Review: The Kingdom of Copper

The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Readers, I was hopping from foot to foot, waiting to put up my review until release day. Because it's hard to conceive of a review, other than READ THIS BOOK, that doesn't have some serious spoilers. The big spoilers start in chapter four and run at a heady pace. A beloved character returns, a person of legend is still alive, persons who you thought you knew aren't who you think they are, a person you know and love is poisoned, alliances shift, long planned plots are put in motion, and most of that's just in about the first THIRD of the book, people. (Among other revelations, an overtly pansexual character and a pretty decidedly gay character are revealed in the story, although I'd be happier about it if they got to be happier.) If you thought there was political intrigue afoot in The City of Brass you're going need to sit down for this book. It is not a quick read, though it is an enjoyable one. The complexity of the political machinations is off the charts.

What I can tell you is that the characters you loved from the first book, for the most, part continue to earn your affection in this one. The true villains become greater monsters than any Scourge, ifrit or marid. And we have three central figures whose hearts and minds continue to be gradually changed by each other, who learn to question deeply what loyalty, friendship, affection, and love really mean. However...

While I loved this book as much as the first, I do have one warning for those who truly hate cliffhangers- unfortunately this book ends on a tremendous cliffhanger (much, much more so than in the first book) and will leave us waiting for its resolution another year.



I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from Harper Voyager via Edelweiss, along with a paper review copy, in exchange for an honest review.

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