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kenzibir's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
literarypenguin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Empire Of Gold was such a satisfying conclusion to one of my new favorite fantasy series! Every story was ended properly and the characters each were in such a better place then when they started.
The thing I loved was how S.A. Chakraborty wrapped up all of these character stories and plots so so nicely! It was wonderful for an author to write plots from their very first book and be able to end them appropriately by their last book. Each character's stories ended so perfectly and it made me so happy to find them in these places in their lives.
The characters are honestly such well written and multi layered! I adore these characters and part of me is sad to leave these characters behind. Dara is my favorite, his arc was so devastating and heartbreaking at times. It was so lovely for him to finally start to find some sort of peace with himself and begin the process of redemption. Ali's arc came full circle in this one and he finally found a place where he can fully belong. Nahri finally regain her agency and found a family she could call her own on her own terms. Jamisid and Zaynab were standout side characters and it was nice to see them have a bigger part in this story. Jamisid was such a great brother to Nahri and Zaynab had her own moments of empowerment yet she used her words instead of having to resort to violence. Muntanhir was nice to see to using his diplomacy and charisma to get himself out of the worst situation imaginable.
The ending of this series wrapped up so well and the alternate epilogue at the end made me wish the author would put that idea into a series. That would be a group I would love to see and read about their adventures in this world. While I am sad to see this world go I am happy that I gave this series a chance. One of the best fantasy trilogies I have read and enjoyed ever!
The thing I loved was how S.A. Chakraborty wrapped up all of these character stories and plots so so nicely! It was wonderful for an author to write plots from their very first book and be able to end them appropriately by their last book. Each character's stories ended so perfectly and it made me so happy to find them in these places in their lives.
The characters are honestly such well written and multi layered! I adore these characters and part of me is sad to leave these characters behind. Dara is my favorite, his arc was so devastating and heartbreaking at times. It was so lovely for him to finally start to find some sort of peace with himself and begin the process of redemption. Ali's arc came full circle in this one and he finally found a place where he can fully belong. Nahri finally regain her agency and found a family she could call her own on her own terms. Jamisid and Zaynab were standout side characters and it was nice to see them have a bigger part in this story. Jamisid was such a great brother to Nahri and Zaynab had her own moments of empowerment yet she used her words instead of having to resort to violence. Muntanhir was nice to see to using his diplomacy and charisma to get himself out of the worst situation imaginable.
The ending of this series wrapped up so well and the alternate epilogue at the end made me wish the author would put that idea into a series. That would be a group I would love to see and read about their adventures in this world. While I am sad to see this world go I am happy that I gave this series a chance. One of the best fantasy trilogies I have read and enjoyed ever!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Genocide, Sexual content, and Torture
Minor: Sexual assault and Kidnapping
ooms's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
Absolutely loved this trilogy. The way she writes all the characters as morally grey no one is clearly good and bad is so realistic at time inspiring and at other time heartbreaking. This book touched me in the feels and opened my eyes to a beautiful magical world. I love her writing. Would recommend
Content Warnings
Moderate: Genocide, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Minor: Torture, Violence, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
praaliine's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- 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
ooh i loved this story, and it had been on my list for years, imagine that. it’s been quite some time since i felt this way about a book, i don’t even know what to say lol. all i know is, i’ll remember this story forever along with the rest of my all time favourites.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Religious bigotry
zojbean's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Dara’s entire story/character arc makes me sick to my stomach and this book and it’s ending amplified that feeling by a 100.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Slavery
taliaalongi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Gun violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
doctadri44's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
bessadams's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Genocide, Torture, and Death of parent
Minor: Rape, Sexual content, and Kidnapping
karydiazc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
These books have been some of my favourites this year so far.
It was a bit hard for me to submerge into the story when I first started this books because of the culture I knew almost nothing about, but three books later, here I am, absolutely in love with this magical world and it's characters.
This was a fitting ending for the series.
I must admit I'm usually expecting at least a few deaths from the principal characters in the last book of a story about war, and when everyone survives or there was just one or two characters lost I'm a bit disappointed. This book is the exception.
Everyone who survived lost many things along the way and the political maneuvers were just right in my opinion.
Every single character kept following their path and growing either into their own darkness or their own ligh, respectively.
I didn't actually hate any of the characters because none of them were villains just for the sake of it (okay, maybe just one or two, but not as important), everyone had their motivations for the way they acted and they truly were thinking that their decisions were the best ones for their current situation and that, in my opinion is what makes a great character.
They weren't just doing things for the sake of the plot getting a bit interesting, they felt like real people who tried their best to maneuver in a political environment keen on ending their lives, while also doing what they could to save their respective people and loved ones.
The world building was exquisite. From the busy streets of Cairo, in Egypt to the great city of Daevabad, even after being consumed and destructed by the war.
