The Empire of Gold Review: A Powerful and Imperfect Finale to the Daevabad Trilogy

Most avid readers know the unique mix of excitement and anxiety that comes with waiting for the final book in a beloved series. You want answers. You want closure. And above all, you want the ending to feel earned. That was exactly how I felt going into The Empire of Gold by S. A. Chakraborty, the long-awaited conclusion to the Daevabad Trilogy.

After two rich, politically complex, and emotionally charged novels, expectations were understandably high. The City of Brass introduced us to a dazzling world of djinn politics and mythology, while The Kingdom of Copper raised the stakes with betrayal, shifting loyalties, and the looming threat of war. The Empire of Gold picks up in the aftermath of that chaos and sets out to bring this sweeping fantasy saga to a close.

What follows is a finale that is ambitious, violent, emotional, and occasionally uneven—but still deeply engaging and ultimately satisfying.

Picking Up After the Fall

The novel opens in the immediate aftermath of The Kingdom of Copper. After leaping into the lake, Nahri and Ali find themselves back in Cairo, far from Daevabad and stripped of the magic that once defined their power. Ali is gravely injured after his confrontation with Nahri’s mother, Banu Manizheh, and is hovering near death. Nahri, desperate and exhausted, does what she can to keep him alive.

Cairo represents safety, familiarity, and memory for Nahri. It is her first home, the place where her journey began. While she recovers under the care of her former mentor and friend, Nahri is forced to confront who she has become—and who she wants to be. For the first time in a long while, she is removed from court politics and power struggles, and that distance allows for reflection.

But peace is fleeting.

A Tyrant on the Throne

While Nahri and Ali heal, Daevabad is suffering. Banu Manizheh has seized control of the city and is determined to remake it in her image. What begins as an attempt to consolidate power quickly devolves into brutality. Her rule is fueled by fear, violence, and retribution, and any resistance is crushed without mercy.

Once a compelling and formidable antagonist, Banu Manizheh becomes increasingly single-minded. She resorts to bloodshed as her primary tool, forcing even her allies to question her vision. It’s here that the novel begins to show some cracks. For a character who has been planning her return for centuries, her lack of a clear long-term strategy feels surprising—and slightly disappointing.

Meanwhile, Dara once again finds himself trapped in a familiar cycle. Bound by loyalty and guilt, he carries out acts of violence in the name of a so-called “greater good.” His storyline remains one of the most tragic in the series, as he continues to wrestle with the cost of obedience and the weight of his past sins.

The Call to Return

Nahri and Ali cannot stay in Cairo forever. Magic across the djinn world is fading, and Daevabad teeters on the brink of total collapse. If magic is not restored, entire communities will suffer—and die.

Returning to Daevabad means more than confronting a tyrant. For Nahri, it means facing her mother and deciding what kind of leader she wants to be. For Ali, it means confronting truths about his heritage and his faith that threaten to upend everything he believes.

Together, they set out to stop Banu Manizheh and end the endless cycle of violence that has plagued Daevabad for generations. The stakes have never been higher, and Chakraborty makes it clear that there will be no easy victories.

A Story Bursting at the Seams

One of my biggest issues with The Empire of Gold is that it has a lot going on—and not all of it feels well-timed.

There is an all-out war for Daevabad, yet Ali is also sent on a deeply personal mission tied to his ancestry. While the journey itself is fascinating and important for his character, its placement in the story feels awkward. The narrative momentum of the war makes it hard to fully invest in a side quest, no matter how meaningful it is.

This is one area where the trilogy structure may have worked against the story. Some of the revelations introduced in this book might have landed more effectively if they had been seeded earlier—either in The Kingdom of Copper or even in a separate prequel. Instead, the third book is tasked with resolving political conflict, personal arcs, and massive world-building revelations all at once.

Pacing and Revelations

The pacing of The Empire of Gold is uneven. The opening is slower than expected, especially given the urgency established at the end of book two. Spending extended time in Cairo while Daevabad is in crisis creates a sense of narrative tension—but not always the good kind.

Later in the novel, however, the story accelerates rapidly. Battles erupt, alliances shift, and long-buried secrets are revealed in quick succession. Unfortunately, many of the major revelations are clustered near the end, making them feel rushed rather than organic.

As a reader, you want discoveries to unfold naturally. Here, it sometimes feels like the book is racing toward the finish line and unloading answers simply because it has reached the end. The information itself is compelling, but the delivery could have benefited from more breathing room.

Violence, War, and Consequences

This is easily the most violent book in the trilogy. War dominates the narrative, and Chakraborty does not shy away from showing its cost. Characters suffer, cities burn, and the consequences of power are laid bare.

At times, the violence feels overwhelming—but that may be intentional. The Empire of Gold is a story about cycles of oppression and revenge, and it refuses to romanticize them. Victory, when it comes, is hard-won and often bittersweet.

Final Thoughts: A Worthy, If Flawed, Ending

Despite its flaws, I still enjoyed The Empire of Gold. While the pacing stumbled and some narrative choices felt misplaced, the emotional payoff was there. The book improves significantly as it goes on, and the final stretch is gripping.

Ending a trilogy like this is no easy task, especially one as layered and ambitious as the Daevabad Trilogy. Chakraborty delivers an ending that is thoughtful, intense, and true to the themes she’s been exploring from the beginning.

I would absolutely recommend this book—especially to fans of the series. It may not be perfect, but it provides a solid and meaningful conclusion to a trilogy that remains one of the most distinctive fantasy series of recent years.

If you’ve been waiting to return to Daevabad, The Empire of Gold is worth the journey.

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