Throne of Glass

From a world of fantasy, adventure, romance, assassins, royalty, and mystery, first conceived in the mind of 16-year-old Sarah J. Maas, comes the internationally acclaimed Throne of Glass series. The story follows the 18-year-old assassin, Celaena Sardothian, who, at the beginning of the book, is found enslaved by the King in the Endovier Salt Mines. That is until the Crown Prince offers her the chance to compete in the King’s competition, against criminals and thieves, to serve as his champion for four years; after which she would be granted her freedom. Celaena is thrust into an intricate world of mystery and façade within the palace walls, where an unexpected evil lurks, and she, with the help of her unlikely companions, Captain of the Guard, Chaol Westfall and the Crown Prince, Dorian Havilliard, begin to uncover secrets surrounding the kingdom and herself that leaves readers in a puddle of tears. 

Maas beautifully illustrates the world of Throne of Glass through her descriptions, detail, well-rounded characters, and heart-racing story line. Unlike most books, she manages to make every second of the book interesting. There are no moments where the reader struggles to get through to the next part of the story and each word has you racing to read the next due to the fast paced, yet smooth transitions and tone in which she uses to links them together.  Maas’ books in general have the most elaborate, well-thought-through story lines that I have ever read, and I have read a plethora of books. Her Throne of Glass series especially, with the seventh and final book coming out October 23rd of this year, runs together without any loose ends and character’s stories intertwine in an elaborate weave. Each character has a complex story and a background that brings them to life and helps the reader develop an attachment… for better or worse. For instance, Maas’ most recently released book in the series uncovers mysteries and makes sense of events that happened in the first book, making the reader think, “How could I miss that?”  

The series in its entirety has several underlying messages to be considered. The first is that of friendship and loyalty. Celaena battles throughout the series trying to determine who she can trust and rely on. There are occasions in which she is betrayed, and others where she is graced with unanticipated allies. Self-empowerment is another major theme. Celaena is an empowered, self-sufficient woman who doesn’t need a man to save her. If anything, she saves the men who need her. But she isn’t the only example of a strong woman in the series. Celaena’s journey has her crossing paths with many other women, all of which demonstrate their strengths in different ways; even the evil ones.  

The Throne of Glass series is a wonderfully written piece of work, with dark mysterious and romantic elements that I recommend for anyone prepared to laugh, cry, and lose track of time getting lost in the story.