Reviews tagging 'Racism'

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

29 reviews

emilywemily6's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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? No

5.0

Wow. Just wow… this book was a lot emotionally. I found myself so invested that I couldn’t look away even if I was so scared for the fates of these characters. There are high stakes all over the place!! The writing is beautiful, the characters are dynamic and nuanced, and I just want more. While classified as a YA fantasy, it wasn’t written with immature characters or simplistic writing. Even if it was put in the adult section, I would still give this five stars. I cannot start the next book fast enough.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Child abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Bullying, Grief, Slavery, Physical abuse, Torture, Racism, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Police brutality

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Death of parent, Cursing, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, and Child death

Minor: Suicide, Vomit, Medical content, and Pregnancy

alexijai98's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Confinement, Abandonment, Blood, Violence, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Torture

chrisb913's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

Please check trigger warnings.

This book was outstanding. Sabaa Tahir has provided such a captivating and brutal world to explore. This story is a dual pov between Laia (a member of the Scholars) and Elias (a member of the Martials) as they navigate their incredibly different lives. Centuries ago, the Martials conquered the lands and established a dynasty. Today the Scholars are an oppressed people looking to just survive. Though, not all of them are willing to live under the oppression of the Martials. Due to circumstances, Laia joins up with the Resistence to try and overthrow the ruling class. Meanwhile, Elias has spent his entire life training to become one of the elite guards of the Martials all the while despising them and scheming to run away. The story follows these two incredible characters as they navigate the intricacies of this harsh political system, just trying to survive. I found this an incredible start to this saga and cannot recommend it enough. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Racial slurs, Death, Xenophobia, Violence, Murder, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Racism

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Suicide

linde_ahobbit's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.25

A great book that keeps you interested and on your toes. It's well written, in a way that makes it easy to get lost in the book. Only the romance(s) felt a bit lackluster to me. I would've loved it more if it had begun with a friendship instead of instant attraction. But that might be just me. I will read the rest of the series for sure.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, and Sexual assault

risten's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, Torture, Slavery, Classism, Child abuse, Blood, Murder, Death, War, and Child death

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Medical content, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Grief, Gore, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Trafficking, and Suicide

Minor: Stalking, Sexual content, Vomit, Self harm, Abortion, Alcohol, and Animal death

cemmalyn12's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Racism, Colonisation, Death, Murder, War, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Rape, and Genocide

pumpkincore's review against another edition

I liked a couple of the side characters, but couldn't get into the main perspectives enough to wait for their appearances. The writing was fine, if a little lazy and predictable. The world building was lazier. Do it or don't.

There's an audience out there, and I've recommended it to several friends who I think would enjoy it more than me. I read the first half and then skimmed the second half for book club. Nothing caught my interest enough to make me slow down, so I'm not considering it "Read."

I am also desperately exhausted by the constant rape allusions, especially in a YA book. This book should have the characters aged up 3 years and thrown into adult fantasy. The plot doesn't fit the ages. I threw all of the CWs in graphic because they come up a lot and are intrinsic to the plot, regardless of how they're described.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, War, Racism, Police brutality, Torture, Slavery, Trafficking, and Suicide

chronicacademia's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Slavery, Torture, Classism, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Death, Racism, and Child abuse

Moderate: Abandonment, Gore, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Ableism, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Hate crime

alexasolis98's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

First, I do not understand how this book is marketed as YA. 
As for my reread of this book after 9 years, this book hurts so much. There is so much darkness yet people are still able to have hope and kindness. I worry about Helene, Laia and Elias. I don't trust Keenan. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, Kidnapping, Slavery, Torture, Murder, Child abuse, Sexism, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Racism, and Police brutality

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Abortion

unsuccessfulbookclub's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Child death, Blood, War, Torture, Slavery, Child abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Vomit and Rape