Science Fiction & Fantasy
![J. Elle - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_j_elle.jpg)
Ashes of Gold (Wings of Ebony)
In the "thrilling…masterful" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) conclusion to the Wings of Ebony duology, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Nicole Yoon calls "bold, inventive, big-hearted, and deeply perceptive," Rue makes her final stand to reclaim her people's stolen magic.
Rue has no memory of how she ended up locked in a basement prison without her magic or her allies. But she's a girl from East Row. And girls from East Row don't give up. Girls from East Row pick themselves back up when they fall. Girls from East Row break themselves out.
But getting free and finding her friends is only half the battle. Rue vows that when she reunites with them, she will find a way to return the magic that the Chancellor has stolen from her father's people. Yet even on Yiyo Peak, Rue is a misfit; with half a foot back in Houston and a heart that is half human, half god, she's not sure she's the right person to lead the fight to reclaim a glorious past.
When a betrayal sends her into a tailspin, Rue must decide who to trust and how to be the leader that her people deserve, because if she doesn't, it isn't just Yiyo that will be destroyed-it will be Rue herself.
Rue has no memory of how she ended up locked in a basement prison without her magic or her allies. But she's a girl from East Row. And girls from East Row don't give up. Girls from East Row pick themselves back up when they fall. Girls from East Row break themselves out.
But getting free and finding her friends is only half the battle. Rue vows that when she reunites with them, she will find a way to return the magic that the Chancellor has stolen from her father's people. Yet even on Yiyo Peak, Rue is a misfit; with half a foot back in Houston and a heart that is half human, half god, she's not sure she's the right person to lead the fight to reclaim a glorious past.
When a betrayal sends her into a tailspin, Rue must decide who to trust and how to be the leader that her people deserve, because if she doesn't, it isn't just Yiyo that will be destroyed-it will be Rue herself.
Editorial Reviews
A masterful adventure. -- Kirkus Review STARRED REVIEW ― 11/15/2021
Readers Top Reviews
Isabel RoblesUtop
I binge-read the Wings of Ebony duology and I cannot stop thinking about it! As promised, Ashes of Gold comes to an explosive end full of plot twists & hold-your-breath moments. Rue’s journey was simply one I could not abandon and I’m glad I had the chance to read in one sitting. We get to meet several new characters including an all-women warrior squad, now a favorite! I felt so much for Rue though, the stress and expectations as a queen, the betrayals, her need to reconnect with her ancestors, and the urgency to find a solution for her people in Ghizon (as well as the human world) from all threats. You definitely do not want to miss this finale! 😍
Olivia F.Isabel R
ASHES OF GOLD is the thrilling and action-packed conclusion to the YA fantasy duology that began with WINGS OF EBONY. Armed with the magic of her ancestors, Rue finds herself in a difficult spot - she is trapped but also bearing the weight of other's expectations - and her own. Rue carries a lot of self-doubt as she struggles to protect those she cares about, fight those who will do anything to stop her and steal her magic, and believe in herself. After her mother's death, Rue learned about her father - the man who had never much been a part of her life. He introduced her to the world of Ghizon, where the native people's magic and land were stolen and they were suppressed if not all killed by the Chancellor, the man who now presides and deals out his stolen magic to selected subjects. Rue learned that she was a descendent of those who magic was stolen and bestowed a gift of particular magic from the ancestors who have chosen her to help her people. As she did not grow up among these people, Rue struggles to find her place there, all while wanting to do her best to protect her people and secure their future - a chance the Chancellor seeks to stop at any cost. What I loved: This sequel moves quickly and picks up where the first left off. There is more action, more thrilling characters, and plenty of world-building and danger to keep the reader on their toes. While the overarching plot is resolved and really intriguing, its the themes that really make this a stellar read. There are the themes inherent in the plot of colonialism and the following violence and destruction that leads to genocide, as well as of politics, wealth, and the ability of those who benefit to ignore others. In this story, some of the themes around Rue's character were the most compelling. She is struggling with accepting herself, believing in herself, and getting others to believe in her. These scenes were some of the most heart-wrenching and beautiful, as she struggles herself and the ways people see her. Her interactions with other characters and particularly Jhamal, who is a fantastic and aspirational character, really bring the book to life. The romance here is really well done and adds to the journey. The characters are really compelling, even if not always likable, and I enjoyed getting to meet and know the other Ghizoni characters and some of their customs in this sequel. Themes around family (including found family), friendship, and trust continue in this second book. This is a lot that happens in this book, and I loved the way the plot wound towards the conclusion. In particular, I found the Seer scene to be absolutely fascinating and memorable, and probably one of my favorites (though there are so many good ones). This is a book with nary a dull moment! Final verdict: With a riveting plot, unforgettable characters, and imaginative worl...
Kimora GibbOlivia
This book is amazing I wish I could read it again for the first time it soo good
DonnaKimora GibbO
I was pleasantly surprised with the twists in this story. It was very unpredictable and extremely fulfilling to the adventurer in my soul.
StephanieDonnaKim
Ashes of Gold is such an amazing follow up to Wings of Ebony. I have literally spent the last 24 hours reading and I just put it down. OMG!! J.Elle built the world of Ghizon masterfully. She really pulls us into the setting with the details and the new characters, the language. I'm here for it all! Ashes of Gold gave me everything I loved in Wings of Ebony and more. Even though I was happy we got to spend in Ghizon, I was so thrilled to take another visit to East Row. The love triangle in this book was intense. I couldn't help but to root for both Jhamal and Julius. Even though I'm team Julius ALL day the love both boys feel for Rue is oh so real. #Blacklove at its finest. I really didn't want this adventure to end. Rue really stepped into her greatness and found her power. The quest she went on was familiar but the path was all her own. The twists, turns and suspense in the story kept me turning the pages. J. Elle you did it again. I'm sad that there won't be another book about Rue. As a Black girl from the hood who wished she had magical powers, this story will forever live rent free in my mind.
Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter One CHAPTER ONE
THE ENEMY LIES IN wait to bleed my people.
To litter the homeland with our bones.
To bury its secrets.
But first he has to go through me.
I crouch in the brush surrounding Yiyo Peak for a better view of the Chancellor and his men. The sun washes Ghizon in shades of evening. Bleak wasteland stretches before me, scorched and burning. Blackened jpango trees are claws raised in sacrifice to the Ancestors. An armament of uniformed Patrol stand where there was once a field of lush vegetation and wispy grass, onyx glowing on their wrists.
Pangs churn in me-for justice, for the death of my parents, for the terror the Chancellor has caused my Ghizoni people, for the magic on his wrists that isn't his own. He'd made sure the treachery was scrubbed from the island's textbooks. But bones whisper from their graves if you listen hard enough.
My gilded arms warm instinctively with power, but I blow out a breath. Easy, Rue. With my Ghizoni people nearly magicless, it's basically me against thousands of Grays, the Chancellor's men. I have one shot at this and timing is everything.
Yiyo, the home my people have hidden in for years, sits behind us, perched in the middle of the forest. The Ghizoni and I hide in the foliage around it, clad in armor. I duck down lower behind thick waxy leaves to get a better glimpse of the enemy's movement. Everything he and his men have touched in the past three days of this siege has been destroyed. The Chancellor paces so rigidly, I expect to see steam rise off him. As if he'd burn every piece of beauty in the world if it would secure his power.
The destruction out here in the wilderness ends abruptly at a barrier as transparent as glass, which forms a dome over us and the mountain. Bri, in her haste to get me here quickly, said he'd broken through the barrier. Thankfully she was wrong. But he's about to. And it's the only thing keeping them from us.
It glistens, hanging above us. Thin cracks spiderweb on its surface and my heart ticks faster, my fingers twitching. The Chancellor scans the area and I hide myself behind a smooth-barked tree that's as wide as I am. Thousands of Patrol surround him. There's so many of them. So few of us. I swallow and gaze at the trees at my back, but my people are well cloaked, tucked into nooks of branches and wide leaves, in pockets of shadow, waiting, watching. The lines written into their faces are more determination than fear.
The Chancellor's nostrils flare and he shouts. Because of the barrier, I can't hear it. But his men raise their arms in unison. I clench, my muscles tightening in angst as I watch them aim magic at the barrier. The cracks on its glossy surface spread. Their arms lower. He yells and they fire again. It's been going on like this for days. But each "aim and fire" twists the corkscrew in my chest. That dome breaks, then what? I clench my fist.
I fight.
Outnumbered and all. I picture Moms's face. There's no other way. The General's demise must have reached the Chancellor's ears while I was in East Row. He is always poised, pensive, stoic. Three days ago, when they started this siege, they were collected, organized. But now, his reddened complexion, his corded throat, say the orders he's shouting are rooted in exhaustion and frustration, not control. Which I intend to exploit.
I wish I could have seen his face when he learned that hundreds of my people still exist. That some actually got away when he showed up to unify the tribes under him. And that they've been hiding inside Yiyo for generations, their magic fractured, a wisp of what it used to be. But even still, resiliently hopeful, strong, and ready.
A twig snaps behind me and I turn to find Jhamal pressing in beside me. He's no more than a breath away, a wall at my back. The siege glows orange in his ebony eyes.
"They won't break through," he says.
They will. I'm sure of it. But I swallow the words. I don't want his hope to falter. Hope is its own kind of magic. But Jhamal studies my eyes and finds the truth. The lines deepen on his face and I squeeze his hand in reassurance.
He gestures for everyone to come together and hundreds in shining gold armor emerge from the shadows. They surround us, eyes flicking between the two of us.
"It appears the barrier will break today," Jhamal says, broadening his shoulders, forlorn shadowing his expression.
"It will," I say. "But we can exploit the Chancellor at his most vulnerable point."
"The island is our home," says a Ghizoni clad in armor with bear-c...
THE ENEMY LIES IN wait to bleed my people.
To litter the homeland with our bones.
To bury its secrets.
But first he has to go through me.
I crouch in the brush surrounding Yiyo Peak for a better view of the Chancellor and his men. The sun washes Ghizon in shades of evening. Bleak wasteland stretches before me, scorched and burning. Blackened jpango trees are claws raised in sacrifice to the Ancestors. An armament of uniformed Patrol stand where there was once a field of lush vegetation and wispy grass, onyx glowing on their wrists.
Pangs churn in me-for justice, for the death of my parents, for the terror the Chancellor has caused my Ghizoni people, for the magic on his wrists that isn't his own. He'd made sure the treachery was scrubbed from the island's textbooks. But bones whisper from their graves if you listen hard enough.
My gilded arms warm instinctively with power, but I blow out a breath. Easy, Rue. With my Ghizoni people nearly magicless, it's basically me against thousands of Grays, the Chancellor's men. I have one shot at this and timing is everything.
Yiyo, the home my people have hidden in for years, sits behind us, perched in the middle of the forest. The Ghizoni and I hide in the foliage around it, clad in armor. I duck down lower behind thick waxy leaves to get a better glimpse of the enemy's movement. Everything he and his men have touched in the past three days of this siege has been destroyed. The Chancellor paces so rigidly, I expect to see steam rise off him. As if he'd burn every piece of beauty in the world if it would secure his power.
The destruction out here in the wilderness ends abruptly at a barrier as transparent as glass, which forms a dome over us and the mountain. Bri, in her haste to get me here quickly, said he'd broken through the barrier. Thankfully she was wrong. But he's about to. And it's the only thing keeping them from us.
It glistens, hanging above us. Thin cracks spiderweb on its surface and my heart ticks faster, my fingers twitching. The Chancellor scans the area and I hide myself behind a smooth-barked tree that's as wide as I am. Thousands of Patrol surround him. There's so many of them. So few of us. I swallow and gaze at the trees at my back, but my people are well cloaked, tucked into nooks of branches and wide leaves, in pockets of shadow, waiting, watching. The lines written into their faces are more determination than fear.
The Chancellor's nostrils flare and he shouts. Because of the barrier, I can't hear it. But his men raise their arms in unison. I clench, my muscles tightening in angst as I watch them aim magic at the barrier. The cracks on its glossy surface spread. Their arms lower. He yells and they fire again. It's been going on like this for days. But each "aim and fire" twists the corkscrew in my chest. That dome breaks, then what? I clench my fist.
I fight.
Outnumbered and all. I picture Moms's face. There's no other way. The General's demise must have reached the Chancellor's ears while I was in East Row. He is always poised, pensive, stoic. Three days ago, when they started this siege, they were collected, organized. But now, his reddened complexion, his corded throat, say the orders he's shouting are rooted in exhaustion and frustration, not control. Which I intend to exploit.
I wish I could have seen his face when he learned that hundreds of my people still exist. That some actually got away when he showed up to unify the tribes under him. And that they've been hiding inside Yiyo for generations, their magic fractured, a wisp of what it used to be. But even still, resiliently hopeful, strong, and ready.
A twig snaps behind me and I turn to find Jhamal pressing in beside me. He's no more than a breath away, a wall at my back. The siege glows orange in his ebony eyes.
"They won't break through," he says.
They will. I'm sure of it. But I swallow the words. I don't want his hope to falter. Hope is its own kind of magic. But Jhamal studies my eyes and finds the truth. The lines deepen on his face and I squeeze his hand in reassurance.
He gestures for everyone to come together and hundreds in shining gold armor emerge from the shadows. They surround us, eyes flicking between the two of us.
"It appears the barrier will break today," Jhamal says, broadening his shoulders, forlorn shadowing his expression.
"It will," I say. "But we can exploit the Chancellor at his most vulnerable point."
"The island is our home," says a Ghizoni clad in armor with bear-c...
