“Fear is only your enemy if you allow it to be.”
We are always told how important it is to be brave, to be fearless. Whether it is in terms of what we want for ourselves, or to right a greater wrong, courage is the most desirable trait we could have. Despite the numerous times we’re told to be courageous, it does not always come to us naturally; it is often caught between our survival instincts and our higher motivations. This conflict of self-preservation against courage is perhaps the most human of clashes, one that is written off for the sake of almost romanticising bravery. So how exactly do we understand fearlessness, while reconciling our own instincts with it?
“An Ember In the Ashes” by Sabaa Tahir is a high fantasy novel that touches upon the themes of understanding fear outside the covenants of bravado and cowardice. Narrated from two perspectives, this book is situated in the Martial Empire which has colonised and enslaved the Scholars- who are now living in poverty and illiteracy. The female protagonist, Laia’s family is torn apart when her brother is arrested by Martial soldiers (called Masks) and desperate to save him, she reaches out to the Resistance movement against the Empire. In her quest to rescue her brother, Laia must infiltrate the military academy of the Martial soldiers, which is where the second perspective of the book emerges through Elias- a Martial soldier, and the son of the Martial military leader.
The universe in which the book is set is built fantastically, drawing on influences from the Roman Empire. While the character development seems quite slow due to the immediate plunge into character driven narration, Laia and Elias eventually grow into the larger themes they represent. Throughout her mission to find her brother, Laia struggles to deal with the guilt of letting her fear get the best of her instead of resisting the Martial forces. Elias, on the other hand, struggles with his identity as a soldier bred to kill and raze in the name of the Empire and his disgust for the brutality he is born into. There are times when the characters feel a little shallow, especially the primary antagonist, who also happens to be Elias’ mother- the Commandant. While it is interesting to see a brutal, bloodthirsty female villain, who is the exact opposite of the usual templates female antagonists are typecast into, the Commandant feels more like a plot based obstacle rather than a character in her own right.
As the story progresses, several interesting themes and characters emerge which is what makes this book stand out from other high-fantasy historically influenced YA books. “An Ember in the Ashes” goes beyond the usual YA tropes by also trying to reflect the problems of oppression, military oppression, the subjectivity of what is right and what is wrong. While not all of these themes are explored in earnest detail, they create a strong enough contribution to the plot that makes the book a strong debut novel. It has a mixed pace, with a slow start that is not necessarily used for world-building. After the first 200 pages or so, however, “An Ember in the Ashes” is fast-paced and compelling. Even the occasional dramatic lulls in this breakneck plot are well-placed and Sabaa Tahir’s silky writing style ensures that these slower moments aren’t just a breather, but some of the most memorable moments in the story. One of our personal favourite elements is the combination of Islamic mythology into the story. While most fantasy books that are inspired by the Roman Empire consist of rehashed Greek mythological creatures, Tahir brings in jinns and ifrits that elevate the historical inspirations in the book. Combined with this interesting lore, “An Ember in the Ashes” is also packed with political intrigue, and does not shy away from addressing some of the more violent and dangerous sides of themes that are glossed over by other books in the genre. Perhaps this is also where our issues with the book arise- the gratuitous amounts of graphic violence.
(Trigger Warning: mentions of graphic violence, genocide, abuse, torture and rape)
It is somewhat expected that a book centred around a military dystopia based on the Roman Empire would contain violence and torture. Nevertheless, we weren’t comfortable with the graphic descriptions and complacent ways in which some of these acts were referred to. While most YA books delve into the realm of political scheming, war and destruction in a more general sense, “An Ember in the Ashes” figuratively stands on the battlefield and shows the readers the bodies of the dead. The specific details of incidents of genocide and torture do impress upon readers just how dangerous the Empire is, but it is also contrasts the vagueness that is presented in other elements of the book, especially related to character development. This difference is why the depictions of violence feel like the novel is almost capitalising on society's increasing fascination with grotesque violence. Rape and sexual abuse are very real threats considering the time period the book is inspired by, and while these are not described explicitly in the book, the blase manner in which it is treated would make anyone’s blood boil. While the genre of YA fiction in recent times seems to have pretty elastic boundaries, we feel that "The Ember and the Ashes" nevertheless pushes it beyond its limit and is almost more suited to adult audiences.
Another reason why this book doesn't get a full five stars is the fact that certain plot points feel contrived, and unfortunately, one such element is the romance. Laia and Elias are the obvious star-crossed lovers and the story progresses with them in a slow-burn romance. Except, all the romantic subplots in the book feel forced, and more aligned with lust, which is not a bad thing. Although it is a case of ‘love at first sight’ with zero natural chemistry, Sabaa Tahir’s writing makes the romance interesting to read. The book ends in a long, exaggerated cliffhanger but it has just enough action and drama that it doesn’t feel exhausting. Now, let us give you some tea on the book😉- when first released in 2015, “An Ember in the Ashes” was meant to be a standalone and thus, its cliffhanger ending left several readers infuriated. However, the author eventually wrote two more books following this plot.
With the trilogy complete in 2018, “An Ember in the Ashes” is definitely a strong first book and even when it was meant to be a single book, it packed enough punch to stand out in the YA Fantasy genre. If you are looking to read a crossover between high fantasy and dystopia along with incredible world-building, unique character tropes and beautiful writing, this is the book for you.
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