An Ember in the Ashes: aka Helene is a #girlboss

So this one won't be immediately recognizable to an outside observer of YA culture, but the over 350K Goodreads ratings proves that Sabaa Tahir gave us a quiet cornerstone of 2010s-ish culture with her 2015 novel An Ember in the Ashes. This series also holds a special place in my heart for another reason; through a casual "have you read this book?" I met my college roommate (who then became one of my closest friends).

Why did we love it then?

If Goodreads is any indication, we loved this series for many reasons -- not just because Elias was hot. Tahir creates a world based on the Roman Empire, weaving magic and power of oral storytelling all throughout. Additionally, Tahir weaves elements of her Pakistani heritage in the larger cultural elements of the story. Aside from the setting and culture, Tahir also gave us so nuanced and well fleshed-out characters. Though a reader may be tempted to hate Helene at first, after spending a few chapters in her head we get to see her battle between the sense of duty she's been raised to have with her moral compass.

What can we take from it now?

Platform women authors !! Platform Muslim authors !! Platform Pakistani authors !! guess what -- you get to do all of that by reading this series. Additionally, An Ember in the Ashes demonstrates how marginalized groups serve as an inspiring picture of resistance amidst their oppression. I think one of the most important elements of AEitA is the power of storytelling. In the series, storytelling is how the Scholars keep their culture alive after being forbidden from reading and writing. In my life, storytelling (& my appreciation for it) led me to standing beside one of my closest friends on her wedding day. The TLDR? Don't underestimate the power of a story.