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I’ll probably come back to this review later but I just wanted to speak with the raw feelings cuz I just finished the book— literally tried everything to read the final part as I was crying non stop for 2 hours… unbelievable and shocking for me, I had to take breaks.
While I was reading the book, I actually thought it was a little too long, but as I kept reading and the story got closer to its end, I realized that it wasn't. It was beautiful, it really was. Ugh— I don’t know how to put it into words, my heart is shattered but also at the same time I’m happy with how this series ended. So many feelings that I don’t know how to express at the moment…
I love the characters so much, I don’t think I will every forget them. How each one of them carries so much depth, so much love… I just can’t fathom it. And I think I won’t be able to talk about every one of them but Elias… he is absolutely everything to me. his brave, caring, unyielding, self sacrificing spirit, his love and loyalty for his beloved, his love and loyalty for his people (not just him but also Laia, Helene, and the everyone who has suffered…)—ever since the time I read the first book I knew that he immediately became one of my fav character ever. I just love him so so so so much.
Was going through the pages that I noted and I realized how Laia’s thinking and the way she speaks is just so beautiful and admirable—especially the moment where Elias asked how to they go on if they don’t know if the happiness, the joy will be taken away, and Laia answered as “I don’t think the answer is in words, love. I think it is in living. In finding joy, however small, in every day.” I love Laia :( I’ll always remember this. ALWAYS. we need to cherish every second of each moment we have with our loved ones, we need to live EVERY second like its our last, we need to find the joy whether its small or not. And just do our best to continue.
While I was reading the book, I actually thought it was a little too long, but as I kept reading and the story got closer to its end, I realized that it wasn't. It was beautiful, it really was. Ugh— I don’t know how to put it into words, my heart is shattered but also at the same time I’m happy with how this series ended. So many feelings that I don’t know how to express at the moment…
I love the characters so much, I don’t think I will every forget them. How each one of them carries so much depth, so much love… I just can’t fathom it. And I think I won’t be able to talk about every one of them but Elias… he is absolutely everything to me. his brave, caring, unyielding, self sacrificing spirit, his love and loyalty for his beloved, his love and loyalty for his people (not just him but also Laia, Helene, and the everyone who has suffered…)—ever since the time I read the first book I knew that he immediately became one of my fav character ever. I just love him so so so so much.
Was going through the pages that I noted and I realized how Laia’s thinking and the way she speaks is just so beautiful and admirable—especially the moment where Elias asked how to they go on if they don’t know if the happiness, the joy will be taken away, and Laia answered as “I don’t think the answer is in words, love. I think it is in living. In finding joy, however small, in every day.” I love Laia :( I’ll always remember this. ALWAYS. we need to cherish every second of each moment we have with our loved ones, we need to live EVERY second like its our last, we need to find the joy whether its small or not. And just do our best to continue.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I loved this series so much! The characters are so well developed throughout and you learn so much more about the world. Everything came together in the end and it was heartbreaking.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
This whole series was good. Was it great? Nah. But I did like it, especially books 1 and 2.
That said, partway through this book I found myself wondering if I really needed to know how it ended. There’s just so much to it and so many layers that I feel like each book kept adding unnecessary complexity. It felt impossible to know where any character was in the physical world of the Empire at any time. I liked the characters, especially in the first and second book. But by this book they all became kind of muddy and I sometimes didn’t know whose perspective I was reading. I wish the story wasn’t so vast and convoluted. The end in particular was just annoying because it was all like “oh here’s a convenient way to solve everyone’s problems”. I don’t know, maybe I’m too cynical, but the deus-ex-machina aspect to fantasy books is kind of killing me. Like, can no struggle be solved just by the characters alone? There always has to be some outside force or some random savior that’ll solve the problems?
As a series, it was fine. If the three main characters were portrayed as they are in this book from book 1 though, I never would have picked up book 2. It’s like they all forgot who they were and while I get that war changes you and fighting epic fantasy beings is going to alter you, it’s like they all became either mopey, or unfeeling, or just totally disconnected from who they were at the start.
I’d say read it if you’re looking for a fantasy series and don’t have any other ones on your TBR list. Otherwise, probably not worth the effort in my opinion.
I think I need a break from epic fantasies for a bit after this one.
That said, partway through this book I found myself wondering if I really needed to know how it ended. There’s just so much to it and so many layers that I feel like each book kept adding unnecessary complexity. It felt impossible to know where any character was in the physical world of the Empire at any time. I liked the characters, especially in the first and second book. But by this book they all became kind of muddy and I sometimes didn’t know whose perspective I was reading. I wish the story wasn’t so vast and convoluted. The end in particular was just annoying because it was all like “oh here’s a convenient way to solve everyone’s problems”. I don’t know, maybe I’m too cynical, but the deus-ex-machina aspect to fantasy books is kind of killing me. Like, can no struggle be solved just by the characters alone? There always has to be some outside force or some random savior that’ll solve the problems?
As a series, it was fine. If the three main characters were portrayed as they are in this book from book 1 though, I never would have picked up book 2. It’s like they all forgot who they were and while I get that war changes you and fighting epic fantasy beings is going to alter you, it’s like they all became either mopey, or unfeeling, or just totally disconnected from who they were at the start.
I’d say read it if you’re looking for a fantasy series and don’t have any other ones on your TBR list. Otherwise, probably not worth the effort in my opinion.
I think I need a break from epic fantasies for a bit after this one.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
I’m sad this series is over, I really enjoyed the story and the different twists and turns. I do think this was a bit of a lukewarm ending that tended to focus a bit more on the relationships vs. the plot, but I also think the relationships are an important part of the story.
𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 4/5⭐️
𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮 1/5🌶️
A Sky Beyond the Storm is the final book in the An Ember in the Ashes series by Sabaa Tahir. This picks up a few months after book 3 ends. The jinn are on the attack, The Commandant declares herself empress, Laia, The Blood Shrike, and Elias are all doing what they can to stop this war,
Okay, I have been loving this series so much but I just didn’t love it as much as the other three. It was still a fantastic book and it is personal preference. There is so much going on in this book which is up to par with the others in the series but there really was no slowing down, no deep soul searching and processing all that was happening.
The character development throughout the book was fantastic. Elias goes through so much and fights so hard to get back to himself. Laia suffers so much and some things really bothered me but alas I did not write the book so the ending is the ending, but I am glad she got a little semblance of a happy ending.
I really really love Helene. She might be my fave of the whole series. Her emotional growth is superb. I didn’t love her ending…. But I love her so it works!
Overall a really decent finish to a wonderful series. Honestly still think it is highly underrated and needs more hype!