Reviews tagging 'Gore'

A ​Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir

30 reviews

plumpaperbacks's review against another edition

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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
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morganphoenix's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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rachellewiski's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

Do not read this series of you value your happiness, this book will destroy you. 
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theespressoedition's review against another edition

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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.
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cerilouisereads's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

4.5

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water_violin's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

Whew! What a saga! I don’t think I can really review only this book (it was really just a small part of the entire story), but: it was so good. Heart wrenching. Beautiful. There is so much to love and so much to grieve. The story is gritty and real and doesn’t pull punches. It is full of violence and love and horror and hope. Although the resolution is gorgeous and satisfying, do not start reading this series expecting a happy story. You’ll learn to love so many fascinating, diverse characters and... some of them won’t make it to the end. Overall, these books are heavy, but beautifully written.
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ohkmurr's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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 everything I wanted and more. I laughed, I cried, I celebrated, I cried some more… (seriously, I was in tears from around page 450 to the end). The absolute perfect way to cap off an amazing series.
I love that we finally get to see Laia and Helene (Blood Shrike) team up. Their dynamic is so fun and so deep. I didn't realize how similar their experiences are throughout the series, especially related to their families and Elias. We stan two women kicking ass and agreeing that men are trash while they do it. Also, Tahir delivers on all the slow-burn romances she set up throughout the series. I spent 3.75 books waiting for Laia and Elias to finally ~express~ their love and let me tell you: it was worth the damn wait.
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plant_the_read's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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leahsbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

For my full review, check out my blog at: 

http://leahs-books.com/2021/01/13/a-sky-beyond-the-storm/

 
You know the kind of book where you finish it and have to let your thoughts marinate for a couple of days in the hopes that you’ll be able to write a coherent review? Yeah, that’s what happened with this one. 
 
This was one of those series that I loved fiercely all the way through, even though it isn’t a happy or lighthearted one. It’s full of hurt and pain and star-crossed love. I read the whole thing just waiting for the last book, which I was positive was going to break my heart. And it did break my heart, but not quite in the way I was expecting. But don’t let that hold you back, because I cried some happy tears too! 
 
We get multiple points of view, all converging on a single point at the end of the book. The majority of the tale is told from the perspective of Laia, the Soul Catcher, and the Blood Shrike, interspersed with flashbacks of the Nightbringer’s history and one chapter from the POV of *gasp* Keris Veturia. 
 
I was torn about the Nightbringer chapters, because I really didn’t want to get to know him. It’s so much easier to hate someone that you see as a monster, but it’s important to learn what twisted him into behaving the way that he did. It makes him more real and even (to a point) a little more understandable. As one character points out: 
 
“All I can think of is what Cain said to me before Antium fell. ‘The Nightbringer is no monster, child, though he may do monstrous things. He is cloven by sorrow and thus locked in a righteous battle to amend a grievous wrong.’” 
 
I’ve loved Laia’s character since the very beginning. She’s grown so much from the terrified young girl she was in the very beginning of the first book. In later books, Laia has learned how to be assertive, confident, and fierce. It feels like I’ve watched her grow from being a child into an adult who stands up for what she feels is right, and doesn’t let people sway her from her beliefs. However, this also makes her stubborn. But overall, she’s learned how to look out for herself: 
 
“…perhaps my instinct has been honed by enough betrayal that when it sings truth, I listen. Perhaps I finally believe that my victories have been because I decided to fight, when others might have given up.” 
 
Perhaps the character who undergoes the biggest change in the book is Elias. He’s had a really rough road, and I empathized with his situation so much in A Reaper at the Gates, as he had to adjust to an entirely new role in his life. However, he’s stopped resisting and has fully stepped into that role now. The trick is getting through to Elias again, since they need his help to overcome the threat posed by the Nightbringer. 
 
“When Elias turned his back on me in Antium, I didn’t realize what he had become. Not really. Even now, he looks the same as ever. He feels solid. Real. But he’s put duty above all things. He’s put on the mask and set aside his humanity. Just like we were trained to do.” 
 
The Blood Shrike also shows immense growth in this book. She’s now allied with Laia, which made my heart sing. As she works with Laia and her group of rebels, it starts to shift the Blood Shrike’s world view. Once she really gets to know people other than Martials, she starts to realize who they really are, what they're like, and the various skills that they have to offer, not just to her but to the Empire as a whole. And she begins to question the beliefs that she’s held her entire life: 
 
“I thought I served a great cause: protecting the Empire. But all I did was protect people who were never in any danger.” 
 
There’s so much action that I flew through the story, even though I was trying to read slowly and savor the story. The writing is absolutely breathtaking, with the ability to transport me into this beautiful and perilous Empire. I felt as though I was right there with the characters, desperately fighting a battle that felt insurmountable. I couldn’t ever predict what was going to happen next, but believe me, I tried. There was great tension at all times, especially since the changing perspectives often involved different areas of the Empire. Finally, there was even a little romance. This didn’t surprise me, since there were a couple of romances simmering through more than one book in the series. But it made me thrilled to see them finally playing out. And while the ending was certainly a doozy, I was pleasantly surprised at how everything turned out in the end. Hence the happy tears. 

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acitygirlsthoughts's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Tahir ends this multicultural fantasy series on an even note. I'd rate it somewhere a little above A Reaper at the Gates, but with writing that elicits moderate to deep emotion. The Commandant Keris Veturia will remain one of the top villains of current literature, in my opinion. Her character is multi-faceted: extremely evil but with deep pain that led me to sympathize with her a little. Kudos to Sabaa Tahir for writing such a well-written villain 👏🏼.

I'd sub-categorize this series as dark academia, since two of the protagonists are former students of the villain. It's rarely spoken of but I do wish Tahir let the alumni of Keris' school muse more over her as their former teacher than as a politician. However, I'm not a fan of the student-teacher relationship involved between two major characters, which became more scandalous when its revealed the teacher was in an open-marriage and impregnated his student. Also, Tahir writes in support of LGBT+ relationships, which is controversial within the Muslim community. I'm not Muslim but I'm just putting that out there for them and other readers who observe any religion that's against the LGBT+.

Overall Tahir's writing never bored me, plus she provides some mini-recaps, which is perfect for those (like me) who couldn't reread the first three books of this series.
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