∎ PDF An Ember in the Ashes Sabaa Tahir Books

An Ember in the Ashes Sabaa Tahir Books

Download As PDF : An Ember in the Ashes Sabaa Tahir Books

An Ember in the Ashes Sabaa Tahir Books

How in the world did I not come across this series until now, what book abyss have I fallen in that this gem of a writing masterpiece has been hidden from me!?

The best kinds of books are the ones that, when you read them, you feel like you’re whisked off to another place, the world around you disappears and for awhile you lose yourself in the stories of these other people. You become part of their adventures, their struggles and triumphs. Yet all the while these people feel like people you know, people you’ve met, or even people you’ve been or might want to be. This book has all of those glorious elements in it! Reading Ember felt like disappearing into a place that’s recognizable and yet so completely foreign, horrible in its brutality and yet strangely beautiful in its mythology.

And the characters, excuse me but they are so beyond amazing, words cannot express how much I adore all of them. Laia is the most relatable, her growth from being afraid and defenseless to finding her own kind of courage is remarkable. It’s great when a character doesn’t just instantly toughen up because they’re thrown into something difficult. Laia is strong, but her strength overall is a growing process and that made me admire her as a character. And don’t get me talking about Elias because my heart just might explode from how much I love that poor soul. Seriously his development was stellar and intricate, the way everything was woven together with the Augur Cain and seeing the many layers of himself that needed to revealed for him to be “free”, it was just too much for my heart. Now Helene, that girl is still so much of a mystery to me, but in a great way. I want to know more about her and she’s just awesome with being underestimated by everyone and I felt hurt for her after everything with Elias, but she just had such complexity that I can’t wait to find out more!!

Even the side characters in this book were wonderful, like all of Elias and Helene’s Blackcliff friends, I almost cried with what happened to them in the end and Izzi is just the cutest little cupcake after everything that the Commandant has done to her. Who, speaking of, is so the creepiest and worst woman ever. There’s no way I could choose a worst villain of this story, because between Marcus being a super sicko and Keris as the Commandant with her sadistic ways, they were both equally horrid, but in a “I like to dislike you” way.

As romance goes, I’m not super thrilled with the love triangle because, let’s be honest here, I’m all for Laia and Elias and so I was saying no to Keenan early on. Plus his character just wasn’t developed as much as Elias so I didn’t feel as interested in the romance between Laia and him as I did with her and Elias. Now I will admit I still wouldn’t be opposed to a triangle between Elias, Laia and Helene. Elias may have been very clueless there for awhile, but I think his affection for Helene was really genuine and I always adore a good friends turned romantic partners pairing. Of course with everything that happened that’s probably not likely. Especially since Elias and Laia have some serious book chemistry. The kind where even when they’re just on the same page together, or even just mention the other’s name, I’m so glued to the page my eyes hurt. The author has managed to capture that all important spark and I just can’t wait for it to ignite into something extraordinary.

I’ve already rambled on too much, but I have to mention how well the world was built too. Not just how much I felt immersed in it, like I said above, but just the style of it. Like being plopped down in Ancient Rome, but with a touch of Arabian culture. The mythology of the jinn, efrits, ghuls and other creatures is so intriguing that I’m pulled in by their story as much as the main characters. The author has a talent for weaving stories within stories, within stories and I liked that while the narrative had one overarching goal, Laia saving her brother, there were so many more complex narratives going on underneath. It gave the book more drive, heart and depth. I’m always completely drawn in by the complexity it must take to come up with not just the original plot, but the stories of so many other moving pieces within the original narrative.

So after all of that, if you’ve read all the way to the bottom of this review (which if you have, thank you and you’re awesome) I think you can surmise by now that I LOVED this book. The characters, the world, the everything. The writing was so well done that every line and moment fit within the frame of what was happening. Stepping back I normally wouldn’t appreciate something that could be considered slightly violent, but within the world that Tahir has set up, it all works together to create a place that’s haunting and poetically moving at the same time. I can’t wait to start reading the next books in the series, if it’s anything like this one, I’m sure it’s going to be amazing!