I also have to say that I'm absolutely thankful to the author for bot making this story centered on love and who was going to end with whom.
Now, for the spoilers:
The ending made me so sad. Dara saying goodbye to Nahri, the love of his life, knowing they would not see each other ever again. Because despite everything they suffered in the war and at the hands of Manizheh they still cared for each other (even if for Nahri it wasn't love anymore).
I knew Dara would go to retrieve the amulets of the enslaved djins, but still it was sad seeing him go (I would love to see more of him on his journey to retrieve the relics).
I did wanted Ali and Nahri to end up together, but my heart broke for everything Dara was put through. Being forced into slavery once again and by no less than by the woman he followed and trusted to lead the Daeva to their past glory.
Speaking of Ali, he was so charming in almost a naïve way because of his innocence in some aspects, while being the most cunning in others.
His life was and absolute rollercoaster during these books, which helped him to grow up so much as a character. I think he deserved the way his family (the most important part, at least) managed to stay alive and relatively safe.
I would be completely up for Chakraborty to write novellas of Muntadhir and Jamshid, and of Zaynab exploring outside of Daevabad. Even if the siblings weren't principal characters, they have my heart too.
Nahri was absolutely one of my favourites not just from this book, but I think she has become also one of my favourite female leads in a book. She was just so smart and always did the best she could with what she was given.
From the start she was thrown into an entirely different world filled with magic and revelations of her life. Instead of crumbling and wasting away at the hands of her enemies, she pushed through an managed to gain the life she wanted at the end.
I'm also really thankful that she want thrown into the "I'll speak my mind to absolutely everyone, no matter how powerful they are and get away with it somehow", as I've seen in quite a lot of books trying to portray a strong woman.
I honestly don't know what else to say. I loved this books so much and I'll probably be re reading them in the future.
I'm sure that if I had read this series in the past, they would have become my absolute personality.
It was a bit hard for me to submerge into the story when I first started this books because of the culture I knew almost nothing about, but three books later, here I am, absolutely in love with this magical world and it's characters.
This was a fitting ending for the series.
I must admit I'm usually expecting at least a few deaths from the principal characters in the last book of a story about war, and when everyone survives or there was just one or two characters lost I'm a bit disappointed. This book is the exception.
Everyone who survived lost many things along the way and the political maneuvers were just right in my opinion.
Every single character kept following their path and growing either into their own darkness or their own ligh, respectively.
I didn't actually hate any of the characters because none of them were villains just for the sake of it (okay, maybe just one or two, but not as important), everyone had their motivations for the way they acted and they truly were thinking that their decisions were the best ones for their current situation and that, in my opinion is what makes a great character.
They weren't just doing things for the sake of the plot getting a bit interesting, they felt like real people who tried their best to maneuver in a political environment keen on ending their lives, while also doing what they could to save their respective people and loved ones.
The world building was exquisite. From the busy streets of Cairo, in Egypt to the great city of Daevabad, even after being consumed and destructed by the war.
I also have to say that I'm absolutely thankful to the author for bot making this story centered on love and who was going to end with whom.
Now, for the spoilers:
I knew Dara would go to retrieve the amulets of the enslaved djins, but still it was sad seeing him go (I would love to see more of him on his journey to retrieve the relics).
I did wanted Ali and Nahri to end up together, but my heart broke for everything Dara was put through. Being forced into slavery once again and by no less than by the woman he followed and trusted to lead the Daeva to their past glory.
Speaking of Ali, he was so charming in almost a naïve way because of his innocence in some aspects, while being the most cunning in others.
His life was and absolute rollercoaster during these books, which helped him to grow up so much as a character. I think he deserved the way his family (the most important part, at least) managed to stay alive and relatively safe.
I would be completely up for Chakraborty to write novellas of Muntadhir and Jamshid, and of Zaynab exploring outside of Daevabad. Even if the siblings weren't principal characters, they have my heart too.
Nahri was absolutely one of my favourites not just from this book, but I think she has become also one of my favourite female leads in a book. She was just so smart and always did the best she could with what she was given.
From the start she was thrown into an entirely different world filled with magic and revelations of her life. Instead of crumbling and wasting away at the hands of her enemies, she pushed through an managed to gain the life she wanted at the end.
I'm also really thankful that she want thrown into the "I'll speak my mind to absolutely everyone, no matter how powerful they are and get away with it somehow", as I've seen in quite a lot of books trying to portray a strong woman.
I honestly don't know what else to say. I loved this books so much and I'll probably be re reading them in the future.
I'm sure that if I had read this series in the past, they would have become my absolute personality.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Self harm, Gaslighting, and Classism
Minor: Kidnapping and Pregnancy
elizabeth_lepore's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Gore, Torture, and Xenophobia