Book Thoughts: A Torch Against the Night

“Let him think he’s cowed me. Let him think he’s won. Soon, he’ll realize his mistake. He vowed to play fair. But I didn’t.”

In the sequel to An Ember In the Ashes, Sabaa Tahir continues her whirlwind fantasy. The book picks up exactly where the first book ends; Elias and Laia are fleeing for their lives, trying to save their own skins while coming up with a plan to save her brother. Helene is chained to her position, blinded by her own loyalty and values. The story alternates between the point of view of all three of these characters, each perspective providing a different insight to the plot.

I must admit, I was not overly impressed by the first novel in this series, An Ember in the Ashes. Though the story was interesting, the plot did not stand out from a lot of other YA fantasy novels. Despite my hesitation, I was still intrigued at the prospect of a sequel. When I was debating reading A Torch Against the Night anyway, a Barnes & Noble employee told me, "I love that series. That world is my favorite!" Deciding it was worth a try, I purchased the novel. It did not disappoint.

I grew to become emotionally attached to each of the characters, something which I had not realized that the first book had not accomplished for me. I admired Laia's stubbornness, Elias' sense of duty, and Helene's strength and conflicted loyalty. Though these are the very traits that continually bring these characters into peril, Tahir constructed complex, dynamic protagonists.

You can't help but root for Helene, and with every turn of the page, you share Helene's confusion of where the future will take her. She's grown up with the values of the Empire instilled in her, yet some part of her yearns to have her own independence. How much must she sacrifice to have even a semblance of freedom?

Elias follows his sense of duty almost to a fault - nothing will deter him from fulfilling his promise to Laia, whether he hurts himself - or her - in the process. If you need your classic strong, brooding male protagonist, you'll love Elias.

Laia is constantly evolving; she is no longer that shy girl who would do anything to save her brother. She has faced both torture and despair, and it has wielded her into a determined, capable young woman who will fight whatever terrors for those she loves. 

The suspense keeps you turning each page; with all the struggles these characters face, it's almost easy to forget the main reason Laia and Elias are fleeing: to save her brother. The only world that they know is in peril, and they have to overthrow the Empire and its ideals to create a new, better, and just world.

Tahir creates a compelling fantasy; with this series, it's easy to sit down and finish the book in one sitting. It's fast-enough to keep you interested, while also providing a nice, leisurely read. This novel gave me a much-needed portal into another world. Though the story is not light by any means, I turned the last page with a smile.

Of course, it would be remiss of me to not acknowledge the diversity in these books, and that for the first time, I can pick up a novel and be certain that the protagonist has the same skin color as me. I truly enjoyed imagining this world, and I'm excited to read the next book in June.

Rating: 4/5

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: August 30, 2016