- Paperback: 640 pages
- Publisher: HarperVoyager (20 Feb. 2020)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0008239479
- ISBN-13: 978-0008239473
Synopsis
In Daevabad, where djinn can summon flames with a snap of their fingers, where rivers run deep with ancient magic, and blood can be as dangerous as any spell, a clever con artist from Cairo will alter the fate of a kingdom.
Nahri’s life changed forever when she accidentally summoned Dara, a formidable, mysterious djinn, during one of her schemes. Thrust into the dazzling royal court of Daevabad, she needed all of her grifter instincts to survive. Now, as Nahri embraces her heritage and her power, she must forge a new path.
Exiled for daring to defy his father, Ali is adrift on the unforgiving sands of his ancestral land, hunted by assassins and forced to rely on frightening new abilities that threaten to reveal a terrible family secret.
And as a new century approaches and the djinn gather within Daevabad’s brass walls to celebrate, a power in the desolate north will bring a storm of fire straight to the city’s gates . . .
Review
This month I have really lost my reading mojo making it hard for me to sit and read, so I needed a book that would get me back on track. I reviewed The City of Brass in June and absolutely loved it, so I thought I would read the second book of the trilogy from S.A Chakraborty, A Kingdom of Copper. This book takes up the story five years later as the City of Daevabad prepares for the festival of Navasatem to celebrate their freedom. But as preparations begin there is still touble in Daevabad between the different tribes and the shafit people, half human half djinn, are being persecuted and tensions are running high. Plots within the city and from outside theaten the King and tie the fates of Prince Ali, Nahri and Dara together, building to a shocking and bloody conslusion.
I haved to say picking up A Kingdom of Copper and returning to the magical world of Daevabad was the answer to my reading problems. The characters felt familiar, and I love the richness and the imaginary world that S.A Chakraborty created. The three main characters are all back, Nahri is know unhappily married to the Emir (future King) of Daevabad Muntadhir. She is still using her powers of healing in the palace hospital, but is feeling trapped and wants to do more. Her latest project is to reopen the hospital her ancestors had before the war, and open it to treat everyone, includung the shafit, and is prepared to fight for it. This opens new realtionships for her with a wonderful, if grumpy shafit doctor who I hope is in the next book. Nahri is still a woman who will fight for her beliefs, and useing the cunning from her life on the streets in the human world, is willing to wait and play the long game. Prince Ali is in exile, trying to evade those wanting to assasinate him at the orders of his father. A change of fate sees him back in Daevabad for the festival of Navasatem, and again at loggerheads with his father. He returns with friends and protectors Aqisa and Lubayd, who help him and Nahri and keep them safe. Dara I’m not saying much about due to the ending of the last book, but he is back with some old friends.
The world of Daevabad and the magical lands beyond it’s walls is rich and sumptous in it’s detail. The rich colours, the sights, the different tribes of djinn and the complex historical background is stunning and really draws you in. S.A Chakraborty uses this magical land to highlight important themes that we are facing in our own world; prejudice, slavery, racism, feminist issues and class. The political machinations, plots and divisions of those in power also mirror our lives and keep the tension building as the book builds pace, racing towards the conclusion.
There was a lot of expectation for The Kingdom of Copper as I fell in love with the first book and it’s characters, and it did live up to my expectations and gave me my reading mojo back. I adored being back in this magical world, revisiting old characters and meeting some memorable new ones. The rich and sumptuous detail needs to be savoured and I drunk in every word and immeresed myself in this stunning read. The conclusion was shocking and left me wanting more and I can’t wait to find the time to read the final book The Empire of Gold and learn the fates of those involved. Another stunningly fabulous read from S.A Chakraborty.
