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emmawormald's review against another edition
5.0
4.5* loved it but my brain was struggling with the information cos I’m dim
gamesbooksnchocolate's review against another edition
Returned to library, would borrow again
beeol's review against another edition
2.0
Undecided between 2 and 3 stars... I had to choose 2 because this is definitely too overrated.
Positive remarks: I can't say I didn't enjoy reading it. I liked the narrative style with the two main characters and the settings. Helene is one hell of a female character, always coherent and with well defined, although complex, personality.
Negative remarks: I tried, but I really couldn't empathise with neither Laia nor Elias. Which I'm afraid was kind of the point of the book. But more importantly:
Having said that, of course I'm going to give the second novel a chance.
Positive remarks: I can't say I didn't enjoy reading it. I liked the narrative style with the two main characters and the settings. Helene is one hell of a female character, always coherent and with well defined, although complex, personality.
Negative remarks: I tried, but I really couldn't empathise with neither Laia nor Elias. Which I'm afraid was kind of the point of the book. But more importantly:
Spoiler
what's with the tunnel in Elias' room??? Couldn't he just walk out of Backcliff, take off the mask and leave the city unnoticed???Having said that, of course I'm going to give the second novel a chance.
ohyes_that_girl's review against another edition
5.0
I enjoyed this book immensely. The character development, the story line, the fighting scenes, I enjoyed all of it. Book hangover for sure. The sequel isn’t available at my library yet, but I’m on the waiting list now.
erikas_joe_g's review against another edition
4.0
That was such a stressful read, but I can't wait to be stressed during the next three.
notapenguin's review against another edition
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Slavery
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual violence
Minor: Suicide, Abortion, and Death of parent
bantwalkers's review against another edition
4.0
Writing is beautiful. Characters are given complex choices. Recommend.
savannahxenoblade's review against another edition
3.0
(Actual Rating 3.5)
I came into this book expecting it to be a stand alone. And that's what I thought for the majority of the book (until about 4 or 5 chapters away from the end actually). Now, this book has gotten nothing but rave reviews, and I would love to give this book five stars but... There's just one thing that really bothers me. Not the fact that it's a series, but the somewhat forced love triangles (though I wouldn't really call it that). One of my biggest problems with book-to-movie adaptations is the sudden love triangles they usually throw in to add some "flair" or to distance the movie from the original book. But it's rare to see it implemented in the original book (at least in my reading career it has been). And like I said earlier, the romance in this book isn't really a love triangle per say, it's just that the two main characters are in love with each other but can't be, so they fall in love with other side characters. Laia with Keenan (which I absolutely hate he was such an ass at the beginning you can't fall in love with that.) and Elias with Helene (makes sense since they're long time best friends but they didn't handle it well.) . My only other problem is one that this book shares with Red Rising, the main characters have someone they love taken from them at the very beginning of the book and they're main goal is centered around this taken character. But since it happens so early on in the book (first chapter in Ember in the Ashes) you have no connections to them. Darin, Laias brother that got kidnapped in the first chapter, was Laias main encouragement, and he was mentioned at least every few pages. And I didn't care! I had absolutely no time to bond with him so I felt no emotion when he got captured.
Enough of the bad things, let's talk about the things I enjoyed. The writing style for instance. ITS SO GOOOOD. Tahir writes in beautiful similes and metaphors, some of which go on for multiple lines. I had some difficulty visualizing the fight scenes, but the world was easy, especially with the map. I only had trouble visualizing one character and that was Laia, but I think that was my own fault. They never really said her age, and the way she was acting at the beginning of the book, I pictured her as about 11 or 12 for pretty much the entire book (except when she kissed Elias that I saw her as her own age during that scene). I had the same problem with Kitchen Girl/ Izzi.
This book was good, just not as good as I was hearing/expecting, hence why I give this a 3.5 out of 5.
I came into this book expecting it to be a stand alone. And that's what I thought for the majority of the book (until about 4 or 5 chapters away from the end actually). Now, this book has gotten nothing but rave reviews, and I would love to give this book five stars but... There's just one thing that really bothers me. Not the fact that it's a series, but the somewhat forced love triangles (though I wouldn't really call it that). One of my biggest problems with book-to-movie adaptations is the sudden love triangles they usually throw in to add some "flair" or to distance the movie from the original book. But it's rare to see it implemented in the original book (at least in my reading career it has been). And like I said earlier, the romance in this book isn't really a love triangle per say, it's just that the two main characters are in love with each other but can't be, so they fall in love with other side characters. Laia with Keenan (which I absolutely hate he was such an ass at the beginning you can't fall in love with that.) and Elias with Helene (makes sense since they're long time best friends but they didn't handle it well.) . My only other problem is one that this book shares with Red Rising, the main characters have someone they love taken from them at the very beginning of the book and they're main goal is centered around this taken character. But since it happens so early on in the book (first chapter in Ember in the Ashes) you have no connections to them. Darin, Laias brother that got kidnapped in the first chapter, was Laias main encouragement, and he was mentioned at least every few pages. And I didn't care! I had absolutely no time to bond with him so I felt no emotion when he got captured.
Enough of the bad things, let's talk about the things I enjoyed. The writing style for instance. ITS SO GOOOOD. Tahir writes in beautiful similes and metaphors, some of which go on for multiple lines. I had some difficulty visualizing the fight scenes, but the world was easy, especially with the map. I only had trouble visualizing one character and that was Laia, but I think that was my own fault. They never really said her age, and the way she was acting at the beginning of the book, I pictured her as about 11 or 12 for pretty much the entire book (except when she kissed Elias that I saw her as her own age during that scene). I had the same problem with Kitchen Girl/ Izzi.
This book was good, just not as good as I was hearing/expecting, hence why I give this a 3.5 out of 5.
jennderqueer's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing. Laia's brother has been kidnapped by the Empire and she'll do anything she can to save him. Elias is trapped in a fate not of his own choosing and is desperate for a way out. Intrigue and adventure, this is the beginning of a 4 book series and I can't wait to start book 2.