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thoughtsstained's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
slow-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
4.0
Full review posted at Thoughts Stained With Ink:
Y'all, the guilt I've felt over not reading Realm of Ash by Tasha Suri. I really, really enjoyed her debut, Empire of Sand. (Don't even get me started on The Jasmine Throne. I am so excited to reread it and it's sequel when the third book comes out during the holidays.) I think I waited so long to read Realm of Ash because I was mad to not be with Mehr anymore (who I LOVE).
What a fool I was. I should have known to trust Tasha Suri. Arwa's story was just as captivatingly beautiful and heartbreaking as her sisters'.
I am so, so glad I finally read Realm of Ash. Tasha Suri was already an auto-support author for me, but it's so good to have that decision supported and cemented even further. If you've been sleeping on reading this duology, I'd highly, highly recommend it. Especially if you enjoy passionate, fierce female leads, an incredibly evocative atmosphere and slow burn romances.
Y'all, the guilt I've felt over not reading Realm of Ash by Tasha Suri. I really, really enjoyed her debut, Empire of Sand. (Don't even get me started on The Jasmine Throne. I am so excited to reread it and it's sequel when the third book comes out during the holidays.) I think I waited so long to read Realm of Ash because I was mad to not be with Mehr anymore (who I LOVE).
What a fool I was. I should have known to trust Tasha Suri. Arwa's story was just as captivatingly beautiful and heartbreaking as her sisters'.
I am so, so glad I finally read Realm of Ash. Tasha Suri was already an auto-support author for me, but it's so good to have that decision supported and cemented even further. If you've been sleeping on reading this duology, I'd highly, highly recommend it. Especially if you enjoy passionate, fierce female leads, an incredibly evocative atmosphere and slow burn romances.
maudalorian's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
It was exciting to see the rich world Tasha Suri dreamed up in Empire of Sand come into its own here. Character work is definitely one of her strengths as a writer; Arwa and Zahir were as loveable as Mehr and Amun (I wish we'd gotten to see more of them!) , although I found myself wanting more out of their romance. Like with the first book, the pacing and story didn't always work for me but the setting and character dynamics made up for it. I'm sure I'll buy Suri's other series as well.
suchita's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
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
3.75
philineselavy's review against another edition
dark
reflective
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
3.5
sarah253's review
adventurous
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
3.75
itsfreelancer's review against another edition
4.0
This could be a standalone and not book 2. There is no continuation apart from the fact that it's in the same universe. Not to say that this was any less good, but I liked book 1 much more.
Years have passed and this time it's the younger sister of Mehr who carries the torch of their tainted bloodlines while trying to save an Empire forged with the blood of her race.
Years have passed and this time it's the younger sister of Mehr who carries the torch of their tainted bloodlines while trying to save an Empire forged with the blood of her race.
aradhnak's review against another edition
5.0
I'll come back with a full review, but I think I have finally broken out of my reading slump because of this beautiful, beautiful book.
*EDITED*
I am still catching my breath over the story. Like with Empire Of Sand. The difference being that this one took me longer to read because I was in a reading slump when I started it and couldn’t actually open the book for a while.
But when I did? Whew. Done in two days, didn’t touch my laptop until I did!
It was the best way to continue what was built in the first novel. The death of the Maha has changed the world and people in power in the Empire are grasping at the past to find answers to fix things. Except they do not have all the answers, and so Arwa finds herself in a position to be useful, she thinks.
Arwa as a character is a little bit the opposite to Mehr. Where Mehr embraced her Amrithi heritage, Arwa has taught herself to hide it, never learning anything and pretending, for all she is worth, to be an Ambhan noblewoman. But beneath all of that, she is angry, and that anger is so reminiscent of Mehr in some ways, and so different in others. Even as her understanding of the world crumbles and is rebuilt around her, she holds on to that anger, and in that anger she finds a strength she did not know.
I love her so much.
And Zahir! Zahir sees himself as nothing but a tool. To survive he needs to be useful, and that is a little like Amun, but then everything else is different. He is smart, so smart, and his relationship with Arwa develops so beautifully. Two seemingly very different people who have to work together and see reflections of the parts of themselves they keep hidden and secret coming together slowly.
It is wonderful, and dark, and the world is broken around them, but there is a thread of hope throughout that carries through right to the end. I loved it so much, and am very emotional.
*EDITED*
I am still catching my breath over the story. Like with Empire Of Sand. The difference being that this one took me longer to read because I was in a reading slump when I started it and couldn’t actually open the book for a while.
But when I did? Whew. Done in two days, didn’t touch my laptop until I did!
It was the best way to continue what was built in the first novel. The death of the Maha has changed the world and people in power in the Empire are grasping at the past to find answers to fix things. Except they do not have all the answers, and so Arwa finds herself in a position to be useful, she thinks.
Arwa as a character is a little bit the opposite to Mehr. Where Mehr embraced her Amrithi heritage, Arwa has taught herself to hide it, never learning anything and pretending, for all she is worth, to be an Ambhan noblewoman. But beneath all of that, she is angry, and that anger is so reminiscent of Mehr in some ways, and so different in others. Even as her understanding of the world crumbles and is rebuilt around her, she holds on to that anger, and in that anger she finds a strength she did not know.
I love her so much.
And Zahir! Zahir sees himself as nothing but a tool. To survive he needs to be useful, and that is a little like Amun, but then everything else is different. He is smart, so smart, and his relationship with Arwa develops so beautifully. Two seemingly very different people who have to work together and see reflections of the parts of themselves they keep hidden and secret coming together slowly.
It is wonderful, and dark, and the world is broken around them, but there is a thread of hope throughout that carries through right to the end. I loved it so much, and am very emotional.
riverlethe's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
ddillon154's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting and unexpected direction for a second book. No easy bridge plots here. The new characters are intriguing and fully fleshed, even the ones I came to dislike. It would have been interesting to see this as a trilogy, but the two books balance well.