A review by jae_28
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

 I don’t even know where to start with this one. My first impression from seeing the publishing year alone told me this was going to be good. It was EXCELLENT! Right off the bat, it felt like being dropped into a world of chaos and following the characters around, getting acquainted with everything and everyone. I love how the author built the world around the events and didn’t dump it all in the first chapter, it hooks you into the story and makes you want to know more about the systems and lore. 

The amount of suspense, anger, and stress I went through reading this was actually amazing. The story was unpredictable and brutal. Several times I had to take a break to give the characters a moment because the plot didn’t let them experience a moment’s peace. I loved the conflict that kept the characters moving forward and I loved their development and growth. I also liked the pacing; things kept happening but it all felt cohesive and necessary to the storytelling—it made it all the more complex. Even though the events made me mad, Tahir absolutely gagged me. The only thing I wished was that we got more of Helene’s and Elias’s background as best friends throughout the book. Like flashbacks\mentions of things they used to do together because their connection felt more like work friends who had each other's backs more than anything. 

I already have the second book lined up and after reading the preview at the end of the book, I’m so ready! 
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