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marikombaba's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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
4.0
suchonalways__'s review against another edition
5.0
"Dead is dead, no matter how it happens"
Sabaa Tahir is such a brilliant author. She writes every character so beautifully and yet they are all so different.
The story starts with Laia's grandparents being killed and brother being taken away by Martials , the army of Emperor. Laia is a scholar, the lower class of the society, who are constantly being tortured by Emperor, who are sold and bought as slaves, who are rebel against the unfair cast and class system. But this story starts when Laia goes on a mission to save the last living member of her family.
Then we meet Elias, a martial. He was trained all his life to prey on scholars, to always put duty first, over anything and everything. But he is more than that. He sees what his kind does to innocent people, he sees how he is the very things he hate and it was the conflict between his duty and his heart that drives him to find what he really wants to do with his life. His pain, dilemma, conflict, relationships are so heartbreaking that with all I have I wanted to protect him.
And finally my most favourite character, Helene. She is not your everyday righteous character. For her duty comes first but even before that comes her love. She is everything I wish I could be.
This a high paced character driven fantasy and there's not a single page you would want to skip. these 3 are our main characters and this book is written from the pov of Elias and Laia.
But just Laia's journey isn't soul of the book. this book is more than that. There is a strong political story that plays a great role in their journey. The world building is so beautiful and magical and vivid :")
More than Laia's brother's life is at stake, the Empire, the desnity of people everything.
The most beautiful characters are - Elias, Helene, Izzi.
The most interestng characters are- Commandant, Cook
The most hater characters of mine are- Keenan, Mazen, Marcus
Sabaa Tahir is such a brilliant author. She writes every character so beautifully and yet they are all so different.
The story starts with Laia's grandparents being killed and brother being taken away by Martials , the army of Emperor. Laia is a scholar, the lower class of the society, who are constantly being tortured by Emperor, who are sold and bought as slaves, who are rebel against the unfair cast and class system. But this story starts when Laia goes on a mission to save the last living member of her family.
Then we meet Elias, a martial. He was trained all his life to prey on scholars, to always put duty first, over anything and everything. But he is more than that. He sees what his kind does to innocent people, he sees how he is the very things he hate and it was the conflict between his duty and his heart that drives him to find what he really wants to do with his life. His pain, dilemma, conflict, relationships are so heartbreaking that with all I have I wanted to protect him.
And finally my most favourite character, Helene. She is not your everyday righteous character. For her duty comes first but even before that comes her love. She is everything I wish I could be.
This a high paced character driven fantasy and there's not a single page you would want to skip. these 3 are our main characters and this book is written from the pov of Elias and Laia.
But just Laia's journey isn't soul of the book. this book is more than that. There is a strong political story that plays a great role in their journey. The world building is so beautiful and magical and vivid :")
More than Laia's brother's life is at stake, the Empire, the desnity of people everything.
The most beautiful characters are - Elias, Helene, Izzi.
The most interestng characters are- Commandant, Cook
The most hater characters of mine are- Keenan, Mazen, Marcus
sotet_demonom's review against another edition
4.0
This was pretty good for a YA novel slash start to a series. The characters were well done. I also enjoyed the multiple POVs. About half way through I had to switch to audio to adult, and the audio was well done as well. There were a few things that were predictable, but Im looking forward to seeing where the rest of this series goes.
love_your_shelf's review against another edition
5.0
I liked this book more than when I read it the first time so I am changing my rating to a 4.5 stars. Closer to a 5 than a 4 though.
books_and_mushrooms's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
4.25
cbleyer's review against another edition
4.0
“You are an ember in the ashes, Elias Veturius. You will spark and burn, ravage and destroy. You cannot change it. You cannot stop it.”
“You are full, Laia. Full of life and dark and strength and spirit. You are in our dreams. You will burn, for you are an ember in the ashes. That is your destiny.”
In a mix between The Hunger Games and Red Queen, Laia, a common girl becomes a slave of the ruthless ruler of a school that trains murderous warriors (masks) for the Empire. All in order to save her brother. Meanwhile, a newly initiated mask, Elias, is planning his escape. He hates all that he has been forced to do to survive. The fatalities he has caused. But, the trials, a competition to choose a new Emperor affect Elias’ escape plan. Did I mention that Elias’ mother is the commandment? And there’s a love triangle?
I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. It had the perfect mix of romance, action, and a complex storyline. Also, the fantasy elements weren’t so prominent that they seemed like legend, which is an aspect I hate in books.
I also love the main characters- they are strong in their morals and want to escape tyranny and gain freedom. But, they also want to save others in the process.
Quotes
“You have no name. No identity. You are a slave. That is all you are. That is all you will ever be.”
“I’m faced with a slave-girl looking up at me through impossibly long eyelashes. A heated, visceral shock flares through me at the clarity of her dark gold eyes. For a second, I forget my name. I’ve never seen her before, because if I had, I’d remember.”
“All the beauty of the stars means nothing when life here on earth is so ugly.”
“The moment I knew you existed,”—her voice is soft—“I hated you…Take comfort in knowing that your death will give your mother peace. That the gnawing sense of wrong that has haunted me for twenty years will be set right. I’ll be free.”
“You are full, Laia. Full of life and dark and strength and spirit. You are in our dreams. You will burn, for you are an ember in the ashes. That is your destiny.”
In a mix between The Hunger Games and Red Queen, Laia, a common girl becomes a slave of the ruthless ruler of a school that trains murderous warriors (masks) for the Empire. All in order to save her brother. Meanwhile, a newly initiated mask, Elias, is planning his escape. He hates all that he has been forced to do to survive. The fatalities he has caused. But, the trials, a competition to choose a new Emperor affect Elias’ escape plan. Did I mention that Elias’ mother is the commandment? And there’s a love triangle?
I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. It had the perfect mix of romance, action, and a complex storyline. Also, the fantasy elements weren’t so prominent that they seemed like legend, which is an aspect I hate in books.
I also love the main characters- they are strong in their morals and want to escape tyranny and gain freedom. But, they also want to save others in the process.
Quotes
“You have no name. No identity. You are a slave. That is all you are. That is all you will ever be.”
“I’m faced with a slave-girl looking up at me through impossibly long eyelashes. A heated, visceral shock flares through me at the clarity of her dark gold eyes. For a second, I forget my name. I’ve never seen her before, because if I had, I’d remember.”
“All the beauty of the stars means nothing when life here on earth is so ugly.”
“The moment I knew you existed,”—her voice is soft—“I hated you…Take comfort in knowing that your death will give your mother peace. That the gnawing sense of wrong that has haunted me for twenty years will be set right. I’ll be free.”
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.