafit, as well as other spirits like the Ifrit.

This one moved slower for me than the first book. Nahri's journey was high adventure, but now she's working toward practicalities in a world that has effectively imprisoned her. A lot of political intrigue features as well as royal family dynamics, more world building information about various djinn entities and a rebellion.

Nahri develops further as a character in this one as does Dara. This made the story more interesting as it went along. There was quite a lot of dramatic action towards the end that made it worth the slower parts, but the ending felt incomplete. It wasn't a cliffhanger, just one of those "Well what happens now?" endings. I expect another book will follow.

I was so excited when I realised, I had been sent a copy of The Kingdom of Copper for review. The first book in the series, City of Brass, was a captivating and unique read so I had high hopes for this book, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Daevabad is so well constructed that there were many points where I could almost forget it wasn’t a real place, that is if it wasn’t for the fact that there is a lot of magic used by the characters in the book.

Often the middle book of a trilogy can feel like a bit of a filler but that was certainly not the case with The Kingdom of Copper, there is a lot of action.

Nahri is beginning to settle into her new life in the royal court and is slowly gaining belief in her skills as a healer. Still shaken from the events on the lake Nahri is lonely without her former friend and her Afshin for company. Her husband offers her no solace and she finds herself feeling lonely much of the time.

When we first see Ali again, he has been banished by his father, forced to wander an unforgiving land. To survive he must use frightening new abilities which point to a secret within his family.

When Ali is forced to return Ali is shocked by the changes in the place he calls home. As political tensions rise he can’t help but become involved against his fathers wishes.

Ali and Nahri really come into their respective roles during the novel and this made for an absorbing read.

The Kingdom of Copper is fraught with political tensions, family grudges and betrayal. This book was wonderous and I eagerly await the final instalment.

The Kingdom of Copper is a fantastic sequel to The City of Brass and effortlessly tops the first book. Its a common occurrence in a fantasy series for the later books to excel the first one and it's no different here. While I loved The City of Brass it had some pacing and structure issues that were partly the result of the huge amount of worldbuilding necessary of a fantasy world of this scope. The Kingdom of Copper, in contrast, has a much smoother and tighter plot. The storylines and character arcs are woven together with more focus and climate to the bombastic climax. The tension in this novel builds so wonderfully that I could not put it down. Its been a while since I've read a book that demanded I come back and read it to the very last page!

4.5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2019/03/14/the-kingdom-of-copper-the-daevabad-trilogy-2-by-s-a-chakraborty/
The Kingdom of Copper is the second instalment in the Daevabad Trilogy and is a sequel that surpassed my expectations. I enjoyed The City of Brass, it made a great start and definitely hooked me but Kingdom of Copper took any little issues I had, threw them out the window and really blasted me away.

If you haven’t yet started this series then please be aware that spoilers may be contained below.

The story picks up almost where City of Brass left off. Ali has been exiled by his father, basically a death sentence, he will either die in the desert or at the hands of one of the many assassins who will try to take his life now he no longer enjoys the protection of his family. Nahri has married Ali’s brother Muntadhir, it’s not a marriage made in heaven but it keeps her alive, even if her life is constantly under surveillance.

We then jump forward five years. In a strange twist Ali, after being taken in by the people of Bir Nabat, where his new found talents in finding water make him an absolute ‘must’ in terms of desert living, finds himself torn between wanting to settle down and not wanting to bring trouble to the people who have given him a home. At the same time moves are afoot to lure Ali back to Daevabad. Nahri, meanwhile, has managed to find a tentative sort of happiness. She occasionally escapes the confines of the palace and on one such occasion she discovers an old hospital, now fallen into disrepair. She forms a plan to rebuild the space to provide healthcare to both the Shafit and the Daeva, she just needs the blessing of her priests and the go ahead from Ghassan in order to proceed.

At the same time a rebel movement is gathering momentum. At it’s head is Manizheh, Nahri’s mother. She’s managed to summon help to her cause and is putting in place a terrible plan to take back the City that once belonged to her people.

These threads will all eventually come together in a breathtaking fashion.

Whilst I don’t want to give away spoilers I will say that Dara, of course, returns to the story. Also, somewhat against his will, he finds himself called once more to duty. I won’t say more.

Once again we find ourselves reading from the pov of Nahri, Ali and Dara. The three stories are all easy to read and the characters themselves have grown incredibly since the first instalment. Ali, in particular has matured and I really enjoyed his chapters and the conflict he experiences with his brother when he returns to Daevabad. Nahri is a likable character, she wants to do something good and longs to stop the injustices and mistreatment of the Shafit. Dara, he’s a conflicted character indeed. On one respect I really feel sorry for him. He has very little peace and although he’s committed some terrible atrocities he is at the end of the day a servant, a warrior without a will really, used to whatever ends his masters deem fit. I really do feel torn about Dara. On the one hand I want him to find the peace he seems to desire and on the other I want to shake him, shout at him or just slap him as he once again finds himself being used to commit dreadful deeds – Deja Dara.

