The City of Brass

A Novel

By: S. A. Chakraborty

Narrated by: Soneela Nankani

Named one of The Best Books of the Year by Library Journal | Vulture | The Verge | SYFYWire

Step into The City of Brass, the spellbinding debut from S. A. Chakraborty perfect for fans of The Golem and the Jinni, The Grace of Kings, and Uprooted, in which the future of a magical Middle Eastern kingdom rests in the hands of a clever and defiant young con artist with miraculous healing gifts.

Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of 18th-century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trades she uses to get by - palm readings, zars, and a mysterious gift for healing - are all tricks, both the means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles and a reliable way to survive.

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 mythical 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.

In Daevabad, within gilded brass walls laced with enchantments and behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments run deep. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, her arrival threatens to ignite a war that has been simmering for centuries. Spurning Dara’s warning of the treachery surrounding her, she embarks on a hesitant friendship with Alizayd, an idealistic prince who dreams of revolutionizing his father’s corrupt regime. All too soon, Nahri learns that true power is fierce and brutal. That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences.

After all, there is a reason they say to be careful what you wish for....

This audiobook includes an episode of the Book Club Girl Podcast, featuring an interview with S. A. Chakraborty about The City of Brass.

©2017 Shannon Chakraborty (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers

“The smile didn’t meet his eyes”

I have a rule with books, if the author uses the phrase “his/her/the smile didn’t meet the eyes” more than 3 times I’m out. The book was already melodramatic and I was struggling to stick it out. why do editors let authors use the same phrases over and over? World building was terrible, the characters were cliché and two dimensional. I know I’m apparently in the minority with that opinion, but this book pales in comparison to The Golem and the Jinn.

slow start

interesting story idea but I thought this would be a while story, not just the beginning of a series. There was good character development, but half the book was spent introducing and developing the characters and story line. Not bad things, but when they take up half the book it feels betty slow. Most of the action takes place at the very beginning and the very end.
I did like that is was set in the Middle East and that there were many things were normal in this setting that are not common in Western based stories, for example the clothes they wear and that the predominant religion is Islam. It's good to have a YA story that normalizes being from that part of the world.
Not sure I will get the next book of the pace is the same as this one.

wonderful!!

Absolutely wonderful book!! there is nothing like it out there! i enjoyed tremendously! cannot wait for book two to come out!

Enjoyable

Enjoyed this very much. It was unique and interesting. My only complaint is that some of the names are a bit difficult to remember, but I always have trouble remembering names. While some things were mildly predictable, it still has an edge to it.

love it

Me encantó, no quiero arruinarle el plot a nadie pero me encantó que sea fantasía de una área del planeta que casi no usan, lo que lo hace original, la historia empezó rápido, los personajes son demasiado interesantes creo que viví cada emoción que ella tuvieron y el final omg necesito el libro 2 ya!

really dope and intricate

The kind of book that makes you go back to cover what you missed. You'll find yourself switching sides and loyalties too.

Mediocre at best

The main female character is awful. I liked her in Cairo, but during the journey to, and in, the City of Brass she became a different person. She is selfish, whiny, and either pouting, running off to pout or acting like a spoiled brat. The narrator portrays her as a 13-15 year old, while the male leads seem much older. I don’t know if I will be able to listen to the next books in the series, which is a shame, as the city building is very good. I would recommend reading the book instead of listening to the audiobook.

Lovely

This is my FIRST fiction book that I’ve read in over 5 years. I’m so glad my book club picked it up, because it would haven’t been a pick for myself. Currently I’m in the middle of her second book, and the story just exploded! Definitely recommend if you’re looking to escape a little.

Fresh and fun fantasy

What made the experience of listening to The City of Brass the most enjoyable?

Its fresh fantasy with a mix of interesting characters. S.A. has talked about this, but her young male character and a fascinating very relevant.

loved the story. narration hard to follow

it's a great story with characters that you can fall in love with. But I think I will need to read rather than listen to the other books in the series. there's a lot of important information presented early on and if you missed it then you will get confused.