rinku's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Spoiler
I loved that at the end, they were all back at Daevabad and that Jamshid saved the day. It was a bit cliché that the villains argue at the end, and it wasn’t really satisfying that Dara was the one killing Manizheh. Can we also talk about the fact that none of the important characters died? Of course, I’m not a fan of killing characters off just for the sake of it, but it just didn’t fell right since the stakes were so highSpoiler
that they are introducing democracy, but I doubt that there will peace since the grievances the different tribes have won’t simply go away, I believeSpoiler
I’m so happy that Nahri chose himSpoiler
I was so happy that he survivedSpoiler
they spared him, Nahri should’ve killed him honestly. But I guess he’s punishing himself in the end, so that’s goodGraphic: Alcohol, Violence, War, Blood, Medical content, Torture, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Grief
Moderate: Abandonment, Dementia, Child death, Confinement, Gun violence, and Sexual content
Minor: Body horror
renpuspita's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Hands down, one of my best and favorite read this 2023, The Empire of Gold is a satisfying and triumphant finale that befitting the wondrous magical series, Daevabad. And The Daevabad Trilogy will always be one of my favorite series, that I will recommend to everyone that need an epic fantasy series that will blown their world away
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Death, Blood, and Torture
Moderate: Death of parent, Child death, and Genocide
Minor: Sexual content
breadwitchery's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Blood, Slavery, Violence, and War
Moderate: Sexual content, Torture, Grief, and Child death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Cursing
dazzle_spider_reader_1212's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Minor: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Death, Self harm, Murder, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Medical content, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Dementia, Gun violence, Blood, and Animal cruelty
madamenovelist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Genocide, Religious bigotry, Racism, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Misogyny, Grief, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Blood, War, Sexual harassment, Torture, Slavery, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Gore, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Vomit, Xenophobia, Violence, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Medical content, Gun violence, Death of parent, Cursing, Colonisation, Classism, and Child death
local_hat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, War, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Child death, Xenophobia, Violence, and Torture
laurenkimoto's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual assault, Rape, Animal death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Grief, War, Vomit, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Hate crime, Racism, Homophobia, Alcohol, Blood, Gaslighting, Gore, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Death of parent, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Slavery, Sexual content, and Murder
nu_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
We get to see more of Ali’s relationship with the marid, Nahri’s past and ancestry, and finding out that Manizeh is more tortured and cunning than I originally thought her out to be. And of course the ending (and alternative epilogue) for Dara was fitting for his arc, respecting the character he has become during the series. I thought his arc was especially heart wrenching and also eye opening.
So many themes covered in this series. Occupation. Transactional love. Survival. Generational promises, debts, and vengeance. I tried to absorb all of it, and I feel myself coming out of this story slightly changed. I’ve thought about my own relationship with culture and see more clearly the cycles of violence and and new beginnings that keeps civilizations falling and rising, weakening and strengthening, since the dawn of time until the end.
The characters really did feel like living people—complicated, tortured, hopeful, merciful, vengeful people. I don’t know if I’d be able to find another series like this that marries elements of older YA/new adult fantasy with the care that Chakraborty crafted the characters.
This series is definitely on the slow to medium paced family. In many places the pace quickens appropriately with the turn of events, which I felt mimicked how events might happen in the real world. It’s full of politicking as it is magic, but if you’re exclusively into fast paced stories with a singular hero, this might not be for you. Give the series a chance and you’ll be blown away by the incredible world building, politics and magic and all.
I want to reread this series and annotate all the instances of foreshadowing. It felt like many plot points were expertly hinted at, some easily identifiable and others more concealed that it leaves you wondering how you missed the obvious detail. Easily one of the best series I’ve read.
Moderate: Death, War, Child death, Sexual violence, and Violence
readandfindout's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Themes: 5 stars
Characters: 4.5 stars
Plot: 4.5 stars
Worldbuilding: 5 stars
Graphic: Slavery, Murder, Medical content, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Genocide, Grief, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Child death, War, Violence, Death, Blood, Torture, and Gore
Moderate: Xenophobia
thebookaholic's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Racism, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Torture, Violence, and War