Read All About It: An Ember in the Ashes

Sabaa Tahir creates an epic fantasy world based on ancient Rome, where magic lives and rebellion breathes fire into the torn heart of a country. An Ember in the Ashes is a haunting tale of love, oppression, and fear, where no secret is safe, and no innocence left unexploited. It's a hard journey through the streets of this Roman empire, and Tahir writes it beautifully. It has a touch of dystopia, a generous helping of intrigue and danger, and doesn't let you catch your breath for even a moment.

It wasn't my favorite novel this summer, but it is a comfortable one. With enough action to keep you entertained and enough romance to make you roll your eyes, it keeps you warm like a merry little fire, but doesn't expect to go out in a blaze of glory.

Laia is a slave. Her brother has been arrested for treason, and in order to help him escape the prison bonds, she has offered to become a spy for the Rebellion, placed in a precarious and dangerous position within the Empire's prestigious military academy.

Elias is a soldier at that academy, one of the finest. But in his heart he cannot reconcile himself to the cruelty of the Empire, and longs for even the slightest chance at freedom. And even that is snatched away from him when he is chosen for an unforeseen series of trials.

Together, they will change the fate of the entire Empire. But the cost may be far too dear to handle.

This is an interesting novel. It switches point of view every character, giving us the two sides of every story. There is intrigue and death, but also joy and exhilaration. We read of heart-stopping love and tear-jerking twists of fate. This book burns from the inside out, showing us a fully-developed fantasy world that we get a mere glimpse of. There is so much more to this tale that I can only assume will be revealed later. I'm looking forward to it!

I heartily enjoyed the setting and time period. Ancient Rome is one of my favorites, and seeing Tahir put her unique perspective into play was fun. Her characters are brave but flawed, strong but weak, willing but unable. Laia is one of my favorite characters because of her willingness to stop at nothing to free her brother, even when that means forsaking her own happiness. Elias is a conundrum, an expert but unwilling soldier. They are the heart of this novel, and their feelings burn bright.

There are a lot of romantic subplots in this novel, so that might not be your cup of tea. The tangled threads that bind Tahir's characters together are emotional, which is great, but there are just too many. The familial ties are better written and easier to follow, whereas the romantic plot was less adorable and more "can we get to the next part please." Where there was action it was fun, but there are some questionable points where I was bored with the romance and wanted more explosive action.

We will return to Tahir's Roman Empire with A Torch Against the Night, and continue the journey across the land with Laia and Elias. Hopefully this captivating fantasy tale will continue to amaze, and we will once again lose ourselves in ancient Rome. Until then, don't lose yourself in the Empire.