Reviews tagging 'Grief'

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

44 reviews

mj1588's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, War, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

jennireadsmaybe's review against another edition

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? Yes

A Torch Against the Night is a good fantasy sequel. It definitely has its moments of slowness, but thankfully, there's a bit of mystery/waiting for the other foot to drop that makes you want to keep reading. You also get a bit more into the fantasy elements. 

The reveal in this one!!!! I screamed!!! I definitely wasn't expecting it. The addition of Helene's POV really added to the story. She's such an interesting character to follow. I enjoyed getting to see Laia's fighting/training develop a bit more. She's not the same girl from that first chapter; Elias isn't the same boy from that chapter either. He's challenged just as much as Laia in this one. 

I've got more questions than answers at this point and I'm really looking forward to getting those answers. I'm a little late to the game, but don't let that stop you from picking up this series. It's so good! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, and Torture

Moderate: Child abuse, Slavery, and Grief

Minor: Rape and Sexual content

chrisb913's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

This book was incredible. The plot hooked me from page 1 and did not let up throughout the entire story. The plot twists had me shook and the character development throughout was superb. Between Ember in the Ashes and now A Torch Against the Night, Sabaa Tahir will forever be an insta buy author for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Torture

Moderate: Slavery, Grief, and Child abuse

Minor: Rape and Sexual content

erwikka's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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

4.25

This series just gets better with every installment. No second book syndrome here. I loved having a new POV and it really made the character lodge themselves deeper into my heart. Sabaa’s writing is spectacular and will have you so engrossed you will be lost for hours or until you finish. I don’t wanna dive too deep into the plot because of spoilers, but this book really up’d the anti. I’m foaming at the mouth for book three so I will have to start it soon.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Torture

Moderate: Murder, Death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Death of parent, and Child abuse

Minor: Slavery, War, and Fire/Fire injury

alexijai98's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

4.5

The last 50 pages kept me from giving this 5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Slavery, War, Death, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Torture, Colonisation, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content

zozoann's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

So much progression happens in this book I almost had a hard time keeping up. I loved it so much and this series is becoming a new top series for me. I loved the new perspective we got and it added so much to the mystery of the plot.

I have so many emotions about Keenan being the nightbringer so much confusion.

overall this book keeps me guessing which I love. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Violence, Murder, Blood, Slavery, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, War, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual content

risten's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Death, Racism, Violence, Child death, Gore, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Police brutality, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Torture, Classism, War, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Animal death, Vomit, Excrement, and Misogyny

c_l_ara's review against another edition

adventurous 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Torture, Violence, Genocide, War, Racism, Slavery, Child death, Confinement, Child abuse, Death, Grief, and Physical abuse

joylehua_95's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

This series has been great so far. I really enjoy the themes of morality, friendship, and loyalty. I also love the rawness of the story in how the Empire is this oppressive entity. Some members of the empire, even though they benefit from the power, are still victims of the system. The societal themes in this book are great talking points, and there are many parallels to current day/ past conflicts with oppressor/oppressed groups. 

Elias is my favorite character. He is selfless and brave, but this can also be a hindrance to his growth. He feels he hurts the ones he loves, so he feels he needs to isolate. When really, it's his love and general humanity that is his strong point.  I love Laia, I feel she has grown into herself. She has become brave, sure of herself. She is no longer the girl that ran away. 

I am not fully entrenched in Helene's story yet; I have not fully connected with her in this book. However, I feel for her character, though, because, unlike Elias, she is deep in the grasp of the Empire. She sacrificed herself, her freedom for Elias and the greater good of the Empire.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Grief, Torture, Death, Death of parent, Blood, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Slavery, and Genocide

sahramahtab's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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 Torch Against the Night" by Sabaa Tahir is a total heartbreaker. I accidentally spoiled myself with fanart, but that didn't make the emotional punches any less powerful. Helene's journey, which had me torn in the first book, now has me rooting for her with all my heart. Elias, my poor baby, deserves the freedom he yearns for after everything he's been through and I hope gets it in the end.

Now, Laia... I love her, but girl, why so naive at times? Letting a certain someone

(Keenan, I knew something was off about that scoundrel)

manipulate her had me shouting at the pages. It's 3 a.m., I should be sleeping, but nope, I'm diving into the third book right away. Tahir's storytelling is relentless, and I can't resist finding out what happens next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Torture, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Grief, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Murder, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury