Fantasy Discussion Group…

The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy, #1)

S.A. Chakraborty

Start date: April 1, 2019

Finish date: April 30, 2019

Discussion: Book of the Month

Why we're reading this: Goodreads Book of the Month, April 2019
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What Members Thought

May 19, 2022 Ashley rated it really liked it

Shelves: folklore-and-mythology, espionage, historical-fiction, treasure-and-adventure, fantasy, not-quite-five-stars-but-sooo-close, religion, egypt, violent-and-epic, urban-fantasy

Yet another book I don’t want to review because I put off writing the review so long that I’ve forgotten details of the book and what I wanted to say about it, if I ever knew. Mostly I’m just mad I didn’t read this sooner, although now I don’t have to wait in between books if I don’t want to. (I don’t want to, but I can’t manage to fit the second book into my OCD color-coded TBR—don’t ask, it’s too complicated to explain—and also! I’m only reading spooky/murdery books in October so it can’t go t Yet another book I don’t want to review because I put off writing the review so long that I’ve forgotten details of the book and what I wanted to say about it, if I ever knew. Mostly I’m just mad I didn’t read this sooner, although now I don’t have to wait in between books if I don’t want to. (I don’t want to, but I can’t manage to fit the second book into my OCD color-coded TBR—don’t ask, it’s too complicated to explain—and also! I’m only reading spooky/murdery books in October so it can’t go there, either and life is hard wah these aren’t real problems.)

This historical fantasy book starts off in early 18th century Cairo, with our main character Nahri, who is a con woman and a grifter with no ties to her past and no knowledge of who she is, where she came from, or how she got these powers (mysteriiiiouuusss powersssss). When she accidentally calls up a djinn (excuse me, he prefers to be called a daeva) Nahri is dragged into adventure and politics and brough to a hidden city full of other people like her, but also full of history that she is woefully unprepared for.

I do remember that my one issue with this book is how complicated the political situation in Daevabad was to get a grasp on. I just sort of went with it and figured understanding would come, but it is very intricate. I’m betting that intricacy will pay off in the second two books. The worldbuilding here was incredibly imaginative and fun, and the book was a blast to read, even when I was confused. This is why I immediately went online and bought hardcover copies before I’d even finished this one. Here is an example of Djinn health problems, just to give you a taste of the book’s sly humor:

“Stripes were common in infants born during the darkest hour of the night . . . Sweating silver droplets was a constant irritation in the spring. It was possible to to accidentally create an evil duplicate, to transform one’s hands into flowers, to be hexed with hallucinations, or to be turned into an apple—an incredibly grave insult to one’s honor.”

The characters, by the way, were also excellent. I was sort of tempted to give this five stars, but I want to give myself some room if the second and third books manage to exceed this one.

[4.5 stars] ...more

19 likes · Like · see review

May 26, 2023 Rachel rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy

It was a little bit of a slow start for me, but I was drawn to the main characters early on. I loved that I never really knew where the story was heading, so it went in directions that I could not have guessed. A lot of fantasy tends to follow the tropes and can be somewhat predictable, but I felt this one was not. I also love that the main female character has so much agency, rejects the idea that she ever needs rescued (even/especially by the person she loves), and really has a mind of her own ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 05, 2018 Concetta Phillipps rated it liked it

I loved this book and I hated it at the same time. Like many new fangled fantasy novel, this one tried to be a two sided narrative (going back and forth between two main characters) and set up multiple love arcs. I think it would have been better served by splitting the book on two - one, the story of the origins of Daevabad and two, the history of Nahri and then her joining Ali in Daevabad.

I appreciate the author telling a Muslim fairy tale instead of the already well worn Western fantasy paths ...more

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Jan 18, 2021 Jessica rated it really liked it

The ending was sooooo good! This would have been between a 3 and 4 star if not for the ending, and it gives me a good feeling about the rest of the trilogy.

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Jan 06, 2018 Lee rated it it was amazing

First read of the year and wow, this one will be hard to top!

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Feb 19, 2019 Adelas rated it really liked it

Shelves: personalized-recs-or-list-finds, genre-fantasy, age-adult, rec-for-m, rec-for-t

I don't often get to immerse myself in an unfamiliar real life culture via fantasy; they are so often European types. This is the kind of transporting experience I have always wanted, and the type of characters I love. ...more

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