The City of BrassThe City of Brass
Score Modern
What it's about
In 18th-century Cairo, Nahri is a con woman who swindles Ottoman nobles. But when she accidentally summons Dara, a sly, mysterious djinn warrior, during one of her cons, she's swept into the magical city of Daevabad, a world of court intrigue and ancient rivalries where her heritage could be deadly.
Why it's worth reading
It opens S. A. Chakraborty's Daevabad trilogy, a hugely popular fantasy inspired by Islamic history and mythology.
You'll love it if you liked
The Priory of the Orange Tree
The Poppy War
A Court of Thorns and RosesGood to know
It's the first of a trilogy. The politics are complex.
By the numbers
- Readers61 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller36 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #103 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #231 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #852 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1577 of the 2,816 books we rank
Reads as
Moving, Adventurous
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The Last SongExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →Quick answers
Is The City of Brass worth reading?
Yes. It opens S. It ranks #1,577 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The City of Brass about?
In 18th-century Cairo, Nahri is a con woman who swindles Ottoman nobles. But when she accidentally summons Dara, a sly, mysterious djinn warrior, during one of her cons, she's swept into the magical city of Daevabad, a world of court intrigue and ancient rivalries where her heritage could be deadly.
How long does it take to read The City of Brass?
About 13 hours (532 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The City of Brass?
If you liked it, try The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon, The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang or A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.


