Tags : Amazon.com: An Ember in the Ashes (9781595148032): Sabaa Tahir: Books,Sabaa Tahir,An Ember in the Ashes,Razorbill,1595148035,Action & Adventure - Survival Stories,Fantasy - General,Brothers and sisters,Fantasy,Fantasy fiction.,Fantasy.,Love,Love stories,Love;Fiction.,Slaves,Undercover operations,Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12),Fantasy & Magic,Fiction,Fiction-Fantasy,JUVENILE,Juvenile Fiction,Juvenile Grades 10-12 Ages 15+,Love & Romance,Politics & Government,Science fiction (Children's Teenage),TEEN'S FICTION - ACTION & ADVENTURE,TEEN'S FICTION FANTASY,United States,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Action & Adventure Survival Stories,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Dystopian,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Fantasy Epic,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Fantasy General,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Politics & Government,Young Adult Fiction,Young Adult FictionDystopian,Young Adult FictionPolitics & Government,fantasy; saba tahir; ya fiction; ya; rebellion; romance; teen; young adult; action; ancient rome; ya fantasy; elias; aveyard; renee adieh; game of thrones; marie lu; brandon sanderson; holly goldberg sloan; margaret stohl; melissa de la cruz; series; fantasy series; renee ahdieh; patrick rothfuss; stephen king; terry brooks; dungeons and dragons; Shannara; teen books; books for teens; books for teen girls; teen girl books; fantasy books for teens; young adult fantasy books; ya fantasy books; dystopian romance; teen fiction books,fantasy;saba tahir;ya fiction;ya;rebellion;romance;teen;young adult;action;ancient rome;ya fantasy;elias;aveyard;renee adieh;game of thrones;marie lu;brandon sanderson;holly goldberg sloan;margaret stohl;melissa de la cruz;series;fantasy series;renee ahdieh;patrick rothfuss;stephen king;terry brooks;dungeons and dragons;Shannara;teen books;books for teens;books for teen girls;teen girl books;fantasy books for teens;young adult fantasy books;ya fantasy books;dystopian romance;teen fiction books,Fantasy & Magic,Love & Romance,Politics & Government,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Action & Adventure Survival Stories,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Dystopian,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Fantasy Epic,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Fantasy General,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Politics & Government,Young Adult FictionDystopian,Young Adult FictionPolitics & Government,Young Adult Fiction,Fiction,Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12),Science fiction (Children's Teenage)

An Ember in the Ashes Sabaa Tahir Books Reviews

“An Ember in the Ashes,” Sabaa Tahir’s debut novel, depicts a brutal dystopian society where misery weaves its way into the lives of the oppressors and the oppressed. In 500 years of Martial rule, life is precarious for the Scholars and the other groups that are part of the Empire. The academic Scholars were conquered by the militant Martials because of the Martials’ superiority in making weapons of steel. Since then, the Scholars have resisted without success. However, one Scholar, Laia unwillingly becomes entrenched in the underground Resistance when her brother Darin is arrested by the Masks of the Empire, soldiers who are trained to be merciless.
Although fearful and doubtful of her own strength, Laia plunges herself into the convoluted world of a naïve spy, just barely surviving as a slave in one life-threatening situation after another with her master, the Commandant. In the beginning of the novel, she states, “I wonder if this real. If it’s a nightmare. It’s real, Laia. Move.” This acceptance of reality is what propels her forward on her journey. Throughout the story, she progressively becomes braver and braver in her quest to save her brother.
Literally, on the other side, is Elias, an unwilling mask who wants nothing more than to escape the Empire. Throughout his life, he witnesses the violence of the Empire and abhors it. All he wants is freedom. However, when the Empire’s oracles, the Augurs, thrust a contest upon him to become Emperor, he has to accept because he trusts the cryptic promise of freedom from one of them.
Elias and Laia are drawn to each other because of the commonality they share as unwilling participants in the power plays of the Empire and the Resistance. Inevitably, this leads to a problematic romantic attraction between the two. At the same time, Laia has a growing attraction for Keenan, a member of the Resistance. Elias has yet another problematic relationship the form of Helene, who bears love for him in spite of herself and will make unexpected sacrifices in the name of that love.
Through Laia and Helene, Tahir delicately interjects the motivation of love in a violent world. Laia’s love for her brother and Helene’s love for Elias propel many of their actions. Both willingly throw themselves in danger for love.
Yet, looming in the background is the Commandant, a character who makes Darth Vader look like an Ewok. No real mercy exists in this woman, not even towards her own son. Towards the end of the novel, we learn the regret of her life is the one time she shows mercy. While in many ways a compelling character, the Commandant is really one-note for most of the book whereas many of the other characters evolve.
Despite that, Tahir’s novel is gripping and a must-read. The plot pulls you in from the beginning, and you must know what happens.
How in the world did I not come across this series until now, what book abyss have I fallen in that this gem of a writing masterpiece has been hidden from me!?

