Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

44 reviews

chattie_the_mad_chatter's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Had no idea what to expect going into this. Really enjoyed the mix of chatacters their inner conflict, personal journeys amid a harsh world were so great to follow. Moments of frustrations with each character and seeing them come out tje other side. There are alot of teenage hormones, but I found the chatacters and plot compelling I could brush past the excess. But all the complicated relationships I enjoyed and found the characters realistic, relatable and empathetic, despite the brutality around them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Bullying, Classism, and Death

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Violence

redhothabanero's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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 is a very good book with great world building. However, it had some things that reminded me a lot of The Children of Blood and Bone (which I know was published later but just so happens that I read TCOBAB first so that's where my mind would go. Which btw if you haven't read it then you should. It's really good and slightly better than this one IMHO). I really liked the characters in this book and I will for sure read the other ones in the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Murder, Rape, Child abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Child death, Grief, Slavery, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Confinement, Torture, Death, Kidnapping, Racism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Violence, and War

andie13's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

Slow start where I really didn’t like it, but then it got really good after I kept reading

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, Death, Blood, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Trafficking, and Violence

Minor: Death of parent

chloenk_1011's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Murder, Body horror, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Rape, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death of parent, Misogyny, Blood, Sexual harassment, and War

elcademia's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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 is everything i love about YA fantasy

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Murder, Torture, Slavery, and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexism and Sexual harassment

sarahsbookss's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, Classism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Pregnancy, and Torture

cc0906's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Bullying, Violence, Slavery, Death of parent, Death, Rape, Murder, Toxic friendship, War, Sexual violence, Torture, Physical abuse, Grief, Confinement, Abandonment, Sexism, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Blood

booksthatburn's review against another edition

dark 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

The worldbuilding leans on characterization and brutality, with few aesthetic descriptions. The major groups are the Scholars, the Tribes, and the Martials, with the Rebels generally composed of Scholars who are trying to resist the Martials. There are a few other groups mentioned, but they weren't major players in this first book, and at a certain point it matters more whether someone is a Mask, slave, Augur, or part of the Resistance. I like books which are full of plans and political tensions over scenery, so I enjoyed this emphasis on individuals and factions. 

For those who enjoy love triangles, this has an innovation on the form: Laia and Elias each have two people to choose between. As the protagonists they're of course drawn to each other, but Laia has a smoldering attraction to one of the rebels, and Elias is slowly realizing he might have romantic feelings for his best friend (the only female Mask in his generation). These tensions aren't completely resolved in this book either, leaving room for this to develop more in the next one. I like both options for each of them, and it feels like there's a genuine question over what they'll choose. For those who are a little less into such plots, it's a consistent but not overwhelming thread and there's plenty else to like.  

The plot begins with Elias and Laia on two sides of the same raid, where Laia's grandparents are killed and her brother is kidnapped, while Elias is one of the Masks carrying out the invasion. The chapters frequently overlap, with each narrator sometimes beginning their chapter by telling their perspective on an event or a slice of time which was just told by the other. Since they generally have completely different experiences, I like this overlapping style but it took a little getting used to. It made it feel more like they were each narrating what was important to them, uncaring and unknowing of what the other described. Laia asks the Rebels for help getting her brother back, and is placed as a slave to the Commandant of the Academy where Elias is. Elias was planning to escape, but is told by an Augur that the only way to actually be free is if first he stays. The rest of the story unfolds as Laia tries to get information to the rebels and survive her enslavement, while Elias tries to survive the gauntlet of challenges to be the next emperor (a title he doesn't even want). 

One thing I appreciate about this book is that in a system so controlling and overseen by (basically) mind-reading (probably) immortal Augurs who never explain their own goals, it would make very little sense for the heroes to have genuine agency over their lives at a macro level. So they don't. They don't have control over how things will go, their plans keep working out very differently than they even dared to hope, and they frequently suffer for it. They're constantly in danger and often get hurt, Laia from the Commandant's whims or Elias from the challenges themselves. When things do go well, an Augur usually turns up to tell Elias how he's done what they wanted, yet again. It's frustrating but completely in keeping with the brutality and sheer mind-fuckery of the situation. Because they have so little control, most of the plot focuses on how they feel and what they decided to do in the small moments they do have.

I enjoyed this and plan to read the rest of the series, this is an exciting and well-paced beginning to the quartet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Murder, and Torture

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, and Rape

Minor: Abortion, Pregnancy, and Death of parent

sophiesmallhands'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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Slavery, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Gore

Moderate: Sexism

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Abandonment

bfirstedition's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Misogyny, Torture, Rape, and Sexual assault