The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

It's been a long time since I read a straight-up fantasy novel this good. Chakraborty's debut starts off in 18th century Cairo, where an orphaned young woman ekes out a living as a con artist and minor healer. A con goes wrong, however, exposing her to a world where djinn and ifrits are real, and where she appears to be descended from a line of powerful healers stretching back to King Solomon.

A young nobody discovering she's heir to great powers and an important legacy is practically a required element in the genre, but there's a lot that makes The City of Brass stand out. For one thing, most traditional fantasy novels take place in a quasi-European milieu, so a story set in a completely different culture is a refreshing change of pace.  And fascinating -- Chakraborty clearly did her research, and her world feels vibrant and real.

Moreover, Nahri doesn't feel like a Mary Sue because she is a complex character with genuine flaws. Chakraborty is not afraid to show a heroine who is amoral and self-centered, someone who, upon learning of her legacy, thinks not "I'm unworthy" or "how can I save the world?" but "how can I use this to my advantage?"  Which isn't to say there is no character growth; Nahri does gradually begin to care about others as she is exposed to the history and politics of the djinn populations and learns the consequences of her power.

Chakraborty has said that she wanted to use the novel to explore themes such as colonization and culture clash, apparent in the political unrest plaguing the titular city, Daevabad. What's remarkable is that despite the deep-seated prejudices and terrible events on display, there are no true bad guys. Every character is trying to right a wrong or bring peace (at any cost) to the city, and while the methods may be evil, the motivations are understandable. It's not the usual good v. evil tale, but neither is it a proponent of moral relativism.

The novel is not perfect; for one thing, it's the first volume of a trilogy, so there is a lot of world-building and exposition, and what appears to be the true plot doesn't start to take shape until the latter third of the book.  I also found it hard to keep track of all the factions, tribes, characters, and new-to-me concepts, although there is a helpful glossary at the back of the book. But I thoroughly enjoyed The City of Brass, and I can't wait until the sequel comes out.