Clocking in at a whopping 766 pages, I would say probably around fifty could have been cut. Sometimes there comes along a book that makes me go, “Yes, this book needed every single one of those pages,” however, this one wasn’t actually one of them. Once a book goes past five hundred pages, I start to look really close at the pacing, how concise the writing is, and of course the editing. Ali, Nahri, and Dara may need to fight those they once loved to remake the world for the better. So deep that it threatens everything in his life. While she seeks a way to take down Manizheh, Ali discovers his connection to the marid goes deeper than expected. Peace seems more illusive than ever and Nahri and Ali seek refuge in his mother’s homeland. To vanquish them, he must face some ugly truths about his history and put himself at the mercy of those he once considered enemies. Manizheh resurrected Dara, but the loss of his beloved Nahri and the utter slaughter of innocents has unleashed the worst demons of Dara’s dark past. Nahri and Ali must work together against the Nahid leader Banu Manizheh, if they want to restore Daevabad to its former glory. There are so many more quotes I highlighted throughout the story but here are some of my favourites.“I do not believe ambitious men who say the only route to peace and prosperity lies in giving them more power-particularly when they do it with lands and people who are not theirs.”ĭaevabad has fallen after a brutal conquest stripped the city of its magic. “I never really wanted to be out of your debt” – Not me crying, nope. – This is something we should all remind ourselves because there is so much we don’t know.ġ7 It’s me Emir joon just me, no tricks – This scene had me so emotionalġ8 “May I confess something?” Ali gazed at her in open sorrow.

There are things God set beyond our understanding. We are to be a community that calls for what is right, that stands as witness.” – I was so incredibly proud of Ali here and how no matter what he has gone through he has never compromised on his belief and this is what has pushed him throughout the trilogy.ġ6 It is not blasphemous to say this world is vast, that much of its history remains shrouded. It tells us to stand for justice, no matter what. 14 I would rather make a mistake than have my choices stripped away – I related to this so much.ġ5 “Our faith prioritises justice,” Ali argued.

The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty