The City of Brass

A Novel

De: S. A. Chakraborty

Narrado por: 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 eighteenth-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.

Interesting premise, poor characterization/pacing

Great start, but was put off by the forced conflict and unecessary exposition. It started out so well, with Nahri being thrust into a new and exciting world. Then, we're suddenly stuck listening to Nahri and Dara argue and repeatedly act in really unbelievable ways for the rest of the journey. This is a classic example of an author forcing supposedly smart characters to act like dumb, clueless teenagers in order to create a flimsy pretext for conflict.

I know that's probably more brutal than it needs to be, and the writing in general was fine, but the characters and their relationship dynamic just didn't appeal to me or seem at all believable.

On my third listen

What does Soneela Nankani bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Soneela Nankani's narration is great. During dialogue she always makes it clear who is speaking, her inflection and emphasis perfectly matches the text and, perhaps most importantly, if I were to read the book on my own I am certain I would not be able to pronounce most of the names.

Any additional comments?

Perhaps this greatest compliment I can give this book, and I do aspire to do so, is to say I was sad when it ended. Or more specifically, I was sad when it ended and I realized it would be a while before I could get my digital hands on the next book in the series. The world the author creates is detailed and complex, and so are the characters.

Situations that at first seem black and white from afar are shown not to be so simple when examined more closely. I understand that this could be frustrating to some readers who want to experience fiction as a way of escaping the stress and complexities of the real world, but to me the book is made more interesting by the fact that it is possible to empathize at least a little bit, with all of the characters.

The world building is so thorough and subtle that it is important to listen to the book at least twice. Only by finishing it will you gain the context necessary to understand some of the allusions made earlier on, unless you have a perfect memory. I can't wait for the chance to be sad at the end of the next book in this series.

My highly opionated opinion

- Maybe I'm biased towards readers that sound like David Attenborough, but I didn't enjoy the narration. Her high voice was whiny and grating, and the dialogue felt consistently overly dramatic. It also lent the characters, some of whom are hundreds of years old, a childish feel.

- The characters were difficult to relate to, rather unlikeable, and their decision making felt irrational and inconsistent at times. The balance of tribal vs. family vs. personal loyalties was a lot for the author to juggle, and it seemed like she dropped the ball a few times. The intrigue just wasn't very intriguing. There were a few moments I became so exasperated with the dialogue I had to stop the track. The king was especially frustrating, as the author couldn't seem to decide whether he was a savage tyrant or a loving father.

- There was quite a bit of eastern jargon that, as an ignorant American, made listening along slightly more difficult. Unfortunately, I think the culture of the characters in general was an obstacle to me identifying with them.

- The only thing this book has in common with Uprooted or GOT is that it's fantasy.

Very addictive story - you can't get enough!

I absolutely love the person who read the story. She was animated and perfectly Drew out the emotions , attitudes and in between the lines in the book.
Storyline was great. I couldn't get enough of it. There should most definitely be a second part. I really really wanted Dara and Nahri to get together and Ali was a super Noble man. Loved the story and can't wait to read the next one! Hurry up !!

Great if you’re looking for something different!

We wanted something different. When I listened to the clip on your site, I thought this would be perfect and it was. It’s based in the Middle East and is plotted in the mythology of the area. Other than Aladdin and Ali Baba, most of us know little of this area’s fantasy realm. It’s a shame, because it is a rich and wonderful mythology. We enjoyed this very much and can’t wait for the sequel!

Excellent Fantasy

I throughly enjoyed this Audible selection!The characters are complex, intriguing and easily relatable.The world and magic unique.The performance by the narrator flawlessly executed.

Wanted to love it

The writing was good, the narration was great and the story was entertaining, If you’re not super familiar w Islamic folklore or middle eastern culture, names, customs, religions, architecture etc, it’s a little difficult to keep track of the names and places and titles. I really loved the strong female protagonist and the way the characters all existed in a moral grey area. No one was strictly evil or entirely good, which made their actions and thus the book, less predictable Overall it was enjoyable & I would recommend it to fantasy readers.

Great read

Great story, gripping plot, interesting characters and overall an intriguing read. I would highly recommend for fantasy lovers!

Amazing book!!

This is a fantastic book! I loved every minute from start to finish. Can't WAIT for the sequel!

Wow

What an incredible journey is this book!!! I totally recommend it. I loved it so much