Book Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Celeana Sardothien. What a woman. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas follows this fae and deadly Assassin as she competes to be the King of Adarlan's Champion. Depending on the order you are reading this series, this is the second book in the box set (chronological order) or the first book in the series if you are reading these books in publication order.

This novel is mainly set in the Glass Castle. It follows and changes perspective between Celeana, Dorian Havilliard (The Crown Prince) and Chaol Westfall (Captain of the Royal Guard). A mini love triangle forms between these three throughout the novel.

I came across this series after jumping on the A Court of Thorns & Roses (ACOTAR) train. I discovered ACOTAR on bookstagram last year. It was all anybody was talking about. After beginning ACOTAR and not loving it as much as I had hoped, everyone kept yelling at me to read the Throne of Glass series, Maas' first series, because it was dynamite.

Well, to all those people who recommended it, THANK YOU.

Rating

4.5/5 stars

I took this book with me everywhere and read it wherever possible. It took me a week to read it around my uni schedule, but this is definitely a book you could consume in a day.

Synopsis (Plot)

This book begins in Endovier (where Assassin's Blade ends off), with Dorian, The Crown Prince, offering her a deal. If she competes to be the King's Champion (Dorian's father) and wins, she will only have to serve him for four years to earn her freedom. Lose, and she must go back to Endovier, where she must spend the remainder of her days as a slave. When she arrives at the Glass Castle, Celeana has to overcome more adversities than just the competition. She also discovers her true destiny.

The Ending

The ending lost me a little bit. It was a bit too fantastical, and I know it is a fantasy series, but the ending was hard for me to invest in and find exciting. If you have ever watched the movie From Dusk til Dawn, where everything is normal and then all of a sudden everyone is a vampire, that's what it felt like. All of a sudden, there were demons, strong magic, the dead coming back to protect the living. Yes there were allusions to all of this in the lead up to the finale, but it did not stop this from feeling like the ending to a Hollywood film. Like the big plane crash that the hero miraculously survives. This is why I can't give it 5 stars.

“Libraries were full of ideas—perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.” - Celaena Sardothien, Throne of Glass

My Final Thoughts

Well done to Sarah J. Maas on another stellar book. The writing was brilliant and descriptive. The world was incredible and well mapped out. The character arcs were warming and satisfying. Maas is the best at making characters you will either love to hate or absolutely adore. I was completely invested in the little love triangle between Chaol, Dorian and Celeana - it was fun trying to see who she would pick.

After finishing this book, I wanted to immediately jump to the third book, but I have recently decided to join a buddy read of the series, and they won't be reading Crown of Midnight until September. The buddy read contains some of my favourite bookstagrammers. If you would like to join, DM me (@littlewhalewriter) or @theloveofwordss. They are currently reading The Assassin's Blade.

Similar titles you might like

1. A Court of Thorns & Roses by Sarah J Maas

2. House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas