The City of Brass (Daevabad Trilogy)

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NAVASATEM: a holiday held once a century to celebrate another generation of freedom from Suleiman’s servitude. Originally a Daeva festival, Navasatem is a beloved tradition in Daevabad, attracting djinn from all over the world to take part in weeks of festivals, parades and competitions. Regional Redecoration: After freeing Daevabad, Nahri uses the full power of Suleiman's Key to move the city into the nearby mountains, restoring the marid's sacred lake to its original state. She then passes out. I felt an instant personal connection to her because, well, growing up, some kids dream of becoming a doctor or whatever but ever since I was a kid and watched some unfortunate TV show (or a movie that ruined all other dreams for me), all I'd wanted to become was a con artist. I proudly admit my childhood dream. So it goes with S.A. Chakraborty’s Daevabad trilogy. Its three books — 2017’s The City of Brass, 2019’s The Kingdom of Copper, and 2020’s The Empire of Gold — slowly but surely build out a version of our world that lives just next door to this reality. The idea of another world that can be laid atop this one is certainly not a new idea in fantasy literature, but what makes Chakraborty’s books so compelling is that the myths and legends they draw from center on Islam and stem from the Middle East. Chakraborty delivers again with a captivating story of motherhood, faith, friendship, dangerous magic, and hijinks on the high seas. Amina al-Sirafi is now my favorite pirate captain and I’m on board to follow all her adventures."

Insistent Terminology: The Daeva tribe claim the ancient name for the whole djinn race as their own; the other tribes think it makes them look arrogant. Oh Jamshid, she thought, my child, what have you done? Language: English Words: 4,012 Chapters: 1/1 Collections: 1 Comments: 8 Kudos: 17 Bookmarks: 2 Hits: 217 Really Gets Around: Beyond a certain point, it's easier to list which members of Muntadhir's party circuit he hasn't slept with. All in all, it was a fun-ish read but no minds were blown here. I loved it for the sole reason that it shifted the centre away from western myths, with a strong conclusion and a craftily set up epilogue. I'll give credit where credit is due, the epilogue was incredible. Fate Worse than Death: Jinn are universally terrified of being enslaved by the ifrit, to the point they wear relics containing a piece of their body, such as a tooth, so they'll stand even a chance of being freed if they end up enslaved. When Dara ends up re-enslaved, his first response is multiple suicide attempts.In The City of Brass, Nahiri, an orphaned hustler/healer living in the streets of Cairo, accidentally summons a handsome, brooding djinn, Dara. He tells Nahiri of her magical origins and takes her on a reluctant journey to Daevabad, the magical city the djinns call home. Healing Hands: The Nahids are known for powerful healing magic and advanced medical knowledge. Nahids themselves even have a Healing Factor.

Creative Sterility: After Nahri gets him to open his mind a little, the high priest Kartir points out to Dara that—for all the supposed inferiority of humans—the daevas and djinn made human society a model for their new world after Suleiman. Their styles of architecture, art, clothing, and worship are all based on customs that were invented by humans. You are my friend, Ali felt with his whole heart, and could not trace where the comfort in that belief crossed into ache. But when Nahri accidentally summons Dara, an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior, to her side during one of her cons, she's forced to reconsider her beliefs. For Dara tells Nahri an extraordinary tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire and rivers where the mystical marid sleep, past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises and mountains where the circling birds of prey are more than what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass-- a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound. Luke, I Am Your Father: Nahri gets this from Manizheh. Though it turns out she was lying. She's actually Nahri's aunt, and also tried to kill Nahri as a baby. In the end, history is written by the victors. Language: English Words: 89,094 Chapters: 38/? Comments: 2 Kudos: 4 Hits: 200

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I particularly love a story of twisty, complex, dangerous, and character-driven family and palace politics, steeped in hidden history, cruel betrayals, and desires that can’t be admitted. The City of Brassdelivers on all counts." - Kate Elliott Fisher King: The palace of Daevabad was founded by Nahids and still responds to their emotions, shifting stones and restoring the wall art when Nahri comes to the city. It's also booby-trapped; historically, djinn who tried to remove the Nahid carvings melted into puddles of brass.

i'm terribly sad to be writing such a review because i had SO MUCH HIGH hopes for this book. le sigh. Djinn revived as slaves (usually by the ifrit) have powerful magic at their disposal, as the process weakens the effect of Suleiman's curse. In the aftermath, King Ghassan retaliates against the shafit in his search for those related to the Tanzeem, and retaliates against the Daevas and those who helped Dara's escape attempt or even question his death. Ali survives but is to be banished to Am Gezira in part for his mother's tribe's role in supporting the Tanzeem, and in part to hide his uncontrolled water magic. Muntadhir renounces Ali and grieves his gravely-injured love/bodyguard Jamshid while resenting Nahri and his marriage to her. Nahri deeply struggles with Dara's death, and has a meeting with King Ghassan where they continue their previous marriage agreement and is told about Dara and what happened in Qui-zi. She later is forced to denounce Dara to a gathered crowd of Daeva nobles who show deference to her, much to Ghassan's discontent. Kaveh and Nisreen discuss Jamshid and the Daeva situation, and hint how things could change if they can get Dara's recovered slave ring to Manizheh e-Nahid.