The best kinds of books are the ones that, when you read them, you feel like you’re whisked off to another place, the world around you disappears and for awhile you lose yourself in the stories of these other people. You become part of their adventures, their struggles and triumphs. Yet all the while these people feel like people you know, people you’ve met, or even people you’ve been or might want to be. This book has all of those glorious elements in it! Reading Ember felt like disappearing into a place that’s recognizable and yet so completely foreign, horrible in its brutality and yet strangely beautiful in its mythology.

And the characters, excuse me but they are so beyond amazing, words cannot express how much I adore all of them. Laia is the most relatable, her growth from being afraid and defenseless to finding her own kind of courage is remarkable. It’s great when a character doesn’t just instantly toughen up because they’re thrown into something difficult. Laia is strong, but her strength overall is a growing process and that made me admire her as a character. And don’t get me talking about Elias because my heart just might explode from how much I love that poor soul. Seriously his development was stellar and intricate, the way everything was woven together with the Augur Cain and seeing the many layers of himself that needed to revealed for him to be “free”, it was just too much for my heart. Now Helene, that girl is still so much of a mystery to me, but in a great way. I want to know more about her and she’s just awesome with being underestimated by everyone and I felt hurt for her after everything with Elias, but she just had such complexity that I can’t wait to find out more!!

Even the side characters in this book were wonderful, like all of Elias and Helene’s Blackcliff friends, I almost cried with what happened to them in the end and Izzi is just the cutest little cupcake after everything that the Commandant has done to her. Who, speaking of, is so the creepiest and worst woman ever. There’s no way I could choose a worst villain of this story, because between Marcus being a super sicko and Keris as the Commandant with her sadistic ways, they were both equally horrid, but in a “I like to dislike you” way.

As romance goes, I’m not super thrilled with the love triangle because, let’s be honest here, I’m all for Laia and Elias and so I was saying no to Keenan early on. Plus his character just wasn’t developed as much as Elias so I didn’t feel as interested in the romance between Laia and him as I did with her and Elias. Now I will admit I still wouldn’t be opposed to a triangle between Elias, Laia and Helene. Elias may have been very clueless there for awhile, but I think his affection for Helene was really genuine and I always adore a good friends turned romantic partners pairing. Of course with everything that happened that’s probably not likely. Especially since Elias and Laia have some serious book chemistry. The kind where even when they’re just on the same page together, or even just mention the other’s name, I’m so glued to the page my eyes hurt. The author has managed to capture that all important spark and I just can’t wait for it to ignite into something extraordinary.

I’ve already rambled on too much, but I have to mention how well the world was built too. Not just how much I felt immersed in it, like I said above, but just the style of it. Like being plopped down in Ancient Rome, but with a touch of Arabian culture. The mythology of the jinn, efrits, ghuls and other creatures is so intriguing that I’m pulled in by their story as much as the main characters. The author has a talent for weaving stories within stories, within stories and I liked that while the narrative had one overarching goal, Laia saving her brother, there were so many more complex narratives going on underneath. It gave the book more drive, heart and depth. I’m always completely drawn in by the complexity it must take to come up with not just the original plot, but the stories of so many other moving pieces within the original narrative.

So after all of that, if you’ve read all the way to the bottom of this review (which if you have, thank you and you’re awesome) I think you can surmise by now that I LOVED this book. The characters, the world, the everything. The writing was so well done that every line and moment fit within the frame of what was happening. Stepping back I normally wouldn’t appreciate something that could be considered slightly violent, but within the world that Tahir has set up, it all works together to create a place that’s haunting and poetically moving at the same time. I can’t wait to start reading the next books in the series, if it’s anything like this one, I’m sure it’s going to be amazing!