An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
An Ember in the Ashes
Bibliography
Tahir, Sabaa. 2015. An Ember
in the Ashes. New York, NY:
Razorbill. ISBN 9781595148049
Plot
Summary
Laia is a Scholar whose parents were murdered by Martials,
specifically Masks, along with her grandparents. The Martials have also imprisoned her only
living relative, her brother Darin.
Elias is a Mask, son of the Commander of Blackcliff, the school that
trains Masks. Elias, who was about to
desert the Masks after graduation, has been named an Aspirant in the Trials,
the winner of which will become the next emperor since the current house or
Gens, has no heir. Laia would do
anything to save her brother, so she finds the Resistance and goes undercover
as a slave, the Commander's servant, at Blackcliff. Elias and Laia's paths cross and eventually
their lives become intertwined as their friendship develops. Unfortunately, Elias does not win the Trials
because he refuses to kill Laia after losing several comrades and friends in
the last Trial by his hand, even almost killing his best friend Helene, who has
been like a sister to him since they started at Blackcliff. Marcus becomes the new emperor with Helene
as his second, and Elias is sentenced to death.
As recompense for helping her and refusing to kill her, Laia, with the
help of her fellow slaves, save Elias milliseconds before his execution. The book ends with Elias and Laia setting out
to rescue Darin from prison.
Critical
Analysis
The unique, dystopian world of Serra is purely fictional with no
basis in the real world, but desert setting and style of clothing described
gives off Middle Eastern vibes. Magical
beings exist in this world, including immortal augurs, wraiths, jinn, and the
Nightbringer. The time frame is not
given, but there is little mention of technology, which gives the feeling that
the novel took place in the past.
Tahir's method of storytelling alternates between the main
characters, Elias and Laia. While it
makes the story seem a little disconnected at the beginning, after a few
chapters we really get a sense of how the lives of Laia and Elias will become
intertwined. It's also interesting to get two different perspectives of the
same events.
The events and history described in the book also blur the lines
of right versus wrong. The Martials
think they are doing what is right and that the Scholars deserve what happened
to them since they grew greedy for the efrit's power, but to the Scholars who
know nothing of this history, they are being unjustly punished and persecuted. In the third Trial, Elias is forced to kill
his friends in battle, but it is accepted because it is part of the trial and
if he didn't, he would have lost and died himself. During the fourth Trial, Elias refuses to
take another life and is willing to sacrifice his own, and it is then that we
see his potential to break the unjust system that rules Serra. Tahir does an excellent job of setting up for
the sequel and leaves the reader wanting to know what happens next.
Review
Excerpts
Horn Book
Guide 10/1/2015
"This epic debut, set in a fantasy empire
with nods to ancient Rome and Egypt, relates the intersecting struggles of
Elias, an elite enforcer, and Laia, a Resistance spy. Nuanced, multileveled
world-building provides a dynamic backdrop for an often brutal exploration of
moral ambiguity and the power of empathy. A compelling emergent romance is only
one reason among many to anticipate the sequel."
Publishers Weekly Starred 2/2/2015 by
Alexandra Machinist
"Tahir’s deft, polished debut alternates
between two very different perspectives on the same brutal world, deepening
both in the contrast. In a tale brimming with political intrigue and haunted by
supernatural forces, the true tension comes from watching Elias and Laia
struggle to decide where their loyalties lie."
Connections
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