| Title | : | Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1619630346 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781619630345 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 432 |
| Publication | : | First published August 2, 2012 |
| Awards | : | Lincoln Award (2015), North Carolina Young Adult Book Award High School (2015), Goodreads Choice Award Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2012) |
The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass—and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.
Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) Reviews
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Are you kidding me? What the hell is this shit? How do you screw up your story quite so badly after starting from an INCREDIBLE premise involving the most notorious assassin in the land - now a slave - being offered the chance to win back her freedom, sort of, in a "to-the-death tournament - fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land" [says the back of my book, conveniently forgetting that (a) right before the final duels, the king specifically states that the competitors "can win only by trapping [their] opponent[s] in a position of sure death ... and no further" so to-the-death my foot, and (b) apart from thieves and assassins, a number of the competitors are actually ex-guards and random other criminals, for the most part disposable enough not to warrant names, and I'd only consider a small handful of them to be gifted at anything]? I mean, you really have to be TALENTED to go from all of *that* Exciting Sounding Awesomeness to - well - to Throne of Glass.
After reading the Q & A included in the back of my book, though, it all started to make sense, and I wish I'd known before buying this stupid-ass book that it's inspired by DISNEY'S CINDERELLA, of all things. I know what you're thinking: Where the fridge tart does Cinderella come in? Isn't this story about, like, a TOUGH-AS-NAILS former-assassin-now-slave competing for her life in, like, the most badass tournament ever? Well ... actually, no. And I'm happy to spend the next few hours of my life quoting this most dumbass book if it means AT LEAST ONE PERSON might decide not to waste their money on it, no need to thank me.
'"Wake up." Not surprisingly, it was Chaol.
She shimmied beneath the blankets, pulling them over her head, but he grabbed the covers and threw them to the floor. Her nightgown was wrapped around her thighs. Celaena shivered.
"It's cold," she moaned, holding her knees to her body. She didn't care that she had only a few months to beat the other Champions - she needed sleep. [Nope, this isn't your bratty kid sister, but the most notorious assassin EVAH! You know, the one who - after slaving away in the salt mines for four months - was so desperate to escape that she even tried a mad suicide dash. What the hell, though; they're only offering her her freedom.] It would have been nice if the Crown Prince had considered springing her from Endovier earlier so she could have some time to regain her strength; how long had he known about this competition, anyway? [Sheesh. I know, right? Silly Crown Prince, not considering the feelings of, like, one of the most terrible criminals his men have ever captured. I mean, he gives you large, comfortable living quarters in his castle, a billiards table, a chance to change your life, even a puppy, and - what - he thinks this is enough?!]
"Get up." Chaol ripped the pillows from beneath her head. "Now you're wasting my time." If he noticed how much skin she was showing, he didn't react. [That wasn't irrelevant at all ... ]
Grumbling, Celaena slithered to the edge of the bed, dangling a hand over the edge to touch the floor. "Fetch my slippers," she mumbled. "The floor's like ice." [Yeah, put those servants in their place, Cinderella!]
...
From the doorway, Chaol asked, "Why, might I ask, are you so tired?"
She gulped down the rest of the pomegranate juice and wiped her mouth on a napkin. "I was up until four reading," she said.' [Why do you even have to ask, Chaol? It's only the start of the tournament of Celaena's life; of course she stayed up all night reading. SLEEP WHEN YOU'RE DEAD, YO!! If the competition barely merits any page time, why should the competitors actually give a shit about it?!]
'A few minutes later, Celaena frowned at herself as she hurried after the captain into the foyer. "I look ridiculous! These pants are absurd, and this shirt is awful."' [Way to be descriptive, Cinderella! Generic complaints FTW! It's not like you've been slaving in the salt mines for a year, or anything like that, OF COURSE YOUR CLOTHES MATTER and HOW DARE THEY?! DON'T LET THE BASTARDS GRIND YOU DOWN!!?!!?!!]
'"You expect me to use a mace an hour after sunrise?"' [The horror!]
'She bit into an apple. It was tart, with a sweet, honey-like aftertaste. "Oh? And what books do you love?" He named a few, and she blinked. "Well, those are good choices - for the most part. What others?" she asked, and somehow, an hour flew by, carrying them on the wings of conversation.' [Jesus. This paragraph isn't a pointless waste of space at all.]
'There was something girlish about her, too. Oh, he couldn't stand her contradictions!' [INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS!!! Because *my* Chaol doesn't have a va-jay-jay ... ]
'Celaena bit down her laugh. Archery? It was an archery contest?' [Yeah, that was my reaction, too ... ]
'Pelor, the gangly assassin, wasn't yet strong enough to manage a longbow, and barely made any shots. When he finished, his eyes gleaming with resentment, the Champions sniggered, and Cain laughed the loudest.
...
Despite herself, Celaena felt badly for the boy. His shots hadn't been that bad.' [Yeesh! If barely making any shots isn't *that* bad, I can see how CINDERBRAT is the world's scariest assassin.]
'"Why would she kill me? I think she likes being pampered. [*snort*] If she hasn't attempted to escape or kill anyone, then why would she do it now?" He patted his friend on the shoulder. "You worry too much."' [ZOMG! U NVR HERD OF BIDING UR TIME B4? This Crown Prince is clearly not the brightest crayon in the box.]
'Sam. What would he make of all this?' [Since he's never been mentioned before, I really can't say. Sorry.]
'Dorian peeled himself from the wall. For all her assassinating experience, she didn't notice him until he sat down on the bench beside her.' [Yeah, I can see why she's Most Baddest Assassinator EVAH! And who glued you to the wall, anyway, Crown Douche Bag?]
'"No. I can survive well enough on my own - if given proper reading material."
He looked at the fire, trying not to think about where she'd been only weeks before - and what that kind of loneliness might have felt like. There were no books in Endovier.' [I find it hard to believe that loneliness is your biggest problem when you're a beautiful seventeen-year-old girl slaving away in a salt mine, but ... what do I know? A BOOK!! A BOOK!! MY KINGDOM FOR A BOOK!!!!]
'It wasn't until later that Philippa brought the news. The Champion who hadn't shown up for the Test had been found dead in a servant's stairwell, brutally mauled and dismembered.
The new murder cast a pall over the next two weeks, and the two Tests they brought with them. Celaena passed the Tests - stealth and tracking - without drawing much attention to herself or risking her neck to save anyone.' [When your plot's so boring that you're summarizing it all, you've got a problem ... ]
'He remained in the doorway, fearful that she'd wake up if he took another step. Some assassin. She hadn't even bothered to stir.' [I know, right? Also, you're a stalking stalker, Crown Douche Bag!]
'She smiled at the young chevaliers they passed - and smirked at the court women who eyed her pink-and-white gown. She couldn't blame them; the dress was spectacular. And she was spectacular in it.' [Bloody hell, you'd think a year of slavery would knock the vanity right out of a girl ... ]
'The assassin pivoted around the table and took aim again. She missed. Gritting her teeth, she considered snapping the cue in half across her knee. But she'd been attempting to play for only an hour. She'd be incredible by midnight! She'd master this ridiculous game or she'd turn the table into firewood.' [Now, now, CINDERBRAT. Temper tantrums are, like, so unbecoming.]
'"For the world's greatest assassin, this is pathetic," said Dorian, stepping from the doorway.' [Because assassins are widely known to be proficient at billiards. What, you didn't know??]
'She had often wished for adventure.' [If you spend seven years as an assassin and somehow manage not to stumble headfirst into all sorts of adventures, you're probably not doing it right.]
'So she'd cheated a little, but she'd won.' [LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HOLD ON TO YOUR SEATS; WE'VE JUST HAD OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF CELAENA ACTUALLY BEHAVING REMOTELY LIKE AN ASSASSIN!!!! And it's only page 240 ... ]
'It had been over three weeks since her last encounter with Elena, and she hadn't seen or heard her at all, despite the three Tests she'd had, the most exciting of which being an obstacle course, which she passed with only a few minor scratches and bruises. Unfortunately, Pelor hadn't done so well, and had been sent home at long last. But he'd been lucky: three other competitors had died. All found in forgotten [well, obviously not that forgotten] hallways; all mutilated beyond recognition.' [The plot overload! It's ... it's ... positively ... unbearable ... ]
'Amidst her worrying, another Test passed without incident or embarrassment - though she couldn't say the same for the soldier who'd been sent home - and she kept up her intense training with Chaol and the other Champions.' [WOW: So Much Story! How can I process it all?]
'"Candy!" A large paper bag sat on a pillow, and she found that it was filled with all sorts of confectionary goodies. There was no note, not even a name scribbled on the bag. With a shrug and glowing eyes, Celaena pulled out a handful of sweets. Oh, how she adored candy!
Celaena issued a jolly laugh and crammed some of the candy into her mouth.
...
"Someone," she said in between chews, "is very good to me."' [I just ... oh God ... I have no words! :D Cookie Monster strikes again?]
'"Of course I want her," Celaena said, then realized what the implications would be. "But I want her trained. I don't want her urinating on everything and chewing on furniture and shoes and books. And I want her to sit when I tell her to and lay down and roll over and whatever it is that dogs do. And I want her to run - run with the other dogs when they're practicing. I want her to put those long legs to use."
Dorian crossed his arms as Celaena scooped up the dog. "That's a long list of demands. Perhaps I should have bought you jewelry after all." [Hold your puppies, Dorian, CINDERDIVA STILL isn't done.]
"When I'm training" - she kissed the pup's soft head, and the dog nestled her cold nose against Celaena's neck - "I want her in the kennels, training as well. When I return in the afternoon, she may be brought to me. I'll keep her in the night." Celaena held the dog at eye level. The dog kicked her legs in the air. "If you ruin any of my shoes," she said to the pup, "I'll turn you into a pair of slippers. Understood?"' [Jesus Christ. Is it bad that what *I* want is for someone to rend Celaena limb from limb? And why does she have a bunch of shoes, anyway? Am I the only one who remembers that she's a fucking FORMER-ASSASSIN-NOW-SLAVE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!]
'Philippa huffed. "Just don't tell them I helped you when you get dragged back here."' [Sure, because if Celaena says nothing, they'll probably assume it was one of her other, non-existent maids who helped her navigate her way into her dress.]
