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Content snapshot
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Violence
A lot
Brutal military violence, public executions, slavery, and combat throughout; unflinching for YA
Language
Barely any
Mild language; some intensity in emotional scenes
Sexual Content
Barely any
Developing romantic tension; nothing explicit
Substance Use
None
No substance use
Emotional Intensity
Some
Oppression and resistance, the cost of courage in a system designed to break people, dual perspectives on the same violent world
What this book is about
In a brutal Roman Empire-inspired world, Laia is a Scholar girl whose brother is arrested by the Martial Empire's feared soldiers. Desperate, she agrees to spy inside a military academy in exchange for his rescue. Elias is a Mask — one of the empire's deadliest soldiers — who dreams of escape. Their fates collide in a dark, propulsive YA fantasy that does not look away from the violence at the heart of an authoritarian system. Sabaa Tahir's debut launched one of the most beloved fantasy series of its decade.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
sustained violence including executions and abuse throughout
dark YA with real consequences
slavery and authoritarianism as central themes
Reader Verification
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