Sabaa Tahir is a master of expertly weaving plot points into a beautiful tapestry of a story. The adventures of Elias, Laia, Izzi, Keenan and Helene continue in this second installment of An Ember in the Ashes as Elias and Laia find themselves on the run for their lives in order to save Laia's brother Darin. New friends are made, old friends lost, and each character's mettle tested as they chose between acting on behalf of the Empire and the "greater good" or acting on behalf of personal commitment and loyalty to family and friends. This novel also had me on the edge of my seat until the final page!