A Reaper at the Gates-Book Review

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir

Personal Review: 4 ***

I want to begin by saying, this has easily become one of my favorite YA series to date. Sabaa is ruthless and brutal. No one is safe. She has never been one to hold back with the pain she inflicts on her characters. As nerve-wracking as that can be, it keeps you coming back for more.

In regards to Reaper, I didn't feel that desperate need to keep reading the story until about 40% into the book. Once it hit that point, every chapter ended on a cliff-hanger that had me flying through my Kindle pages (sidenote: I had to buy the ebook because my hard copy didn't get here until 2 days ago...and I couldn't wait that long). I think what this book did differently than the others was take a closer look at the characters we hate in this series. There was a glimpse of humanity shown in some of them that made them seem more real and breakable. Don't get me wrong, I still think the Commandant is the epitome of evil, but I'm eager to see what the next book has in store for her.

That being said, I still think I enjoyed Torch more. And here's why....I think some of the magic is lost in your story when you separate all three of your main characters for the majority of the book. I know giving them their own journeys allows for new characters to be introduced and other plot lines to develop. However, I still felt like some integral part of what made the first two books so compelling was absent here. In my opinion (and I know everyone may not agree) that was because of the lack of character interaction among the main three. I may change my mind after I read book four. The dynamic in book three might make a lot more sense then.

Okay, now on to Helene and Elias. I know I am in the minority of wanting this to be the ship that sails. Honestly, I officially give up hope on any of my ships working out where love triangles are involved. No seriously, I am cursed when it comes to ships. If you want your couple to work out, make sure it's not the one I'm rooting for or you're doomed. To be perfectly honest though, in this series, I always felt like Helene was the more interesting character. I never felt that connection with Laia. And there was a carrot dangled with the Helene/Elias dynamic in Ember that I felt just fell by the wayside. For my TVD fans, it felt like if the Elena/Damon relationship was teased but nothing ever came to fruition (aka, no late night, on the run, hotel make out). I loved the Helene/Elias relationship in Ember, and I feel like we've only had a total of maybe three interactions with their characters since the end of that novel. Regardless of the (lack of) romantic relationship status, they were best friends for years. Honestly, I just miss their friendship. I hope they get some kind of closure in the fourth installment.

Now for my biggest complaint. Elias has always been one of my favorite characters in this series. I love his sarcastic wit and his loyalty to the ones he loves. But I felt like his chapters did nothing for his character in this book. I feel like his voice got a little lost. It's like his chapters kept going in circles (when will he merge with Mauth? why can't he? what's the trick to moving the ghosts on?). Up until the very end, it felt like he was just chasing his tail. Laia and Helene's chapters are the ones that propelled the story forward. They were much more dynamic and compelling. I think part of the problem was Elias being tethered to the Waiting Place. It felt like he had no where to go.

I know it feels like I'm dragging this book through the mud, but I really did enjoy it. I just hope for that spark to return that made me fall in love with the first book.

Favorite quotes:

"Strange how monsters can reach from beyond the grave, as potent in death as they were in life."

"Love. I sigh. Love is joy coupled with misery, elation bound to despair."

"Skies save me from the men in my life and all the things they think they know."

"It lit our children umber as they trailed scorch marks and laughter across the stone floor."

"When she finds my eyes, her own are glassy. I catch my breath, for they are so real--the shape, the emotions, the color of them, like the violet heart of a quiet sea."

"One piece remains, and beware the Reaper at the Gates! The sparrows will drown, and none will know it. The past shall burn, and none will slow it. The Dead will rise, and none can survive. The Child will be bathed in blood but alive. The Pearl will crack, the cold will enter. The Butcher will break, and none will hold her. The Ghost will fall, her flesh will wither. By the Grain Moon, the King will have his answer. By the Grain Moon, the forgotten will find their master."

#bookreview #YA #AReaperattheGates #SabaaTahir