Everything you need to understand or teach A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir.
Sabaa Tahir’s young-adult fantasy novel A Torch Against the Night, the second book in the Ember in the Ashes series, follows its protagonists Elias and Laia on their quest to free Laia’s brother from a prison guarded by the powerful Martial Empire. In the process, they must fight off a variety of enemies, including Elias’s former best friend Helene, who has reluctantly sworn her loyalty to the Empire. The book is told in alternating points of view, with each chapter narrated by either Elias, Laia, or Helene, exploring each of their unique struggles to survive in the ongoing war between the Empire and the Scholars. A Torch Against the Night is a fast-paced epic novel that explores themes of loyalty, family, bravery, and guilt.