An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (Ember Quartet # 1)

Young Adult. Fantasy. Romance. Strong Female Character. 

Rating: 4/5

Started: 23 December 2021

Finished: 25 December 2021

Summary:

     Laia has always looked up to her brother Darin more than anyone in her life. Her mother and father are gone, tortured to death by the Martial Empire for being part of the Rebels, and so her grandparents and Darin are her life. Then, the Martials come for Darin, claiming he has been spying on the Martial weapon making technique that has given them the brute force to rule the empire. Laia’s grandparents are killed, and Darin is taken, but Laia escapes, and runs to the only people who might be able to save her brother—the rebels. There, she strikes a deal. She agrees to become a servant and spy inside Blackcliff, the Martial school for the empires most elite warriors, called Masks, in exchange for help getting her brother out of prison. But things are changing in the empire, and so Laia must balance risk and safety, life and death, in order to save her brother and herself. 

     Elias is the best of the Masks. He is strong and brave and lives according to his family’s motto: Always Victorious. Except he has a secret that he can’t tell anyone, least of all his best friend Helene—he hates being a Mask, and he wants to desert. But when he is entered in a competition to become the next emperor, he will need more than strength and bravery to face the Trials. 

Thoughts:

     I forgot how stunning Sabaa Tahoe’s writing is. It feels almost like music. Details are full without feeling overly rich and characters actions and thoughts are almost lyrical. She also uses the same technique as Leigh Bardugo where she re-uses important phrases often, which I love. Always Victorious. Wherever there is life, there is hope. I do remember most of the book, which is frustrating, since there are a lot of good twists, but it’s still super fun to read. I feel more frustrated with Keenan than Helene, which is actually pretty nice. I love Helene. She is such a badass. And so is Laila. She’s really cool. 

     Also: Elias is 6’4”. Laia is 5’6.” There is a 10 inch height difference there. Just saying. 

     Anyways, I’m going to keep reading the series on my Arizona trip, thanks to my trusty new book sock. I can’t wait. 

Words:

     Esurience  (n) excessive desire to eat 

     Scud (v) move fast in a straight line as if driven by the wind  

     Greaves (n) pieces of armor used to cover the shins 

     Runnel (n) a narrow channel in the ground for water to run through.