Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

36 reviews

vampire_burrito's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Violence, and Slavery

takarakei's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

If you like books where no one is who they say they are and you don't know who you can trust... this is it! It's very dark, honestly I am surprised this is labeled as YA. Besides it following young adults and them all being horny teenagers, the subject matter that this deals with is very adult (see TW). I really enjoyed the dual POVs, world building, and the mysterious qualities. It is very attention grabbing and interesting right from the get-go, and it was a very unique concept. I can feel a much more intriguing plot line to come in the rest of the series...

You have a soul. It's damaged, but it's there. Don't let them take it from you...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Torture, Physical abuse, Death, Child death, Sexual harassment, Confinement, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: War, Rape, Colonisation, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Genocide, Misogyny, and Grief

Minor: Abortion, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Death of parent

This is an extremely dark book hence the long list of TW Rape/SA - there is none graphic on page, but rape is referred to a lot (seems to be common occurrence in this world) and

Spoiler

a main character nearly is raped on page

ajpotz's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

good, satisfying book. easy to read with a good magic and political system that got me out of my reading slump. will be reading the best book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Blood, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Slavery, and War

shalladin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Torture, Trafficking, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Sexual violence, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, Classism, Death, and Misogyny

kriti's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Slavery, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, War, and Violence

Minor: Abandonment

mordshunger's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Ooof. 

First: cw slavery apologetics incoming I guess.

Spoiler

It's clear there is a full redemption ark coming up for Helen. She may change, but she cannot be excused. I will do my due diligence and continue with this series. If I am wrong, I will come back and delete this. But if I am right, she will continue to be an actual romantic interest, which is frankly disgusting at this point. If he ends up with Helen or even entertains the idea, this is a 1. She is an unforgivable heartless and evil bitch. She really only does good for him, and not because it is right. She would have had a hundred slaves die and sleep like a baby. And buhuhuhu she is so sad that anyone would think she is evil. Her dramatic explanation doesn't actually explain "everything" - her actions and words about slaves and slavery were not necessary for her deal. They were the truth.

Otherwise, loosely in order as I thought while reading:

Pretty standard ya fare, it's okay. It made me laugh in places because everyone is obviously hot, everyone has a distinct mysterious smell, moves with grace, has an indescribable eye colour that shifts with their emotions and so on and so on. Strong debut energy on this one, but as a teenager I wouldn't have minded. Main character has "golden" eyes. It's really laid on thick. MC continuosly gets down on herself about being weak or looking bad and I am quite tired of the projected glow up to a confident and desired warrior hero... Oh lord now it's labour vs management in the resistance.


There is a lot of clumsy exposition and more telling than showing. Familiar set-up and predictable backstory and first act. 

It is very important the reader is reminded every few pages how wonderfully slim and attractive the women are. Apart from different wild eye and hair colour combinations, I'd say all women all slender goddesses with sensual curves. Unless they are old and scarred. Good grief.

His chapters are more enjoyable. But - Take a shot every time he calls Helen a "girl" in a derogatory way.

It's a good thing Laia is otherworldly hot, otherwise this book would be hard pressed to make some major plot happen. It appears to be the sole reason for any man interacting with her or helping her.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, War, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Death, Torture, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Colonisation, Blood, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

darlinglu's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

This was a suprisingly fast-paced book and got me out of my reading slump.

First, I did not expect this book to be dark and I'm not sure if this would be even considered YA given it doesn't beat around the bush when it comes to sensitive topics. 
I like both Laia and Elias as characters. I appreciate that Laia, as a character, has insecurities and fears that she wants to surpass through the book. I am hoping for more character development for them, as well as Helene. While I think there is good in her, I believe she mostly only helped Laia because of Elias.

In terms of plot, I think it'll expand more in the next plot, however, a lot of things have aleready happened, there are stoll some unanswered questions.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Violence, Sexual harassment, and Sexism

Moderate: Colonisation, Death of parent, War, Rape, Physical abuse, Torture, and Blood

redhothabanero's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This is a very good book with great world building. However, it had some things that reminded me a lot of The Children of Blood and Bone (which I know was published later but just so happens that I read TCOBAB first so that's where my mind would go. Which btw if you haven't read it then you should. It's really good and slightly better than this one IMHO). I really liked the characters in this book and I will for sure read the other ones in the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Murder, Rape, Child abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Child death, Grief, Slavery, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Confinement, Torture, Death, Kidnapping, Racism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Violence, and War

taliatalksbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir is your next must-read fantasy obsession. This book hooked me from page one, and I flew through it in less than two days. I think the characters are interesting and dynamic, not to mention the way it focuses separately on each important character’s story then masterfully weaves the threads together to form the larger narrative, even as characters are sharing experiences. If you’ve been following me for a while you know I typically hate books with shifting perspectives, but I think Tahir does a great job here making each character’s voice unique. I promise you’re going to want to have the next book lined up and waiting—I know I did! Definitely add this to your TBR without a doubt. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Colonisation, Grief, Police brutality, Slavery, War, and Murder

nabecker13's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Death, Confinement, Kidnapping, Trafficking, and Violence

Minor: Abortion