A Sky Beyond the Storm: An Ember in the Ashes Novel: 4

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I've learned so much from Sky. I've learned the true power of love, of friendship, of friendship that turns into family. I've learned of hope, I've learned not to turn away from it, not to scoff at it and dismiss it with a wave of the hand. I've learned of holding on and how you can never let go, you can never stop fighting, you can never give up on the people you love, because if it was them, they would never stop fighting for you. Lia of Serra, the one who faced the Martials and watched her family die right in front of her eyes. The one who went to the rebels for support, and became a slave for The Commandment, tolerating each and every insult and every scar. The one who ran away, faking her death and freed her brother from prison. The one who became an inspiration for everyone, as she was brave, kind, and she had no one, but she was still strong. My heart and soul. They are bleeding. For real. I cannot believe the last book became this average compared to the first 3 books. I want to cry so bad!

Can I just say, that I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy for characters to finally get together! FOUR BOOKS I have waited, and the fact that it was just so ahhhhh! I can’t get over it, and I don’t think I ever will it literally killed me off when reading them. I was like FINALLLLLLLY! So many strong female characters, like it really does get me all in the feels with this because they are all SOOOO good! The writing in this book is very good and I can tell that Sabaa has improved a lot as a writer! Everything about the writing was 4+ stars, but the ending ruined the whole book for me. If it wasn’t for that I think this series would have been one of my favourites.

You’re in!

As much as too many emotions are being tried to force feed while narrating the story, the more shallow the reading became. The writing tried too hard I guess. And the characters were too desperate to become into ones who tried to feel emotions. Like just too damn obvious. I wish the impression of all these characters remained the same as in the first two books.

This book ripped me to shreds. It tore me limb from limb, vessel from vessel, thoroughly. It demanded I shut up and take the pain like a woman, like Helene, or Laia, or Afya, or Livvy, or Mamie Rila, or Mirra, or as any woman in this series would. This book showed not an ounce of mercy, not an ounce of regret. But in a way, I am glad. Because Sabaa Tahir portrays life. She portrays life the way it truly is, not as she wishes it to be or as we, her readers, wish it to be. Sometimes life is not always kind, and sometimes we forget that. Sometimes we forget that not everyone is full and bursting to the brim with happiness. Sometimes people ache for it. Sometimes people search their whole lives for it, chasing it, and never obtain it. Sometimes their whole lives pass and they have never tasted it. And we have to be grateful for those fleeting times, those brief moments of joy. At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family. We FINALLY, FINALLY got answers, do you know how long I have waited to hear what Elias said to Laia, and we finally got it! Elias is constantly complaining about his feelings and his role as the Soul Catcher. He was annoying to read about. The last person I’m going to talk about here is Darin, I can’t even explain my thoughts about Darin because he’s just that brother figure! He’s been through it, captured, tortured, freed and then starts to rebuild his life. There’s just something so pure about Darin, the way he acts with Laia, and then his relationship with Elias. Darin takes no shit, people treat him differently because he’s a Scholar and he’s just like nope, and speaks up and defends himself.New found friendships, I really loved Laia and Helene and then Helene and Musa, because this book is set a few months AFTER Reaper we weren’t able to see how it developed. Don’t even get me started on the final battle scene, because that was an utter mess, which I will talk about later. IV: Laia K eris Veturia is in Marinn and she is just yards from me. How? I want to scream. Only days ago, Musa’s wights reported that she was in Serra. But what does that matter when Keris can call on the Nightbringer? He must have ridden the winds and brought her to Adisa. My pulse pounds in my ears, but I force myself to breathe. The Commandant’s presence complicates matters. But I must still get Nikla out of the throne room and to her apartments. The Scholars and Martials in Delphinium have few weapons, little food, and no allies. If Nikla does not hear what the Blood Shrike has to say, any hope of aid is lost. Silently, I weave across the floor until Nikla and Keris come into view. The Mariner princess is poker-straight upon her father’s massive driftwood throne, her face in shadow. Her burgundy dress is cinched tight about her waist and pools on the floor like blood. Two guards keep watch behind the throne, with four more on either side. The Commandant stands before Nikla in her ceremonial armor. She carries no weapons, wears no crown. But she does not need them. Keris’s power has always lain in her cunning and her violence. Her skin gleams silver at her nape, for she wears the living metal shirt she stole from the Blood Shrike. I marvel at her size—she is a half foot shorter than me. Even after all the misery she’s caused, one could see her from afar and think that she’s a young, harmless girl. As I inch closer, the shadows on Nikla’s face shift and seethe. Ghuls, feasting on the crown princess’s pain, swirling around her in an unholy halo that she cannot see. “—cannot make a decision,” Keris says. “Perhaps I should speak with your father.” “I will not trouble my father while he is ill,” Nikla says.

I don’t even know how to explain this, as I didn’t understand it myself. So apparently, some kind of huge storm shows up and everyone drowns in it? And then they come out of it unharmed? And the Nightbringer dies easily, just like that? And Laia saves the day?

Additional info

Much like this novel’s predecessors, A Torch Against the Nightand A Reaper at the Gates, the character who has emerged as this series’ true hero is Helene Aquilla, Blood Shrike of the Empire, who suffers tremendous losses throughout the story, but still keeps standing, because it’s what she’s been trained to do, and it’s who she is. Her determination to fight for her people, to free them from the threat of Keris Veturia’s vicious rule, and to protect her nephew’s legacy give her the most defined arc in the entire series and make her the easiest character to both root for and love.