ohkmurr 's review for:

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

5.0

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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 If I thought the stakes in An Ember in the Ashes were high, A Torch Against the Night skyrocketed them. From the very start, we have a classic countdown disease—a trope I love, which can also be difficult to pull off in a way that doesn't feel like a gimmick. 

The story is absolutely incredible, and I did not see quite a few of the plot twists coming. I will forever be amazed at Tahir's world-building and storytelling ability.

I'm also a bit embarrassed by how long it took me to realize that this story is basically World War II: a woman hell-bent on eradicating an entire race of people, a warden who performs experiments on people at a prison that all but guarantees a slow and painful death.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder

Again, the violence/body horror is "Game of Thrones Lite," and similar to the violence described in Grady Hendrix's works/Stephen King's works.