Friday, May 20, 2016

Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Ember in the Ashes was an audio book for me.  While I finished it yesterday morning, I've been not sure what to say about it, so I've put off writing my review.

Ember in the Ashes is told from two points of view:  Laia, a member of the downtrodden scholar class in a Romain-style world (but with mystical elements), who becomes a slave to spy for the scholar resistance after her world crashes down.  Elias, an elite soldier, who hates the empire and its tyranny and is a candidate for emperor at the school where Laia is spying.

It's a type of book I often like.  Trials and overcoming.  Romance, but not as the center of the story.  Main characters of a style I often like.  But, while I finished and don't regret it, it never really gelled for me.

The issues I can readily identify are that I wanted to yell at Laia and Elias for being stupid on several occasions.  I really thought they should have figured some things out way before they did.  That was annoying.

The other issue might be different if I hadn't listened to it.  I found Laia to be whinny.  I think that was mostly to do with how she was read by the narrator (there were two - a female for Laia and a male for Elias), but am not totally sure if I'd still think she was whinny if I read her myself.  Also?  Laia sounded like "Liar" to me when the narrators said it.  I found that off putting.

So, yes, I finished it.  It was okay.  I'm debating moving on with the series.  If I do, I'll definitely be trying it in print (or ebook) form. 

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