History YMMV / AnEmberInTheAshes

* TooBleakStoppedCaring: It’s a dystopian society where the main characters suffer constantly for things out of their control, and ThereAreNoTherapists. Reading the books is a good way to feel really sad.

* TooBleakStoppedCaring: It’s a dystopian society where the main characters suffer constantly for things out of their control, and ThereAreNoTherapists. Reading the books is a good way to feel really sad.
* TheUnTwist: Cook really being Mirra, Laia's mother. She gets choked up, like stuttering as she cries, ''every time'' she talks about her husband Jahan and eldest daughter Lis, making the foreshadowing blatant.

* TheUnTwist: Cook really being Mirra, Laia's mother. She gets choked up, like stuttering as she cries, every time she talks about her husband Jahan and eldest daughter Lis, making the foreshadowing blatant.

* TheUnTwist: Cook really being Mirra, Laia's mother. She gets choked up every time she talks about her husband Jahan and eldest daughter Lis, making the foreshadowing blatant.

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: It’s a dystopian society where the main characters suffer constantly for things out of their control, and ThereAreNoTherapists. Reading the books is a good way to feel really sad.

* CompleteMonster: [[TheDreaded Commandant Keris Veturia]] of Blackcliff military academy is infamous for her [[{{Sadist}} cruelty and inhumanity]]. Using a cold-blooded exterior to mask her [[AxCrazy raging insanity]], the Commandant delights in committing [[ColdBloodedTorture torture]] and murder for the flimsiest of reasons. [[EstablishingCharacterMoment Introduced]] as she is [[WhipItGood whipping]] a [[WouldHurtAChild boy]] to death for deserting, a not-uncommon situation, she keeps a wall of her office completely covered with dozens of wanted posters from those she's captured and had killed, a grim "paper cemetery" that serves as a trophies of the lives she's taken. The Commandant [[BadBoss treats her slaves horribly]], disfiguring them within the first few weeks of service, torturing them [[IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure or their loved ones]] for the slightest mistakes, and has a track record of [[DrivenToSuicide driving them to suicide]] with her abuse. After the Commandant caught one member of the resistance, she killed everyone the woman loved, [[FacialHorror savaged her face]], forced her to swallow hot coals, then enslaved her as her cook. When Cook tried to assassinate her with poisoned food, the Commandant responded by [[EyeScream driving a hot poker through the eye]] of a five-year-old slave that Cook saw as a surrogate daughter. [[BigBadDuumvirate Conspiring]] with [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds the Nightbringer]], the Commandant places a psychopathic rapist on the throne as her {{puppet|King}}, [[spoiler:whom she plans on killing and usurping]], manipulates the local Scholar resistance into killing the old emperor, then uses their rebellion as an excuse to [[FinalSolution commit genocide on the Scholars.]] The only moment of compassion she's ever admitted to was when [[TheProtagonist Elias]] was born, and a fleeting moment of maternal instinct caused her to abandon him with a tribal woman instead of killing him as she planned. She almost immediately regretted this and turned around to murder him, only to find the tribe was already gone. She's regretted that single moment of compassion ever since and has worked to undo her mistake by [[OffingTheOffspring repeatedly trying to kill her son]] in the present day. The Commandant is defined as someone who's forged herself into a monster by tirelessly working to weed out any goodness within her in pursuit of absolute power.

** Any scene that involves Commandant Keris Veturia is likely to be this; she's just an utterly terrifying character in general. See the CompleteMonster entry above for details.

* CaptainObviousReveal: Cook being [[spoiler:Laia’s mother alive the whole time]] would have been a good twist if the foreshadowing wasn’t so blatant with Cook getting choked up every time she discussed [[spoiler:her life as Mirra.]]

** Blackcliff Academy. An incredibly harsh military academy where recruits are put through years upon years of TrainingFromHell with the sole purpose of turning them into ruthless killing machines.

