Reviews with content warning for Classism - A Sky Beyond the Storm

Reviews tagging 'Classism'

A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir

11 reviews

brophayy's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Apparently you can give books more than 5 stars on StoryGraph so I did

Crying over my paperwork at my desk at work rn. I'm going to start Heir as soon as I get home

Content Warnings

tired_cicada's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

If I could give this book more stars I would!

This series deserves every acclaim! It is truly a literary masterpiece that I don’t think will ever be topped and it not being more popular is a CRIME!!!

Everything is stunning, from the world building, to the characters, to that stakes, all the way down to very prose on the page! Simple amazing!

I want to say more but I am still so fresh of reading it and nothing I could say would to it justice! It is an experience I wish on everyone!

Content Warnings

kchantry's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

notapenguin's review against another edition

4.0

medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

emilywemily6's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I love this series, but this one was actually my least favorite. I think that is mostly because the entire series has led up to a huge, dramatic conclusion and it felt like the conflict resolved much too easily for the tension I have experienced throughout the rest of this series. There were still plenty of gut-wrenching twists and a lot of depth to this book, but I think the climax felt a little flat for me.

Content Warnings

booknerderika's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

A great end to a great series.

This started out a little slow for my taste, but every scene felt necessary. Everything after 80% of the book was an emotional rollercoaster. I cried when certain characters died and cried again when their souls crossed over. Any book that makes me cry gets a high rating from me. The end gave me all the closure I wanted and I loved it. What an adventure this series has been. I'm sad to say goodbye but it feels right.

Content Warnings

bzliz's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I’m actually sad it took me so long to invest myself in this world because Sabaa Tahir is masterful at picking up plotlines laid throughout the rest of the series and giving them real stakes with incredibly complex characters who are very comfortable in their murky gray morality. There’s great payoff without making readers feel like they were purposely led astray with red herrings.

Tahir’s female characters in particular show incredible growth and weave together strength with emotion. Laia’s story embodies the value of empathy and the final scene with Keris is utterly heartbreaking and shows that we as people can suffer greatly and it is our response to that suffering that shapes our future. Helene’s journey is my favorite. She began the series as the token girl having to fight twice as hard as the guys to command respect while nursing feelings for the main male character and being taught those feelings make her weak. She makes mistakes and does horrible things (and has horrible things happen to her) but she learns and grows as she unlearns the awful values passed on by previous generations of the Empire.

There are some heartbreaking character deaths that make sense because of the brutal nature of this world and the Nightbringer’s plan, though that doesn’t make them hurt less. Without them, the story would have felt unbalanced and our main characters need that grief to become the people they’re meant to be.

I cannot recommend this series highly enough! But mind the content warnings if you are sensitive to specific topics.

Content warnings:
Blood, body horror, death, gore, injury, murder, violence, war (on page):

this is a story of war between human factions plus humans against magical beings. I don’t recommend this if you cannot stomach violence because it is graphic and prevalent.

Death of parent (on page, flashback):

Laia learns her mother is still alive and sees how her father and sister really died.

Domestic abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse (on page):

Marcus abuses his wife including while she is pregnant in order to emotionally manipulate Helene who is forced to endure her sister’s torment.

Fire/fire injury (on page):

The Jinn burn down a library containing information Laia needs and she is nearly trapped inside.

Classism (on page):

The aristocrats of the Empire actively look down on and rebel against Marcus because he is of a lower class than them.

Medical content, pregnancy (on page):

Medical content in the form of healing from battlefield injuries & pregnancy content. Livia is pregnant with Marcus’ heir and she experiences some complications including attempts at forcing a miscarriage. Laia delivers her baby during a battle.

Slavery (on page):

Scholars have long been enslaved by the Martials. Keris keeps slaves as she attempts her coup. Livia as Empress Regent frees the Scholars.

Sexism (on page):

Enemies actively look down on Helene for being a woman. Martial aristocrats do the same before being put in their places.

Sexual content (on page):

Consensual encounters between Helene & Avitas and between Laia & Elias. Generally non-graphic and centered on the emotional connection rather than the act itself.

Content Warnings