I loved the writing here, it’s once again lush with detail and incredibly evocative. The brightness, the exotic descriptions of the palace and it’s grounds. The contrast with the poorer districts and the harsh living experienced by the desert people. This is without doubt a sumptuous book and whilst this might give the pace a slower feel in the first two thirds I enjoyed the time taken to really set the scene – not just the place itself but the political maneuverings, the tight control that Ghassan wields over Daevabad, stamping on any type of rebellion with utter ruthlessness. The tension slowly gathers, like storm clouds, until the dramatic finale explodes onto the pages. And that ending – oh my giddy aunt! The payoff. The drama. The long wait to the next book!!!

I really didn’t see any of that coming at all and I’m not only a little gobsmacked and a tad in awe but also completely thrilled about what it all means for the final instalment. Empire of Gold get in my life. Please.

All told, I thought this was a fantastic second book in series. I like a book that is mature enough to take it’s time. It’s not going to rush around willy nilly just to give you a quick thrill, it’s going to take it’s time, setting it’s stall out, drawing you in, lulling you in to believing you know what’s about to happen before pulling an absolute blinder and knocking you for six.

I have no criticisms. I think the pace may be an issue for some readers but it wasn’t for me. Yes, this isn’t a read that you’re going to dash through but the build up and final payload are worth the wait.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publishers, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

I hadn’t read the first book and I’m sorry about that – not because I was floundering at any stage – but because this one was such a thumping good read, I wish that I had started the adventure in the right place in order to get the maximum enjoyment from it. As it was, crashing into the series in the wrong place wasn’t a problem. Chakraborty not only ensured that any previous details necessary to make sense of the story were already included, there is also a very helpful glossary and cast of characters at the back, giving helpful details of the world and the complicated rivalries that run it.

I really liked Nahri, which was important. But what particularly impressed me in this sweeping story were the inclusion of the history of bloodshed and atrocities on both sides that powered everyone’s current mindset. It was a grimly realistic take on the politics and gave an explanation for the violence perpetrated, if not the justification.

I’m aware that I have given the impression that this is a gritty book full of anger and angst. While there is plenty of tension and plotting going on, there are also lovely descriptions of the world, and plenty of light and colour in amongst the excellent action scenes. I can now see what all the fuss was about regarding the first book, The City of Brass, which I will definitely be getting hold of and I look forward to also reading the final book, The Empire of Gold, in this excellent trilogy. Highly recommended for fans of sword and sorcery stories.

While I obtained an arc of The Kingdom of Copper from Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10

This is a must for anybody that read the first book, but be prepared to be enthralled. It pulls you back in and reminds you how much you like/dislike each character, and flows so well from page to page.

5 stars from me!
Another fabulous book and amazing sequel! It kept me gripped and I couldn’t put it down.
If you loved Nahri last time then you’ll love her even more this time around.
A must read if you enjoy fantasy & drama! Can’t wait for the next one.

Where does one even begin? These past couple weeks have been super busy for me, and there is only one thing that has gotten my through it: The Kingdom of Copper. This book was amazing – so many twists and turns and it kept me on the edge of my seat for the whole read, I bow down in awe of Chakraborty 🙏.

This book is the sequel to The City of Brass – find my review for that book here – and it picks up immediately from the conclusion of the other book. However, after the first chapter kind of summarises the conclusion of the last book, the story jumps forward five years. At first I was a little bit taken aback by this jump, however, for the progression of the story, it makes complete sense.

There was some major character development done in this book, and you guys, I was totally here for it. I feel like Nahri, in particular, made some really impressive strides, even whilst still staying true to her nature. Stuck in Daevabad, and under the thumb of the king, she is still able to carve out a place for herself. The way that Nahri is able to thrive under such oppression is really such a testament to her character, and an inspiration to people everywhere. There were so many times when I wanted to throw my hands up and say, “Preach, girl!”

I also loved reading about Ali, and his development. As we initially start out with Ali in a totally different part of the magical universe after his exile, the world becomes that much more expansive and well-developed – and not just stuck in the city, Daevabad. In this sequel, I feel like the magic system and the different tribes were more well-thought out, and after the initial introduction we got in the first book, I loved going deeper into the world.

Writing-wise, Chakraborty has an incredibly sophisticated way of crafting the story – from the dialogue between the different characters, to the descriptions of the different places and items, everything was detailed to near perfection. The dialogue, especially, was majorly developed from the first book, and you can really tell how Chakraborty is growing as a writer.

