A review by courtofsmutandstuff
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

4.0

The beginning is a little slow, but the book is action packed and engaging. A lot, and I mean A LOT of terrible stuff happens to the characters, so buyer beware if that is a turn off. Elias and Laia are good point of view characters and you care for them, though the sheer amount of misfortune and immorality they experience can almost be desensitizing. 
The Empire is clearly reminiscent of Rome, and is similar to the Winner's Curse series (an Empire solider befriends a slave, they fight to right Empire wrongs), but I liked this better, mainly because of the fast pace. If you're interested in fictional Romes and Empires, you'll definitely enjoy this book.
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