I can’t believe it took me so long to read this series. It has now become a favorite of mine and I can’t wait for the conclusion of the trilogy to come out at the end of June!

The Kingdom of Copper is the sequel to The City of Brass (which I reviewed earlier in my feed!). The prologue of the book picks up where the first book ends but the rest of the book’s events are set 5 years in the future. I don’t want to say too much about the plot, for fear of giving too many spoilers about either book in the trilogy.

However, in a more abstract sense, this book does a nice job of interrogating race in the context of the fantastical medieval Muslim-inspired world that S.A. Chakraborty has created. The characters constantly find themselves questioning what it means to have ‘pure’ blood and which race is meant to rule the kingdom. The conflict between different political and religious beliefs feels real and relatable.

When I read fantasy, the most important part for me is the world that is created. The world building of this trilogy is phenomenal and Chakraborty’s writing makes you really feel as though you understand the system in which these characters operate. The characters themselves are richly written, another important element of a story for me.

Overall, if you love books with political intrigue in addition to fantasy elements (think Game of Thrones with less sex), you will love this trilogy. My favorite aspect of these books is the setting, which feels so unique in the fantasy book world. I can’t wait for the third book and hope to see more from Chakraborty in the future!