'Frowning, Chaol watched his friend dance with the assassin. He wouldn't have danced with her, anyway. And he was glad he hadn't worked up the nerve to ask her, not after seeing the color that Duke Perrington's face turned upon discovering the pair.' [WTF isthe authorChaol talking about? What actually happens five minutes prior to this is that Celaena asks him to dance and he says no. Also, this guy's kind of a wussy-with-a-"p" for a Captain of the Guard. He's never even killed anyone before. Yeesh. Captain of the Guard, my foot.]
' ... Cain was little more than a pawn in a game to amuse the king ... ' [That's what they keep saying, but the king isn't even present in the castle for the majority of the competition, so ... ]
Oh, one more thing: THE NAMES! How the heck do you pronounce Chaol? Kale? Like the cabbage? And Kaltain Rompier has to be one of the stupidest names I've EVER come across. It makes me think of frolicking unicorns, or ... something. As for the main character, well, I don't even know what to call her. Selena? Kay-lay-na? (that's the one I eventually settled on, after spending half the book mentally mumbling her name) I mean, what in Erilea kind of a name is Celaena? Is it really any wonder that Nehemia eventually renames her?! Other people get normal enough names, such as Dorian and Grave and Sam and Elena and Xavier and Cain and Philippa and Verin and Ned; simple names, really. I guess the special snowflake needs a special name to go with her very special personality impairment. Don't even try to get me started on the place names, because I tuned them out after Eyllwe, so I have no idea how these countries / lands / coffee beans relate to one another, but I'll probably live.
And what is even the point of the glass castle? Or the non-existent throne of glass that the book's apparently named after? Thinly-veiled CINDERELLA references FTW!!!! If you ask me, the author should have gone for Cinderella in Candyfloss Land!, because you certainly don't get much more than that. I don't even know what Celaena spends most of the second half of the book doing. The tournament trials and murders are mentioned in passing here and there (Yesterday we threw knives! Another three people were eaten over the past three weeks!) and the book focuses on - I don't know what - Celaena sitting in her room, Celaena fawning over herself in front of one mirror or another, Celaena boasting about her amazing assassin skills that you'd otherwise never know she had, Celaena going for walks, Celaena admiring pouffalicious dresses,CinderellaCelaena wishing someone would invite her to the ball, Celaena eating sweets, Evil King being evil, and Frolicking Unicorn being high. It's ... exciting stuff. Really.
Also, since when do slaves have possessions? Why does some random slave (who immediately gets murdered by some random people, so yay for the Drama Llama) have enough salve to pass around as required? Who makes this salve? From what? Who are these slaves allowed to associate with that they can procure salve? What do they trade for this salve? Their bodies? Their hair? Salt they've squirrelled away from the mines? Yeesh! Explain yourself, Sarah J. Maas!
UGH! Terrible, terrible, horrendous. Nonsensical, stupid, pointless. Fluffy, pathetic, ridiculous. Need I say more? Really? Need I?
Throne of Glass tries to emulate
Poison Study ... and fails ... spectacularly. Save yourself the torture and go straight for Poison Study. If you've already read Posion Study, read it again. Or try
Graceling. Just ... don't say I didn't warn you. -
You can find the full review and more about this book on my blog!
____________________________________________“Libraries were full of ideas–perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.”
____________________________________________
5 BADASS STARS!First of all,look at this amazing cover.I also liked the first one but this is a masterpiece.I do have a weakness for awesome covers,that's why I decided to read this.Also a lot of people recommended this to me,and I heard great things and saw great reviews for this one.So I picked this up.It didn't disappoint.
____________________________________________“How long was I asleep?" she whispered. He didn't respond.
"How long was I asleep?" she asked again, and noticed a hint of red in his cheeks.
"You were asleep, too?"
"Until you began drooling on my shoulder.”
____________________________________________
This is a fantasy adventure action pack novel.It is the first book in "The Throne of Glass" series.It's full of suspense and thrilling moments,which keeps you turning the pages.The romance and the action collide beautifully together,and the writing style is also perfect.
____________________________________________“You could rattle the stars," she whispered. "You could do anything, if only you dared. And deep down, you know it, too. That’s what scares you most.”
____________________________________________
The start was kind of slow.The main character didn't awe me,and in my opinion she was quite annoying(at the beginning).But after that everything got better,everything was perfect.I started to understand the characters,their lives before,and their intentions.The ending was epic.Especially the duel.I could visualize the scene,the people,the action.This book will be an awesome movie ,if it ever gets to be one/p>
____________________________________________“We all bear scars,... Mine just happen to be more visible than most.”
____________________________________________
I also liked the sense of humor.It was minor,but it had it's moments.Especially conversations between Celaena and Chaol.And smart talks.You would be surprised how many characters are wise and smart.So it was not predictable.Everyone was hiding something
____________________________________________“No. I can survive well enough on my own— if given the proper reading material.”
____________________________________________
The world the author has created it's brilliant,especially the caste and it's chambers.The big library with a million books,the icy throne and castle,the tomb and the secret tunnel,the gargoyles,everything.
____________________________________________“Sometimes, the wicked will tell us things just to confuse us–to haunt our thoughts long after we've faced them.”
____________________________________________
The story follows an assassin named Celaena who is caught and taken to the king's castle.There she finds out that she is there for a reason.They want her to participate in a competition with 23 other fighters,and the winner gets to be the king's Champion,also gets the freedom and money.She has wished her freedom for so long and it was her chance to take,so she took it.Now she has to stay at the castle where the competition is being and there she discovers new things,battles new forces,and finds new people,people she could never think she would care about.
____________________________________________“With each day he felt the barriers melting. He let them melt. Because of her genuine laugh, because he caught her one afternoon sleeping with her face in the middle of a book, because he knew that she would win.”
____________________________________________
Calaena is one of my favorite badass heroines.She is funny and awesome and likes teasing.Chaol and Dorian,they both were the same for me,good characters with common and different personalities.
____________________________________________“No matter what happens," she said quietly, "I want to thank you."
Chaol tilted his head to the side. "For what?"
Her eyes stung but she blamed it on the fierce wind and blinked away the dampness. "For making my freedom mean something.”
____________________________________________I highly recommend this book to every reader out there.It's one of my favorites of 2014 and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.So pick it up!
*Pictures from the review are not mine, I took them mostly from Google images or Tumblr*
If you enjoy my reviews and want to support my writing journey, please consider buying me a coffee. Happy Reading:) -
4.45/5 ⭐
Full review on my Blog:
The Dacian She-Wolf 🐺
I am an occasional liar. I don't lie often, but when I do lie, trust me, I might pass as a lie-detector scammer, don't test me, I'm ruthless. But in general, I prefer to be brutally honest and direct. That's my true nature.
Today, I could've easily lied and said that I've wanted to read this book, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, for as long as I remember, but I’ve chosen to tell the truth instead: two months before actually reading it I’ve heard about this book and it didn’t appeal to me, mostly because of the cover somehow?? I know, I am a hypocrite (don’t judge a book by its cover, remember?), but the cover itself has (in my opinion) a crucial role in my own personal pick of a reading. And this particular cover felt like it wanted to intimidate me so bad.
I actually tried to read Throne of Glass once before, earlier in the year, and I managed to stop after precisely two words, change my mind and read something else. I don’t know what got into me then, but I dropped it like it’s hot, really. But boy was I wrong because I actually enjoyed it and it was VERY readable.
I can’t say that I particularly loved any of the characters, at least at the beginning. They all seemed to be so stereotypical that I quit trying to bother: the narcissistic prince, the oppressed heroine with a shady background, the wicked king scared of magic, the hard-core right hand of the narcissistic prince, the misogynistic brute etc., etc. But as the plot developed, I started liking this hard-core gorilla bodyguard with the name of Chaol, this narcissistic prince with a flirty nature, but with a real love for knowledge, this oppressed heroine which made a name for herself, but preferred to use it just to cover herself because that was a choice she could make.
To be completely honest, the most beautiful relationship of them all is the one between Celaena and Princess Nehemia of Eyllwe. Their friendship is so pure and so natural that it seems like their souls have been friends since the moment the world was created. If I’d had to truly ship someone, I’d ship them both, because, let’s be real, they are, on their own, passionate, dedicated and strong women, but together, they make the perfect team. As I heard some lady in a bus saying once: “Us women are stronger when we stick together” and yes, it is so true and so accurate for Celaena’s and Nehemia’s situation too.
There are two important things about a book: it has to teach you something and it has to help you escape your own reality. I don't know about you, people, but I read books in order to escape my own cruel reality (because that is the reality – a cruel and devious lifetime lasting wake-up call) and I recently discovered that fantasy books are the best remedy for an ordinary life. There is another life to live in a fantastic story, whenever the presented world is amazingly constructed and erected before our mind’s eye.
To claim that and also deep, 7-D characters with some serious wisdom passages attached to the neatly done plotline is totally just a whole load of bull, if you’d pardon my fluent French.
I, for instance, do not judge a book by the lack of one of those aspects, but I judge it by the way it makes me feel and by how wholesome it is as an entity (and by its cover, of course!). This is maybe why almost every time I find something positive that I liked in a book that contributes to my general opinion about it. And this is also the case for this one!
As the plot develops, the storyline becomes more and more intriguing until it reaches a point where things turn out dark and fantastic. What seemed to me at the beginning as okay-ish turned out to be, towards the end, a great, imaginative story. I am beyond happy that I was wrong! (That means the book is good because I rarely am wrong and I even rarely admit that I was wrong!).
Celaena Sardothien, world’s best assassin, proves everyone that, after all, no matter how hard life beats us down, we must raise our head high up and keep fighting, because we all are beaten down by Life, but not all of us show this the same way:
“We all bear scars, Dorian. Mine just happen to be more visible than most”.
P.S. I gave it 4.45 because I feel that the other books of the series are going to get better and better 🙂 -
Once again, it seems like I'm in the minority for this book because I didn't like it. It's such a shame too because I'd heard a lot of good stuff about it. Oh well, maybe it's just me...or maybe because this book just plain sucks.
Let's start off with our protagonist, Celaena who's the "greatest assassin in the world."
Okay, I'm cool with that. But it'd be nice if she could actually prove it because from what I've seen, she's once hell of a crappy assassin. People walk in and out of her room all the time when she's sleeping and she just keeps on snoring. Hello, aren't you supposed to spring awake like a ninja and hold a knife to that person's throat?
