Review: Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I didn't think that I would like this book when I first heard about it. I hadn't read young adult fantasy for awhile, and I wasn't completely sure about the plot. Young woman competing for her life while dazzling the hearts of two young men screamed The Hunger Games. Thankfully, I was very surprised both by the plot and by the skilled writing.

Celaena Sardothien is one of the best female characters I have ever read. She is strong, she is flawed, she is intelligent, she is exactly the kind of woman that I want to read about. I am incredibly grateful that Sarah J. Maas wrote this amazing character. Not only is Celaena the most deadly assassin in her realm, but she is also a girl that enjoys traditionally feminine interests such as music and fashion. Not that I want all of my female protagonists to be traditional girly girls, but it was very refreshing to see a character that didn't have to be just a badass or just a feminine girl.

The book begins with Celaena Sardothien being let out of the Endovier labor camp. She had been held prisoner for a year for her crimes as an assassin before the handsome Crown Prince decided to have her released. She has a hard time trusting him, and his captain of the guard, but is willing to listen to them. There is to be a competition, a fight to be the King of Adarlan's Champion. And Dorian, the Crown Prince, would like Celaena to sponsor her as a competitor. I'll try not to summarize any more of the book, but I thought that the basic plot of the novel would be necessary to understand this review.

The world building by Sarah J. Maas is absolutely astounding. This is just the first installment of a six book series, but already the setting, the relationships, the conflicts are already complex and beautifully written. This book doesn't feel like the usual slow, first book in a series full of exposition. Maas doesn't hold back at all in her writing, and I'll admit that my heart was toyed with many times with drama, humor, romance, and friendship.

This book may technically young adult, but it is the beginning of a mature and complex series that I cannot wait to finish. I cannot wait to see how Celaena grows, how her relationships progress, and how Sarah J. Maas expands Celaena's fantastical world.






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