An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

An Ember in the Ashes (Ember Quartet, #1)

by Sabaa Tahir

BOOK ONE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES
 

One of Time Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time 
Instant New York Times bestseller
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Sabaa Tahir
Amazon's Best Young Adult Book of 2015
People's Choice Award winner - Favorite Fantasy
Bustle's Best Young Adult Book of 2015

“This novel is a harrowing, haunting reminder of what it means to be human — and how hope might be kindled in the midst of oppression and fear.”The Washington Post

An Ember in the Ashes could launch Sabaa Tahir into JK Rowling territory…It has the addictive quality of The Hunger Games combined with the fantasy of Harry Potter and the brutality of Game of Thrones.”—Public Radio International

"An Ember in the Ashes glows, burns, and smolders—as beautiful and radiant as it is searing."Huffington Post 
 
“A worthy novel – and one as brave as its characters.”The New York Times Book Review
 

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.
 
Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.
 
It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.
 
But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.
 
There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself. 

Reviewed by lessthelonely on

5 of 5 stars

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OK... Fine, I think it was time to give a book 5 stars.

I started reading this book in the middle of watching "Damages". The first few pages were interesting enough, but they didn't really grab me much for me not to want to keep watching the third season. But then, at some point in the early pages, stuff just picked up and kept going all the way up!

I believe it was after the ending of Part I? Might be completely wrong. This books understands character, this book understands plot and most importantly, it understands writing! The vivid descriptions of emotion (though, sometimes, the sort of "magical realism" with fantastic creatures seemed too much), the thought process of the characters, their motives... It's all perfectly clear!

To be honest, it wasn't a book that wowed me with plot twists - I was really more enthralled in the characters' dynamics, but I do have a little qualm with this book: the disposable love interests for the main characters. I find no joy in having characters that appear to exist solely to hinder at the main couples inevitable romance. And this isn't an argument from shipping, though I do ship the main couple, but from the fact that it's HEAVILY OBVIOUS what the main ship is. It's in the book's back, though indirectly! Laid out in perfectly understandable terms for whoever reads it.

Outside of that, this is an instant favorite for me. 5 stars. Gotta save up to buy the next one.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 10 April, 2021: Finished reading
  • 10 April, 2021: Reviewed