That's what I expect from someone who just left a death camp. Instead I get this.
The real clincher is what I call the 'Candy Incident'. There's a bag of candy left on Calaena's bed with no note or anything. This is during the period where a murderer is going around killing Champions and a couple have died already. And what does the 'greatest assassin in the world do? She gobbles them up immediately, going Oh, how I adored candies!
Remember that episode in Avatar: the Last Airbender when Sokka drinks cactus juice and gets all high? Then, it wears off and this happens:
Couldn't have said it better myself, Katara. Calaena is the kind of idiot that licks stuff off walls, even without the hallucinatory assistance of cactus juice.
But wait, there's more! Nothing happens to her because she's purrrfect and fabulous, like that song from High School Musical.
In fact, I'm pretty sure she's a Mary Sue. Let's check off her traits, shall we? Tragic past, check. Pretty, check. Amazingly good at something, check. Has more than one love interest, check.
Don't even get me started on the love interests.
There is absolutely no difference between Dorian and Chaol except for the fact that I'm more leery of the name Dorian. Maybe it's because I just recently finished
The Picture of Dorian Gray so whenever I see his name, I think of this:
It could be me but then again, you wouldn't name your kid Lolita, would you?
And the ending
On a side note, I saw this took 10 years to write because it was originally published on FictionPress.net or something. Seriously? It took George. R. R. Martin to that long to write
A Game of Thrones and look what he came up with!
And this is Calaena's world:
My review of Crown of Midnight
My review of Heir of Fire
My review of Queen of Shadows -
Read this one for TCE Book Club!
4.5 stars
Man oh man, this was a good one
I can survive well enough on my own— if given the proper reading material.
Celaena, an 18-year-old master assassin, spent the last year as a salt-mine slave as punishment for her crimes.
She's slowly wasting away but one day, the prince (along with his guard) comes by to lift her from her bondage.
The king is in need of an Champion and had devised a convoluted plan to obtain one.
All of his trusted advisers submit one criminal to a months-long tournament. The one surviving person endures a few years of servitude in exchange for complete freedom and pardoning of past crimes.Second place is a nice title for the first loser.
Celaena thinks she's stumbled upon an opportunity of a lifetime but she soon realizes that things are not what they seem.
Someone (or something) seems to be killing off the other champions.
The royal court wants to get rid of her.
And, to top it all, the prince is attracted to her which is putting a far higher price on everything.
Despite all of the chaos and the killings, one thing holds true - at least she has her books.“Don't you ever do anything other than read?"
I honestly did not expect to like this one as much as I did.
I'm tired of the YA heroine trope.
It's to the point where if I read a smidgen about a girl deciding the fate of the world, the book gets tossed on the back-burner-for-eternity pile.
But, when my friend read this series and insisted (and by insisted I mean insisted ) I read it...
I was a bit hesitant. I dragged my feet and I hemmed and I hawed.
I shouldn't have - cause this book rocked. (I also learned that I need to trust my friends more.)
I love it when all the characters literally spend their spare time reading. Makes my heart happy.Libraries were full of ideas—perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.
And my favorite part to the book? The "bedroom" scene - anyone else with me?“She moaned into her pillow. "Go away. I feel like dying."
Now excuse me, I need to immediately start this sequel
"No fair maiden should die alone," he said, putting a hand on hers. "Shall I read to you in your final moments? What story would you like?"
She snatched her hand back. "How about the story of the idiotic prince who won't leave the assassin alone?"
"Oh! I love that story! It has such a happy ending, too—why, the assassin was really feigning her illness in order to get the prince's attention! Who would have guessed it? Such a clever girl. And the bedroom scene is so lovely—it's worth reading through all of their ceaseless banter!”
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DNF 35%
Meet Celaena. She’s the world’s best assassin. Or so we’re told. She’s very, very talented. Very talented. And famous. She’s also really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, *takes a deep breath* really pretty.It was true that she had been attractive once, beautiful even.
She looked at her rags and stained skin, and she couldn’t suppress the twinge of shame. What a miserable state for a girl of former beauty!
But it was her golden hair that caught the attention of most, hair that still maintained a glimmer of its glory. In short, Celaena Sardothien was blessed with a handful of attractive features that compensated for the majority of average ones; and, by early adolescence, she’d discovered that with the help of cosmetics, these average features could easily match the extraordinary assets.
“What remarkable eyes you have!”
The prince’s eyes shone with amusement at her brashness but lingered a bit too long on her body.
No, he had to remember that she was an assassin with the blessing of a pretty face […]
He found her beautiful. […] It was something in the way her eyes sparked when she looked at something lovely in the landscape. […] Through a clearing in the swirling mass, a cluster of stars could be seen. He couldn’t help thinking that they gazed down at her. [...] A lovely girl gazing at the stars, and the stars who gazed back.
Gag.She looked spectacular. Utterly and completely spectacular.
Though she may look pleasant, […]
“Beautiful ladies are always associated with the Crown Prince – you should be flattered that you’re attractive enough to be considered his lover.”
“Your face is much more pretty when you smile.”
She smiled at the guards outside her door, and her smile burst into a grin at their exchanged approving glances.
“You look rather pretty today.”
An expression of surprise crossed his features when he beheld her in her finery […]
“[…] it would be hard to pass off someone so pretty as your sister.”
“I bet they won’t expect to be trounced by a beautiful lady.”
His dark eyes snaked along her body, […]
Her disgust didn’t improve when Grave ran an eye over her body.
Her turquoise eyes glittered as she stared at his hand, and his heart quickened when her gaze rose to his face. Yes, sweaty as she was, she was beautiful.
Much pretty.
I had hopes that the book would pick up once the competition began, and for a split second, it did. But then they added more drama in the form of more suitors for her big-hearted future love interest, and there was another potential love interest, and I just really can’t be bothered.
I'm out. -
Sorry, but it looks like I've been excited for NOTHING. After enticing me with its promises of a reading experience reminiscent of Megan Whalen Turner and George R.R. Martin, Throne of Glass ultimately let me down. Having been excited for this novel for weeks and actually liking the sample I read, I have been brought back to earth now – with a jolt. This YA fantasy is a rather sorry example of its genre.
I have the notion that a big part of this book did not work for me because of its heroine. Celeana is smart, athletic, talented and beautiful. She loves music and reading. She is fluent in different languages. She is great. And she knows it. And rubs it in your face repeatedly. As do her suitors and admirers. I had the feeling that Sarah J. Maas tried everything to make me love her heroine. How do you make readers love someone? Present them with a book lover! But somehow, she accomplished the opposite. I did not loathe Celaena, but she grated on my nerves. I wished someone would tell her off, would for once not grant her every wish; I wished the characters I liked would not fall for her charms and good looks.
The little romance Celaena had (I won't say with whom) was laughable at best and mostly resulted in me rolling my eyes at the fact that the only attraction that existed between those two stemmed from them both being beautiful.
In terms of plot, I cannot deny that there was always a level of suspense present. I did want to know how this story ended, and yes, there were actually parts when I feared the whole thing would not end well – partly because my beloved heroine did not deem it necessary to inform certain people about what she had witnessed in the castle. Overall, though, the story remained a tad too juvenile and simple for me. Important events were mentioned only in passing and the mythology did not go any further than what was important for the main story line. Many things remained unsaid – doubtlessly for the sake of sequels yet to come – but it was not the subtle way of remaining unsaid but hinted at I love in fantasy novels, it felt more like remaining unsaid to lure me into reading on.
There were aspects I liked - Celaena's friendship to Nehemia, the Eyllwe princess, and Chaol, the loyal and fierce captain of the guard – but in the end, there isn't enough to make me interested in reading any sequels.
In short - what I wanted: A less is more mentality. World building that does not only cover what is necessary to follow the main story arc. Subtle romance. Villains in different shades of grey. Assassins that actually assassinate. And do not only sit in their room talking or thinking about clothes and boys. What I got: A vain and mostly unlikeable heroine. Two men absolutely bedazzled by her presence. Hints of a love triangle. Lots and lots of descriptions of clothing. Flimsy world building. An overall poor execution writing-wise. Thank you. Next?
Thanks a lot to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the review copy. -
First cover: "Yeah, don't I look badass in this? Wait, hold on, does my hair and makeup look okay? I think I need to pose like this, so I look all strong and tough."
Second cover: "Fuck off or I'll end you."
I still stand by my opinions on the covers. I never liked the first cover, and am infinitely grateful that they changed them for the sequels. But as far as how Celaena herself is? I would say she's a bit of both. I feel like these covers portray two very different extremes, and Celaena seemed to possess a quality from each of them. That's actually what I loved about her. She's fast becoming one of my all-time favorite YA heroines.
I'll admit that a long while ago, I hadn't expected the book to be this good. But as soon as I read the prequels, I fell in love, and I definitely have high hopes for this series. -
Caleana Sardothien, young woman assassin, is betrayed and sentenced to the salt mines of Endovier. After a year, however, she is given an opportunity: If she wins a contest to become the king's champion, she will be granted a four-year contract, working as an assassin for the empire she hates, at the end of which time she will be freed. After reading the premise of the book, I thought, "Sign me up!" After the first chapter, I knew I was in good hands. This book has plenty of mystery, magic, humor and romance -- a perfect brew for fans of good YA fantasy. If you liked Graceling, Grave Mercy, Shadow and Bone or other fantasies featuring strong female protagonists with scary good skills, I think you'll enjoy this quite a lot. And it's the first of a series!
-
Characters were badly written, the plot was full of telling instead of showing.
Very underwhelmed after hearing for years that this was THE YA series to read.
I don't mind unlikeable characters, heck I love them but it didn't feel I was supposed to dislike our main snowflake. So tired of the "strong" female character who can kill everyone in a heartbeat but she's tiny and incredibly pretty, she hates all other women and... Oh also everyone wants her... just because.
For more details and quotes, here's my reading vlog
https://youtu.be/euovGE_A1Ik -
3.5-4 stars? I CAN'T DECIDE JUST YET!
I decided to reread this book, as I am about to continue on with the series, finally!
I did really enjoy this the second time round, but found myself a little more critical of a few things. I will be doing a full video review of this soon, so look forward to more of my thoughts then :) -
I DID IT!!! OMFFFFFFG!
THIS BOOK
WAS
JUST
SO
F******
GOOD!
What is even going on, how did i not read this sooner! I am now onto Crown Of Midnight and DYING!
LOVE LOVE LOVE
I FINALLY READ IT PEOPLE!
SO HAPPY -
WHAT I WAS EXPECTING:
WHAT I GOT:
-
Madre mía, ¿por qué no he leído esto antes?
Por fin, y después de casi diez años, me he puesto manos a la obra con el primer libro de la saga Trono de Cristal de Sarah J Maas. ¿Me arrepiento de no haberla comenzado antes? Rotundamente sí. Qué pedazo pistoletazo de salida para una obra tan grande, y qué de sorpresas me he llevado… Venga, vamos por partes.
En líneas generales, considero que Trono de Cristal tiene un buen ritmo. No recae demasiado en descripciones pesadas, porque si lo hace es usualmente importante en algún momento más adelante. Hay un muy buen equilibrio entre la duración de los capítulos, las escenas, los diálogos, momentos de introspección de los personajes y momentos de acción. Creo que está todo cuadrado al dedillo y hace que te sumerjas en la historia sin ninguna complicación.
Celaena es un PEDAZO DE PERSONAJE. Enamorado de ella desde el primer momento, en serio. No solo es decidida y se la sudan completamente cosas como la monarquía, sino que es despiadada, sangrienta, extremadamente inteligente y curiosa, y la mejor asesina del reino. Es brutal. Sin embargo, también tiene su corazoncito, y ese punto de inflexión en su personalidad me ha terminado de encandilar.
Personajes como Nehemia, Dorian o Chaol construyen un universo alrededor de Calaena que me fascina. Cada uno de ellos está muy bien definido, conectas con ellos, sus emociones y sentimientos, y creo que todos aportan algo a la trama de una manera u otra. Quizá he echado de menos más personajes como Nox, es decir, campeones de la competición con los que Calaena se acercara, pero lo que aportan personajes como Nehemia creo que lo compensa de sobra.
El estilo de Maas no es nuevo para mí. Ya había leído Una corte de rosas y espinas. En este caso, sin embargo, me ha entrado más fácil por los ojos. No sé si es porque es su primera novela, pero no creo que sea tan rimbombante como lo es en ACOTAR. Va más al grano, pero no deja en ningún momento de escribir con esa pluma tan característica de la fantasía épica (con esto me refiero desde a uso del lenguaje a estructura concretas). Todo un acierto. La misma historia escrita de otra forma no me habría gustado tanto.
Respecto a la historia... DAMN GURL! No me esperaba para dónde iba a ir la novela. Me encanta todo el tema de persona elegida que va a una competición a destacar, que es un tropo o cliché bastante visto. Sin embargo, los momentos donde se comienza a incluir magia o historia ancestral del universo donde se desarrolla la historia... Gloria bendita. Menuda sorpresa. Se me eriza el pelo pensándolo, porque no me esperaba para nada que la historia realmente tratara sobre eso y que se vaya a dirigir hacia ahí. Sé que esto es tan solo una introducción, pero estoy deseando ver hasta dónde puede llegar, porque de momento estoy fascinado.
Creo que la autora presenta los elementos necesarios para comenzar a dibujar un imaginario sobre el universo creado, desde la magia hasta criaturas o leyendas antiguas, dinastías monárquicas y casas, relaciones de poder, estratos sociales o incluso economía y política. Plantea todo de una forma sencilla, fácil de captar, para desarrollarlo más profundamente en las siguientes entregas. Agradezco que no entre a trapo con esas cosas y que se centre más de momento en el personaje principal y los secundarios, porque creo que una historia sin buenos personajes, pues chica, me da igual. Así que well done.
Y bueno, el triángulo amoroso... Mira, no me ha disgustado. ¡Para mi sorpresa lo he disfrutado! Creo que las dinámicas no solo entre Calaena con los chicos, sino entre ellos mismos están muy bien pensadas y contadas. Todo es justificado y creo que Maas no peca de enamoramientos a primera vista o cosas extrañas que podemos ver en otras novelas juveniles del estilo. Las relaciones y romances parecen surgir con delicadeza pero de forma natural, y es algo que he agradecido enormemente. Deseando estoy -al igual que con la magia- de ver cómo se desarrolla.
En definitiva, Trono de Cristal me parece una espectacular manera de comenzar una saga de fantasía tan extensa como esta. Me ha sorprendido y superado mis expectativas. De hecho, cerré el libro y de seguido abrí Corona de Medianoche, la continuación. -
It feels like
Throne of Glass has been a book I've been thinking about maybe reading for a million years. The reviews and ratings from my GR friends on this book are very mixed and I can easily see why after finishing this entertaining but disappointingly tame and romance-y young adult fantasy.
Throne of Glass is like
Shadow and Bone round two. The premise is awesome for both: full of hardcore warriors/assassins, royal/noble secrets and scandals, a touch of magic... but each one, though entertaining, quickly hangs up its weapons and becomes far more concerned with dresses, bitchiness and whether or not that sexy dude thinks the MC is hot (he does).
This book is to the fantasy genre what
Twilight is to vampires; though I have to stress that it is a fast-paced, compelling read and Maas does tame fantasy as well as it can be done. Despite my frequent eyerolls and disappointment at the romantic turn the story took, the pages seemed to fly by. I tend to read several books at once; I'll spend a few chapters with one and then mix it up by moving on to another, but
Throne of Glass managed to hold my attention from start to finish with no time for interference from another book. This, in itself, was quite an achievement.
Celaena Sardothien is the star of this show. A former assassin turned prisoner, she spends every day in the salt mines prison of Endovier. Having given up on hoping for freedom, she wishes only for death. That is, until one day The Crown Prince (Dorian) and his Captain of the Guard (Chaol) arrive with a proposition for her - fight in a competition, win, become the King's Champion for four years, and finally earn her freedom. It's an offer Celaena can't refuse. But, of course, things aren't that simple. Some dark evil is at work inside the King's castle; something that is killing off the competitors one by one. Plus, there's the handsome Prince and moody Captain to deal with too.
I don't think Celaena is in the King's palace for a day before she starts obsessing over her looks, her new dresses and whether or not either or both of the aforementioned men find her attractive. She still manages to have more badassery than Alina in
Shadow and Bone and the book is, in my opinion, nowhere near as boring as
Grave Mercy. But, still, I couldn't help being like "BUT you said ASSASSIN!" when she's there swanning around in front of the mirror. I like that she's "feminine" (whatever you want to take that to mean) as well as a brutal killer, but there's only so much high school changing rooms behaviour I can take. I think there's an excellent quote, a question that Celaena wonders to herself, that basically sums up what was running through my head for a lot of this novel:
"How had she gone from the most feared prisoner in Endovier to this sappy mess?"
How, indeed. But, that being said, I really enjoyed the banter between her and Chaol. And Dorian wasn't bad either. I've said it before but I'll say it again for the benefit of this review: I actually don't mind love triangles when they're convincing and both candidates for the MC's heart are on equal footing so there's some tension over who they're going to end up with. Though I may have to do all kinds of evil things - like... stomping around my bedroom angrily or letting library books become overdue - if Celaena doesn't end up with Chaol. Ms Maas, you've been warned.
So, yes, I will be reading
Crown of Midnight, god help me. I'm hoping it will please me more than the sequel to
Shadow and Bone did, but the ending of this does make me think the second book could have more action and nastiness (yes!). I think you can enjoy this book if you go into it knowing exactly what you're letting yourself in for. It isn't high fantasy. It isn't mind-blowing. But it is kinda fun *grins* -
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well formed and excellently developed. There are recognisable and enjoyable twist on the classic Cinderella. Example Celaena Sardothien's fairy godmother is a ghost of an ancient warrior queen. There are also slight touches such as Celaena has an innate charm with animals.
I was also very impressed with the pacing and evolution of the story. Honestly the 406 pages just seem to fly by. Just because Celaena was the greatest of assassins after being in a death camp for over a year she need to capture her old form, but her skills are still intact. Also I like the way the author plays with her feeling even though she is an assassin she is still very young and prone to her feeling and ego getting hurt.
The book does leave a lot of questions many of which are for the second novel, but as much as I hate prequels I will have to read the back up stories on the kindle version. I cannot wait for the next book and am really looking forward to what is going to happen next. Like I said earlier this book was more about Celaena recapturing her old form and claiming a position of power, also setting up her side cast, I am expecting a lot more action in the next book after all the training in this book. -
I hateread a chapter from book five of this series with a friend. And I'm going to register my opinion that while it may have slightly improved in character development or worldbuilding or etc etc etc - I wouldn't know - it is, objectively, just as horribly written as this book.
And that's the tea.🌺 montage of me screaming "why is this hyped" for five hours
Let me give this book one minuscule fragment of credit: the plot isn't horrible. Okay, yeah, the plot is kind of boring and there are a lot of opportunities for deception and badassery that are not taken. I take full offense at badassery being missed.
But seriously, guys, this book suffers from fucking terrible character work.
Thesis Statement: Celaena is a badly written character. She is arrogant as hell, really petty, and somewhat obsessed with her own appearance. And that's not even the problem - a horribly unlikable assassin as a lead character could be amazing. But Celaena does not have enough character depth for her unlikability to be tolerable. Her alleged tragic past? Pretty much not represented on page. Frankly, tragic pasts need a lot of fleshing out to be compelling and believable, and I don't even think Celaena's trauma is acknowledged once in this book - come on, at least do the bare minimum?
Listen, okay, you want to get me started on my #1 pet peeve in YA for all eternity? Heroines that have less sense than the audience. I like my heroines to be one step ahead of me, or at my level. Let's talk about the fact that Celaena is just... a complete idiot. Some assassin. I am 98% sure I have more sense than this character / prop for love triangles does. Like, I'm sorry, but how am I supposed to be intimidated by someone who 98% of the audience could outthink?
I am so disappointed by all this character could have been and all this character is not. completely lighthearted. Again, that could be super enjoyable to read about! I'd LOVE a book about a slightly unbalanced girl who murders people with a smile on her face. This could be Celaena if she were cleverer and a bit - okay, a lot - more fleshed out. But she's just an unbelievable, annoying heroine.
And Jesus, I am so annoyed by the love triangle. Dorian is just flat as hell and has no character. Chaol is... okay, I know someone is going to fight me over this but I do not care. Chaol is an overprotective ass. I can't believe he's supposed to be the good romantic interest compared to Rowan. Jesus, how bad is Rowan? What is happening in this damn series??
