The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

February marked the second month of my Page 1 book subscription, and I was excited. After tearing into the simple brown paper like a child at Christmas, I held a hefty book I had never heard of: The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty.

First impressions:

• Gorgeous cover

• Female author – yay!

• Fantasy – yay!

• First in a series – double yay! (Y’all know I love a good series)

• Middle Eastern mythology and lore – triple yay! That’s new for me!

The City of Brass is the first book in The Daevabad Trilogy and Chakraborty’s debut novel. It blew me out of the water. I instantly connected with Nahri, the main character. The first third of the book spent a lot of time world-building, but given that it’s the first of a series, I knew it would be worth it to take the time and soak up this fantastical world Chakraborty wove into the human world.

The author is clever in creating many characters that you root for, but you see their flaws. She also writes antagonists with whom you empathize. This combination makes for a compelling read when trying to figure out each character’s motivations and long-term goals, especially when you have kings, princes, and peasants all vying for their own desired outcome.

As soon as I finished The City of Brass, I nabbed The Kingdom of Copper and started reading. The action picks up quickly, and I can’t wait to see how the series turns out.

Page 1 really nailed it with this selection. I can highly recommend this book and Page 1 Books!