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dawnilton's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
Wow this book was so good!! Its definitely a step up from the first part. The beginning part of the book was boring and the pacing felt a bit dragged on but the last third of the book definitely made up for everything. The plot twists blew me away. I truly didn't see them coming. I knew that Keenan was going to betray but man I didn't him to be the nightbringer. LIKE WHAT. That whole chapter was just masterfully written. The puzzle pieces were clicking in my head just before they were spelled out on the page. Truly genius. ALSO Harpers reveal? I truly didn't see that coming. that one really took me by surprise.
The character writing was the highlight in this book. Every main and side character we got to know had such good character development and I really feel connected to them. I really enjoyed seeing Helena, Laia and Elias' journey and how their paths intertwined with each other. You could really see it all come together in the end in a satisfying and heartbreaking way. Just like book 1, I think Elias' POV was much more interesting than Laia's POV. I just felt there was so much more to explore with Elias, his mental struggle with death, dealing with his mom,him being poisoned and him going to the realm between death and life . Surprisingly enough, I really enjoyed Helena's character development even though I didn't like reading her POV for most of the book.
I still have so many questions about the magic in this book.What the deal with Laia's powers? What makes her so special? Also, WHO IS THE COOK? I truly have no clue and there is so much suspence around her!! Is she Laia's sister? I NEED ANSWERS. You bet I'm picking up the next book after writing this review. It's too good.
This is your sign - read the second book! It will meet all your expectations.
The character writing was the highlight in this book. Every main and side character we got to know had such good character development and I really feel connected to them. I really enjoyed seeing Helena, Laia and Elias' journey and how their paths intertwined with each other. You could really see it all come together in the end in a satisfying and heartbreaking way. Just like book 1, I think Elias' POV was much more interesting than Laia's POV. I just felt there was so much more to explore with Elias, his mental struggle with death, dealing with his mom,
I still have so many questions about the magic in this book.
This is your sign - read the second book! It will meet all your expectations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Slavery, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Trafficking, Body horror, Torture, Death, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Blood, Violence, Genocide, and Injury/Injury detail
This book is very graphic and deals with heavy topics. Just like the first book, it doesn't shy away from violence. Just be aware of this before going into the book.bzliz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
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 book builds greatly on the foundation laid in its predecessor by adding Helene’s point of view. Its addition allows readers to see vastly different slices of the world and 2-3 plot lines that bump together occasionally but lead to crucial information that I’m sure will be necessary in the next book.
There’s an interesting theme of isolation between our three leads- Laia with Keenan, Elias with the Soul Catcher, and Helene’s loss- and how they face this isolation and forge ahead shows how special they are. This is also a spot I find frustrating as a reader because I’m certain these characters will all have to trust each other eventually to defeat the final evil but they don’t right now so they lack the full picture that they’d have if they worked together.
Sabaa Tahir excels in creating complex characters that thrive in murky gray morality and I absolutely love it. I was concerned about Helene’s story being consumed by lovesick feelings but I’m thrilled she’s coming in to her own. Elias’s journey is fascinating- he does everything in his power even as he’s dying to fulfill his vow to Laia (obligatory: Ladies, don’t settle. If he wanted to, he would.) and it leads to a big twist I know will be crucial and probably necessary as the series builds. And I already didn’t care for Keenan (he has big Gale energy) but there’s no way I could have predicted his deeply layered secrets.
I appreciate the well balanced push-pull between the different forces at play. It can be frustrating when you read something where the villains never slip up and are always one step ahead. Even as the Commandant builds her secret plans, Helene manages to foil some, which is a huge accomplishment when you consider the Commandant’s unearthly ally. Laia and Elias also discover a weakness in the Nightbringer despite the power imbalance between them. These successes make the world grim but not entirely bleak.
Content warnings: this world is brutal and survives on groups enacting violence upon each other. I’d recommend you stay away from the series if you can’t stand true cruelty.
There’s an interesting theme of isolation between our three leads- Laia with Keenan, Elias with the Soul Catcher, and Helene’s loss- and how they face this isolation and forge ahead shows how special they are. This is also a spot I find frustrating as a reader because I’m certain these characters will all have to trust each other eventually to defeat the final evil but they don’t right now so they lack the full picture that they’d have if they worked together.
