A review by readwithria
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this book!

An Ember in the Ashes is the brutal beginning of a YA series I would have loved when it first came out. If there’s one thing I love in my fantasy books, it’s reluctant spies baby! Laia has the makings of a very interesting character, and I’m looking forward to spending more time with her in the next books.

Elias has the more interesting arc in this book. But that being said, I could have done with less romantic tension in his POV chapters. We have some Lenny of time in the other three books, and his journey through especially Part II is really compelling even without it.

I think the world has the potential to be really interesting. We know very little about why some people have magic, where the fey creatures come from, and what the overall goals of the antagonists are. I’m looking forward to learning more about that soon, but I do wish we had learned a bit more in this book.

All in all this was an enjoyable, anxiety-inducing book. I will definitely be continuing the series. 4 stars

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