Reviews with content warning for Gaslighting - An Ember in the Ashes

Emotional. This book activated so many feelings in me, I am still baffled by the effect. This book has the perfect formula of good plot + interesting characters + a little humor + a sprinkle of romance+ of tragedy= Masterpiece. The plot had very good plot twists and wasn’t impossible to follow(although sometimes very hard). I loved the system and world-building this book provided, the diversity of each characters background. The characters weren’t just a slave girl, or a ruthless mask, a heartless mother. They were so much more and more. I truly loved the 2 point of view system(personally it’s my favorite). Even the language and small details like drums. I liked the mystery the plot delivered and sometimes flow of events was really frustrating and surprising. The characters were so well-developed and thought out like every time I though i was going to stop liking Helen, she would grow on me in another way. Although this book was V-E-R-Y grotesque and disgusting sometimes(so much I had to forcefully suppress my gags), it made the experience so much more realistic and meaningful. Overall a pretty good book that pumped me of adrenaline, worry, and a little sarcasm.

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hanamae's review against another edition

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adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book/ series (I'm halfway through book 2 now!) will definitely be making it into my 2022 favourites! The characters all have a depth that is just waiting to be explored even more. I think there is a good balance between plot and character development for the first book in a series. Some of the tropes are quite predictable, but not so predictable that it ruins the main plot!

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katsbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional 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

"Life is made of so many moments that mean nothing. Then one day, a single moment comes along to define every second that comes after." pg. 20

"You are an ember in the ashes. You will spark and burn, ravage and destroy. You cannot change it. You cannot stop it." pg. 65

"Draw a line in your mind. Never cross it again. You have a soul. It's damaged, but it's there. Don't let them take it from you." pg. 401

"When the fear takes over, use the only thing more powerful, more indestructible, to fight it: your spirit. Your heart." pg. 422

This was an amazing read! I absolutely loved the world building. It's incredibly brutal which could be hard to read. I'd give some trigger warnings for violence and attempted sexual assault but overall, I loved the writing, the mystery, the suspense, the complicated relationships. I can't wait to read more in this series.

REREAD - April 2022
This book was just as good the second time around. I was surprised by the amount of stuff that I forgot. I remembered the important bits but there were still parts that surprised me and wrenched my heart out. Tahir really knows how to make you feel for characters, sometimes, even when you actually hate them. I loved that even the Resistance, which is supposed to be seen as the good side was morally gray. The different classes of people created a really in depth world that was so compelling. I was even here for the love square. Oftentimes, love triangles aren't my favorite trope but Tahir made this one work. I think the interesting part of the love triangle is that for each main character, one of their love interests represents a piece of themselves that they're at war with. Their love interests are a side of themselves that they could ultimately choose and would change their trajectory in massive ways.

This is marketed as Young Adult but it pulls no punches when it comes to violence. The story opens with the death of Laia's caregivers and the kidnapping of her brother, as well as the brutal beating and death of a 10-year-old deserter at Elias' school, Blackcliff. If you are sensitive to themes like this, maybe skip this series. That being said, a major plot point is Laia's enslavement in the commandant's household and I was glad to see the life of a slave NOT be sugarcoated in any way. Especially from an American perspective, enslavement is often made more palatable to make it seem less brutal than it was and I'm glad this book doesn't feed into that narrative.

I'm really excited to continue buddy reading this with @redheadbooks and @shereadsatnaptime. We've been using the Storygraph buddy read feature and it's made the experience so much richer this time around!

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