* CompleteMonster: [[TheDreaded Commandant Keris Veturia]] of Blackcliff military academy is infamous for her [[{{Sadist}} cruelty and inhumanity]]. Using a cold-blooded exterior to mask her [[AxCrazy raging insanity]], the Commandant delights in committing [[ColdBloodedTorture torture]] and murder for the flimsiest of reasons. [[EstablishingCharacterMoment Introduced]] as she is [[WhipItGood whipping]] a [[WouldHurtAChild boy]] to death for deserting, a not-uncommon situation, she keeps a wall of her office completely covered with dozens of wanted posters from those she's captured and had killed, a grim "paper cemetery" that serves as a trophies of the lives she's taken. The Commandant [[BadBoss treats her slaves horribly]], disfiguring them within the first few weeks of service, torturing them [[IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure or their loved ones]] for the slightest mistakes, and has a track record of [[DrivenToSuicide driving them to suicide]] with her abuse. After the Commandant caught one member of the resistance, she killed everyone the woman loved, [[FacialHorror savaged her face]], forced her to swallow hot coals, then enslaved her as her cook. When Cook tried to assassinate her with poisoned food, the Commandant responded by [[EyeScream driving a hot poker through the eye]] of a five-year-old slave that Cook saw as a surrogate daughter. [[BigBadDuumvirate Conspiring]] with [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds the Nightbringer]], the Commandant places a psychopathic rapist on the throne as her {{puppet|King}}, [[spoiler:whom she plans on killing and usurping]], manipulates the local Scholar resistance into killing the old emperor, then uses their rebellion as an excuse to [[FinalSolution commit genocide on the Scholars.]] The only moment of compassion she's ever admitted to was when [[TheProtagonist Elias]] was born, and a fleeting moment of maternal instinct caused her to abandon him with a tribal woman instead of killing him as she planned. She almost immediately regretted this and turned around to murder him, only to find the tribe was already gone. She's regretted that single moment of compassion ever since, and has worked to undo her mistake by [[OffingTheOffspring repeatedly trying to kill her son]] in the present day. The Commandant is defined as someone who's forged herself into a monster by tirelessly working to weed out any goodness within her in pursuit of absolute power.

* CompleteMonster: [[TheDreaded Commandant Keris Veturia]] of Blackcliff military academy is infamous for her [[{{Sadist}} cruelty and inhumanity]]. Using a cold-blooded exterior to mask her [[AxCrazy raging insanity]], the Commandant delights in committing [[ColdBloodedTorture torture]] and murder for the flimsiest of reasons. [[EstablishingCharacterMoment Introduced]] as she is [[WhipItGood whipping]] a [[WouldHurtAChild boy]] to death for deserting, a not-uncommon situation, she keeps a wall of her office completely covered with dozens of wanted posters from those she's captured and had killed, a grim "paper cemetery" that serves as a trophies of the lives she's taken. The Commandant [[BadBoss treats her slaves horribly]], disfiguring them within the first few weeks of service, torturing them [[IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure or their loved ones]] for the slightest mistakes, and has a track record of [[DrivenToSuicide driving them to suicide]] with her abuse. After the Commandant caught one member of the resistance, she killed everyone the woman loved, [[FacialHorror savaged her face]], forced her to swallow hot coals, then enslaved her as her cook. When Cook tried to assassinate her with poisoned food, the Commandant responded by [[EyeScream driving a hot poker through the eye]] of a five-year-old slave that Cook saw as a surrogate daughter. [[BigBadDuumvirate Conspiring]] with [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds the Nightbringer]], the Commandant places a psychopathic rapist on the throne as her {{puppet|King}}, [[spoiler:whom she plans on killing and usurping]], manipulates the local Scholar resistance into killing the old emperor, then uses their rebellion as an excuse to [[FinalSolution commit genocide on the Scholars.]] The only moment of compassion she's ever admitted to was when [[TheProtagonist Elias]] was born, and a fleeting moment of maternal instinct caused her to abandon him with a tribal woman instead of killing him as she planned. She almost immediately regretted this and turned around to murder him, only to find the tribe was already gone. She's regretted that single moment of compassion ever since, and has worked to undo her mistake by [[OffingTheOffspring repeatedly trying to kill her son]] in the present day. The Commandant is defined as someone who's forged herself into a monster by tirelessly working to weed out any goodness within her in pursuit of absolute power.

* CompleteMonster: [[TheDreaded Commandant Keris Veturia]] of Blackcliff military academy is infamous for her cruelty and inhumanity. Using a cold-blooded exterior to mask her [[AxCrazy raging insanity]], the Commandant delights in committing [[ColdBloodedTorture torture]] and murder for the flimsiest of reasons. [[EstablishingCharacterMoment Introduced]] as she is [[WhipItGood whipping]] a [[WouldHurtAChild boy]] to death for deserting, a not-uncommon situation, she keeps a wall of her office completely covered with dozens of wanted posters from those she's captured and had killed, a grim "paper cemetery" that serves as a trophies of the lives she's taken. The Commandant [[BadBoss treats her slaves horribly]], disfiguring them within the first few weeks of service, torturing them [[IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure or their loved ones]] for the slightest mistakes, and has a track record of [[DrivenToSuicide driving them to suicide]] with her abuse. After the Commandant caught one member of the resistance, she killed everyone the woman loved, [[FacialHorror savaged her face]], forced her to swallow hot coals, then enslaved her as her cook. When Cook tried to assassinate her with poisoned food, the Commandant responded by [[EyeScream driving a hot poker through the eye]] of a five-year-old slave that Cook saw as a surrogate daughter. [[BigBadDuumvirate Conspiring]] with [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds the Nightbringer]], the Commandant places a psychopathic rapist on the throne as her {{puppet|King}}, [[spoiler:whom she plans on killing and usurping]], manipulates the local Scholar resistance into killing the old emperor, then uses their rebellion as an excuse to [[FinalSolution commit genocide on the Scholars.]] The only moment of compassion she's ever admitted to was when [[TheProtagonist Elias]] was born, and a fleeting moment of maternal instinct caused her to abandon him with a tribal woman instead of killing him as she planned. She almost immediately regretted this and turned around to murder him, only to find the tribe was already gone. She's regretted that single moment of compassion ever since, and has worked to undo her mistake by [[OffingTheOffspring repeatedly trying to kill her son]] in the present day. The Commandant is defined as someone who's forged herself into a monster by tirelessly working to weed out any goodness within her in pursuit of absolute power.

