Synopsis

The final chapter in the bestselling, critically acclaimed Daevabad Trilogy, in which a con-woman and an idealistic djinn prince join forces to save a magical kingdom from a devastating civil war.Daevabad has fallen.

After a brutal conquest stripped the city of its magic, Nahid leader Banu Manizheh and her resurrected commander, Dara, must try to repair their fraying alliance and stabilize a fractious, warring people.

But the bloodletting and loss of his beloved Nahri have unleashed the worst demons of Dara’s dark past. To vanquish them, he must face some ugly truths about his history and put himself at the mercy of those he once considered enemies.

Having narrowly escaped their murderous families and Daevabad’s deadly politics, Nahri and Ali, now safe in Cairo, face difficult choices of their own. While Nahri finds peace in the old rhythms and familiar comforts of her human home, she is haunted by the knowledge that the loved ones she left behind and the people who considered her a savior are at the mercy of a new tyrant. Ali, too, cannot help but look back, and is determined to return to rescue his city and the family that remains. Seeking support in his mother’s homeland, he discovers that his connection to the marid goes far deeper than expected and threatens not only his relationship with Nahri, but his very faith.

As peace grows more elusive and old players return, Nahri, Ali, and Dara come to understand that in order to remake the world, they may need to fight those they once loved . . . and take a stand for those they once hurt. 

Audiobook review

All the stars!!!!!!!

Stunning, brilliant, outstanding, breathtaking, bedazzling ….

That’s what the conclusion to this series was and more!

When you never think of taking notes while listening to more than 28 hours because you are just so immersed in the story that you want to just listen, I call it a success!

This was the last book of the trilogy and the narrator was as good as the first two books! She is totally acting her characters and immersing you in that story!

I don’t know what to tell you about this book as so many thoughts are fighting to take precedence over others!

Let’s begin with the plot.

As the summary said, we begin right where we left: with Nahri and Ali having fallen in the lake and arriving on the shores of the Nile in Egypt.

Nahri had pushed Suleiman’s ring on Ali’s finger but it does not mesh correctly with him. He’ll be between life and death and Nahri will have to make her way with him unconscious to Cairo. Nahri will find her apothecary friend and take refuge in his shop, tending to Ali.

That part where they lived in Cairo …you could feel the longing in Nahri and Ali to stay there and live a simple life.

If so many in this story were power hungry like Ghassan and Manizheh, Ali and Nahri were not. They were simple people, led by their love for their people, their desire for peace and acceptance for everyone. That’s what made them so relatable and loveable.

So of course, as tempting as it was, they will still go back to Davebad but …their journey was very dangerous and incredible! They will be attacked by Ifrits and Ghouls, they will meet ancient creatures like Sobek. They will make bargains with powerful and merciless marids.

Both will have to sacrifice so many things! And Ali nearly died so many times!!!

They never had respite and …me neither!

Shannon Chakraborty led me on paths I could never have imagined. Her plot was stellar, the twists too many to count yet everything fit together flawlessly. No inconsistency, no contradiction, no hole …nothing! Just brilliant plotting skills.

Let’s talk about the relationships and the characters now!

All along I’ve been a die-hard Dara’s supporter. I wanted him to get the girl. Not Ali nor anyone else. Add to it that I can rarely stand love triangles.

But that was ignoring Shannon Chakraborty’s talent to weave complicated human tapestries with their emotions and nuanced feelings.

In this last instalment, I was torn! The idea that Ali could possibly end up with Nahri did not devastate me as it would have previously.

Shannon Chakraborty eased me up in that love story. She made me believe in it. She showed me countless times that Ali is a very worthy hero!

He is devout and would never do anything improper towards Nahri even if his heart sighs for her. He is courageous, loyal and has an extremely great moral compass.

He was always bluntly honest, hungry for knowledge. Politically skilled he was otherwise naive and could never lie to save his life. Nahri loved making him blush and flounder and these were some of my favorite cute moments in the book 😊

Ali will learn astounding secrets about his ancestors. Some horrifying truth that left me shocked. And always he’ll be ready to sacrifice himself for others. He had to leave behind something very precious and that broke my heart.

Nahri is really smart. Street smart. A con artist. A thief by necessity. She so wanted to live her life like she wished but she realized her life was not her own from the moment she became attached to her people.

After being force to marry Muntadhir, will she be pushed to make another choice? Seeing her robbed of her choices, always a pawn for powerful people saddened and enraged me!

She wanted to save everyone. She dreamed of a future finally uniting all the people. Was it so bad? But the part that lived on the streets also made her determined to win the game. She loves her people so much that she too will make huge sacrifices and crazy moves.

Dara…my poor Dara! He is the one that I wept on his fate. So many times!!!

He is struggling here and becomes powerless. He still has magic but Manizheh pushes him away from her council as he defied her order. You realize how he’s always been just a tool for the Nahids. In that, I pitied him. He feels lost as he discovers he’s never been truly accepted or valued. Just used, always.

What Manizheh did to him was truly horrible! Despicable!

I hated her with passion!

Yes I knew Ghassand had been horrible to her. Yes I knew she and her brother had suffered. Yes I knew when she offered mercy it backlashed spectacularly but …she lost all her humanity to become a monster. To rule. To get obedience. To get revenge!

And I trembled. So, so many times!

So much happened all the time! I was on the edge of my seat, gripping the armrest. I just couldn’t stop listening and I held my breath too often! Shannon took me on paths I would never have imagined.

The story is rich in adventures and twists. Filled with heroics and betrayals. Featuring worthy heroes and awful villains. Sacrifice will be made but no victory ever be more deserved.

SA Chakraborty has offered us one of the most outstanding trilogies I have ever read.

Have you read these books? do you share my opinion?

Thanks for reading!

Sophie