Heir by Sabaa Tahir
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Book Overview:
Heir by Sabaa Tahir follows the explosive events that threaten to tear apart the Empire as they come face to face with a new enemy. We follow three people an orphan, a crown prince, and an outcast as their fates become intertwined. Aiz, an orphan battles daily with the rage of the injustices that her people suffer in the Kegari slums. She funnels her rage into one desperate attempt to atone for the loss of lives that occurred with the fires at the orphanage that killed many innocent young children many years ago and quickly lands herself in deeper trouble. It is while she’s entombed in an inescapable prison that her story begins.
Quil is the reluctant crown prince and heir to the Empire. He constantly battles the insecurities and fears that have convinced him he will end up following in his father’s murderous footsteps. Thereby leading the Empire into ruin. He constantly battles with his Aunt the current Empress to allow him to abdicate his right to the throne and let him live in peace free from the duties and responsibilities of leading a country. It’s a fight he never wins as his Aunt is adamant he must ascend to his rightful position as Emperor and leader of the Empire. Then one fateful night everything changes and Quil is forced to step up and defend the Empire that he wants nothing to do with as everything his Aunt has built comes under threat.
Sirsha is an outcast who was banished by her people for committing a reprehensible crime. Now she is forced to work as a tracker to survive using her magic to aid her in tracking down her marks. It is on one rainy night she meets a stranger who offers her a job to track down an elusive killer spreading terror throughout the Martial Empire where innocent children are being murdered. However, this job isn’t what she quite expected and there is more at stake than not capturing this bloodthirsty killer.
All three will inevitably come face to face with a new evil threatening to tear apart a nation.
Book Review:
I must confess I jumped into this book without the knowledge that it continued the story of An Ember in the Ash Quartet and is set twenty years following the conclusion of this series. So, I never had the oppurtunity to read the original quartet before I read Heir. And while it’s not necessary to have read the first series I do believe it provides better context and understanding. However, this didn’t prevent me from diving into this story and enjoying my time in the world that Tahir created. And what a world it is.
Reflecting on my experience with this book what made it such a winner for me was the dynamic characterization of the main characters and Tahir’s skill of crafting a multi-layered story full of intrigue and mystery.
You can tell that each character in this story was well fleshed out and developed with tender loving care. Although we’re following three main characters with alternating viewpoints I didn’t once feel overwhelmed or as though I didn’t understand each character on an intimate level. Quite the opposite I was able to connect emotionally with Aiz, Quil, and Sirsha and cared equally about the plights they were in. I felt I understood what made each of them tick, their motivations, fears, strengths, and weaknesses. They were so three-dimensional and real.
Then there’s the story itself. It’s full of nuance and layers. Each chapter is like peeling back an onion revealing just how intricate it is. I particularly enjoyed how she threaded past events into the present timeline helping you to understand how the current crisis came to be. And the motivations, desires, and false beliefs that led to the present-day crisis. Her techniques manipulate your emotions causing you to question everything you think you know about right and wrong and whether the ends justify the means.
There are so many themes in this story making it a thought-provoking novel that explores the complicated and questionable parts of humanity when it comes to living impoverished and under continual oppression, confronting injustice, the corruptive impact of power, and how the perversion of religion contributes to war and discourse.
There is a bit of romance in this novel which I found adorable. The banter was delightful and the chemistry was undeniable. So, I very much enjoyed this element of the story. And the ending was action-packed and left me on the edge of my seat. Let’s just say I’m stoked for the next installment of this duology.
Also, as I mentioned I hadn’t read the An Ember in the Ashes series before diving into Heir so between now and the next release I’m planning on completing that series so I have a better understanding and appreciation of this wonderful world. Have you read this yet? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below and until next time happy reading!
