The Ember Days
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By Rose Edwards
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1 review
The long awaited sequel to The Harm Tree.
Exiled from a broken land, two friends try to escape the darkness they left behind them.
Together again, Torny and Ebba reach Vellsberg, an outpost of the Southern Empire, hoping for a safe haven. Instead, they find families driven by ambition, a strange young woman who doesn’t seem to belong, and the bloody consequences of the Empire’s attempt to control the north.
When Vellsberg is attacked, Torny and Ebba entrust themselves to Aisulu, a lone rider from beyond the eastern edges of the Southern Empire. Betrayed and pursued, they flee through a land succumbing to a strange plague. Invisible flames afflict the penitent, and whispers of a new Martyr and his False Disciple follow at their heels.
Unwilling to face the things they’ve done to survive, Torny and Ebba find themselves torn apart again. After all, what hope is there, when once you have been monstrous? What peace can there be, when you have betrayed your own?
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(Full disclosure: this book was written by my sister, so I can't deny that a certain amount of sibling bias plays into my opinion of this book!)
'The Ember Days' is a fantastic follow up to 'The Harm Tree', and I would absolutely recommend it to young adult readers who are interested in dark fantasy stories, especially if they are into Norse mythology and themes such as witchcraft. What makes this book really special is its fantastic queer/LGBT+ representation which is even better than in the first installment. Challenging and uncompromising, this novel tackles very heavy themes with sensitivity and confidence. An excellent book with a unique point of view - a must read!
