Book Review: The Empire of Gold (The Daevabad Trilogy #3) by S.A. Chakraborty

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 766 pages
Author: S.A. Chakraborty
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release Date: June 11th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

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.

FINALE OF MY DREAMS.

Opening up the last book in a series is always a momentous, and nerve-wracking occasion. Will this meet all my expectations and give the ending I’m hoping for? I can easily say for The Empire of Gold, that was the case. This was an amazing finale and I’ll shout again, YOU SHOULD READ THIS SERIES.

I loved how everything moved and flowed. The action kept my heart in my throat, I truly didn’t know who was going to survive this series. Many, many scenes of politics, which usually I struggle with, changed my mind here. They were intense meetings and moments trying to decide the fate of a beloved city. The intensity of emotions really compelled my own feelings.

The villains in this are legit. Oh wow, so complex and convoluted, that you maybe don’t cheer for them, but you get it. The ability to weave such a dynamic character for an antagonist kept me intensely interested. I wanted to know how things were going to happen, because the utter ruthlessness had me gasping.

Now to my loves, Nahri, Ali, and Dara. AH I LOVE THEM ALL. I can’t put into words how amazing these characters are. I love the diversity and clearly unique personalities between them all. The weaving interactions and moments between them had me catching my breath. Even brought some tears to my eyes as the book started wrapping up. The words between them were powerful and this ended in all the ways it needed too. It’s one of those endings that you can’t say is glaringly happy, but fits so perfectly, you know you’ve just finished a book you’ll remember.

Overall audience notes: