Nahri must now forge a new route for herself as Daevabad is stuck in the shadowy wake of a bloody battle. Her tribe will perish if she makes a mistake, but even as she embraces her lineage and the power it contains, she is aware that she has been imprisoned in a gilded cage and is being watched by a king who sits on the throne that once belonged to her family.

As a result of his father's rejection, Ali has been banished in the interim. In order to survive while being pursued by killers and stranded on the harsh copper sands of his ancestral home, he must depend on the terrifying powers that the unpredictable water spirits known as the marid have given him. However, by doing so, he runs the risk of revealing a terrible truth that his family has long kept hidden.

And as the new century draws near and the djinn assemble inside Daevabad's enormous metal walls to celebrate, an unnoticed danger develops in the barren north. A warrior caught between worlds, torn between a violent duty he can never escape and a serenity he fears he will never deserve, is asked for help by a force that would send a storm of fire directly to the city's gates.

My Review

Wow, it really gets going in the second! The second volume was even superior than the first. the battle for power between ancient magical beings, the conflict between the royals, and the suffering of the common people. It quickly turned unpleasant.

Five years after the shocking end of City of Brass, this book picks up. We learn that Ali is still in exile from his Kingdom, Muntadhir and Nahri are an unhappy pair, and Dara is making dubious plans with a new cast of important characters.

This book's conflicts are brought to a whole new level. Everyone is mired in the past, which causes constant suffering for the realm. To steer Daevabad toward a more peaceful path, only Nahri and Ali seem willing to set aside centuries of strife and bloodshed.

Fans of the characters should be prepared because the risks were higher. Undoubtedly, I was impressed by Nahri and Ali's improved capability and power. However, they had more family members to protect and more threats in this book.

There is practically always action. The characters are truly interesting, and there is real character development. Even though the viewpoint alternates between Nahri, Ali, and Dara, each of their stories held my attention, and it was easy to see the connections between the three story lines and point-of-view characters. The unique challenges that each of these characters must overcome cause them to reflect on their real selves and aspirations.

The plot is much more narrowly concentrated and clear, and the pacing has greatly improved. Simply amazing writing right here! This book had just the perfect amount of intrigue, family drama, and city politics. Nobody took a position to the right. Everyone is navigating a morally ambiguous circumstance by doing what they believe is right.

And as I anticipated, I was astonished by S.A. Chakraborty's vivid and in-depth descriptions of the locations, cultures, and different ethnic groups in this book. There are many things to keep in mind, such as the clans, places, words, and characters. The literary tradition of Islamic culture is honored, and the details of the magic in this fantastical world show amazing creativity.

Overall, I heartily recommend this series! Without a question, reading it is both enjoyable and heartbreaking.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.