Here we are in the second of the Daevabad Trilogy, and unlike many another trilogy, the second volume does not disappoint (nor the third, spoiler alert). Nahri, former street rat healer, and her companion, Dara, otherwise known as the scourge of Qui-zi for the murderous campaign he was forced to commit, have made it to the hidden djinn stronghold of Daevabad, supposedly the site where the various djinn people live in harmony. Except they don’t.
Daevabad was once ruled by the Nahid, a tribe of legendary healer (and of which Nahri is at least partially one), but they were eradicated by the Geziri, a far more warlike tribe. The current ruler is Ghassan, and his family consists of a daughter and two sons, Muntadhir, (the heir, who is not the playboy he appears to be), and Ali (raised to be his brother’s bodyguard, but with considerable administrative talent going to waste). The daughter is more of a player in the third book. When Ghassan realizes that Nahri is of Nahid blood, she seems like the perfect choice to become Muntadhir’s wife, something both parties very much do not want. But no matter, it’s the best for the people, and thus they have no choice.
But all is not well in the kingdom, and soon the tensions break out in open conflict. Not only are the various djinn tribes at odds, but the elemental beings, the Peri, beings of the air, and the Marid, beings of the water, most especially have started on rampages of their own. And then there are the humans. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them. And human blood runs in the most unlikely of places.
Needless to mention, this is world-building on the highest of levels, and I am all here for it.