August 13, 2015

Book Review: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

August 13, 2015

An Ember in the Ashes
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Series: An Ember in the Ashes #1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Page Length: 443 pages
Publication Date: April 28th, 2015
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: Purchased
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 choice will change the fate of the Empire itself.



Action-packed, impassioned, and completely striking, An Ember in the Ashes by author Sabaa Tahir is an impressive debut - a well-constructed story guaranteed to enrapture.

After reading contemporary after contemporary, I found myself in a bit of what we like to call a "reading slump."  The books I attempted in hopes of remedying my bad case of "The Slump" all seemed dull and stale.  There was nothing new or exciting to help integrate myself back into my reading routine.  Reading began to feel more forced than leisurely.

I'm happy to say An Ember in the Ashes was THE BOOK to put me right back on the reading track.  Although I had my doubts as to whether or not Sabaa Tahir's highly anticipated debut would actually live up to its build up, I'm pleased to say all expectations were met in my mind.  Sabaa Tahir created a world full of intrigue and conflict between the Scholars and the Martials.  She truly "hit the ground running," in the sense that from page one until the very end, her words, her story, held my full, undivided attention.  Her narrative was exciting to say the least, keeping me on the edge of my seat with the book gripped firmly in both hands.

The story is told in dual narration.  Laia, one of two main characters, is a Scholar girl without any family but her brother, Darin, to call her own.  One night during a Martial raid, Darin is violently arrested and dragged off to his unbeknownst doom, thus beginning Laia's quest to free him.  What I absolutely loved about Laia was not necessarily her braveness or heroism, but rather her (at first) lack of these admirable traits.  When Darin is first taken away, Laia shies away from the situation, fleeing the scene.  She listens to her fears and allows them to dictate her actions - which makes her respectfully real.  We've all read about the seemingly fearless, brave, heroic, stoic protagonist who is just BORN a natural leader and is able to instantly stand up in the face of peril.  Laia, on the other hand, is just a girl.  She is just a teenage girl.  And not all teenage girls are born heroes.  Rather, they are living and learning along their way: learning to be a little more brave and a lot more selfless.  It was truly a privilege to read about Laia's internal journey as she grew as a character, developing from that shy, timid, fearful girl, and then slowly blossoming into a fiery, lionhearted woman - one not at all to be reckoned with.

Our other main character, Elias, is a Martial soldier and the son of the steely-eyed, coldblooded Commandant.  I indulged in Elias's chapters, relishing in the way he held himself and sympathizing with his unfortunate predicament.  He is truly an ember in the ashes and as the Augurs prophesied, one who will spark and burn.  And although I am usually not a fan of dual narratives, the balance between Laia and Elias's words perfectly complimented the other.  I was eager to see how these two stories, one, of a Scholar girl, and the other, of a Martial boy, would finally intertwine, joining together as one.

An Ember in the Ashes was an unforgettable debut that will forever be burned into my memory.  Many questions were left unanswered, background information left untold, and certain plot lines left off to be continued.  And so, I eagerly await book two and beyond.

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Julia Anne

I'm a teen with a refined taste for good books and great writing, currently living in Honolulu, HI. I'm a reader. A dreamer. And an aspirant writer. One day I have hopes to travel the world, but for now, I'll settle with venturing through the written works I read.

14 comments :

  1. I loved seeing Laia develop into a more confident and assertive character. She went from timid and unsure to more daring and unafraid. She'll risk anything to save the people she loves. I'm so confused by the tangled webs of the romance, but I loved the world-building, the action, the writing, and the diverse characters. I can't wait for book 2. Lovely review!

    Rachel @ A Perfection Called Books

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    1. Yes! Laia was such a refreshing main character, and I thoroughly enjoyed her chapters. The romance was a bit . . . complicated, but I hope the relationships will be better sorted out and addressed in the books to come. Thanks for the comment!

      Julia Anne

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  2. I haven't read this yet, but it sounds so good! I might give it a try, I really like stories like this ^-^
    And that cover is just amazing!! <3 Thanks for sharing!

    Lipstick and Mocha

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    1. You should definitely give this book a try, Carla! It's full of action, suspense, romance - everything you could ever want in a book. I highly recommend it. :)

      Julia Anne

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  3. Wonderful review, Julia Anne! I absolutely adored Tahir's debut as well. Like you, I am not usually a fan of dual-narrative, but I agree that the balance between Laia and Elias was wonderfully done and it was amazing seeing it from two completely different teens' lives and how their stories eventually entwined. (My only problem with the dual narrative was that sometimes one arc would not be as interesting and I just had to know what happened to the other character….) I also completely agree that it was a breath of fresh air to see a female protagonist that wasn't fierce and fearless right away. I really enjoyed seeing Laia's metamorphosis from a mere Scholar girl who lost it all to something more: a girl that was broken but willing to come out of the ashes and fight for herself and the people she cares about.

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    1. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed Sabaa's debut just as much as I did! I agree that sometimes I would become a bit impatient with one MC's chapter and increase my reading pace just to return to the other MC's perspective. Laia was definitely a refreshing protagonist and it was certainly a privilege to read along as she grew. Thanks for the comment, A.J.!

      Julia Anne

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  4. I see so many reviews on this and yours has really made me want to read this! :)

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    1. Thanks, Lauren! You definitely should! :)

      Julia Anne

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  5. I'm glad to see that you ended up liking this one a lot, Julia Anne! I wasn't very fond of the book for personal reasons, but I can definitely see why a lot of people love it. What did you think of the romance rectangle that was in the book? Even though I gave this 3 stars, I'm intrigued in seeing how events will unfold in book 2.

    Faye at The Social Potato

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    1. Hahaha, romance rectangle. I have no idea why I find that hilarious. Yeah, and okay, I agree that it was a bit off-putting, but I endured it since there wasn't cheating/drama/stupidness. I certainly hope the romance rectangle won't be a prevalent in book two. Thanks for stopping by the blog!

      Julia Anne

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  6. I really like this book! I thought it was so well done, especially since Sabaa is a debut! OH MY GOSH! I related to Elias more than Laia because I felt like Laia was very timid and Elias struggled between good and bad and that struggle was really interesting.

    Cannot wait for book two. excellent review!

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    1. Agreed, Nova! I was very impressed (to say the least) with Sabaa's debut. I cannot wait to see what happens in book two! Thanks for the comment. :)

      Julia Anne

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  7. Oh wow, you really love this one! I had a couple of mixed thoughts when it came to it because I have been some mixed reviews and most people either love it or hate it - I see no in between! Nonetheless, my curiosity has been sparked and if I do get a chance to read it, I would love to try this one.

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  8. First and foremost, I loooove your design! It's SUPER pretty♥
    Secondly, aghhhhh this book put you out of a slump!! I cannot wait, this makes me SUPER excited. I have this book on my kindle, but I'm in the physical copies phase hahaha. I will buy this soon and read it, your review was the perfect push, so thank you!

    Jumana @ Books by Jay

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