James Nicoll Reviews

2019’s The Kingdom of Copper is the second volume in S. A. Chakraborty’s Daevabad Trilogy. 

Nahri escaped her life as a confidence agent in French-and-Turkish occupied Cairo with a few, well-chosen words. Or rather, by accidentally summoning a djinn during a faked exorcism. The djinn Dara whisked Nahri off to Daevabad, the city of the djinn, where she was soon entangled in cut-throat court politics. Nahri is, it seems, the last remaining person with a blood tie to the previous dynasty, the Nahids. 

Her mere existence threatens the current ruler, Ghassan. Ghassan attempts to defuse the threat by marrying Nahri to his loyal, if dissolute, son Muntadhir. 

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2017’s historical fantasy The City of Brass is S.A. Chakraborty’s debut novel, the first in the Daevabad Trilogy.

Napoleon’s French and the Turks agree on one thing; Cairo cannot rule itself. Their only disagreement is over which of them is best suited to own Egypt. Nahri sees little distinction between the foreign occupiers, although the ​“Franks” are less likely to kill her for being a witch.

Not that Nahri admits to being an actual witch. As far as she is concerned, magic and religion are con games designed to separate gullible marks from their money. Her ability to heal with a touch is merely a minor quirk, one she accepts without wanting to explain it. She is greatly surprised, and therefore, when her improvised flourish during an exorcism summons Dara, an actual djinn.

A very angry, extraordinarily powerful djinn who takes being summoned by a mere human as a personal affront.

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