Sabaa Tahir excels in creating complex characters that thrive in murky gray morality and I absolutely love it. I was concerned about Helene’s story being consumed by lovesick feelings but I’m thrilled she’s coming in to her own. Elias’s journey is fascinating- he does everything in his power even as he’s dying to fulfill his vow to Laia (obligatory: Ladies, don’t settle. If he wanted to, he would.) and it leads to a big twist I know will be crucial and probably necessary as the series builds. And I already didn’t care for Keenan (he has big Gale energy) but there’s no way I could have predicted his deeply layered secrets.
I appreciate the well balanced push-pull between the different forces at play. It can be frustrating when you read something where the villains never slip up and are always one step ahead. Even as the Commandant builds her secret plans, Helene manages to foil some, which is a huge accomplishment when you consider the Commandant’s unearthly ally. Laia and Elias also discover a weakness in the Nightbringer despite the power imbalance between them. These successes make the world grim but not entirely bleak.
Content warnings: this world is brutal and survives on groups enacting violence upon each other. I’d recommend you stay away from the series if you can’t stand true cruelty.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Torture, Violence, Body horror, Death, Gore, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Slavery, and Genocide
Minor: Animal death and Death of parent
imds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Grief, Police brutality, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Body horror, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Violence, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Murder, and Kidnapping
madamenovelist's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Confinement, Child abuse, Blood, Grief, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Body horror, Torture, War, Xenophobia, Violence, Slavery, Sexism, Racism, Physical abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, and Death
saramarinho's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
I have completely surrendered to this series.
Yes it took me forever to even pick this second book up but the important part is that I did it, I read it, and I absolutely loved it!
It's fast-paced, it has twists we do not expect coming, and the writing is pure pleasure to read!
The story is so, so fantastic. It's clever, develops with attention to detail, there's character growth, plot development, a villain to love to hate, a super slow burn romance that keeps making us dream for more, and the setting of this story is at the same time brutally devastating and full of hope.
The Ember Quartet has everything to be one of my all time favourite book series ever. So far it has not disappoint in any way.
Yes it took me forever to even pick this second book up but the important part is that I did it, I read it, and I absolutely loved it!
It's fast-paced, it has twists we do not expect coming, and the writing is pure pleasure to read!
The story is so, so fantastic. It's clever, develops with attention to detail, there's character growth, plot development, a villain to love to hate, a super slow burn romance that keeps making us dream for more, and the setting of this story is at the same time brutally devastating and full of hope.
The Ember Quartet has everything to be one of my all time favourite book series ever. So far it has not disappoint in any way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Torture and Slavery
kilic's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, and Slavery
kbusemeyer's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This series is definitely gut-wrenching in the way that it basically just keeps taking and taking. I hate that it feels like Helene is the only one giving and having things taken from her, especially with what happened with her family.
I waver between liking and hating Laia as a character, the whole situation with Keenan and like surprise he was the Nightbringer was so frustrating. I didn’t like that basically her strength was reliant on having some boy around, but I did like hearing about the Soul Catcher and Elias.
Elias and Helene are really good characters and I’m glad we’re getting Helene’s POV as well. I’ll be curious to see where else this goes.
I waver between liking and hating Laia as a character, the whole situation
Elias and Helene are really good characters and I’m glad we’re getting Helene’s POV as well. I’ll be curious to see where else this goes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror
ohkmurr's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
If I thought the stakes in An Ember in the Ashes were high, A Torch Against the Night skyrocketed them. From the very start, we have a classic countdown disease—a trope I love, which can also be difficult to pull off in a way that doesn't feel like a gimmick.
The story is absolutely incredible, and I did not see quite a few of the plot twists coming. I will forever be amazed at Tahir's world-building and storytelling ability.
I'm also a bit embarrassed by how long it took me to realize that this story is basically World War II: a woman hell-bent on eradicating an entire race of people, a warden who performs experiments on people at a prison that all but guarantees a slow and painful death.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Violence
Again, the violence/body horror is "Game of Thrones Lite," and similar to the violence described in Grady Hendrix's works/Stephen King's works.
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