And yeah, I forgot just how much I hated it until the hateread, but the writing style of this book is worse than amateur. It is so tedious, it is so typical, and it is so overdramatic. I take full issue with both overuse of exclamation points and lack of ability to truly get into a character's head.
I have made my decision and I am not continuing.
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upon reread, i am going to bump up my rating. knowing how the story plays out over the span of 7 books, its allowed me to view this with a different perspective and im able to appreciate this more than when i started the series for the first time.
what i thought was simplistic storytelling, i now see humble beginnings. what i thought was lack of plot, i now see subtly laid foundations. and what i thought was a predictable ending, i now see necessary building blocks.
i think this will still remain my least favourite book in the series (which really isnt saying much) but its nice to know that i enjoyed this more than i did the first time, if only for sentimental reasons.
↠ 4.5 stars -
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Edit: Lost a few friends over this book, so on it goes to the
books-that-made-me-lose-friends shelf, where it can party with my feminism and anti-Trump reads. #NeverthelessSheKeptReviewing
Sarah J. Maas is basically the Taylor Swift of books: they are both among the most well known (if not THE most well known) in the genres they create work for, and have cultish fan bases that believe they can do no wrong. And both, in my opinion, are over-hyped.
I originally started THRONE OF GLASS three years ago. I hated it, and wrote a scathing one-star review of it filled with swear words and vitriol. That original review was actually deleted by me, along with about 3000+ books I rated and reviewed between 2009 and 2016, for a variety of reasons,
which I discuss here (and will touch on as well at the end of this review). I originally planned to read and review the entire series, but the first book put me off so much that I never attempted the series again - until now.
I had so many people ask me to review this book series that I decided I might as well give it another shot. I try to keep an open mind when I review books, and even though I'm very critical and snarky, I try to be fair as well. I was also feeling somewhat optimistic, too, as two books that I fully believed I would hate due to what I viewed as excessive hype -
THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO and
THE CRUEL PRINCE - actually ended up becoming some of my favorites.
Spoiler: THRONE OF GLASS did not end up becoming my favorite.
Although honestly? I didn't hate it as much this second time around. I still didn't like it (and the hype escapes me), but I've read so much worse. THRONE OF GLASS does have some things in its favor: an interesting world where, like POISON STUDY, magic has been suppressed and outlawed, and using it is punishable by death; likable secondary characters (Nehemia <3); and fairly decent writing that, at times, can be lyrical (at other times, cheesy - but hey, I'm a lover of bodice-rippers, so sometimes that pompously-written purple prose has a time and a place: just ask Rosemary Rogers and V.C. Andrews). Also, speaking of bodice-rippers, I loved that Celaena was reading some in her room, cheesy prose and all. Based on the writing, it totally sounded like a Johanna Lindsey viking novel.
So, let's talk about where this book went wrong.
*draws in a deep breath and inflates like a balloon*
Reason #1: The heroine. Celaena is a terrible heroine. She reads like the self-insertion character in a fanfic. She has all the boys, all the powers, all the talents - and none of the characterization or skills to back it up. It got to the point where I would roll my eyes every time she admired herself in the mirror and listed off her features or humble-bragged in the narrative about how beautiful she used to be until she wasted away in the stupid salt mines. When she's not doing it, the two love interests are doing it for her, either while pining outside her window (seriously), pining over her playing the piano like Christian Grey did while watching from a shadowed corridor (SERIOUSLY), or pining over her looking up all tragically at the sky while being carted away to her "terrible" fate (OMG).
What makes this even more irritating is that she is supposed to be a strong female protagonist, and yet she is basically the total opposite. Not only is she incredibly vain and arrogant, she's also a total jerk. She insults everyone around her, especially the people she shouldn't be insulting (read: the people who are in charge of her fate and could send her straight back to those salt mines with a flick of their wrists) and other women. Celaena loves to slut-shame other women, especially in the beginning.
I mean, how can you like a heroine who says stuff like this?
"I hate women like that. They're so desperate for the attention of men that they'd willingly betray and harm members of their own sex. And we claim men cannot think with their brains! At least men are direct about it" (70).
And then there's the fact that she doesn't really live up to the "assassin" part of her attributes until the very, very, very last possible moment of the book. For the first however many pages there are in the ebook edition that comprise the first 85% of the book, Celaena will tell everyone who will listen (well, everyone who knows who she is) about how deadly she is, and in the narrative she's constantly making stupid makeshift weapons out of hairpins and soap (!), but she never gives me the impression that she's someone who's particularly qualified. People sneak up on her all the time, and she isn't a light sleeper because on several occasions she wakes up, surprised to see someone standing over her.
And then. And then. There's this line:
"Candy!" A large paper bag sat on a pillow, and she found that it was filled with all sorts of confectionary goodies. There was no note, not even a name scribbled on the bag. With a shrug and glowing eyes, Celaena pulled out a handful of sweets. Oh, how she ADORED candy! (234)
This is probably the stupidest moment in the entire book because in Celaena's competition to be the King's Champion, someone is killing off the other competitors. Also, one of the Tests they did shortly before this one involved poison. So obviously, someone wants her dead and even more obviously, there is poison lying about somewhere on the premises that someone could probably steal (if they didn't already steal some from the competition). And it never once crosses her mind that someone might have dropped off a batch of poisoned candy to her bedroom knowing her insatiable lust for sugar. Never. Once. Crosses her mind. I face-desked pretty hard at that. How do you come back from that?
Reason #2: It's boring and slow AF. This book is very back-heavy. Not much happens until the end of the book. You would think that a competition between a bunch of thieves, murderers and soldiers for a high-ranking position in an evil kingdom would be exciting, like, the Medieval Times' version of THE HUNGER GAMES. But no, these scenes are vastly overshadowed by much more important scenes. Like Celaena going to the library. Celaena debating about how much sugar to add to her oatmeal. And Celaena looking into a mirror and admiring her fiftieth sparkly, low-cut dress.
I liked the scene with the poisons. It kind of reminded me of that scene in Harry Potter, when Harry has to go through all of those trials before he faces down Voldemort (that, and the flying keys). The Tests had the potential to be so much MORE, and it was so frustrating to read about all this pointless stuff when what I wanted was action, adventure, and showmanship.
Rule #3: Book-pandering. One of my biggest pet-peeves is when authors make their characters love books in an attempt to get us to like them + to add "character" or "personality" where there is none. Liking books is not a personality trait, please, and thank you. This is something I mention in
MY LADY JANE, as well - a book, incidentally, that I disliked a lot more than this one. There's nothing wrong with writing a character who reads, but when it's their only hobby and seems like it's just an excuse to give people quotes to make them go, "OMG! I TOTALLY RELATE! SQUEE" it feels cheap. That's just my personal opinion, but it bothers me a lot, so I'm mentioning it.
Chaol and Dorian were fine. Chaol had the personality of a fence post, but he had that tall, dark and brooding vibe down that I'm a sucker for, although Valek from POISON STUDY did it better. Dorian is the typical womanizing bad-boy rich-boy stereotype, and I didn't care for him much at all, especially what with his "you're not like other women" attraction to Celaena. Boy, bye.
Nehemia was honestly my favorite character in here. She's powerful, cool, mysterious, intelligent, and courtly - basically everything Celaena was not. I also think it's ironic that Nehemia and Celaena had much more chemistry than Dorian and Choal did with Celaena combined. Too bad this wasn't an F/F fantasy romance. I would have totally shipped them. They were cute together. Celaena was almost tolerable when she was with Nehemia. *coughs* Almost.
I honestly felt bad for Kaltain - probably because it felt like we were supposed to hate her. But hey, I was tired of Celaena, too, so I can't really blame her for wanting to be rid of Lady Special Specialton, Eater of Suspicious Candies and Bragger of Little Merit. She was honestly one of the more tragic characters in here, and her narrative ARC reminded me a little of Anne Boleyn's. Ambitious women are rarely treated well in YA, particularly if they're sexual and/or beautiful. THRONE OF GLASS does its damndest to distance Celaena from such "unlikability" by making her childlike and sexually inexperienced, which I found extremely irritating and boring.
I can't really remember why I hated this book so much when I first read it. Maybe because I went in expecting more, whereas this time I knew what to expect? Or maybe because I've read several particularly awful books this year that made this one seem better by comparison? I don't know. But this time I actually found some redeeming facets of the narrative that made me sigh and go, "Well, I suppose it could have been worse - and I did like this thing and that thing, so there." The funny thing is on my first review I got all these irritating comments telling me that if I read the book again more carefully, if I even really read it at all (omg, how dare u), I would love it. Condescending comments aside, I did actually "like" the book more this second time around, although I still think it's pretty bad (although I'll be trying to give the other books in the series a shot because damn that curiosity).
Lastly, since this book has so many passionate fans, I would like to issue a caveat: If you leave me rude comments, I am going to delete these comments and block you. It is not personal and it does not mean that I hate you, or harbor any ill-will towards you. I just have zero interest in interacting with people who don't distinguish between criticism of a book and ad hominem attacks of an individual. Part of the reason I deleted all my reviews back in 2016 was because I was getting a lot of nasty comments on about five reviews and I made the novice mistake of arguing back with them and giving them that satisfaction of a response. I've grown up a lot since I first started using this site and now have little interest in arguing or fighting with people. I would rather spend my time and energy on writing snarky reviews or having positive interactions with my friends and followers.
In sum, THRONE OF GLASS was not a very good book in my opinion and at times was incredibly annoying. I have heard that the second book has more action and fight scenes, and since those were the parts of this book that I enjoyed the most, I will be reading CROWN OF MIDNIGHT soon (probably this week) to see if it's enough to compensate for the glorious bore that is Celaena.
I did have a lot of fun posting snarky status updates for it, though. ;-)
Also, this meme I made w/ MS Paint for my status update of THE BLADE ITSELF seemed relevant.
1.5 stars -
3.5-4 Stars
Yeah, I know. I’m the last fucker around to read this book. But I saw the whole series in spiffy hardcover on sale at Costco and so, of course, Iresponsibly bought only the first one to make sure I liked it before buying morebought the whole damn series in one go because, well, no impulse control.
But anyway.
This was fun. I liked it. I look forward to the next one.
Which is good.
Since, as I said, I already have the next one, and the one after that...
Oh, and #TeamChaol -
We each survive in our own way.
This is going to be a rather personal review because Throne of Glass took away a week of my life and my SJM virginity.
I wish I’d let it wine and dine me, first.
At least, I’d still have the good memory of a nice six course dinner.
It’s not like I have a problem with this book, but…I do have a problem with this book.
A couple, actually, and they mainly involve the writing and a certain main character which I won't name for now.
Now, before I start, I must say that I’ve been forewarned by a lot of readers that this is probably the weakest book in the series and that the writing is a bit quirky, because at the time, the author was young and (I suppose) unexperienced. I can see that. I actually could see a writing style development between the first and the second half of the book.
This to say that, since from the beginning, I didn’t expect much.
But since I’m here do discuss books and not to dig into the author’s background, I’ll admit I’m not a huge fan of the writing. Too many exclamation points!!!!!!too much self-indulgence in the characters descriptions and actions, and, definitely, too much walking around the edges.
Sometimes I like it when a book shows its contents rather than shoving them explicitly into the writing as to say “hey, here’s how you’re suppose to interpret said emotion and fact”, and so on.
I don't like that, nuh-uh.
Plus, most of the time, it really looked and felt like a thirteen-year-old fangirl wrote a fanfiction based on scratches of books she's seen her big sister read.
The plot is not bad. There’s magic and princes and the right amount of stabby-stabbing.
Not bad, but not breath-taking, either. I'm not giving up, though, because I trust my fellow readers and I believe it when they say it's gonna get better.
Well,
Now, another thing that threw me almost completely off the Throne of Glass Train, was the main character, Celeana Sardothien.
Oh, boy. I had such a hard time with this one.
Not only I didn't connect with her and her way of thinking before the very last chapters, she's also made it into my Top 3 of most annoying characters thanks to her immaturity.
I think only America Singer from
The Selection and Zoey Redbird from
Marked could top that, and this is saying a lot.
She’s like that popular chick in high school who thinks she’s head and shoulders above the others. She’s like Regina George with daggers and an even snarkier holier-than-thou attitude.
Basically Celeana in every single line ever:
For someone who's supposed to be a deadly assassin, she's pretty weak and dull. I get it that she's a girl who likes being pretty and wearing nice clothes and dating hot boys (I actually love it when a female character can be girly and badass at the same time), but she's just so narcissistic and stubborn, she never (or rarely) speaks without thinking first, that you can't help but put aside her best sides and focus on the tooth-cringing ones. Sometimes, she really lacks tact, not to mention good manners, and, for the most part, she walks around feeling like she invented the concept of being a badass. I’ve got news for you, Cece. You still have a lot of road ahead.
So flipping frustrating.
Sure, she had her good moments, I actually appreciated her spirit and braveness in many occasions, but they were rare and ephemeral enough that they couldn’t have overcome the flaws even if Batman himself joined the collab.
I really hope she’ll redeem herself, or at least, grow some sense into that little superiority complex-affected brain of hers.
To be completely honest, sometimes I even enjoyed this book, but I couldn't help but notice they were chapters or paragraphs in which Celeana was silent or absent or too busy fighting for her freedom to care about other stuff.
Ahem, I'll leave the math to you, peeps.
Bless the multi-pov option! I really didn’t mind at all those Dorian or Chaol chapters.
And, yes, feel free to read this as: I really didn’t mind Dorian nor Chaol.
Which brings us to the romance side.
Guess what? There was a love triangle! *fakes shock* I know.
So. Original. And. Unexpected.
Even if Huey, Dewey, and Louie engaged in some sort of inevitable, twisted and confused love triangle, which I’ll never be a fan of, I still couldn’t care enough to let it bother me. Just give me some substance, I don’t care who sucks whose face.
Now, at the question, do you ship Celeana with Dorian or Chaol, I'll reply: WHAT EVEN IS SHIPPING ANYMORE.
Since, y'know, I think it'd too much to hope Dorian and Chaol will both dump Sardothien, grab a dozen puppies each, and ride their way into the sunset, together.
The other characters didn’t really convince me that much (although no one got nearly on my nerves as Miss Main Character did), I felt like there could have been more work behind, just like the whole story didn’t exactly engage me from start to end for the very same reason.
You can tell someone didn't really do their best at researching. The setting and the way all characters behave could have been a little more authentic, and, holy crow, the ooc-ism was too much, even for a mediocre book.
Still, I think after a good 60%, both the writing and the plot really improve right before my eyes.
I’m convinced, maybe, I would have loved this book better if I read it when it first came out.
I have too high standards now. really, it's like a curse.
I’ve never really followed SJM but I feel like I should give her another chance (brain screaming: I WANT MORE DORIAN AND CHAOL). I’ll try not to let it influence negatively my coming judgment and consider this book an isolated case, and also this series’ chance to prove how sometimes books can upgrade in reverse, and put some more hopes into
Crown of Midnight.
Until then, two and a half stars are more than enough.
ACTUAL RATINGS 2.5/5
{update July 2021: while my opinion on this book hasn't changed at all (Throne of Glass was and still is a let down with insufferable characters and cringey writing) I wanted to make this little update to tell whoever will read this review that I ended up caving and I continued the series, and I'm glad I did, because it really does get better. The plot in particular. SJM stepped up her writing game and I also ended up liking celaena's character development. This to say, don't be surprised if you step upon another of my THG reviews and find it more positive than this one. Love what I learned from this: sometimes giving a book series another chance wil end up surprising you.} -
"I swear on my crown that the pup shall live."
The five Throne of Glass novellas did a great job convincing me to push toward the main series. I mean what's not to like: A mysterious new world, a set of interesting characters (in novellas) and a lot of potential plot-lines to explore. But, after reading this first book, the only reason I'm rounding up what felt like a 2.5-star read to 3-star (instead of 2) is, me not belonging in the intended audience. But even for a young audience, I believe some of the stuff here are too shallow and rudimentary, especially in the first half of the book.
Though it wasn't much original, I still found the plot to be interesting. The unfairly convicted protagonist trying to make a change by fighting on multiple fronts, and some politics to keep things heated among characters, while adding a bit of dark magic to have a little mysteriousness. Story starts with Celaena being conditionally released from prison, to participate in a competition which expects to select a champion for the king. I was under the impression that this competition would be the main plotline, but it was mostly on sidelines. Politics played a major part, and I think that's what I enjoyed the most here. As for magic, there wasn't a whole lot of revelations in this one, however I'm hoping everything would become clear in time. But after a few chapters, it quickly becomes apparent that the main theme here is romance. Everything revolves around Dorian - Celaena - Chaol trio, and leading up to a too obvious love triangle. But at least, it's not one of those terrible ones, where one of the three being a complete villain. The pace of the story was also okay, and even though the book wasn't much impactful, it was kind of a fun read overall. But the prose has a lot of room to improve, especially by moving beyond the pure melodramatic conversation.
However, I have to admit, it did get better towards the end. Even though the villain turned out to be the obvious one, I loved the detailed final battle, until the very end.
From the very first page, I didn't expect much from Celaena. It was clear from the novellas, aside from being fun, she had a number of conflicting traits, and was not very congruous with being an infamous assassin. Trying to squeeze in this many qualities to a single character is hardly a good idea, even if the character is of an age suit to be full of wisdom, and experience. But when you try that with an eighteen year old girl, who is the definition of impulsiveness, it is not surprising that the character turning out to be an annoyance. Even if the author had intended to create a strong role model for readers of the intended audience, I think the character came out looking too shallow, and inconsistent. I'm not giving examples to avoid spoilers, but one does not have to look deep to find her shortcomings. Celaena might be a very popular character but she is anything but a role-model in my opinion.
If it wasn't for the novellas, I probably would not have finished this book. And even with the novellas, I still might've discontinued, if it wasn't for the shared opinion among many that first couple of books being the weakest in the series. I hope, at least in time, these qualities would fade away. At this point, I cannot say that I liked the prose that much either, but I'm hoping that'd improve as well.
"So, I highly suggest, Miss Sardothien, that you get your arrogance in check." -
It’s been 6 years since I first picked up this book and discovered this series. I’ve read it 6 times since.
All the feelings continue to exist and intensify each time.
I’m gonna love this series till I’m old and grey.
————————————
Reread x5! And that’s the review.
————————————
Reread x 4!
I can’t believe this series is coming to an end. 😢
It’s brought me so much comfort and happiness.
Obsession isn’t enough of a word to describe what I feel towards Sarah J Maas and these books. Fandoms have never been my thing. Well, since Harry Potter. Then I came across her books because of the hype and I am grateful to have found people as loony over it as I am.
——————————————————
This series seems to be getting better with every reread! And this book in particular as it was my least favourite. But it helped reading The Assassin's Blade before Throne of Glass as it delved deeper into Celaena's character and through that book one was able to form a connection with her.
Her skills as an assassin aren't really explored in Throne of Glass, it's all talk and no action. But reading the prequel novellas, you are able to see how hardcore she actually is, thus accepting the all talk and no action that happens in Throne of Glass.
I love the characters, the world and Maas's writing. I always feel so wrapped in it!
So many hints were dropped in this book that are explored in the other books. I loved being able to pick up on them this time round and appreciate that Maas cleverly plants those points in her books and later builds up upon them so thoroughly. -
I'm afraid this just wasn't for me. I heard it being sold as GRR Martin's Game of Thrones written for the female audience --- well, as a female audience, I am offended. As an avid reader of the fantasy genre, I am saddened that this is marketed as a fantasy-for-females. This being a YA does not excuse it from being riddled with clichés, painfully obvious foreshadowing, and a ghost of a fantasy world ruthlessly overshadowed by romantic overtones.
Fans of fantasy - actual fantasy - I don't suppose would much enjoy Throne of Glass, either. And even though the synopsis makes it sound Hunger Games-esque, I'm afraid on that front, you'd be disappointed, too.
I would say, if you enjoyed The Selection by Kiera Cass, but long for a less self-abasing character than America, then I think you might enjoy Throne of Glass.
I must warn you: this review will be long, and most of it dedicated to a bit of a character study if anything; and why Sarah J Maas failed at her character of an assassin. But let's start at the beginning.
Celaena Sardothien has spent years in the death camps of Endovier, where she will ultimately spend the rest of her life. Until, that is, crown prince Dorian appoints her to enter in a competition for the title of King's Champion, who will be tasked to do the King's secret bidding. But when one by one, the competitors turn up dead, Celaena knows that something evil lurks the castle.
Instead of the action-packed novel I was lead to believe I'd be reading, all I got were ... balls and dances, and then some fight scenes are thrown in there just to make sure we don't forget that this is supposed to be a story of an assassin. No, Sarah J Maas, I hope you don't forget what we came here for.
When I say that Throne of Glass lowers the standards of Fantasy, I mean that it doesn't seem to know much about its own setting.
Royal Households everywhere, at every turn of the century, have a set of rules dictating things such as etiquette; what is proper and what is improper. And these rules don't exist for the sake of it - there are reasons behind etiquette: to prevent affronting your peers, for instance. To prevent harmful court gossip. To prevent a crown prince from running around and fathering a thousand bastards before he is even dubbed King, creating more than enough future claimants to the throne.
I assume the same applies in Throne of Glass; for instance there are etiquettes mentioned that deem a prince dancing with only one partner something considerably rude.
So it threw me way out of time and place when I found out that Chaol, Captain of the Guards, would enter Celaena's chambers at any time of day he wishes - even when she's still dressed in her scanty nightgown.
Even the Prince does this; visiting her whensoever he pleases. You may call me a prude, you may call me many anti-feminist names, but this is not acceptable. Not because I give two cents on what the court would say about Celaena; not that I give two cents whether or not the prince was copulating with her; but because this is simply not done. Especially not without repercussion, if even in the form of social stigma.
Celaena had a maid waiting on her - but it seems that all she was good for was putting her clothes on. It was Chaol who barged in her room, underdressed as she was, just to wake her up. He is a Captain of the Guards. This should not even be his task!
These small, ridiculous ignorance of Royal Household etiquette and division of labour made it seem as if the whole thing was poorly researched. You may argue that this was not feudal England; that this world was built entirely of Maas' imagination, but things such as logic should still apply. And when has it ever been logical for a Captain of Guards to be responsible for waking up guests? When has it ever been acceptable for a Prince to come and go, without repercussion, into a common girl's chambers?
But that is exactly the problem with Throne of Glass. The entire premise wasn't logical. By this I am of course talking about the King's competition."(...) He's hosting a competition. He invited twenty-three members of his council to each sponsor a would-be Champion to train in the glass castle and ultimately compete in a duel."
... and this Champion of his is tasked ...To work for the King of Adarlan as his loyal servant. She raised her chin. To kill for him (...)
But where is the logic fail? you ask me. Allow me to reiterate. He wants a loyal subject to kill for him, without question, with the utmost secrecy. Yet he chooses this loyal subject through a competition. Not only that, he makes his councilmen choose the competitors for him.
I may not be a direct member of a royal family myself, but I know there are things such as court intrigue and hidden agendas and hell, there are hundreds upon thousands of discrete allegiances and plots being made left, right and centre.
Do you really want your future, "loyal" Champion to be handpicked out of a number of criminals and entrusted to your councilmen?
The whole competition thing wasn't at all very thought through. In the end, it felt as if it was just there to get the story going, to get Celaena into the castle.
The competition itself was a let down nstead of some fight-to-the-death (or similar) trope, we get ... a race. An archery competition. Wall-climbing. And a lot of others that happened off screen.
Amidst all these competitions and training programs, the plot scattered into flirting banter, gatecrashing parties, and some girl-on-girl hating; as if the author wasn't quite sure whether she wanted her novel to be the story of a ruthless assassin, or the romances of a ruthless assassin princess-wannabe.
And now I get to Celaena, the princess-wannabe. Allow me to present a number of quotes I've highlighted:She loved clothes--loved the feeling of silk, of velvet, of satin, of suede and chiffon--and was fascinated by the grace of seams, the intricate perfection of an embossed surface. And when she won this ridiculous competition, when she was free ... she could buy all the clothes she wanted.
*
Everything was wet and half-frozen, and while she could bear sodden hair, she couldn't withstand the agony of wet shoes.
*
There were more Champions seated at the tables--even the pimply-faced Pelor sat near Chaol! A half-rate boy assassin! She bared her teeth. How dare she be denied an invitation to the feast?
You read all that and tell me, do you imagine these thoughts coming from a renown, world-class assassin?
An assasin complaining about her wet shoes?
About not being invited to a banquet?
No. Two things strike me here: First, she had just spent years at a death camp, but her behaviour upon leaving it did not portray any humility or gratefulness of being far away from all those whippings and forced labour. You'd think she'd just be glad to be away from the mines and pickaxe to be complaining about wet shoes SMH.
Second; this sounds more like something a ditzy princess-wannabe would say. Oh, after I win this competition, I'm gonna buy myself some clothes. For someone who has spent years suffering, who spent her childhood being trained as a ruthless killer, she comes across sounding so privileged.
Now, I'm not an assassin. I've never been trained as one, but for years I did go through a whole series of martial arts before finding one that suited my small stature. And of all martial arts -- from karate to jiu-jitsu to wushu to the one I finally settled with -- there was one thing we were taught was the foundation of any great martial artist. Discipline.
And I'm sorry, Celaena. But you don't have it.
This is her reaction to failing at a game of pool:A shriek of rage ripped from her throat, and Celaena ran over to the pocket. She first screamed at the ball, then took the cue in her hands and bit down upon the shaft, still screaming through her clamped teeth. Finally the assassin stopped and slapped the three ball into the pocket.
This is her discipline at training:"It's cold," she moaned, holding her knees to her body. She didn't care that she had only a few months to beat the other Champions--she needed sleep."
I'm afraid it doesn't work that way; you don't get to tell me that this girl is an accomplished, feared assassin at the age of.... sixteen?.... but her entire mentality, her entire personality does not ring true of an assassin.
Do you think the realm's greatest killer would be afraid of walking in a glass house?"Only an idiot would walk in a house made of glass."
(...)
The thought of standing on floors of glass made her queasy.
....afraid of heights?She had a terrible headache around her left temple. Everything was sickly and frail. They were so high up, so dangerously high ...
Do you think they moan and whinge and complain at the drop of a hat?Once they'd finished their run, they trained in a private room far from her competitor's eyes. Until, that is, she collapsed to the ground and cried that she was about to die of hunger and fatigue.
*
Celaena frowned at herself as she hurried after the captain into the foyer. "I look ridiculous! These pants are absurd, and this shirt is awful."
For heaven's sake, you're an assassin, not a supermodel. No. Discipline doesn't just mean getting up every morning and training every day. It also means a discipline of the mind. It means self-restraint. It means keeping your head low. What kind of assassin wants to be the centre of attention?? To have her skills known?? If you want glory, then you're in the wrong career path. Be a damned knight.
But Celaena is vain and self-absorbed. She wants to be in the spotlight."I hate all these guards and nonsense; I hate you telling me to hold back when Brullo sings Cain's praises and I'm just there, boring and unnoticed in the middle."
*
"Do you know how insulting it is to pretend to be some nobody thief from a small city in Fenharrow?"
Not only that, but she's also very contradictory and hypocritical:What was a "Champion" but a dressed-up name for murderer? Could she actually stomach working for him?
And I suppose "assassin" is just a synonym for mercy-killer? But enough of her faults. Let's take a look at her more positive attributes. She's beautiful. In fact so beautiful that she drains the blood out of people who sees her:Celaena smiled smugly to herself as she nodded to a passing noble-man, who raised his eyebrows at the sight of her. He was immensely pale, she noticed as he opened his mouth to say something, but Celaena continued down the hall.
In fact so beautiful that other ladies envy her and she has to shove that in their faces :She smiled at the young chevaliers as they passed--and smirked at the court women who eyed her pink-and-white gown. She couldn't blame them; the dress was spectacular. And she was spectacular in it. Even Redd, one of the handsomer guards posted outside her rooms, had said so.
Also shallow, as it seems, because if Redd hadn't been handsome, his opinion wouldn't have mattered, right? Still not convinced that she's shallow?Why did Chaol never joke with her as Dorian did? Perhaps he truly didn't find her attractive. The possibility of it stung more than she would have liked.
You see, because people can only like you if you're attractive. Oh, sorry, I got sidetracked. We were talking over her positive attributes. Well, she's a great dancer:She didn't falter a single step, nor did she seem to care about the many angry female faces that watched as dance after dance passed and they didn't switch partners.
She also plays a mean piano :Celaena eyed the pianoforte. She used to play--oh, she'd loved to play, loved music(...)
She loves dogs :"Of course I want her," Celaena said, then realized what the implications would be. "But I want her trained. I don't want her urinating on everything and chewing on furniture and shows and books. And I want her to sit when I tell her to and lay down and roll over (...)
Oh, but she doesn't want to be inconvenienced so she doesn't want to train it herself of course! She speaks foreign languages, and! just so we can all relate to her -- she also loves books!
I could go on and point out her inconsistencies, but this is getting much too long for my liking. In short, Celaena Sardothien is a Mary Sue. But even worse -- she is an unlikeable, vain, shallow, self-centred Mary Sue. And if you expect me to believe she's a deadly killer, then you better think again.
But that is the final problem I had with this book -- the narrator constantly tells us what to believe.There was something great and deadly concealed within her, and he didn't like it.
while moments later, she's rolling on the ground, crying and whinging that she's gonna die of starvation. Yeah, no.
Also,"Because it looks like he's in love with her," he said, and walked away.
(...) His shoulders were straight, his back erect. He looked like a man. Like a king.
Yeah, if you say so.
But, you say to me, there must be something you liked?
Well, I did like Celaena's relationship with the err, Indian princess. I forgot her name. Because I didn't like the actual princess herself -- she doesn't know tact. She doesn't know diplomacy. She comes to a foreign realm and all she does is whinge and insult their language and clothes and court.
So, no. I didn't like the plot, I didn't like the characters. The only stars go to Chaol for being a beacon of sanity amidst all the awfulness. It's a pity he, too, fell for our Mary Sue. -
UPDATE: $2.99 Kindle US 10/25/20
Yes, I have multiple books and bookish things of some of my favorite authors. You should see my Harry Potter stuff =) ↓
I listened to the audio this time. It took a minute to get used to the narrator but I finally got settled in with her.
