Books.Paws
⭐⭐⭐ 3/5
An Ember in the Ashes was one of the strangest reading experiences I’ve had in a while.
The best way I can describe it is this: I never wanted to DNF it, but I never fell in love with it either.
The writing is incredibly easy to read. In fact, this might be the fastest I’ve ever finished a 450-page fantasy. The pages flew by, not because I couldn’t put it down, but because Sabaa Tahir’s writing is smooth and accessible.
My biggest issue was the characters.
As someone who reads fantasy mainly for unforgettable characters, I struggled to connect with both main protagonists. Laia spent most of the first book reacting instead of acting, although I finally started seeing her potential near the end. Elias, on the other hand, never fully worked for me. His internal conflict often felt repetitive rather than compelling, and the romance never convinced me emotionally. Instead of growing naturally, it sometimes felt like the story was telling me these characters had feelings for each other before I actually believed it.
The plot itself isn’t bad at all. It becomes much stronger in the final third, where the action finally picks up and I started seeing the direction of the series. The ending left me with something I hadn’t felt for most of the book: potential.
That’s probably the word that defines my experience.
Potential.
I can see these characters becoming much more interesting in the next books. I can see the world opening up. I can imagine the stakes getting higher. But I wish I had felt that excitement much earlier instead of waiting until the last 150 pages.
This isn’t a bad book by any means. It simply wasn’t the emotional experience I was hoping for. I wanted characters I couldn’t stop thinking about, relationships that built themselves naturally, and a story that completely consumed me. Instead, I spent most of the book feeling like I was waiting for it to truly begin.
Will I continue the series?
Honestly… maybe.
The ending gave me just enough hope that I haven’t completely closed the door. Whether I pick up book two will probably depend on one simple question a few weeks from now:
Do I genuinely miss these characters, or do I just want to know what happens next?
⭐⭐⭐ 3/5
An Ember in the Ashes was one of the strangest reading experiences I’ve had in a while.
The best way I can describe it is this: I never wanted to DNF it, but I never fell in love with it either.
The writing is incredibly easy to read. In fact, this might be the fastest I’ve ever finished a 450-page fantasy. The pages flew by, not because I couldn’t put it down, but because Sabaa Tahir’s writing is smooth and accessible.
My biggest issue was the characters.
As someone who reads fantasy mainly for unforgettable characters, I struggled to connect with both main protagonists. Laia spent most of the first book reacting instead of acting, although I finally started seeing her potential near the end. Elias, on the other hand, never fully worked for me. His internal conflict often felt repetitive rather than compelling, and the romance never convinced me emotionally. Instead of growing naturally, it sometimes felt like the story was telling me these characters had feelings for each other before I actually believed it.
The plot itself isn’t bad at all. It becomes much stronger in the final third, where the action finally picks up and I started seeing the direction of the series. The ending left me with something I hadn’t felt for most of the book: potential.
That’s probably the word that defines my experience.
Potential.
I can see these characters becoming much more interesting in the next books. I can see the world opening up. I can imagine the stakes getting higher. But I wish I had felt that excitement much earlier instead of waiting until the last 150 pages.
This isn’t a bad book by any means. It simply wasn’t the emotional experience I was hoping for. I wanted characters I couldn’t stop thinking about, relationships that built themselves naturally, and a story that completely consumed me. Instead, I spent most of the book feeling like I was waiting for it to truly begin.
Will I continue the series?
Honestly… maybe.
The ending gave me just enough hope that I haven’t completely closed the door. Whether I pick up book two will probably depend on one simple question a few weeks from now:
Do I genuinely miss these characters, or do I just want to know what happens next?