Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

49 reviews

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.

---

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

redhothabanero's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.5

This is a very good book with great world building. However, it had some things that reminded me a lot of The Children of Blood and Bone (which I know was published later but just so happens that I read TCOBAB first so that's where my mind would go. Which btw if you haven't read it then you should. It's really good and slightly better than this one IMHO). I really liked the characters in this book and I will for sure read the other ones in the series. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Murder, Rape, Child abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Child death, Grief, Slavery, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Confinement, Torture, Death, Kidnapping, Racism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Violence, and War

taliatalksbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.5

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir is your next must-read fantasy obsession. This book hooked me from page one, and I flew through it in less than two days. I think the characters are interesting and dynamic, not to mention the way it focuses separately on each important character’s story then masterfully weaves the threads together to form the larger narrative, even as characters are sharing experiences. If you’ve been following me for a while you know I typically hate books with shifting perspectives, but I think Tahir does a great job here making each character’s voice unique. I promise you’re going to want to have the next book lined up and waiting—I know I did! Definitely add this to your TBR without a doubt. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Grief, Murder, Police brutality, War, Classism, and Slavery

imds's review against another edition

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Death, Confinement, Kidnapping, Trafficking, and Violence

Minor: Abortion

josefinemartensson's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Torture, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Grief, Trafficking, Death of parent, Blood, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Death

veeronald's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? No

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Colonisation, Violence, Rape, Child abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, Police brutality, and Confinement

Moderate: Classism, Torture, Blood, Sexual content, Suicide, Trafficking, Genocide, Child abuse, Murder, Vomit, Bullying, Colonisation, and Death

Minor: War, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

rinku's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.5

 I was so hyped to read An Ember in the Ashes, but it was a bit underwhelming, even though the beginning was so promising. I still gave it 3.5 stars and I’m curious how the series will continue. 

Like I’ve said, the dark start of the story was so promising. We get to know the two different POV characters: Laia witnesses how her grandparents are killed right in front of her eyes and has to flee from home to survive. She lands with the rebels for whom she has to become a spy at the training academy for soldiers. The second POV character is Elias, son of the leader of the training academy, who wants to desert but decides last minute not to. After becoming a solider, he has to take part in a battle to become the next Emperor. 

What I furthermore liked about both story lines is that they are so plot driven and that the stakes are so high for both of them. Some moments were a bit more predictable, like

the blacksmith helping Laia, the Commander seeing that she opened a seal, or Laia and Elias not actually dying in the end

, but most of the story was interesting. My only problem is that it was just too long; the book would’ve worked perfectly with 50 or 100 fewer pages. 

In comparison, the dramatic ending was so good, besides

the task where they were forced to kill each other. Of course, this moment was dramatic and well written, but this task didn’t make so much sense to me; why would the academy want to sacrifice so many of their best soldiers

? Anyways, it was predictable that

the rebels lied Laia, and that the Commander knew the truth about Laia all along. This all doesn’t matter for the fourth test of the Emperor battle were they should kill Laia. Elias is of course not able to do that, but Marcus is, so he becomes the new Emperor and Helena his deputy

. 

I also really liked the world, how it’s inspired by the Roman empire and how dark it is. The settings, like the academy, were also great but I was a bit disappointed that there’s only one female student. From a story telling perspective, there were too many monologues for my taste, and I found it stupid how characters talked loudly about their secret plans. 

Coming to the characters, I was not the biggest fan of them. I found Laia’s character a bit stereotypical and she was quite stupid in some moments. Same goes Elias, I don’t know why he acted so suspicious when he was trying to desert at the beginning. It also annoyed me how, of course, he has to be the best student for decades. Their romance was an insta love and so cliché since, according to Elias, Laia doesn’t know how beautiful she is and she has to talk about his “manly” smell, urgh. 

What was worse about the romance was that both of them had a love triangle. I first liked Helena, but she got so unnecessary jealous and her love for Elias became her only character trait that I couldn’t stand her anymore. There’s so much lack of communication between them which would solve their problems easily. On the other side, Elias is very jealous of the other rebel guy who’s in love with Laia (I genuinely can’t remember his name) as well. 

An Ember in the Ashes is a more interesting YA high fantasy read because of its dark plot and its interesting world. Compared to this, the characters are not that great, but this can change with the following books. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Violence, Death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Torture

Moderate: Grief, Rape, Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Suicide and War

devinder's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

 I absolutely LOVE Elias and Laia. They're vibrant characters, and DIVERSE. They are morally grey, complicated, and a little messed up in the head, but ultimately their character arcs are so SO satisfying to witness (even if by the end of this first book, they're not entirely completely new people). And the side character made me cry and scream so the whole line-up is so strong.

The multiple POVs are probably the biggest reasons why this book is irresistible each of the chapters changes from Laia to Elias and back and it almost always ends on a cliffhanger. Each of the plots interwoven and are is completely compelling.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Slavery, War, Death, Sexual assault, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood

Moderate: Physical abuse, Death of parent, Rape, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Racism and Trafficking

booksanna's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

Emotional. This book activated so many feelings in me, I am still baffled by the effect. This book has the perfect formula of good plot + interesting characters + a little humor + a sprinkle of romance+ of tragedy= Masterpiece. The plot had very good plot twists and wasn’t impossible to follow(although sometimes very hard). I loved the system and world-building this book provided, the diversity of each characters background. The characters weren’t just a slave girl, or a ruthless mask, a heartless mother. They were so much more and more. I truly loved the 2 point of view system(personally it’s my favorite). Even the language and small details like drums. I liked the mystery the plot delivered and sometimes flow of events was really frustrating and surprising. The characters were so well-developed and thought out like every time I though i was going to stop liking Helen, she would grow on me in another way. Although this book was V-E-R-Y grotesque and disgusting sometimes(so much I had to forcefully suppress my gags), it made the experience so much more realistic and meaningful. Overall a pretty good book that pumped me of adrenaline, worry, and a little sarcasm.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Colonisation, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, War, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Gore, Gaslighting, Death, and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Rape, and Sexual content

liveyour_story's review against another edition

adventurous 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery and Racism

Moderate: Colonisation

Minor: Rape