Skip to main content

An Ember in the Ashes

 

(Picture from Goodreads.com)

1.       Bibliography


Tahir, Sabaa. 2015. AN EMBER IN THE ASHES. New York, NY: Penguin Random House.
               ISBN 978-1-595-14804-9

2.       Plot Summary

Laia lives in the Quarter, which is the impoverished part of the Empire, with her grandparents and brother Darin. Laia is worried about her brother’s actions, he’s been sneaking out a night and being suspicious, so when he family is raided and her brother arrested for treason, she is not surprised. What is surprising (or maybe not) is that her grandparents are killed, and she is left on her own.

“Mask” is the title given to the higher up soldiers, even those about to graduate from Black Cliff Military Academy. As the name implies, they wear a mask of copper-plated armor that fuses to their faces. Elias is one of these Masks. He is contemplating deserting the school, and the Empire, despite being one of the top soldiers the school has ever seen.

Laia finds the rebel group that conspires against the Empire and in exchange for them helping her find her brother, she agrees to spy for them. Laia becomes a servant for Elias’ mother, the Commandant of the military. While serving for her, Laia meets Elias. They soon find their fates intertwined, and help each other to survive, and in the end, they are able to escape together, but the fight is just beginning.

3.       Critical Analysis

Books told from dual perspectives have become increasingly popular. Tahir’s novel is told from Laia’s perspective, a poor girl on the run turned spy after her family is broken, and Elias who is solider of the Empire, and Laia’s enemy. The reader gets perspective from characters on both sides of the world. This helps make the story believable and relatable because you experience the thoughts and feelings of both characters. Laia deserves our sympathy because she is motivated to help those she loves. Elias has a troubled background that also draws sympathy from the reader and also provides motivation for his actions.

This fantasy world has elements of science and some magical elements. Combining these elements into intricate details, Tahir explains and describes her world in a way that is not overwhelming to the reader, but is still complex. The government being in control of the people, and the rebel protest is a common trope in fantasy literature that is believable and easy to follow. In the book Tahir also includes maps. There is a map of the Empire and of Blackcliff Academy.

There are magical elements where the Augurs are immortal and they can read minds. They use their powers to put hallucinations into other minds as well. They can use these powers for good or evil and adds suspense to what could happen next.

There is some mature language and content as rape and sex are discussed and the characters drink wine. Graphic violence is also described. There are many physical fights, tortures, and war battles that go into detail. This could be too much for some younger students, so this book is more appropriate for high school audiences and above.

 

4.       Awards/ Reviews

·       Time Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time

·       Time Magazine’s 100 Best YA Books of All Time

·       Amazon's Best Young Adult Book of 2015

·       People's Choice Award winner - Favorite Fantasy

·       Bustle's Best Young Adult Book of 2015

·       “This novel is a harrowing, haunting reminder of what it means to be human — and how hope might be kindled in the midst of oppression and fear.” — The Washington Post

·       “An Ember in the Ashes could launch Sabaa Tahir into JK Rowling territory…It has the addictive quality of The Hunger Games combined with the fantasy of Harry Potter and the brutality of Game of Thrones.”—Public Radio International

·       "An Ember in the Ashes glows, burns, and smolders—as beautiful and radiant as it is searing."—Huffington Post

·       “A worthy novel – and one as brave as its characters.” —The New York Times Book Review

5.       Connections

 

This is a good book for teens that like fantasy series. This series contains four books that takes you through different adventures in the same world.

 

Fans of Ancient Rome and Middle East mythology. The first book is inspired by Ancient Rome and Tahir Sabaa uses her background being a woman of Middle East decent to add her culture and history into the series.  

 

Users that like dual perspectives would also like this book since it is told from Elias’ and Laia’s points of view.  


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Snowy Day (Picture Book)

  1.       (Photo: Goodreads.com)   BIBLIOGRAPHY Keats, Ezra. 1962. THE SNOWY DAY. New York, NY: Viking Press. ISBN 978-0-670-01270-1 2.        PLOT SUMMARY A young boy wakes up to discover that snow has fallen during the night. He goes on an adventure by himself to explore the winter wonderland. He finds his own adventures, and watches older children play in a way he cannot yet. He returns home and reflects on the day, hopefully the snow won’t be gone. He tries to keep a snowball in his snowsuit pocket as he gets ready for bed, but is saddened when he finds it already gone! He dreams that the sun came out and melted all the snow. The next day he wakes up delighted to find there is more snow and chooses to find a friend to explore with. 3.        CRITICAL ANALYSIS At first appearance, The Snow Day , appears simple, but the message is complex. When the main character, Peter, is out on...
Post a Comment
Read more

These Violent Delights

  (picture from Goodreads.com) 1.        Bibliography   Gong, Chloe. 2020. THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS. New York, NY: Margaret K.. McElderry Books.               ISBN 978-1-5344-5769-0 2.        Plot Summary In a fun play on “Romeo and Juliet,” Gong’s novel takes place in 1926 Shanghai. Keeping the rivalry between two gangs a prominent story line, the book focuses on Juliette Cai, an eighteen-year-old young woman who is heir to the Scarlet Gang and her rival Roma Montagov, the heir to the White Flowers. The blood feud between these two gangs dates back generations, and the rivalry makes anyone involved in illegal trades have to pick sides. When a contagion starts infesting their people, making them claw out their own throats, Roma and Juliette find themselves forced to solve the mystery together. The problem is, they have to put aside their famil...
Post a Comment
Read more

The War That Saved My Life

  (Picture from Goodreads.com) 1.        Bibliography Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker. 2015. THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE . Narrated by Jayne Entwistle. [Audiobook]. Follet Audiobook. Solon, OH: Findaway World. ISBN 978-1-101-89062-2   2.        Plot Summary Ten-year-old Ada have never left the apartment she shares with her brother and mother. Her mother, being humiliated by Ada’s club foot, does not allow her to leave, ever. When World War II comes to London, Ada devises a plan to escape with her brother who is being evacuated with the other children. Ada and Jamie end up with Susan Smith, who wants nothing to do with them, ends up taking them in. Ada learns how to ride a pony, makes friends, and starts walking with the help of crutches. Slowly but surely, Susan grows to love the children and they create an unbreakable bond. The question was, when or if will their mother come get them? When their mother finally arr...
Post a Comment
Read more