I love Celaena Sardothien. She was taken from Endovier (the death camp) and brought to the castle to fight with other Champions. If she wins then she has to kill for the King for 4 years and then she is free. I have a feeling that's not to be. Prince Dorian is the one that chose her as his champion to fight against the others. Celaena is being called Lady Lillian because they don't want anyone to know who she is, since she is a bad @ssed assassin.
I loved and still to this day love Chaol. But, I never liked the fact that Dorian and Celaena shared a few kisses. Ewww, I just don't like Dorian that way. He's like a best boy friend. I do love that he gave Celaena a dog she named, Fleetfoot =)
I mean Calaena loves books and dogs and she's an assassin. How awesome is that. Oh, and the part where Prince Dorian picked up one of the steamy books she had been reading. Lol
"Sunset's Passions," he read, and opened the book to a random page to read aloud. " 'His hands gently caressed her ivory, silky br---' " His eyes widened. "By the Wyrd! Do you actually read this rubbish? What happened to Symbols and Power and Eyllwe Customs and Culture?"
Boys =)
I loved the champion, Nox, he was a friend to Calaena even though they were not supposed to be friends. I'm glad they were friends.
But . . something is killing off the champions in very narly ways. We do finally find out what it is and it just figures. That's all I'm going to say.
I loathed Cain, one of the champions, and Kaltain, an evil woman that was up to no good as well.
I loved Nehemia, she's from another kingdom and there for her own reasons. Nehemia and Calaena become best friends. And I loved Elena, she's a ghost of someone. But who? Not saying.
Anyhoo, still love the book =)
MY BLOG:
Melissa Martin's Reading List
**********OLD 2015 REVIEW**********
I have a new hero!! She bad to the bone! Assassin Celaena Sardothien! She's the toughest assassin around and she loves books and plays the pianoforte. Imagine that :-)
I really liked Chaol, the captain of the guards. I loved Nehemia, she is a tough princess in her own right and a great friend.
I'm very interested to know more about Elena and hope she shows up in the other books.
This was just an awesome fantasy book with a great cast of characters!! -
4/5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
“Libraries were full of ideas—perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.”
Here I am again, back in a different world of
Sarah J. Maas! This is a very popular series. An extremely popular series, an exceptionally hyped up series, a tremendously OLD AF SERIES. Listen to me here, if I were a fantasy fan when I was a teenager, I would have definitely read this book. But you know, my relationship with fantasy hasn't been lit for the last 2583 years, so I hadn't picked it up. I started loving fantasy again this year because of
A Court of Thorns and Roses, a book I bought because I needed it for my uni thesis, not because I was interested in reading fantasy again. SO YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH WORK I GOT WITH FANTASY BOOKS. I haven't read fantasy since 2010. I have a million fantasy series to catch up to. I'm nervous. I WANT TO READ ALL THE FANTASY NOW AND NOTHING BUT FANTASY.
ANYWAY, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK.
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.
Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her ... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.
Then one of the other contestants turns up dead ... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.
I had very high expectations for this book which were partially met. As I said before, my first
Sarah J. Maas book is
A Court of Thorns and Roses, which is the her latest series. Most of you have read
Throne of Glass first and then
A Court of Thorns and Roses, and you have experienced her writing flourish. I haven't. I read her better book first. I can see now that she has improved so much, her writing is so much better now. Some things in the writing of this book weren't my thing, like repetitions of some phrases, "assassin" being referred to Celaena the whole entire time (which bugged me a bit), poor choice of words at some parts. But I recognized Sarah in this book. I can recognize her writing style now, and I truly love it.
This book gave me such Game of Thrones and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire vibes! From the badass main character with the hard to pronounce name which reminded me of Daenerys Targaryen to the championship which was like the Triwizard Tournament in Goblet of Fire, the vibes were fucking lit yo! The world
Sarah J. Maas has created in this book was so immersive, I was so into it when I was reading the book. I wasn't even confused with all the names and places and words, it all came natural to me. I can see how after this book, the world will expand to an enormous extend with magic and Fae and so many new characters appearing, and I'm here for it!
The multiple character perspectives was a surprise to me. Celaena owns the most chapters, but we can see things told from mostly all the characters, (even the fucking King) which is something I was surprised about as it does not happen in her other series. I loved it. This is what I missed from the
A Court of Thorns and Roses series. The multiple character POVs. And I relish in the fact that we can explore things from numerous viewpoints.
CELAENA GUYS. CELAENA SARDOTHIEN. I LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK. I WANT YOU TO BE HAPPY AND FIND THE BEST MATCH FOR YOU AND UNDERSTAND YOUR PAST AND YOUR LINEAGE AND BASICALLY CONTINUE TO BE A BADASS QUEEN. I didn't expect her character to be like this, to be honest. The book description suggested a ruthless, cold-hearted killer, and I expected as much. But her compassion and her kindness and her passion for multiple things showed from the very first pages. She is a merciless assassin who can end you with a snap of her finger but she has also kept her personality. Her humor, her quirkiness. She loves beautiful dresses, she loves to eat good food, puppies 🐶, and she loves books. SHE IS A READER GUYS. I absolutely ADORE when book characters are readers. Especially in fantasy. I can relate to them so much easier.
I immensely appreciated her friendship with Nehemia and that it wasn't ruined at the end. I was so scared about this. I loathe when they make female characters hate each other in books, especially about a love interest! Just don't, please. Girls need to stick together! I want to see more of her in the future books. I'm sure we will, but it was left kind of wonky in this book. I suspected her too, in the middle of the book, and I was certain it was her, orchestrating everything. But it was Cain. The obvious choice. It was anticlimactic, to be totally honest. I wanted it to be someone else. We all expected Cain, and it was Cain. I didn't believe it would be him, I was certain there would be a plot twist, at the end, or something. But no.
AND NOWWWWWW the romance. I love both Dorian and Chaol, both for different reasons. I'm so fond of the relationships Celaena holds with both of them. They're so different, and yet they both mean so much to her. I SHIPPED BOTH THOSE SHIPS THROUGHOUT THIS BOOK. But I lean like 51% on Dorian. Their scenes were cuter, and I think they have more things in common. Their passion for books, the billiard scenes, the music scene, THE FUCKING PUPPY, the dance, the kisses, the candy. They made me feels so many things! And then we have scenes with Chaol and I was back in that train again. COME ON CELAENA, DARLING, JUST CHOOSE. I will choose for you, but for myself. I have no problem with that, sweetie 😉 I was conflicted about her train of thought, to be frank. The one moment she found Dorian extremely attractive and she wanted to kiss him, and the next she found Chaol handsome and she wanted to spend more and more time with him. I was as much confused as she is. But I'm delighted that the author didn't make the romance the main part of the book. She didn't portray Celaena as a character who depends on a man to save her, or to make her feels special or anything alike. She would have been fine without them as love interests in her life. Furthermore, I have to talk about Nox. What a sweetheart. What a wasted opportunity on a character. We basically saw nothing of him. I thought he was gonna be a third love interest in the beginning and I was like "WOAH WOAH THERE SARAH HON SLOW DOWN" but luckily he wasn't. But I kept thinking about his character. YOU'RE THE TRUE AND UNDOUBTFUL EPITOME OF THE WORD "FRIENDZONE". I hope we see him again.
The final battle... oh man. It dragged more than it should, to be honest, but it was breathtaking. Sarah knows how to write a good jaw-dropping ending. There was so much information throughout this whole battle, that I had to reread some parts to totally grasp what was going on. It was so intense and magical and out of this world. I was so proud of my GIRL for still being strong and trying to fight even though she was drugged. She made me believe, at some parts, that she would win. Kaltain. UGH. May we never see this bitch again. I WAS SO HAPPY WHEN WE FOUND OUT THE DUKE WAS SCHEMING BEHIND HER BACK ALL ALONG. I know we will see her again, but fuck her. I don't want to see her lying ass point of view again.
To sum it all up, this was a pretty strong beginning to a series. I only gave it 4 stars because it didn't overwhelm me. I keep comparing it to A Court of Thorns and Roses, which is like my favorite series, at the moment. I can't stop comparing these two series, damn it. But I loved it nonetheless and I'm waiting for the next book,
Crown of Midnight, to arrive. I'm actually pretty excited, cause I have heard these books get so much better. and I can already see that. So till the next one... K BYE!! -
This book was sooooo goood! The main female character is amazing, SHE WAS PRACTICAL. Not to mention completely badass, and could kill anyone with a hairpin if she wanted to. Great high fantasy, i cannot wait for the next in the series! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
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RE-READ: 1/7/2022
SO! MANY! EXCLAMATION! MARKS!
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3.25 STARS
If I'm totally honest, this started out S-L-O-W......... And not what I expected at all, but hear me out! Put down the pitchforks and fire! I'm still on board; Queen SJM hasn't lost me yet!
After reading the back blurb, I was imagining this competition something more of a Battle Royale or Hunger Games-esque battle to the death. Color me surprised when I'm 200 pages in and basically NO face time is given to this competition. The first 70% of this book books is mainly:
1) "Wow! Look at this beautiful dress! It's more beautifuller than all the other dresses! And I'm wearing it! Because I'm an assassin but I also have lots of feelings and like to be girly!"
2) "Ugh. I'm such a pretty girl and I kind of know it, but I'm going to keep acting like I don't and will play these boys back and forth like Charlie Daniels and The Devil Went Down To Georgia bc there haven't been enough love triangles in the world yet DANGIT!"
3) BLA BLA BLA *tiny vague mention of competition without any scenes taking place in competition* BLA BLA BLA.
BUT THEN!!!!
It actually got good. Really good. I was completely sucked in, and it reminded me of how bored I was in ACOTAR until we got under the mountain. So I think a 3.25 star rating is fair and evident that I'll continue on with the series bc now I'm hooked THANKS A LOT SJM!
PS- I know this was written when she was a heck of a lot younger, but did anyone else feel like this series (at least starts off) more juvenile and immature than ACOTAR? -
DNF @ who cares
*Update 08/13/2020* The fandom for TOG is constantly harassing anyone whose opinion differs from theirs and for what? A book written by an author who doesn't know or care for them? Honestly, it's ridiculous.
Original review
A badass assassin who keeps telling us how badass she is all while doing nothing to live up to the supposed badassery.
Can I just say this review is badass, like the best I've ever written. If I were any more badass, I'd burn myself. Do you even know how cool I am? I thought not.
*cue a thousand eye roll emojis*
