The Kingdom of Copper, by S. A. Chakraborty
Series: The Daevabad Trilogy #2
Published by Harper Voyager, 21st February 2019
Genres: Fantasy, historical fiction, magic, mythology
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
If you haven’t already, go check out my review of the first book in this series here, then come back to this one!
Synopsis
Five years have passed since the dramatic climax of the first book. We return to Daevabad and some familiar characters.
Nahri is married to the crown prince, struggling against the political tension within the palace and the city, whilst continuing her training as a healer. Ali has been banished by his father and assassins sent after him. However, he discovers new abilities which enable him to make a life for himself in the dry and arid North.
As the city of Daevabad gears up for an impressive celebration, tensions between the different tribes is at an all-time high and an ominous threat hangs in the air.
My thoughts
I had been eagerly anticipating this second instalment of the series and I had high expectations of it. They were exceeded, as I enjoyed this book even more than the first!
As before, I loved the magical world which Chakraborty has conjured up. In this second book, it felt even richer than before as we were able to delve deeper into the origins of certain tensions and struggles between tribes and individuals. New characters were introduced, from different backgrounds and there is just way more magic!
The original cast of characters also has the opportunity here to develop and grow. Once again, I loved the multiple points of view, as chapters switch between different characters. Whereas before, Nahri and Ali were the focus, this time another character is allowed space to expand and be better understood by the reader.
Nahri and Ali both develop as characters and I found myself more engaged and involved in their fates. Nahri has lost both her guide and protector Dara, as well as her friend Ali, the prince. She now has to face the hostile royal family and the city at large, by herself. She has to be strong for herself and carve out her own destiny. Ali also grows from a somewhat petulant prince to a character with much more depth and interest.
The pace of this book also felt much smoother to me. I guess it is the benefit of being a second book, as most of the world-building was achieved in the first one. But it still felt smoother and more balanced to me.
Overall, I loved this book and it totally exceeded my expectations. As before, it ended on a serious cliff-hanger so I am really keen to read the third book now!
My rating: 5/5