Review An
Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Synopsis: Laia
is a slave.
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.
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Genres: High
Fantasy, Young Adult, Dystopian
My thoughts:
“Life is made of so many moments
that mean nothing. Then one day, a single moment comes along to define every
second that comes after. Such moments are tests of courage, of strength.”
Every once in a while, a book comes along that shatters your
expectations. Case in instance is a book so explosive and intense, deeply
enthralling and equally disturbing. A book you'll proudly hold dear despite the
bloodlust woven into its very essence. A book called An Ember in the Ashes, written by Sabaa Tahir and loved by many bookworms
everywhere. Well I finally joined the party, because this book? Flawless.
From the very first pages, the world we're thrust into is
unraveled and defines what type of a universe we'll emerge ourselves in: the
Empire is ruled by gruesome violence, brutality and death. Ever since the
Martial Empire overtook the Scholars five hundred years ago, Martials are all
but gods in their own eyes next to the scum of Scholars. Seeing this imbalance
played out realistically by Tahir is hard to stomach, but completely
captivating. You thought Panem had it harsh? Or Herran? Think again.
Couple that hellish (but amazing) world-building with the
fact that most of the plot focuses on a deadly school that basically creates
assassins in the name of the Empire, you are ensured to stay at the edge of
your seat from start to finish.
The point of view alternates between Laia and Elias, two
very different characters, yet with their fates intertwined. It's no easy feat
to master two distinct voices, but the author managed it effortlessly, spinning
the tale in such a way that never once felt redundant even though the
chronology overlapped in places. This way, the intensity only amplifies and
implicitly keeps you glued to the pages.
“The field of battle is my
temple. The swordpoint is my priest. The dance of death is my prayer. The
killing blow is my release.”
Laia was a wonder. Insecure to no end, but with an inner
strength that simply astounded me, her character development will leave you
speechless. I have so many questions about the real role she'll be playing in
the grand scheme of things, because although she proved her courage, endurance
and kindness, I believe wholeheartedly that she will affect the rest of the
story profoundly.
“Fear can be good, Laia. It can
keep you alive. But don't let it control you. Don't let it sow doubts within
you. When the fear takes over, use the only thing more powerful, more
indestructible to fight it: your spirit. Your heart.”
Elias is another character to behold. He is undoubtedly one
of the best nuanced male characters I've ever read about. A powerful warrior,
yet a kind heart -- the combination is dangerous, but glorious. I loved his
determination to remain himself through every obstacle he faced, I loved the
fact that he sees through the Empire's evil and I loved his respect for his
comrades. He has a gut-wrenching journey in this book and his despair from the
Third Trial was unbelievably hard to witness.
“This life is not always what we
think it will be,” Cain says. “You are an ember in the ashes, Elias Veturius.
You will spark and burn, ravage and destroy. You cannot change it. You cannot
stop it.”
But another truly remarkable character was Helene, Elias's
best friend. She was fierce, protective and determined and I just loved her,
because under all that deadliness she was still a girl with dreams.
I am not going to lie, Elias and Helene's wonderful
friendship reminded me of the dynamic between Akiva and Liraz from Laini Taylor's
Daughter of Smoke and Bone series.
Physically and mentally, they resembled them both on an individual level and as
a whole. Regardless, they were a statement of true friendship and my heart
broke every time they were fighting.
The rest of the cast is very well developed, but I
especially loved Elias' grandfather (the man knows how to handle his power),
the friends of Elias and Helene (Tristas, Dex, Faris, Demetrius, Leander --
they were all amazing) and Kennan (hello there, cutie pie). Izzi, Cook and
Taluman are also great. Also, the Augurs were awesome. Silent Brothers with a
magical and mind-reading and a tendency for dark humor (I'm looking at you,
Cain)? Sign me up for that anytime. I guess the Commandant should get some
mention so here it goes -- that psycho bitch had me fuming. Stannis is an
innocent baby compared to her parenting abilities.
“I don’t know what happened to
you,” I say. “I don’t know who my father was or why you hate him so much. But I
know my death won’t free you. It won’t give you peace. You’re not the one
killing me. I chose to die. Because I’d rather die than become like you. I’d
rather die than live with no mercy, no honor, no soul.”
The intrigue and the politics drive the story, leaving
behind the romance aspect of the story, but for once I approve (it also
happened in Heir of Fire). There
actually is just a touch of romance to make your toes curl in anticipation and
to split your heart in half because we're faced with a ruthless love square
that is made up of two love triangles. A bit complicated, a bit dramatic, very
well written, it was pretty much the icing on the cake. Some would say it's
resolved by the end of this installment, but even if that is true, we're not
left with a "couple" in its true meaning. I am quite curious if the
pairing will indeed evolve to that status.
The story, the characters, the pace -- everything is perfect
and I seriously wonder how the publisher thought it okay to keep this book a
standalone? There are so many other things left unsaid, only a fraction of the
story told in this installment, in spite of its overall complexity. An Ember in the Ashes has the potential
to become a worldwide phenomenon with the upcoming movie, but the series has
the potential to become a representative of a unique and daring wave of YA
literature. This being said, the sequel cannot come fast enough!
“You are full, Laia. Full of life
and dark and strength and spirit. You are in our dreams. You will burn, for you
are an ember in the ashes.”
Bold, imaginative and incredibly thrilling, An Ember in the Ashes sets the bar up a
notch with this vivid portrayal of duty versus free-will. This blend of Roman
fantasy with just a touch of dystopian flavor (as it was for Red Queen) will make the readers devour
every word, delighting in a gorgeously written story about freedom, destiny,
betrayal and love. It's an instant favorite of mine and I hope that if you
haven't read it yet, you will pick it up on the first occasion, because An Ember in the Ashes is worth every
praise it got.
ENJOY! <3
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