Title: The Kingdom of Copper (The Daevabad Trilogy #2)
Author: S. A. Chakraborty
Rating: ★★★★½

ARC received through #booksfortrade on Twitter (and also a huge thank you to Harper Voyager for the surprise that showed up on my doorstep on release day!)

A while ago, I read some slight spoilers about this on Twitter (my fault entirely) and ever since I was in such a knot of anxiety about reading the book. One of the fears of reading a sequel to a book that quickly became such a favorite, is that the second one won’t live up to the enjoyment of the first. I am here to tell you that there is nothing to worry about: The Kingdom of Copper is an excellent second installment full of all the same wonderful things that made The City of Brass one of my favorite books. 

S. A. Chakraborty’s writing continues to seriously impress me. I was very easily and quickly pulled back into this mesmerizing story full of djinn, political intrigue, and morally complex characters. This book is not small, and yet I had no problem flying through the pages. The main characters remain one of the strongest aspects of the story, and honestly one of the reasons I love these books so much.

Nahri – Now married to the son of her enemy, she’s trying to make the best out of the situation she finds herself in. Her devotion to her people, her resourcefulness and intelligence, and her determination to set things right not just for the Daeva, but also for the shafits, make her such a well-rounded character and I still really adore her. 

Dara – Once again brought back to life and made into a weapon, he struggles between what he knows is right and what he believes he needs to do. He’s trying his best, but his best is still not good enough (get your shit together, Dara). Despite his (many) mistakes, I would still happily lay down my life for this Daeva warrior. He could kill me a hundred times and I would thank him each time. 

Ali – In my opinion, he had the most character growth out of anyone. He grew on me so much during this book. After struggling between his warring loyalties, he’s finally come to terms with what he believes and is now willing to stand up for those beliefs. He’s such multidimensional character and I’m so interested in where his character is headed next. 

The only complaint I had was in regards to Dara and Nahri. Their bond and slow-burn feelings in The City of Brass were such an integral part to the story, and obviously I love a good romance like that. However, they don’t even interact again until less than a hundred pages left in The Kingdom of Copper. On the one hand, despite being discouraged by this, I think it was important for both of them to grow as characters and develop on their own. When they finally do meet, though, it was…underwhelming? I was expecting much more than what I was given, but I’m hopeful for what happens in the next book! 

I could go on and on about how much I love these books. The Kingdom of Copper was an impressive sequel to a stunning debut. It was impossible to put down and I fell in love with the characters and the world of Daevabad all over again. I’m already counting down the days until book three’s release. I cannot recommend these books enough. If you haven’t read this series yet, please do. You will not be disappointed.