* CompleteMonster: [[WouldHurtAChild Commandant Keris Veturia]] of Blackcliff military academy is infamous for her [[TrainingFromHell cruelty and inhumanity]]. Using a cold-blooded exterior to mask her [[AxCrazy raging insanity]], the Commandant delights in committing [[ColdBloodedTorture torture]] and murder for the flimsiest of reasons. [[EstablishingCharacterMoment Introduced]] [[WhipItGood whipping a boy to death]] for deserting, a not-uncommon situation, she keeps a wall of her office completely covered with dozens of wanted posters from those she's captured and had killed, a grim "paper cemetery" that serves as a trophies of the lives she's taken. The Commandant [[BadBoss treats her slaves horribly]], disfiguring them within the first few weeks of service, torturing them [[IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure or their loved ones]] for the slightest mistakes, and has a track record of [[DrivenToSuicide driving them to suicide]] with her abuse. After the Commandant caught one member of the resistance, she killed everyone the woman loved, [[FacialHorror savaged her face]], forced her to swallow hot coals, then enslaved her as her cook. When Cook tried to assassinate her with poisoned food, the Commandant responded by driving a hot poker through the eye of a five-year-old slave that Cook saw as a surrogate daughter. [[BigBadDuumvirate Conspiring]] with [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds the Nightbringer]], the Commandant places a psychopathic rapist on the throne as her {{puppet|King}}, [[spoiler:whom she plans on killing and usurping]], manipulates the local Scholar resistance into killing the old emperor, then uses their rebellion as an excuse to [[FinalSolution commit genocide on the Scholars.]] The only moment of compassion she's ever admitted to was when [[TheProtagonist Elias]] was born, and a fleeting moment of maternal instinct caused her to abandon him with a tribal woman instead of killing him as she planned. She almost immediately regretted this and turned around to murder him, only to find the tribe was already gone. She's regretted that single moment of compassion ever since, and has worked to undo her mistake by [[OffingTheOffspring repeatedly trying to kill her son]] in the present day. The Commandant is defined as someone who's forged herself into a monster by tirelessly working to weed out any goodness within her in pursuit of absolute power.

* CompleteMonster: [[WouldHurtAChild Commandant Keris Veturia]] of Blackcliff military academy is infamous for her [[TrainingFromHell cruelty and inhumanity]]. Using a cold-blooded exterior to mask her [[AxCrazy raging insanity]], the Commandant delights in committing [[ColdBloodedTorture torture]] and murder for the flimsiest of reasons. [[EstablishingCharacterMoment Introduced]] [[WhipItGood whipping a boy to death]] for deserting, a not-uncommon situation, she keeps a wall of her office completely covered with dozens of wanted posters from those she's captured and had killed, a grim "paper cemetery" that serves as a trophies of the lives she's taken. The Commandant [[BadBoss treats her slaves horribly]], disfiguring them within the first few weeks of service, torturing them [[IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure or their loved ones]] for the slightest mistakes, and has a track record of [[DrivenToSuicide driving them to suicide]] with her abuse. After the Commandant caught one member of the resistance, she killed everyone the woman loved, [[FacialHorror savaged her face, forced her to swallow hot coals, then enslaved her as her cook. When Cook tried to assassinate her with poisoned food, the Commandant responded by driving a hot poker through the eye of a five-year-old slave that Cook saw as a surrogate daughter. [[BigBadDuumvirate Conspiring]] with [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds the Nightbringer]], the Commandant places a psychopathic rapist on the throne as her {{puppet|King}}, [[spoiler:whom she plans on killing and usurping]], manipulates the local Scholar resistance into killing the old emperor, then uses their rebellion as an excuse to [[FinalSolution commit genocide on the Scholars.]] The only moment of compassion she's ever admitted to was when [[TheProtagonist Elias]] was born, and a fleeting moment of maternal instinct caused her to abandon him with a tribal woman instead of killing him as she planned. She almost immediately regretted this and turned around to murder him, only to find the tribe was already gone. She's regretted that single moment of compassion ever since, and has worked to undo her mistake by [[OffingTheOffspring repeatedly trying to kill her son]] in the present day. The Commandant is defined as someone who's forged herself into a monster by tirelessly working to weed out any goodness within her in pursuit of absolute power.