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readwithria's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
Empire of Gold takes what the previous Daevabad books set up and ties everything together in a way that is both satisfying and leaves room for continued growth.
I always appreciate when series keep getting stronger as they go, and the Daevabad trilogy does just that. Chakraborty pulls together all of the elements of her world and gives them all the time they deserve. Characters make hard choices that have serious consequences and those consequences continue into the resolution. The end of this series doesn't equate to the end of the growth of these characters, and even in the epilogue, I could see and appreciate where they were heading.
One of the things I really like about this book is that it gives a significant amount of time to the aftermath. A full 70ish pages (about 10%) of the book takes place as the dust is settling and gives us readers a chance to see how the characters we've grown to love are going to shape their world. It was necessary, especially for an 18k page series, and it was done extremely well.
While this series isn't one I would seek out again on my own, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I always appreciate when series keep getting stronger as they go, and the Daevabad trilogy does just that. Chakraborty pulls together all of the elements of her world and gives them all the time they deserve. Characters make hard choices that have serious consequences and those consequences continue into the resolution. The end of this series doesn't equate to the end of the growth of these characters, and even in the epilogue, I could see and appreciate where they were heading.
One of the things I really like about this book is that it gives a significant amount of time to the aftermath. A full 70ish pages (about 10%) of the book takes place as the dust is settling and gives us readers a chance to see how the characters we've grown to love are going to shape their world. It was necessary, especially for an 18k page series, and it was done extremely well.
While this series isn't one I would seek out again on my own, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Murder
chaptertraveller's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
achingallover's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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
incredible
i will not stop talking about this to anyone who will listen
i wanted more zaynab but that's literally my only critique
the chosen name thing!
just. perfection.
i will not stop talking about this to anyone who will listen
i wanted more zaynab but that's literally my only critique
the chosen name thing!
just. perfection.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
okays1331's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"If what I have seen is true, it means there is peace for the worst of us. Rest for those who do not deserve it. It was beautiful. And it spoke to a mercy this world does not deserve."
Swoon. Sob. Laugh. Sob and sob some more. I am undone by the finale to the Daevabad trilogy. I care so much about these beautiful, terrible, broken Djinn. The writing conveys a depth of emotion that is impossible not to feel myself alongside the characters.
This book is so long (nearly 30 hours in audiobook), and it is a testament to Chakraborty's storytelling that I never wanted to put it down a single moment. Thank goodness a snow storm came along to lock me in the house with this story for a few days.
From the first book, the trilogy grew layering and deepening the mythology from the beginning of the first book which felt like a simple (albeit gorgeous) fairytale (that is right up until the end) to this finale full of rich details and history. It was all done effortlessly. Sometimes, in other high fantasy books, it can feel like the reader is trapped in pages of background reading before the story happens at all, but not here. The author builds it naturally into the story, so suddenly, I realized I could navigate Daevabad's complex politics and history with relative ease. That is until the next revelation shook up what I thought I knew. And wow, the way the history was unveiled made it increasingly hard to find the "right" side or make easy monsters of the antagonists. Even more so when Dara, one of the first people we meet and love in the whole series stands on wrong side of every story.
The author writes about grief, love, faith, forgiveness, and loyalty so beautifully and respectfully. The pain is wrenching and my heart hurts. The bonds are forged here. The characters through tragedy and bloodshed realize what is truly important to them. What they would kill and die for.
Some of my favorite moments that will stick with me.
-Ali finding himself in prayer and grief beside humans worshipping in Egypt taking comfort from reaching out to the same creator.
-Dara talking about death and the afterlife with his grieving enemy.
-Ali and Nahri finding space to be themselves and trust each other with their pain and fear.
-Nahri performing surgery on Ali's heart with barely any magic after confessing their love for each other.
-Family learning to love and accept each other. “You’re not the only one who’s had to pretend to be different while people with power insult the parts of you you never get to wear openly. I wish that you had trusted me, but more than that, I wish I had behaved in a way that would have encouraged you to trust me.” Jamshid
-Jamshid kissing Muntadhir's fingers in the midst of his panic attack reminding him that Muntadhir woke him this way after Jamshid was shot "You said you were so afraid of hurting me that you knew not where else to touch".
-At the release of Manizeh's command, Dara transforming from the fearsome Afshin of legend into a broken and desperate man falling to his knees to beg forgiveness for the things he has done and pleading with Nahri to surrender so that he will not have to hurt her or watch her die.
-Ali sharing space and history with his Marid grandfather making the Marid no longer monsters, but another of the incredibly complex beings that share the magical world.
BUT all the characters are sassy as hell. It's so funny to hear them teasing each other or pulling one over on a powerful elder. Even Ali has grown a true sense of humor probably learning it from all his time with Nahri. Charkraborty knows exactly when to give us this little taste of laughter and love.
“ An excellent omen. Just really promising all around."
"Alizayd isn't dead...I made him swear it. And I think he's afraid of me."
Swoon. Sob. Laugh. Sob and sob some more. I am undone by the finale to the Daevabad trilogy. I care so much about these beautiful, terrible, broken Djinn. The writing conveys a depth of emotion that is impossible not to feel myself alongside the characters.
This book is so long (nearly 30 hours in audiobook), and it is a testament to Chakraborty's storytelling that I never wanted to put it down a single moment. Thank goodness a snow storm came along to lock me in the house with this story for a few days.
From the first book, the trilogy grew layering and deepening the mythology from the beginning of the first book which felt like a simple (albeit gorgeous) fairytale (that is right up until the end) to this finale full of rich details and history. It was all done effortlessly. Sometimes, in other high fantasy books, it can feel like the reader is trapped in pages of background reading before the story happens at all, but not here. The author builds it naturally into the story, so suddenly, I realized I could navigate Daevabad's complex politics and history with relative ease. That is until the next revelation shook up what I thought I knew. And wow, the way the history was unveiled made it increasingly hard to find the "right" side or make easy monsters of the antagonists. Even more so when Dara, one of the first people we meet and love in the whole series stands on wrong side of every story.
The author writes about grief, love, faith, forgiveness, and loyalty so beautifully and respectfully. The pain is wrenching and my heart hurts. The bonds are forged here. The characters through tragedy and bloodshed realize what is truly important to them. What they would kill and die for.
Some of my favorite moments that will stick with me.
-Ali finding himself in prayer and grief beside humans worshipping in Egypt taking comfort from reaching out to the same creator.
-Dara talking about death and the afterlife with his grieving enemy.
-Ali and Nahri finding space to be themselves and trust each other with their pain and fear.
-
-Family learning to love and accept each other.
-
-
-
BUT all the characters are sassy as hell. It's so funny to hear them teasing each other or pulling one over on a powerful elder. Even Ali has grown a true sense of humor probably learning it from all his time with Nahri. Charkraborty knows exactly when to give us this little taste of laughter and love.
“ An excellent omen. Just really promising all around."
"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, and Murder
Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Sexual violence