The Ember Quartet by Sabaa Tahir review

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5/5

“You are broken. But it is the broken things that are the sharpest. The deadliest. It is the broken things that are most unexpected, and the most underestimated.”

The characters are what make this saga the enrapturing wonder that it is. Their stories are all intricately woven within each other and the term ‘they deserved better’ surely came to fruition when The Ember Quartet was created.
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You first hear from Laia and Elias but as the series continues Helene becomes a key narrator and it opens up a whole new world. Adding another character’s inner monologue halfway through the series is a risk but it pays off beautifully. 
The fantasy element is built upon Islamic and Arabic myths and this lends itself to feeling much more realistic than witches, wizards and popular supernatural beasts. 
Tahirs writing is slick and strong with the action, dialogue and narrative always engaging and never dragging.
However beautifully written, The Ember Quartet is a devastating tale of despotism, hope and loss. The brutality of the villains is crushing and Tahir did not hold back when it came to savagery.
Although romance tries to find its way into the lives of our leads, it’s fighting a battle of its own and rarely comes out alive. 

Along with the viciousness and trepidation there are unpredictable twists and unforeseeable developments that make The Ember Quartet one of the most fearless YA series ever written.

Yet, what is possibly so haunting about the series is the candour. Tahir dedicates the final book to all children of war whose story will never be told.
Although a work of fiction, Tahir has clearly pulled from the horrors of our society to conjure a tragic story that echoes the cruelty of the world we live in.

The Ember Quartet is a must-read and not just for fans of fantasy. Although it is a gut wrenching series full of pain there is no denying the main theme is hope. For amongst all this terror there is love and belief in a better tomorrow.

💣For fans of Rebel of the Sands and The Hunger Games💣

Emily xo