The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

GoodReads Summary:
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 trade she uses to get by—palm readings, zars, healings—are all tricks, sleights of hand, learned skills; a means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles.
But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to accept that the magical world she thought only existed in childhood stories is real. For the warrior tells her a new 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 hawks are not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass, a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound.
In that city, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, she 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 be careful what you wish for…
Review:
As I’ve mentioned (mostly on Twitter) I’ve been having some trouble with the fantasy genre lately. I haven’t been able to get into any of the ones I’ve tried to pick up. But for Tome Topple I went in trying to force myself to read some of my backlist books and love them. I’m happy to say that it worked.
The City of Brass was amazing. I immediately was interested in the world. I liked Nahri as soon as I started. She was funny and clever and in over her head. I loved that she was strong and stubborn even if she was taking a stand against something she knew was good for her. I loved it. It was a great step up for hilarity. Little did she know what she was in for. I liked seeing her learn about who she really was. I am dying to know how things will play out in the next book.
Dara was my favorite. I just wanted him to spill all his secrets. I loved his relationship with Nahri and how protective he was. He did what was best for her even if it wasn’t the best thing for him. He was always scheming and I just wanted a better ending for him. I hope we learn more about him in the next book.
Ali, I could never tell with him whether we were supposed to like him or not? I liked that he tried to fight for his beliefs. His storyline was the most compelling in the sense of his inner conflict between fighting for what he believed in and supporting his family loyalties. I loved his relationships with his siblings. They didn’t always (or ever) get along but their love for one another still shown through.
Overall, I loved this book. I loved the world, the magic, the setting. I adored the characters and conflicts. I enjoyed the relationships and the drama between them. I cannot wait to get into the next book.

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.