Reviews

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

Only show reviews with written explanations

smiley7245's review

Go to review page

adventurous 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

4.0

This picks up right where book 1 left off.

Elias is everything that is good in this world. But, he is still a killer. And he struggles with that throughout the book. Laia is strong when she is with Elias. But, once they get separated she starts to question herself, her decisions. Most of that is Keegan's fault. But, I jumped ahead. During their desperate escape, he runs into his mother who poisons him with a slow acting poison. It causes him seizures, and Laia gets him an elixir that keeps the seizures at bay, but doesn't stop him from a slow death. They meet with the tribes and he calls in his favor. His "mom" stages a riot which helps them escape. Then, he decided to go out on his own because he will not get there before he dies. So she is traveling with Keegan. And he is so shady. Turns out, Keegan isn't real. He's the Nightbringer. And he's been playing her to get her arm cuff. Which she willingly gives him because she loves him and she wants him to feel like he has family. And then he tells her the truth, and she gets into his mind and searches his memories to find answers. Then the Tribal leader that he calls in the favor from shows up, which is good because Elias has been captured and is in the prison, but they don't know that he found her brother. Now that Keegan is gone Laia can make her invisibility work and they use that to make a prison break. Also, Elias makes friends with one of the slaves, Tas, who helps with the prison break. Elias makes a deal with the Soul Catcher, who he has been visiting during his seizures; he will be her apprentice if she sends him back to his body so he can help Tas and Laia's brother escape. So now, he's dead but not dead. He reunites with Laia. They come clean with each other about everything. They kiss. Brother wakes up. The end. Meanwhile, Helene is now the royal assassin, but she is being hindered by Elias's mother who is still working with the Nightbringer. Hel stops her coup attempt, but it results in the Emperor killing her parents and one of her sisters because she did not bring him Elias.

This was full of action, adventure, high stakes, backstabbing, betrayal, death, and love. I am so excited for book 3.

emilyb_chicago's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

I loved the evolution of the story in this second installment. I find the bad-guys to be fantastically evil and the good guys to have depth enough to make them lovable but real feeling. It's not quite as captivating as the first glimpse of this world but that was a very high bar. I was frustrated with Elias's constant martyrdom, though maybe we were supposed to find it redeeming. Despite being very consistent with her character, I found Laia's insecurities very frustrating and hovering for me very near the hated "whiny-protagonist" realm. Despite that the book kept me engaged throughout. The stakes feel real for all of the characters and I am so looking forward to the next book.