Reviews with content warning for Torture - A Sky Beyond the Storm

Reviews tagging 'Torture'

A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir

15 reviews

cosmic_kurt's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

sahramahtab's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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

5.0

"A Sky Beyond the Storm" by Sabaa Tahir marks the bittersweet end of a beautiful series, leaving me with a lingering sense of sadness. Accidentally spoiling myself through fanart didn't diminish the impact of the heart-wrenching moments, each one still carrying its painful weight.

While I cherished every second with the characters, I yearned for more happy endings for those we grew to love. The final book, although a gripping conclusion, left me wishing for additional Elias and Laia moments instead of Elias grappling with those trying to aid him.

Sabaa Tahir's skillful writing captivated me throughout the series, and even as this chapter closes, I eagerly anticipate discovering more of her work in the future. The Ember Quartet will undoubtedly hold a special place in my literary heart.

Content Warnings

what_karla_reads's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? No

4.5

Content Warnings

kriti's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

khloereads86's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

4.25

I thought this was a really good ending to the series! I wish that we had actually seen a little more of the Elias/Laia interactions throughout the series because I feel like they didn’t actually get to spend a lot of time together before they fell in love and were separated.

I absolutely loved Helene and Avitas and I so wish we got more of them. His death hit me the hardest cause he might not have been perfect but he was so sweet to Helene. I hope she finds happiness because her character arc was incredible and I feel so bad for her.

Content Warnings

shahdhazem's review

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I loved this so much like the rest of the series it was a great conclusion. The plot was led out nearly perfect I loved how the author managed to explain everything flawlessly. There was a HUGE character development for both Laia and Helene which I absolutely loved. The series discuses themes of slavery and colonisation in a very complex way and it also lights a spot on mental health and how to find your self in the middle of absolute chaos also themes of losing loved ones. I'd strongly recommend this series but like I said before and will say again now check the trigger warnings before you read. I think that's it it was a really beautiful experience for me I got attached to the characters and got my heartbroken but still I can see myself re-reading the series in the futures cause it's exactly my type.

Content Warnings

booking_along's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Content Warnings

plumpaperbacks's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

I’ve finally finished this series, and I have more emotions than I know what to do with. This is undoubtedly my favorite book in the series, even though (because?) it broke my heart the most. Sabaa Tahir is not afraid to rip my heart out, stomp on it, and then glue it back together. I respect that but also hate it. (Nothing against Sabaa. She’s great. But also, how dare she??)

I read Reaper back in 2018, and looked up a recap of that book before starting this one. It’s a sign of Tahir’s skill that as soon as I started reading, I fell back into the world as if it hadn’t been three years since I did so last. I was sucked into the story immediately, and terrified for all of the characters.

Unexpected things I loved: Helene, Helene and Harper’s relationship, Laia and Helene’s friendship. The theme here is that, despite sometimes wishing her chapters didn’t interrupt me reading about Laia and Elias, the girl really grew on me. I have so much respect for her, even if, at times, I was internally shrieking because she was being so dense regarding her love life. Also, her and Laia bonding over how much men suck was the quality content I didn’t know I needed in my life. Such a small thing, but a great one.

I knew I loved Laia and Elias, but in between Reaper and Sky, I forgot just how much. They caused me SO MUCH PAIN as I was reading this freaking book, I don’t know how to express it all. The romantic tension between these two and Elias’ tendency to nope out of literally every conversation because he couldn’t handle his own feelings… oh my god. I mean, that specific part of Elias did make me giggle occasionally, but for the most part, I was just internally screeching. When she brought him a mango. When he helped her with her hair. SO MUCH SCREECHING. So help my hopeless romantic heart.

Characters aside, the plot was also brilliant. No one ever caught a break. I never knew what was about to happen. Nothing ever felt repetitive, and there were certainly no easy victories. I think Tahir took the story with the jinn in a very clever direction, one I personally didn’t expect. The war certainly didn’t go the way I expected. I was getting closer and closer to the end, and more and more stressed because of how few pages were left and how much was still wrong. I love books that scare me that way. I’m only being a little bit sarcastic. :)

As for the ending…

I can’t believe both Harper and Darin are dead! That’s so cruel. That’s evil. My poor girls. Helene lost her boyfriend, Laia lost her brother… I’m honestly not sure who broke my heart more. Thank every deity out there that, miraculously, Laia’s mom was alive and took over the role of Soul Catcher so that Laia at least had Elias. If she lost her brother AND they weren’t endgame, it was extremely likely that I would’ve thrown the book across the room.

So much heartbreak. So much pain. But a surprise came in and sort of saved the day, a little bit, so not everything was awful. The last couple of chapters actually had quite a few happy moments, including for Laia and Elias, and if not for the fact that it was after 2 in the morning and I share a small apartment with my family and didn’t want to wake anyone up, who knows how loudly I would’ve squealed. Internally, I was squealing very loudly. The last couple of pages fixed my broken heart with their Elaia content. I’m choosing to focus on that more than… other things.

I’m happy for Helene too, and I think something might eventually happen with her and Musa?? But I was 90% focused on my ship, and wow, did Sabaa deliver. My heart was about to explode when Elias gave Laia the engraved armlet, especially since he got all flustered at the end. It was ADORABLE.

This review is a mess because I finished the book at nearly 3 in the morning and now it’s 4 a.m. and I’m also a mess. But it’s definitely honest, and even though I seriously did ramble, it got my point across. I loved this book so much, despite the emotional turmoil I experienced while reading. Like I said, it’s my favorite in the series, followed by Torch, then Reaper, then Ember. I think. It’s been a hot minute since I read the first three, but anyway. The whole series is spectacular, and I can’t wait to read more from Sabaa Tahir. 🖤

Representation

protagonist, love interest, and side characters of color

Content Warnings

theespressoedition's review

Go to review page

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Well well well, this might be my favorite book of the series - and that's saying something, considering I still didn't really enjoy it all that much.

Just like the rest of the books, it was insanely slow with a ton of depressing sequences filled with torture and gore. I also got really confused while reading this one because of all the different kinds of mystical creatures: jinn, ghosts, fey, etc. - they all began to muddle together, especially as Elias went back and forth between "himself" and The Soul Catcher. That was another confusing bit: everyone seeming to have multiple names. Helene was also Blood Shrike, Nighbringer was formerly Keenan and also Meherya and The King-of-No-Name. I couldn't keep up with all of the terms and characters as they changed forms or went back and forth in the storyline.

I think my favorite part (sarcasm) was the fact that after Helene

lost her parents and one of her sisters, her other sister is killed before her eyes and then her lover is murdered as well.

Can this girl get a break?? It was the last book and while she's definitely not my favorite character, I wanted some kind of happy ending for her.

In addition to that, I did NOT want Keris to have any kind of positive ending. The fact that

she was able to go to The Waiting Place and pass on with her mother felt way too generous for someone as horrific as her.

Okay, so let's be honest, I could actually pick apart this book in every way, which kind of breaks my heart. Towards the end, I was actually interested for the first time throughout the entire series - and I even cried once (GASP). I only wish it could have been like that earlier on. All-in-all, this series receives a 2-star rating from me. It just isn't the best.

Content Warnings

aseel_reads's review

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

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

4.0

aw, I cried during the ending! i really liked the ending of the series and this was definitely my favourite one in the whole series (I did have to Google all of the world history because I had forgotten them from the previous books).

i liked the writing and atmosphere, k enjoyed the character banter and dynamics, so much KILLING OF CHARACTERS (she did not hold back, all the consequences), andII loved how it resolved too

Content Warnings

More...