I don’t really want to spoil anything, plot-wise, but oh my gods what even I can’t function anymore. I mean, I’ve been going on about how I like Chakraborty’s writing style and the character development, but the plot takes the cake. The whole story had me absolutely enraptured from page to page, and whenever I was not reading the book – unfortunately real life sometimes gets in the way of fun things – I found myself wondering about the book, the characters, and what would happen next.

This is an easy 5/5 from me, and I urge you to pick up a copy because this book is absolutely fantastic.

When Nahri accidentally summoned Dara , her life changed forever. She found out that she was the last of a elite family of healers in the magical city of Daevabad. Once there it becomes apparent that she is at the whims of the royal family and the King will do anything to keep her in line.

When Dara tries to get Nahri to escape because its not as safe for them at the palace anymore, he ends up talking Prince Ali as hostage to escape. Little do they know there is a trap and it leads to an awful battle where, Dara is slain by Ali who became possessed by the Marid.

Without Dara, Nahri must figure it all out for herself. She is now married to Muntadhir and must figure out the way of the court while doing what she can for her tribe.

Ali has been exiled and is hiding from assassins, he is figuring out his new abilities of finding water in the most unlikely places and is taken in by a tribe, who he helps to find water for their livelihoods.

Five years later the new century’s celebrations are starting and Ali is tricked back into returning to Daevabad, where he finds things have changed dramatically. He tries to go unnoticed but the suffering of the Shafit people are worrisome and he and Nahri can not sit back and let it happen.

Meanwhile a threat is brewing from people long thought dead.

This story is a masterpiece in writing the descriptions are wonderful and so in depth, it brings so much colour to the story. The characters are all well thought out, they have all grown and have so many layers to their personalities. I was totally immersed in this book, I didn’t want it to end, the pacing and storylines all worked well together which made a wonderfully rich and exciting story.

I so loved the first one in this series, The City of Brass, and I'm very pleased to report this sequel is AMAZING and I love it just as much!

It's so wonderfully refreshing to see Muslim fantasy, set in a Muslim world, with such a rich cultural history in fantasy.
So often, fantasy is known as the purview of straight white men. Not to say it's not good, but it used to be that finding a female author was rare. A female author and female protagonist? Rarer. Queer females? Rarer still. And let alone a fantasy that isn't Western in origin, often with Christian metaphor strewn throughout and very white characters.

So to find a fantasy, by a female author, with a female protagonist, based in Muslim lore in the middle East? This would have been impossible. Not anymore! This is why I love this book so much.
I had never read much of djinn outside of the sexy-genie-won't-you-rub-my.... variety, and certainly knew little to nothing about Islamic myths and Middle Eastern culture, the foods, the landscapes, the little details that breathe life into a novel, and this was a gorgeous plunge into an entirely unfamiliar and fantastic world that I fell in love with.

Dara and Nahri, the plots, the politics, the magic - its all there. I love the way it is written, how the djinn are destroying themselves and you can see all this chaos and heartache and just a right mess but the characters invariably make things worse and have to deal with the consequences, and I'm almost brought to shouting at the page - no! Stupid boy! Don't do that!

I'm hooked, and the next in this sequel is an auto-buy.
Recommended for fantasy lovers - Robin Hobb readers, Roshani Chokshi, Patrick Rothfuss, Mark Lawrence, Jay Kristoff - because I am sure this author will soon become as big a name as any of these.

I wished for this book, and my wish was granted. That's always a good sign.

I don't read much in this genre, but enjoyed it enough that I will be hunting down the first in the series. Well written and engaging I found this difficult to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this a lot! I've been in a pretty big reading slump, but although this isn't a short book, it managed to keep me engaged, which is depressingly rare at the moment. However, I thought I remembered book one a lot better than I actually did, and spent roughly the first 25% of this one trying to figure out what was going on from my tattered scraps of memories; I could've done with a refresher, as I might have been able to engage more quickly with this one if I hadn't been so confused.

There's a five year time gap between the two books, barring the first chapter or so, and the mood is quite different overall -- not least because the cast has shifted. The main characters from the first book are all still there, they're just ... separated for most of the book. I think this helps with their character development, as we see how they respond to very different situations. Dara was probably less engaging in this one than in the first book, mostly because we just didn't see him very much; Alizayd, on the other hand, grew on me. I don't remember whether I liked him or not in the first book, but I appreciated him a lot in this one.

It's hard to give a meaningful review when my memory of the first book is so hazy, though. How did this one compare with regard to pacing? Did the characters develop the way I'd have expected them to? Were the plot threads resolved that I'd hoped would be? Absolutely no idea. Could not tell you for love nor money. And this, of course, is why I usually reread things before diving into their sequels, but... I thought I remembered it! Turned out I only remembered the mood of it, not the plot. Oops.

