Outside reading book report

An Ember In The Ashes

 

By: Sabaa Tahir

Rating of book: 10

Summary: This novel takes place in the Martial Empire, but it’s a place where scholars are known as rebels. Unless you’re loyal to the Empire, you will be hunted down and slaughtered by the highly trained masks. It is not a safe world, you can’t trust anyone. Laia is a slave. Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother, her parents and sister were discovered to be part of a rebellion and were murdered. Laia’s brother is arrested for treason and she finds herself with nowhere to go. She has two choices, ask for the rebels help and be forced to spy in return, or leave her brother for dead.

    Elias is a soldier within the empire, he’s training to become a mask. He is the school's finest soldier, but he is also the most unwilling. Elias wants nothing to do with the Empire, he wishes only to be free of the harsh conditions he’s forced to endure.

    Elias and Laia eventually meet. They soon discover that they will need each other if they want to escape the world they feel trapped in.

First prompt:

    If I were Laia, I would never have had the bravery that she did. When her brother is caught with his sketchbook and the masks come, Laia only worries about her family. Although she is definitely scared, she holds herself together in attempt to be strong for her brother. Laia never gives up in her fight to rescue her brother and I admire that. I have to hope that if I were in a similar position I could be as strong as she is.

    I think that a prequel would be a really good idea for this book. While it isn’t exactly necessary to understand what is going on, it would allow the reader to see more of what started the hated new Empire. I think that many readers would be interested in getting more information from Sabaa Tahir because her book is so attention grabbing that it left everyone hooked. This book is not one that takes you forever to read, it’s something that you carry around all day in attempt to sneak read a few words whenever possible.

Second Prompt:

A minor character who has a major role in the story is Izzi. When Laia is sent to spy on the Empire as a slave, she has no friends. She meets another slave named Izzi who goes out of her way to help Laia even though it could cost her life. Laia has never had a friend before, so Izzi’s kindness means the world to Laia. Izzi is a constant source of what Laia might call a family, they protect each other from the harsh punishments they receive as slaves.

Izzi is considered a minor character because she isn’t one to call the shots. She can be found hiding in the shadows, yet she is always trying to finds ways to help. She isn’t someone who would have the courage to lead a rebellion, but you can bet she would be a huge difference maker. Izzi is a very loyal friend to Laia, she saves her life more than a few times. Izzi represents more than just a slave to Laia.

Third prompt:

    I gave this book a ten because I absolutely loved the story. Sabaa Tahir kept the intensity high throughout the entire novel and I couldn’t put the book down. The novel consisted of a perfect mixture between action and romance. The story was unique too, it was different than anything I’ve ever read before. Plus, the novel has life lessons that could be applied to anyone’s life, whether it is fictional or not.

        I loved how Tahir made me feel as if I was actually a part of the story. She gave the book so much life and emotion that it seemed real. During the battle scenes my heart might have been about ready to explode. There was so much detail in everything she wrote that I got a clear picture in my head. If they ever make a movie out of it, it won’t be hard to replicate her plot. The characters are amazing as well. They are emotional, loving, adventurous, and everything else that one could want in fiction novel. I would recommend this book to anyone.