Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

47 reviews

what_karla_reads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Torture, Kidnapping, Blood, Bullying, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Death, and Classism

esconce's review against another edition

adventurous challenging tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I have read this whole series but just wanted to write my final reviews, the characters in this book definitely get better as the story and series as a whole progresses. I personally really disliked Helene in the beginning but over time she became my favorite character by the end of the series. It definitely has a couple “Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire” sort of moments, but it deals with a surprising amount of classism racism and more that honestly just fits really well. The world building is just top tier and Keenan stays as one of my favorite characters from the beginning to the end. :D 9/10 would read again

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Classism, Cursing, Hate crime, Death, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Racism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Sexual harassment

takarakei's review against another edition

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? Yes

4.25

If you like books where no one is who they say they are and you don't know who you can trust... this is it! It's very dark, honestly I am surprised this is labeled as YA. Besides it following young adults and them all being horny teenagers, the subject matter that this deals with is very adult (see TW). I really enjoyed the dual POVs, world building, and the mysterious qualities. It is very attention grabbing and interesting right from the get-go, and it was a very unique concept. I can feel a much more intriguing plot line to come in the rest of the series...

You have a soul. It's damaged, but it's there. Don't let them take it from you...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Torture, Physical abuse, Death, Child death, Sexual harassment, Confinement, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: War, Rape, Colonisation, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Genocide, Misogyny, and Grief

Minor: Abortion, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Death of parent

This is an extremely dark book hence the long list of TW Rape/SA - there is none graphic on page, but rape is referred to a lot (seems to be common occurrence in this world) and

a main character nearly is raped on page

shalladin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark slow-paced

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

1.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Torture, Trafficking, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Sexual violence, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, Classism, Death, and Misogyny

darlinglu's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

This was a suprisingly fast-paced book and got me out of my reading slump.

First, I did not expect this book to be dark and I'm not sure if this would be even considered YA given it doesn't beat around the bush when it comes to sensitive topics. 
I like both Laia and Elias as characters. I appreciate that Laia, as a character, has insecurities and fears that she wants to surpass through the book. I am hoping for more character development for them, as well as Helene. While I think there is good in her, I believe she mostly only helped Laia because of Elias.

In terms of plot, I think it'll expand more in the next plot, however, a lot of things have aleready happened, there are stoll some unanswered questions.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Violence, Sexual harassment, and Sexism

Moderate: Colonisation, Death of parent, War, Rape, Physical abuse, Torture, and Blood

samasaurus_reads'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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Slavery, Child abuse, Child death, Murder, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, and Rape

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

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