One thing I did like about this one was how little romance there was. Sure, so several characters have Romantic Feelings for other characters, but virtually nobody ever gets a chance to act on that and it was kind of refreshing. We see a bunch of complicated interpersonal dynamics -- allies and enemies and friends and coconspirators and so on -- without getting distracted by kissing. I am a fan of this.

This review is on Goodreads (see link); my book blog has been on hiatus WAY longer than I wanted it to be and I'm hoping to get it up and running again soon, at which point I will endeavour to write a better review of this book. :)

I'm pleased to say that I ended up really loving this book too, and also gave it five stars, I would say to anyone planning on reading it who, like me, can't quite recall what happened in book one, it does mean that the beginning of the book is quite slow and confusing as you try to wrap your head around who's who and what is going on. I would suggest either re-reading The City of Brass or giving yourself the space to read the beginning in a non-stressful environment. I did not take my own advice and tried to read this book while waiting for a delayed plane - not very relaxing, in fact quite terrible, and I couldn't for the life of me work out what was going on. I picked the book up when I was in less of an exhausted and confused state and everything not only made sense but was absolutely amazing.

The use of dramatic irony in this book is amazing (side note, I know I talk about dramatic irony a lot but it's one of my favourite writing techniques so leave me be). The way that the three points of view are set out is so clever, allowing the reader to sometimes discover something immediately before it would have been useful to another character, or otherwise building the tension by having small time jumps where you realise that while you were following one character another is in danger. Just phenomenal and certainly one of the best parts of this series as a whole.

I genuinely couldn't pick a favourite storyline out of Nahri, Ali and Dara, I really couldn't. For those wondering the book is certainly weighted more towards Ali and Nahri - largely because their story overlaps the most so those wanting more Dara might have to wait until book three, but the story as a whole is just so lovely. It reminds me a little of the (albeit very few) Brandon Sanderson books I have read, that sense that while small things are taking place in the lives of these characters, they have consequences far beyond what one might consider. The narrative about rebuilding the hospital is a framework around which a wider political game is being played out. It's masterfully done and it truly draws you through the book - you barely notice how long it is you're so keen to find out what happens next.

This book is just so rich and so dense - but not in a bad way - you get a full sense of where you are, from the feel of the actual setting to the emotional states of the characters, that's part of what makes it so hard-hitting when something terrible (or something good) happens, you're so connected to the story that it feels like a personal blow rather than something that happened to someone else. 

In case you couldn't tell, I'm pretty darn excited about this book. Stick with it through the beginning and it will be amazing I promise. I'm so pumped up for the third instalment in this trilogy, and I can't wait for the new series from this author (PIRATES). But in the meantime, I think I'm going to schedule in a re-read of these two books for later in the year so I can enjoy them to their fullest...does that justify buying hardbacks of both?

My rating: 5/5 stars

I received a free digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

The Kingdom of Copper is available now!

I was very excited for the follow up to The City of Brass and this did not disappoint. It tells the continuing story of Daevabad and the political machinations of the different communities as they jostle for power. What I found really compelling was the pacing. Where City of Brass was an expansive and all encompassing world builder, Kingdom of Copper drills down to one specific aspect of the world and this meant that the narrative felt really tight and well plotted. The characters are given more space to show their own motivations and flaws, which was very interesting and the climax was riveting. My one caveat is that there was very little within the narrative to guide readers in terms of the magic system or tribes, which was sometimes a bit tricky given that the world building is so intricate. I don't think this would be an issue if you read the books back to back, but for me, there were a few occasions when I could have done with a little reminder of the nuances of the world. With all that being said, this is a wonderful sequel that I honestly enjoyed a little more than the first book and I am now impatiently awaiting the final instalment.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

😱 words just cannot express the feels in this book! It takes place a few years after the first and jumps you straight back into the lives of the characters we all loved in the first book! This series has become on of my favourites and I am recommending it to anyone and everyone! An emotional roller coaster of thrills. Loved it. Absolutely enthralling.

Thank you Netgalley!!!!

WOW, never did I think this book could be better than the first but I was so very very wrong.

The book picks up 5 years after The City of Brass into a world where Nahri is married to the Emir, Ali is banished and everything is just started to go downhill.

Like the last it takes you on an emotional roller coaster, the characters feel like your friends and you grieve along with this. I would recommend this series, it is one of the best I have ever read, such an immersive world. Chakraborty obviously took so much time to create and refine it and the characters it almost feels real.

I am so excited for the last one, it will be worth the wait I know!

Fantastic read, fantasy, enjoyable storyline and likeable characters. I highly recommend this book. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.