Reviews tagging 'Blood'

A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir

45 reviews

cosmic_kurt's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful 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: Gore, Violence, War, Child death, Genocide, Death, Death of parent, and Grief

Moderate: Child abuse, Slavery, Abandonment, Blood, and Torture

readingelli's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Blood, Death, War, Grief, and Murder

rexpostfacto's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Violence, and War

Moderate: Racism, Slavery, Xenophobia, Murder, Death of parent, and Blood

Minor: Child death

sahramahtab's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

"A Sky Beyond the Storm" by Sabaa Tahir marks the bittersweet end of a beautiful series, leaving me with a lingering sense of sadness. Accidentally spoiling myself through fanart didn't diminish the impact of the heart-wrenching moments, each one still carrying its painful weight.

While I cherished every second with the characters, I yearned for more happy endings for those we grew to love. The final book, although a gripping conclusion, left me wishing for additional Elias and Laia moments instead of Elias grappling with those trying to aid him.

Sabaa Tahir's skillful writing captivated me throughout the series, and even as this chapter closes, I eagerly anticipate discovering more of her work in the future. The Ember Quartet will undoubtedly hold a special place in my literary heart.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, War, Hate crime, Blood, Confinement, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Grief, and Murder

good_names_dont_exist's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Death, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Grief

booknerderika's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.75

A great end to a great series. 

This started out a little slow for my taste, but every scene felt necessary. Everything after 80% of the book was an emotional rollercoaster. I cried when certain characters died and cried again when their souls crossed over. Any book that makes me cry gets a high rating from me. The end gave me all the closure I wanted and I loved it. What an adventure this series has been. I'm sad to say goodbye but it feels right. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Kidnapping, Death, Blood, Death of parent, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Murder, War, Emotional abuse, Violence, and Gore

Moderate: Sexual content

theintrovertsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Child death, Blood, War, Sexual content, Grief, Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racial slurs, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Stalking, Physical abuse, Slavery, Xenophobia, Body horror, Racism, Gore, Cursing, and Genocide

Minor: Hate crime, Confinement, Animal death, Abandonment, Misogyny, and Infidelity

chronologically_charlie's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, and Slavery

Minor: Blood and Sexism

bzliz's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

I’m actually sad it took me so long to invest myself in this world because Sabaa Tahir is masterful at picking up plotlines laid throughout the rest of the series and giving them real stakes with incredibly complex characters who are very comfortable in their murky gray morality. There’s great payoff without making readers feel like they were purposely led astray with red herrings. 

Tahir’s female characters in particular show incredible growth and weave together strength with emotion. Laia’s story embodies the value of empathy and the final scene with Keris is utterly heartbreaking and shows that we as people can suffer greatly and it is our response to that suffering that shapes our future. Helene’s journey is my favorite. She began the series as the token girl having to fight twice as hard as the guys to command respect while nursing feelings for the main male character and being taught those feelings make her weak. She makes mistakes and does horrible things (and has horrible things happen to her) but she learns and grows as she unlearns the awful values passed on by previous generations of the Empire. 

There are some heartbreaking character deaths that make sense because of the brutal nature of this world and the Nightbringer’s plan, though that doesn’t make them hurt less. Without them, the story would have felt unbalanced and our main characters need that grief to become the people they’re meant to be. 

I cannot recommend this series highly enough! But mind the content warnings if you are sensitive to specific topics. 

Content warnings:
Blood, body horror, death, gore, injury, murder, violence, war (on page):

this is a story of war between human factions plus humans against magical beings. I don’t recommend this if you cannot stomach violence because it is graphic and prevalent.

Death of parent (on page, flashback):

Laia learns her mother is still alive and sees how her father and sister really died.

Domestic abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse (on page):

Marcus abuses his wife including while she is pregnant in order to emotionally manipulate Helene who is forced to endure her sister’s torment.

Fire/fire injury (on page):

The Jinn burn down a library containing information Laia needs and she is nearly trapped inside.

Classism (on page):

The aristocrats of the Empire actively look down on and rebel against Marcus because he is of a lower class than them.

Medical content, pregnancy (on page):

Medical content in the form of healing from battlefield injuries & pregnancy content. Livia is pregnant with Marcus’ heir and she experiences some complications including attempts at forcing a miscarriage. Laia delivers her baby during a battle.

Slavery (on page):

Scholars have long been enslaved by the Martials. Keris keeps slaves as she attempts her coup. Livia as Empress Regent frees the Scholars.

Sexism (on page):

Enemies actively look down on Helene for being a woman. Martial aristocrats do the same before being put in their places.

Sexual content (on page):

Consensual encounters between Helene & Avitas and between Laia & Elias. Generally non-graphic and centered on the emotional connection rather than the act itself.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Blood, Murder, Violence, War, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Classism

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Sexism, Medical content, Classism, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Slavery

esconce's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious 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

5.0

AHHH I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH. Its such a good conclusion and though I hate final books this one makes it seem so amazing.. especially with the final Laia POV and its just EEEEE. The Nightbringer POV also really just ads depth to the whole situation. There were really good plot twists and it was just a very fitting ending to one of my favorite book series ever.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Child death, Bullying, Blood, Death, War, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Sexism, Grief, Violence, Slavery, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis