Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)

Jul 09, 2012 Janina rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult-fiction, for-review, on-my-kindle, annoyed-me, let-me-down, beware-love-triangle, mystery-thriller-suspense, read-in-2012, series-lost-interest

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. Ce...more 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.(less)

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Oct 16, 2012 fяσzєη marked it as to-read

Shelves: covergasm

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 think it's obvious who the winner is for me. xD But you be the judge.

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Aug 07, 2012 Steph Sinclair rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Those who are looking for a fantasy novel with strong female characters

Shelves: fantasy, 2012-release, young-adult, fairy-tales, netgalley, e-arc, ebook, bloomsbury, 2012-reads, action-packed, ass-kickin-heroine, girls-rule-and-boys-drool, i-really-enjoyed-it, i-totally-saw-that-coming, original-and-creative, smart-heroine, strong-heroine, triangle-of-love

Actual rating 3.5 stars

Thorne of Glass has a lot going for it. It's packed full of action, mystery, likable characters and fun dialogue. On the flip side, it also has a few tropes that I usually make me want to rip my hair out strand by strand: the love triangle, semi-insta love and predictable plot twists. That by no means makes this a bad book, because despite those annoyances, I was fully engrossed in Throne of Glass.

The Plot and Writing:

While the synopsis may come off feeling a little Hunger...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Mitch rated it 2 of 5 stars

Throne of Glass came to me highly recommended by someone who thinks Twilight is among the best books of all time, so I was instantly wary, but I promised to keep an open mind since, well, high fantasy and a kick ass assassin, what could go wrong? Well, a lot, apparently. I’m not saying this book is by any means on Twilight’s level of awfulness, but it is one of the shallowest, least impressive fantasies I’ve ever read.

I've never read the original, but I think I have a good idea where Sarah J. Ma...more Throne of Glass came to me highly recommended by someone who thinks Twilight is among the best books of all time, so I was instantly wary, but I promised to keep an open mind since, well, high fantasy and a kick ass assassin, what could go wrong? Well, a lot, apparently. I’m not saying this book is by any means on Twilight’s level of awfulness, but it is one of the shallowest, least impressive fantasies I’ve ever read.

I've never read the original, but I think I have a good idea where Sarah J. Maas went wrong writing her final version. She started out with her badass chick assassin, Celaena Sardothien, figured she needed a love triangle to keep the romance interesting, then settled on a plot, and finally filled in the setting. Unfortunately, setting really should've come first. In every other fantasy I've read, there's always some interesting hook that almost immediately tells me why the author created that particular fantasy world for his or her characters. For me, it's probably even more crucial than the characters themselves. And for the first half of this book, Erilea is just generic - tyrant of fancifully named country tries to conquer other fancifully named countries. Nothing about the world building tells me why I should care about what's going on. I'll admit a little before the halfway mark, Maas introduces the concept of Wyrdmarks, sort of like ancient runes, and adds in a little ancient history of Erilea with Elena, the first queen of Adarlan, but while these developments did add a little flavor to bland Erilea, I'm still no closer to understanding, why Celaena? Why Erilea?

Celaena herself may be the best thing about this book, but that's not saying much. She's not entirely one dimensional, she's got the survived a death camp but was tough enough to leave with her humanity intact thing going for her, but I found her difficult to like at first. She talks big, whether it's how she can disarm so and so in three moves or kill so and so in five seconds, but never backs up those words with actions until way too late in the book - by then every other sentence being about how awesome she is was seriously grating on my nerves. Even then, I still can't believe how someone who complains about how uncomfortable corsets are and likes to sleep in can be Adarlan’s Assassin. Isn't the kingdom's best assassin supposed to be tough and more than willing to bear nuisances as trivial as a tight corset? And when there are scenes like the one where she's surprised in bed by a bag of candy, she doesn't know who it's from and promptly eats half the bag even though there's a killer loose in the castle ... ummm, am I the only one who sees so many things wrong with that? How did she not wake up when the bag was delivered, especially when she's rigged the doors to squeak? Why didn't she suspect poison? Is she even a competent assassin?

But I definitely reserve the brunt of my criticism for Chaol and Dorian. First of all, in most books there's a plot and a romance on top of that, in Throne of Glass two thirds of the time it feels like romance first and plot second. I mean, the Captain of the Guard and the Prince, they don't do anything, they're just there to be love interests. It's frustrating to read scene after scene of batting eyelashes and inane banter, expect these characters to do something relevant to the plot, and they just stand around flirting with Celaena. Even minor characters Nox and Pelor ended up doing more, having a bigger impact on the plot, than those two, and Nox and Pelor are definitely in far fewer scenes. Look, I have nothing against love interests, but these guys are just pointless love interests.

And the flirting, I am not exaggerating when I say setting up the love triangle takes up two thirds of the book. Actually, Throne of Glass's first half is entirely dull and forgettable, the real story doesn't even begin until over two hundred pages in. Even then, the way everything comes together, it's entirely predictable. Maas drops way too many too obvious hints about the champion deaths, the strange Wyrdmarks, the villain behind the whole thing, I was three steps ahead of Celaena the whole time. And yet, somehow she still doesn't explain the point of the entire plot. Instead, it's one of those, yeah, congratulations you get a bit of somewhat intense action and some closure with the defeat of a minor villain while I tease the real plot but will be secretive and cryptic about it so you better read the sequel.

I don't get it. How can a book that had four prequels to set up the story still be nothing but setup? Maybe the whole thing will make sense in the sequel, but that's no excuse for the lack of substance in this book.(less)

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Jun 02, 2012 Sam rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-or-galley, 5-star-gems, fantasy-or-pn-favourites, fantasy-or-paranormal, ultimate-favourites, romance, fantasy, 2012-favourites, love-triangle

‘She dropped into a crouch. As the blade sailed overhead, she lashed out at his legs. He didn't even have the time to cry out as she swept his feet out from under him, nor did he have the time to raise his weapon before she crouched over his chest, the iron-coated tip of the staff at his throat. She brought her mouth close to his ear. "My name is Celaena Sardothien," she whispered.’

While I had never come across the first draft of this story when it was published under the title Queen of Glass o...more

‘She dropped into a crouch. As the blade sailed overhead, she lashed out at his legs. He didn't even have the time to cry out as she swept his feet out from under him, nor did he have the time to raise his weapon before she crouched over his chest, the iron-coated tip of the staff at his throat. She brought her mouth close to his ear. "My name is Celaena Sardothien," she whispered.’

While I had never come across the first draft of this story when it was published under the title Queen of Glass on FictionPress, I can finally appreciate the praising claims of those who had read it. This book was astonishingly good.

With a notorious female assassin as a main character, Thone of Glass redefines the meaning of impressive. Celaena Sardothien is Ardalan’s greatest assassin, both beautiful and deadly, yet with such an infamous title comes a price; she labours away in the salt mines of Endovier, funnelling her strength and frustration into a pickax. When a miraculous opportunity for freedom arrives in the form of the Crown Prince of Ardalan, Celaena is ready to grasp it with both hands. Her task: compete with others for the position of King’s Champion – his own personal assassin.

The determination, wit and pure strength that resonated in Celaena’s character made her instantly one of my favourite female protagonists of all time. Her quick thinking and chillingly precise knowledge of how to incapacitate anyone, anywhere, was both fascinating and strangely exhilarating. What’s interesting, and even slightly amusing, was that Calaena was not just an assassin, but she was also unexpectedly girly. Perhaps my understanding of assassins is limited, but I sure wasn’t expecting that side to peek through. Her playful, sarcastic retorts and unashamed comments were wonderfully entertaining, as was her desire to attend royal parties and fawn over luscious dresses. She never once failed to astound, and I can think of two male characters who might agree with that.

The Captain of the Guard, Chaol Westfall, and the Crown Prince, Dorian Havilliard are perhaps potential contenders in a love triangle. I say perhaps as it didn’t quite read like one to me, though I have chosen my favourite love interest (and was left disappointed when the romance appeared to be swaying towards the other guy – I won’t mention who) and hope that the next book is more fulfilling in that regard. Regardless, both men had a strong presence in the story and appealing, sometimes similar, qualities about them. Both were steadfast and determined to ensure Celaena emerged triumphant in the contest, proving to be loyal companions to a sharp-tongued assassin. Where Dorian was the more open of the two, flirting endlessly with Celaena, Chaol didn’t fail to leave an impression with his unbreakable exterior glimmering with brief glimpses of humour and a deeper personality.

With such a well-crafted set of fleshed-out characters, it was near impossible to disengage from the story. The author’s world is completely entrancing, with hidden depths of magic and mentions of Fae lurking behind the primary plot. A few aspects remained unexplained throughout the book, particularly regarding Celaena’s past, but I am confident any dark areas will be addressed in the books to come. Overall, the plot proved to be a gripping one, with the right amount of action and mystery complementing the romance and court intrigue.

Sarah J Maas has delivered a truly captivating story and I can say with assurance that the ten years she spent working on Celaena’s world has paid off. With four e-novellas also available (which I am determined to read as soon as possible), she has set the bar high with this book and I am already eagerly anticipating the sequel.

(This review also appears on my blog)(less)

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Mar 31, 2013 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity by: Buddy read w/TBD girls

Shelves: young-adult

Who here is/was a fan of The Secret Garden? Show of hands? I know there have to be at least a few of you. The reason why I'm asking is that while I was reading Throne of Glass, I was reminded of how I felt while reading TSG. Do you all remember Dickon and Collin and how Mary loved them both? Obviously, it was not in the "wanna get it on" kind of love way (unless Mary (view spoiler)), but she still loved that annoying, whiny, brat Collin enough to want t...more Who here is/was a fan of The Secret Garden? Show of hands? I know there have to be at least a few of you. The reason why I'm asking is that while I was reading Throne of Glass, I was reminded of how I felt while reading TSG. Do you all remember Dickon and Collin and how Mary loved them both? Obviously, it was not in the "wanna get it on" kind of love way (unless Mary (view spoiler)), but she still loved that annoying, whiny, brat Collin enough to want to spend time with him when she could have been running free with the much more awesome Dickon (he was one of my very first literary loves...ahhh memories).

Prince Dorian in this book was my Collin. Every time he was on the scene, I was wishing he would go away so we could get back to more fun time with Chaol, the captain of the guard. Chaol was sarcastically humorous, and infinitely more interesting than the Prince. YET, we had the prince shoved down our throats because Celaena found him oh so dreamy.

Oh, but what am I doing talking about a love triangle when this is supposed to be a high fantasy book? My reason is this : the "fantasy" aspect was not all that fantastical in my opinion. I felt like I was reading a poor man's version of The Demon King (fabulous book, btw) with a touch of Poison Study on the side. Except with Demon King, I got an added helping of adventure on top of my love for the 'guard' character.

It's not that there wasn't the presence of enough fantasy themes in this book. I can actually list several : the main chick was an assassin (female assassins? I can count quite a few YA fantasy books which have done this recently), there was magic, and there was some court intrigue/thievery/deception going on. Oh, and there was a masked ball. I felt like I'd read everything off the "starter YA fantasy" list in this book, but also found myself wanting more of a focus on one specific element, over a little helping of everything.

However, the writing was actually decent. There were a few long-winded scenes but I tend to forgive some of that with traditional fantasy. Although, I did have a few moments of hesitation when I read sentences featuring "current lingo," especially the one in which virginity was mentioned in a very casual and modern way, and not by use of the all-too-common flowery terms used in fantasy.

I had a hard time connecting with Celaena. She was supposed to be this badass assassin but I'm not sure that I was ever truly buying it. It probably sucks to have to come along after young women such as Katsa and Yelena and the like...there's stiff competition in the world of strong heroines in fantasy. When they're all getting shit done in a larger-than-life way, you tend to rate them on that scale of who did it better. And Celaena was so busy noticing things about the guys half of the time that I wasn't sure when she was really paying attention to things that a trained assassin would pay attention to.

When it comes down to what made the book - it was all Chaol for me. His sharp tongue and underlying loyalty made him the breakout star. I will read on FOR him and for him alone. Every scene with him in it captivated me. If you are a fan of Amon from The Demon King series, you'll understand why I loved Chaol because these two characters play similar roles in the lives of the leading ladies.

Was Throne of Glass worth the read? Yes. Will this make it on my top fantasy list? Maybe not for book 1, but I sense potential with how the series has been set up. I hope book 2 will knock it out of the park. (less)

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Jan 14, 2013 The Holy Terror rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, young-adult, fantasy, romantic-fantasy, color-black, color-blue, fairies, 2012

Two things will make or break this book for you: whether or not you like Celaena and whether or not you hate love triangles.

I like Celaena. Yes, a lot of what she says and does contradicts her character, and so much of her being a badass relies on Celaena telling us that she's so, but I like her. I like that she's pretty and uses it to her advantage. I like that she loves dresses and make-up and weapons and books. I think I'm mostly just sick of the "plain girl who isn't special yet two hot guys...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Cait rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: must-must-must-have, desperate-to-read, amazing-ending, badass-girl, epic-fight-scenes, kickass-action, medium-swoon

Does anyone else find the idea of Cinderella being a kick-ass assassin instead of some whiny chick cleaning floors as amazing as I do?

She could look like this:

Or this:

Maybe even something a little edgier:

Either way, all of them are better than the classic princess that Disney created; the one we all know, loved as children, and now realize was a bunch of poppycock. I'm so excited for this re-creation!!

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Aug 09, 2012 Blythe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss-arc, judge-a-book-by-the-cover, 2012-reads, surprised-i-didn-t-hate-it, take-your-insta-love-and-leave, exceeded-my-expectations, gimme-the-next-book, i-totally-saw-that-coming, read-reviewed, love-triangle

I don't like high fantasy. At all. I don't like how the plots all seem similar to me. I don't like how the worlds - no matter how detailed they might be - seem similar to me. I don't like how I can barely pronounce half of the character's names. I don't like the general feel I have when I'm reading a high fantasy novel.

With all of that being said, I am genuinely surprised I enjoyed Throne of Glass as much as I did. In Throne of Glass, young, and incredibly notorious assassin, Celaena Sardothien...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Sammi Walker rated it 5 of 5 stars

UPDATE:

So I finished the galley a while ago, and I've been trying to put into words just how much I adore TOG. Epic. Heart wrenching. Beautiful beyond words.

There are a lot of things that are different about the version being published, and the version which was on fictionpress.net, but I feel the changes are going to lead to even more mind blowing plot twists in the novels to follow.

What stayed the same though was Sarah's immense talent. The world is so real, you're sure it must have existed a...more UPDATE:

So I finished the galley a while ago, and I've been trying to put into words just how much I adore TOG. Epic. Heart wrenching. Beautiful beyond words.

There are a lot of things that are different about the version being published, and the version which was on fictionpress.net, but I feel the changes are going to lead to even more mind blowing plot twists in the novels to follow.

What stayed the same though was Sarah's immense talent. The world is so real, you're sure it must have existed at some point in time, every little nuance creating settings which are so realistic you don't have to try hard to imagine them.

I'm terrible about writing just how strongly I feel about this novel, so I'll just say what was my absolute favorite thing about it. The Characters. Sarah writes characters as if she knows them and their stories personally, and is simply putting into writing what has actually happened. Each character is so well thought out, so well developed that you know what they know, you FEEL what they feel. Every heart breaking moment, every glimmer of happiness. They are like your intimate friends by the end of the novel. Their triumphs make you smile from ear to ear, and their sorrows make you weep for them.

Throne of Glass is the most achingly beautiful novel I've ever had the pleasure of reading. I'm not sure anything will ever be able to measure up to it...

P.S.-I'm pretty sure I'd marry Chaol in a heartbeat <3 <3 <3

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I read QOG back when it was posted on fictionpress.net (feels like forever ago!). Lol, I remember while reading it, thinking "this should be published!" and now it's coming out in early 2012!!! I'm so incredibley excited! Chaol is sooo dreamy!(...ok, like 95% of the guys in this book are dreamy). I can without a doubt say that I've never read anything better (and most of my spare money is spent on books). It is to die for (especially if you get on Celaena's wrong side!). I knew it would be published one day, and I have a good feeling we're looking at best seller here. :)(less)

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Aug 05, 2012 Audrey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: supernatural-fantasy, favorites

It is more than just a fairy tale. It is epic. Cinderella didn't see this one coming.

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Sep 14, 2012 Tanja (Tanychy) St. Delphi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, favorites

Thank you Anjana @ Kindle And Me

This review is also posted at Ja čitam, a ti?

Yesterday I posted my review for Throne of Glass novellas. Today I have Throne of Glass review for you.

I believe when a great book is read at perfect time then the book becomes even greater! Maybe that doesn’t make a lot of sence, but maybe it does. Throne of Glass is a book that brought me back to fantasy. Even though I’ve never run away from it, the big fantacy lover I was has been hidding for some time now. I belie...more Thank you Anjana @ Kindle And Me

This review is also posted at Ja čitam, a ti?

Yesterday I posted my review for Throne of Glass novellas. Today I have Throne of Glass review for you.

I believe when a great book is read at perfect time then the book becomes even greater! Maybe that doesn’t make a lot of sence, but maybe it does. Throne of Glass is a book that brought me back to fantasy. Even though I’ve never run away from it, the big fantacy lover I was has been hidding for some time now. I believe I’ve found it again.

At the beginning I was scared of reading this book. Mostly cause I though that Throne of Glass would be nothing more than repeating novellas. It was hard to imagine that it was possible to create the story that doesn't have a lot of digressions. But it turned out that I knew nothing about Sarah's writing abilities. Throne of Glass was everything but repeating the novellas. It has its own story which is going to take you into its world.

Basically after Celaena has been punished and sent to survive in the most terrifying place, the light at the end of the tunnel shows up. The one and only Crown Price is there and had an offer for her, the think she wants the most - freedom. Even though that means working for the man she hates the most. She goes back to Rifchold where she once more becomes assassin. One year left trace on Celaena's abilities and strength but Captain Westfall is there to help. Mysterious and I must add bad-ass the captain of the guard. Being young and beautiful no one think she is able to win a competition but only because they don't know who she really is.

I could see why some people don't like this book so much. Famous love triangle is a little bit cliche and some people could find those different POVs confusing. To be frank I cannot tell you a lot about it, cause I was so cough into the story that I haven't paid attention. For me Throne of Glass has more than interesting story and fascinating characters. In this case I won't ask for more.(less)

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Feb 02, 2013 Jaykey del Mar rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

UPDATE:

Finally. I am able to finish reading this book. I actually don't know where to start. But I have to say I am extremely disappointed with this release, and that makes me feel bad, as I am a loyal fan of the original series.

First off, I just wanted to ask, what happened? What happened to the Celeana I knew? The old Celeana was kickass and hardcore without losing her feminine aspect. She is far more mysterious while being vain and funny than this...teenage version of hers. Sure, she is proba...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Candace rated it 5 of 5 stars

So don't be confused by the 'to-read' and the 'five stars.' This was posted on fictionpress in the early 2000's and then taken down in 2008. I was one of those who read all three parts to this series and fell in love with it, and I've been following the author from before QoG was finished up to the present (QoG was just purchased by Bloomsbury!!!!). I absolutely can't wait to see it on the shelves and to have a hard copy of this book in my hands!

---

ETA: 8/16/2012

(some character personality spoil...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Penny rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, fantasy, blerg, disappointing, grrrl-power, it-s-maaaaaaagic, marysue-protagonist, meh, reviewed-books, ya-fiction

Before I actually review this book, I need to say one thing: frakking love triangles! Bah! I'm so over them. Love triangles are the laziest form of conflict in a relationshippy storyline. The main character can either love one guy or love the other. It really is that simple, none of this confusion crap. Unless the main character is not self-aware I'd say it's impossible for them to NOT know which love interest is preferred.

Moving on...

The main character, Celaena, is a trained assassin. That's t...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Keertana rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: debut-author-2012, arc-galley-and-first-reads, why-the-hype

Throne of Glass is not a novel I would put on a throne, or any kind of pedestal for that matter, whether it be made of glass or brick or wood. If anything, it is a novel I am throwing – or have already thrown actually – into my Cavern of Disappointments where I can hopefully forget it ever exists and satisfy myself by re-reading assassin novels where the assassins actually assassinate! You see, like so many novels before it, Throne of Glass had an immense amount of – wait for it - potenti...more

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view all 17 comments

Mike Keertana wrote: "I agree. I do feel as if author's always solve love triangles by killing off one of the love interests or throwing in another charact...more
Jan 26, 2013 06:57pm

Sandra Totally agreed! Love triangles are pretty unrealistic and always far-fetched. So far I think they only are a crappy way to try to have angsty scenes i...more
Jan 27, 2013 01:00am

Nov 04, 2012 Cara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fantasy, series

I was contemplating whether I should write a review for this book or not because I have seen a good amount of traffic for it, and some ardent fans to spread the word and naysayers, but I'm going to give it a shot too.

So for those of you unfamiliar with the premise I'll give you a quick rundown. Our main protagonist, Celeana, is a notorious assassin. So bad to the bone that she eventually was caught and sent to Endovier to basically die from the harsh labor and conditions. One day though the Crow...more I was contemplating whether I should write a review for this book or not because I have seen a good amount of traffic for it, and some ardent fans to spread the word and naysayers, but I'm going to give it a shot too.

So for those of you unfamiliar with the premise I'll give you a quick rundown. Our main protagonist, Celeana, is a notorious assassin. So bad to the bone that she eventually was caught and sent to Endovier to basically die from the harsh labor and conditions. One day though the Crown Prince comes to give her a bargain that she can't refuse. She could earn her freedom if she competes to become the King's Champion. The Champion will do the King's bidding and after years of service will be allowed their freedom. For that to even happen though Celeana must first win the contest. She's rail thin and weak, so how can she even win? But she knows she can. Along her journey she'll find new friends and come out with lot more than she could have ever wished for and some memories she'd rather forget.

There were a lot of things to enjoy about this book but I would be lying to say if I didn't have my reservations. I kept thinking this is NOT how an assassin would act. Right? Since of course I'm not one what do I know about it? But... she seemed pretty frivolous, petty, and worried about her appearance for being basically a hired murderer. That would definitely change someone's outlook on life. And to boot she has an impressive track record so I expected a little more edge. I'm not saying that she had to be a stone, but a little more maturity and general cleverness would have been appreciated. And I could go on with some inconsistencies. Like when she mentions changing the hinges so she could hear an intruder, and then some pages later we would see her get startled when someone was already halfway through the room. And what was with all the purring everybody was doing? Who purrs when they talk? Anyhow I'll let that go...for now.

The love interests are really just ok. I do like both Prince Dorian and Chaol but there isn't quite a clear picture of them. Also there is no obvious choice, which is nice for a change. But I kind have admitted defeat when it comes to love triangles because they seem to be the new "it" thing that just won't go away. But I do have to give credit to the author for giving equal page time to each guy and Celeana has some nice interactions with each of them.

So from what I wrote so far it would seem I didn't like it but I did. Just not with all the love I wanted to give it. There were moments when Celeana's strength would come through and I liked how there was some nice banter between the characters. Then there was lots of fighting so it keeps your eyes roving the pages, and I definitely wanted to see what happened at the end. I have to admit part of the reason I did up enjoying myself was because it kind of reminded of some of the books I would read early in my teenage years. I remember feeling pretty swept away with a story, and I found myself feeling the same way here. It has all the elements you need. A main character destined for triumph, guys to root for, and an evil that must be defeated.

I will be reading the sequel just to see how this assassin is going to give the King some trouble. That is something I wouldn't want to miss.(less)

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Aug 16, 2012 Rebecca W. Lam rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was one of the many thousands who read the first draft of this story on Fictionpress. I remember frantically (almost obsessively to the point of having heart palpitations) checking daily for updates waiting for the next chapter to come out. While I haven't read the revamped copy of QoG, I can say Sarah's writing is art in motion. Queen of Glass is high fantasy, romance, adventure, espionage, and politics all rolled into one crazy twist on the classic tale of Cinderella.

Her characters, even the...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Anne-Bénédicte added it

Shelves: american-literature, fantasy

I remember my sister telling me that I should ABSOLUTELY go and read that book on fictionpress, and also remember not being able to stop once I began. I can't wait to read it again, and am really glad it was purchased by Bloomsbury !

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Mar 07, 2013 Ezgi Su Bayraktar rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

BUDUR!

TEAM WESTFALL!!

Yorumum yakında...

EDIT: Cam Şato için hazırladığım yazıyaburadan ulaşabilirsiniz....more

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Apr 07, 2012 Katy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4.5 stars - It's really hard to say WHY I liked this book so much because I didn't like it for the reasons I thought I would.

First of all, Celaena is the best assassin of her time, so I was expecting a book full of action, kicking ass and lots of blood and gore. Like Grave Mercy, this book was more about the politics involved in the kingdom than the assassin going around killing people on her assigned missions. There was a lot of training, so I guess that would be the "action" part of the book,...more 4.5 stars - It's really hard to say WHY I liked this book so much because I didn't like it for the reasons I thought I would.

First of all, Celaena is the best assassin of her time, so I was expecting a book full of action, kicking ass and lots of blood and gore. Like Grave Mercy, this book was more about the politics involved in the kingdom than the assassin going around killing people on her assigned missions. There was a lot of training, so I guess that would be the "action" part of the book, but the book kind of reminded me of how Hunger Games spent a lot of time leading up to the games, and this book spent a lot of time leading up to the ultimate battle that started probably in the last tenth of the book. AND there was a bit of a supernatural twist in there that I hadn't expected.

Secondly, I thought I was going to be caught up in the romance and this love triangle with the Crowned Prince and the Captain of the Guard. The interest was there - although at times it may not have been known to the parties involved - but I was disappointed about what did happen, or more accurately what didn't happen. At the same time, some will argue the reason the book was so good is because you WEREN'T caught up in just the romance. But at the same time, the relationships just suck you in anyway. (view spoiler)

I LOVED Celaena. First of all, I'm always a fan of a girl who can kick butt. But what made Celaena so great was her personality. She has gone through a REALLY rough time, but I have yet to see her be whiny or always wallow in self pity. And she was so awesome because she had wits and a sense of humor - but not in an annoying way where she tries too hard. It just comes naturally. And the evil side of me LOVES that she's an instigators, always stirring up trouble to get others riled up, but again, not in a bad way.

Like I said, don't know what it was about this book, but I ate it up.(less)

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Sep 16, 2012 Sarah (saz101) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, epic-fantasy, assassins

Blending elements of fairytale, folklore and fantasy, Sarah J. Maas’ debut, Throne of Glass, is a Cinderella story with a twist. A rather dark and deadly one...

The Story
Twelve months in the dreaded, deadly salt mines of Endovier have not been kind to Celaena Sardothien—but she has not been forgotten. Then again, few were likely to forget the land’s most lethal assassin. Celaena knows her death from the hard labour, freezing winters and brutal beatings won’t be long, but then she’s given an offer...more

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Apr 28, 2012 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Readers who enjoyed the works of Tamora Pierce, Gail Carson Levine, and/or Kristin Cashore

Shelves: 2012-reads, wowed-me, glad-i-gave-it-a-chance, surprisingly-liked, heroines-i-love-and-or-admire, world-building-worth-noting, wish-i-could-write-a-book-like-this, best-characters, best-endings, to-buy-shelf, reviewed

Coming into reading Throne of Glass, debut novel from Sarah J. Maas, I felt wary. This novel has quite the backstory: Maas began posting chapters of the story (originally titled Queen of Glass) on the site Fictionpress all the way back in 2002, and QoG went on to become one of the site's most popular stories over the course of its serialization before the author took it down in 2008. However...as awesome as the story's hook sounded (of an assassin Cinderella in a tyrannical kingdom), hype and I...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Val rated it 2 of 5 stars

Oh I really wanted to love this book. The opening scene sucks you in as you are introduced to the worlds greatest assassin. Who is she? How did she get so good? When is the action going to start?
Unfortunately the action never really starts until the last few chapters.

I loved the concept of this book. A female assassin with a mysterious background fighting for her freedom from a tyrant king. She is deadly, precise and tough. She has tests that she must complete against other deadly assassins an...more Oh I really wanted to love this book. The opening scene sucks you in as you are introduced to the worlds greatest assassin. Who is she? How did she get so good? When is the action going to start?
Unfortunately the action never really starts until the last few chapters.

I loved the concept of this book. A female assassin with a mysterious background fighting for her freedom from a tyrant king. She is deadly, precise and tough. She has tests that she must complete against other deadly assassins and a handsome benefactor and trainer to help her.
Alas, while the concept was there the author never really fully achieves it. Celaena Sardothien ends up being more of a silly vain princess like character with an attitude problem and a sharp tongue. I wanted so much more from her.

The author changes her character from soft and caring to hard and dangerous to spoiled and vain so many times that I had a hard time liking her. Only during the last few chapter was I able to see who she could really be and start enjoying the story. The mysterious creature that shows up later in the book and starts killing off the other assassins is really the only thing that kept me reading this book.

In addition the scene building was seriously lacking substance. There was little on the back story about the country and why the King was such a crazed tyrant with a glass castle. Tiny little tidbits were introduced like ruin stones and previous rulers, that was not enough to get me to enjoy the world in which the story takes place.

Instead of building a good solid plot, characters that are believable, an interesting scene, the author focuses on a contrived love triangle that is based solely on looks and lots of fancy dresses. Gag me with a lace bodice.

Now that I have shredded the book and likely earned some not so nice commentary I will say that I am not entirely giving up on the story. I see so much potential there for a great series that I will definitely read some of the second. The story is there and I think with a better editor and some hefty revising this can be a fantastic read and a complex story. I am giving the next book five chapters to make me like it. I am hoping that the author gets a new editor and creates a better second installment. (less)

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Jun 05, 2012 Ashleigh Paige rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, recieved-through-netgalley

Also appears on my blog, The YA Kitten! I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

3.5 stars.

And now the moment of truth: Throne of Glass itself. I went for the novellas first and after seeing those slowly decline in quality, I was worried the novel itself would share those flaws. I suppose I worried for nothing; Throne of Glass was the lengthier version of everything I wish the novellas could have been. I still had a few problems with it, but I'm hooked well enough to stay around.

Maas w...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-galley

This book! I do have a couple of (minor?) complaints, but I thoroughly enjoyed Throne of Glass, and the characters completely won me over!

I love that Celaena is both kick-ass and girly-feminine. I'm sick of seeing heroines defy the patriarchal paradigm or break free of womanly constraints in a man's world only to reject so many things about their femininity in the process, shunning dresses or long hair or other things that would be considered "girlish" or "feminine". Not that I have a problem wi...more This book! I do have a couple of (minor?) complaints, but I thoroughly enjoyed Throne of Glass, and the characters completely won me over!

I love that Celaena is both kick-ass and girly-feminine. I'm sick of seeing heroines defy the patriarchal paradigm or break free of womanly constraints in a man's world only to reject so many things about their femininity in the process, shunning dresses or long hair or other things that would be considered "girlish" or "feminine". Not that I have a problem with girls rejecting these things, but must EVERY paradigm-defying heroine also be a tomboy? I am beginning to view that trope (or is it a cliché?) as a suggestion that being more like a boy is preferable to being an empowered female - as though there's something less acceptable about anything delicate or pretty. To see Celaena embrace both her power and her femininity is honest and refreshing. Why can't girly girls be badasses? Why should embracing one's femininity and beauty mean that one can't also be physically strong? It doesn't, and Celaena is a perfect example of that. She loves dressing up, reads romance novels, suffers PMS, and is nowhere near devoid of emotions and feelings even though she's a contract killer. And she can still kill a man with her bare hands. She's confident to the point of occasional arrogance. She's the girl version of the cocky rogue, and I absolutely love it. Will her overconfidence get her into trouble? Probably. It has the potential to be a fatal flaw if she isn't careful. But you'll never see me complain about it.

Chaol and Dorian. I love these two! Dorian looks at Celaena and sees her sensitivity, vulnerability, and captivity. Chaol looks at her and sees her skill, cunning, and killer-instincts. Each sees something of himself within her. The prince sees someone who has suffered loss and been placed at the mercy of the king. The commander sees a dangerous warrior. They both care for her, but neither of them is getting the whole picture yet. Personally, I'm in favor of Chaol because he is not blind to the cruelest parts of her but cares for her anyway.

Celaena is the focal character, but the narration occasionally slides from the perspective of Celaena into that of a handful of other characters, the most important of those being Dorian and Chaol. The setting is almost exclusively restricted to the castle. I wish we'd have gotten to explore the world a little bit more because it is interesting enough for me to want more of it, but I also like that this adds to the containment that Celaena is feeling. She's a prisoner, after all. The tournament is not quite as exciting as I would've liked it to be. It feels more like a means to an end and a way to draw out Celaena's journey from the prison to her current station. I wish that it'd have either been more of a focal point or that it'd have been bypassed much quicker so that things could just carry on. The other thread of the story involves a killer who is running around maiming the tourney competitors. I felt like the mystery of who was ultimately behind this was rather obvious and I wasn't at all surprised by any of the ways that this plot line developed, since it turned out pretty much exactly how I figured it would. A good portion of the plot in this book is predictable (at least it was to me). There are some pretty obvious hints regarding Celaena's pre-assassin identity (at least, I think it's pretty obvious - I guess I'll have to wait to see if I'm right or if I totally am getting fooled, but based on how my other predictions have gone so far I'm going to go with obvious). But none of this did much to mar my enjoyment of the story, which remains fun despite any predictable outcomes.

The quality of the writing is at times inconsistent. Some paragraphs had me reveling in the words and enjoying every engrossing second of it, and others sort of put me off because the wording felt amateurish or cliché. It was up and down. A few things that happen in the text are completely random. For example, out of nowhere, Celaena suddenly misses this guy that was never mentioned or hinted at previously in any of her reflections on her past (and there were enough musings for him to come up at least once). It was totally out of left field and, whether he was added late or outtakes removed any previous mention of him, I think that there should have been a sentence or two added back in to supplement his appearance in Celaena's thoughts, in order to reduce the WTFery that was bouncing around in my head at Celaena's sudden longing for some person who is never properly introduced to the reader.

Despite my niggling complaints, I like Throne of Glass quite a bit. The characters commanded my attention and adoration, and the environment and story sucked me in regardless of the fact that I find some of the major plot points to be predictable. The love triangle doesn't bother me in this story because it is handled in a way that (at least so far) makes it pretty clear that one is a friendly and fun yet shallow infatuation, and the other has the potential to be a deep-rooted love based on mutual understanding and a (very) hard-earned trust. I will be anxiously awaiting the sequel, because it seems like book two will be going very interesting places.

originally posted at http://mimosastimulus.blogspot.com (less)

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Jul 01, 2012 Danny rated it 5 of 5 stars

Read Review at Bewitched Bookworms

You love kick ass heroines!! Then meet Celaena

Celaena is an assassin who lost her parents at the age of 8 and was trained to be the world most famous assassin. But, she's much more than a cruel killer. Celaena is beautiful, smart , she loves to read and plays music - even more, despite what her upbringing would suggest she loves to be a woman. She knows she's beautiful and is not playing the ugly duck, nor does she needs a man to tell her so. I loved everyt...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Ferdy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Spoilers

Once Ardalan's most notorious assassin and now a mere slave, Celaena Sarodothien has no chance of freedom, that is until the Prince of Ardalan, offers her a deal. Celaena can escape slavery if she is willing to become the King's Champion. For this Celaena must compete and win against 23 other contestants.

-The plot had potential with the whole contest to become King's Champion and the mystery of who or what was killing the contestants, unfortunately it was executed very poorly and for the...more Spoilers

Once Ardalan's most notorious assassin and now a mere slave, Celaena Sarodothien has no chance of freedom, that is until the Prince of Ardalan, offers her a deal. Celaena can escape slavery if she is willing to become the King's Champion. For this Celaena must compete and win against 23 other contestants.

-The plot had potential with the whole contest to become King's Champion and the mystery of who or what was killing the contestants, unfortunately it was executed very poorly and for the most part the contest and murders felt like an afterthought. The majority of the story focused on Celaena flirting and bantering with Dorian and Chaol or flitting around the castle or thinking about how wonderful she was. Strangely enough I was still entertained by Celaena's antics probably because I had such low expectations going in.

-Celaena as usual was a stuck up, idiotic, proud bitch. I didn't completely hate her but that was only because her confidence or arrogance to be more precise made a welcome change from the insecure, naive crappy YA heroines who aren't remotely feminine or fun. So yea, Celaena was full of herself but I kind of liked how she thought she was the best at everything.
What I did find disappointing was how little Celaena's time as a slave effected her, she hadn't changed in any real way from the novellas — before she became a slave. Sure she thought about her time in the Salt Mines sporadically but other than that she was still the same old Celaena, even when she reminisced about it, there was little emotion conveyed. How could being enslaved for a year not have changed her in any way, shape or form??

-The romance and love triangle reminded me of Dmitri, Rose and Adrian from Vampire Academy. Prince Dorian was very much like Adrian - flirty, spoilt, easygoing and with lots of daddy issues. Whilst Captain Chaol reminded me of Dmitri - stoic, honourable, hard working and a fighter. Chaol and Dorian were decent enough love interests but were nowhere near as endearing as Sam from the novellas.
I do prefer Chaol over Dorian, Dorian's feelings for Celaena came across as very superficial — he fell for her without really knowing her, he was just attracted to her looks and liked her because she was forbidden. Whereas Chaol's feelings developed slowly as he got to know her. His interactions with Celaena were far more engrossing than Dorian's.

-There was hardly no decent female characters, all of them except one was evul, shallow and brainless. Very disappointing.

-The plot lines from the novellas weren't really addressed. What I was most interested in was Celaena finding out that Arobynn betrayed her and her getting revenge. Obviously that whole plot's probably going to drag on until the last book. It's just really unrealistic that someone like Celaena wouldn't be investigating and plotting the demise of those responsible for Sam's death. She was madly in love with him yet she didn't even bother coming up with any eventual plans to avenge his death — where was her loyalty and love for him?

Overall, this had an unimaginative love triangle, a poorly executed and predictable plot and a main character in love with herself, but for some reason I still found myself enjoying it. And I'm actually kind of looking forward to the next book… so yea it was bad but it was also really good??(less)

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Mar 07, 2013 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, rescatables

Este libro lo leí como parte de la lectura conjunta organizada por Gecko Books y Entre Líneas; supongo que seré de las pocas personas que se sintieron sumamente decepcionadas con la lectura de esta novela. La verdad es que al principio pintaba muy bien e iba a buen paso, sin embargo cerca de la mitad la historia se dejo caer a toda velocidad cual montaña rusa y por desgracia apenas al final hubo otro pico que quiso volver a elevar la historia, pero por desgracia no fue lo suficiente ni para susp...more Este libro lo leí como parte de la lectura conjunta organizada por Gecko Books y Entre Líneas; supongo que seré de las pocas personas que se sintieron sumamente decepcionadas con la lectura de esta novela. La verdad es que al principio pintaba muy bien e iba a buen paso, sin embargo cerca de la mitad la historia se dejo caer a toda velocidad cual montaña rusa y por desgracia apenas al final hubo otro pico que quiso volver a elevar la historia, pero por desgracia no fue lo suficiente ni para suspirar.

Tampoco me malinterpreten, en general no esta mal, pero no me convenció. La idea de una asesina que tuviera asolado un reino sin duda es atractiva y si tomamos en cuenta que fue capturada y se encuentra prisionera es un punto extra; la actitud de Celaena al principio, muy agresiva, con confianza, pero al mismo tiempo temerosa por lo que había vivido en la prisión, fue convincente hasta que se puso el primer vestido y todo cayo por su propio peso. Sobre el príncipe Dorian desde el principio me molesto su exceso de "buena onda", un personaje que me desagrado sin llegar a odiar; así que en general Chaol (capitán de la guardia) fue el único personaje que me agrado durante casi toda la novela (y hago énfasis en "casi" porque al final toda la imagen que tenía sobre él desapareció).

Parte de lo que no me gusto de la novela es que fuera demasiado previsible, queriendo introducirnos en un misterio que no funcionaba en lo mínimo; empezando por los orígenes de Celaena, que si bien la idea es que nadie sepa quien es ella realmente, creo que toda persona que lea el libro se dará cuenta quienes eran realmente sus padres por la cantidad de referencias que hizo al tema, así que no habrá sorpresa cuando lo revele. La desconfianza de Celaena a su amiga la princesa Nehemia salio sobrando, el tratar de forzar las detalles que la volvieran sospechosa cuando a leguas se veía que no tenían razón de ser.

Con excepción de Nehemia (por el lado de los buenos) considero que fueron los villanos del cuento los personajes mas constantes, sabías que eran malos, pero no sabías hasta que punto, y sobre Nehemia sabías que estaba ahí por algo en especial y hasta el final se revelo todo sobre ella; pero al menos te mantuvieron con un poquito de intriga.

A Celaena no la considero constante con su personaje porque para ser la mejor asesina del reino, se dedicaba a verse mucho al espejo y vestir "hermosos y maravillosos vestidos" cuyas descripciones salían sobrando. Su carácter debió ser seco no llegar a lo tosco, pero si mas serio tomando en cuenta todo lo que vivió no solo en las minas de sal, sino durante su entrenamiento para asesina; debió tener una actitud mas madura y sin embargo no fue así y aquí no hay excusa de que es una adolescente porque ya tiene 18 pasaditos, y como bien es sabido las mujeres maduran mas rápido que los hombres, pero al parecer este no fue el caso porque a veces se comportaba como de 15, era una combinación entre arrogancia, coquetería y miedo.

Chaol, enorme decepción, recuerdo que al principio se menciono que no había matado a nadie, cosa que sinceramente me hizo gracia, ya que ¿Cómo puedes ser capitán de la guardia sin haber estado en una batalla? la verdad es que fue dedazo de Dorian, porque si bien demostró mucha capacidad en el entrenamiento ~~por lo menos~~, pero para resolver el misterio no dio una, sin embargo al final su reacción estuvo fuera de lugar y me choco en demasía. Al menos no hubo romance, si lujuría pero no romance, siento que pudo haber dejado fuera todo el tema y que se desarrollara en los siguientes libros, al principio iba bien, lenta a buen paso pero nuevamente lo apresuro y lo sentí forzado, era un "no quiero pero no se tal vez si quiero".

Lo peor fue la narración, sencilla y de rápida lectura eso no lo puedo negar; muy descriptiva con los vestuarios pero no dio el ancho con los escenarios; las pruebas duraron cerca de 6 meses y creo que solo menciono dos o tres entrenamientos y por demás sencillos, correr y peleas con espadas... la batalla final, muy mal desarrollada narrativamente, la idea se entendió pero la forma en la que hizo la descripción fue carente de emoción, creo que le dio mas énfasis a la frustración de Dorian por no poder hacer nada que a la batalla en si; no me transporto a ningún lugar, tuve que forzarme a imaginar los escenarios en lugar de "verlos" al estar leyendo.

Es una historia que daba para mucho, mucho mas y que se quedo a medias, espero que en el próximo libro aprenda a ser menos previsible, aunque me temo que en éste básicamente nos ha contado la trama de toda la historia y es muy difícil no imaginarse lo que sucederá en las siguientes entregas. No se si las leeré supongo que me tendría que sobrar tiempo o tal vez solo para comprobar todas mis teorías, pero de momento diré que no. No es una mala historia, pero me temo que si la comparo con cualquier otra novela de Fantasía Épica sale muy mal parada, a muchos lectores les ha gustado, es simplemente que esperaba mucho mas.

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Jan 17, 2013 Paige rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally posted on http://fortheloveofliterature.com/
2.5 stars
(very minor spoilers may be included)
I now realize that getting too much publicity before a book is released can sometimes be detrimental. I say this because I was PUMPED for this book. I was reading posts from all of the fans that have been reading this book as a work-in-progress on FictionPress for years. They all but worshiped this book. I read posts by the author that were so inspiring, they had me in tears. I watched interviews...more Originally posted on http://fortheloveofliterature.com/
2.5 stars
(very minor spoilers may be included)
I now realize that getting too much publicity before a book is released can sometimes be detrimental. I say this because I was PUMPED for this book. I was reading posts from all of the fans that have been reading this book as a work-in-progress on FictionPress for years. They all but worshiped this book. I read posts by the author that were so inspiring, they had me in tears. I watched interviews of the author and followed the book signing tour on facebook. So I think it's safe to say I had quite a lot of build up before sitting down to actually read this book.

It's a long way to fall from the top.

I wanted to make the build-up clear because by no means did I hate this book (hence, three stars- not one), but I have to admit that it came no where close to my expectations. I even feel bad writing a review that's not glowing because I have so much respect for the author after reading the journey she took to get this published. But I also feel the need to be completely honest when writing reviews for this blog, and to not let feelings for the author get in the way. That being said...

The beginning was very well done and I was hooked when Celaena was pulled from the salt mines and we met our confident, snide heroine. I was ready to see her battle her way through all the Tests to become the king's Champion. But then she arrives at the castle, the story line began to fall apart for me. Instead of witnessing her awesome assassinating skills during the Tests, the author only writes about a few in any detail (I loved the wall-scaling scene) and turns to write about pretty dresses and how handsome Chaol and Dorian are and how she suddenly wants to kiss them. I kept waiting for more assassin action and instead got more walking around the castle or sitting in her room. When I pick up a book about an assassin, I expect her to assassinate someone eventually. She talked about assassinating people, she had the skills to assassinate, yet not one throat did she slit the entire book.

There were two things about this book that were the biggest let down for me. The first was the characterization of the protagonist, Celaena. At first, I enjoyed a confident, kick-ass girl whose skills were feared. As the book progressed, Celeana became much more alike to a girl I wouldn't have been friends with in high school. She seemed incredibly immature for someone of that skill set who had killed many people. I feel like the act of murdering countless people would have left more of a mark on someone and forced a lot of maturity on them at a young age. Celeana is still caught up in boys and clothes like any modern teenager. When she meets an ancient Fae spirit (someone akin to Gladriel or Arwen of LotR), she's rude and disrespectful, not even in awe of the fact she's talking to the first ever queen of her kingdom! Also, Maas gave her way too many good qualities. She's gorgeous, extremely athletic, loves to read, plays the piano like a prodigy, AND can kill you in an instant. It was like she was trying too hard to make her likable and perfect which made for a non-believable character.

Second- the, dare I say it, love triangle!! I'm ready to pull my hair out at the fact that all authors who want to write a book for young women suddenly believe the magic ingredient is a freaking love triangle! Both men seem to instantly be drawn to her charms and fight the instinct to fall madly in love with her- instant love! Her fascination with one is entirely superficial and built solely on how amazingly beautiful they both are. Bleh!

The plot felt rather shallow for me and resulted in no surprises at the end.

The one character I really enjoyed was the visiting Princess that becomes Celeana's friend. She had the maturity + kick-ass skills that I was looking for in Celeana. I wish the book would have been about her. I also enjoyed Chaol's character, at least as opposed to Dorian's. The fantasy elements were good, but sparse.

So all in all, I think this book just ended up being a let-down for me. I would have enjoyed it much more as fantasy-lite if I hadn't been building up to an epic fantasy. I know a ton of people love this book and will be surprised by my review. It's not that it's badly written or that I can't believe anyone would enjoy it. I simply had different expectations that were not met by the book and it was not the type of fantasy novel that I personally enjoy. I hope Sarah J. Maas continues to write this series, although I may not pick up any of the sequels. She's done a lot of work and deserves the huge fan-base that her writing has created. I'm just sad that her book wasn't the type that I love to read.

(less)

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Captain Chaol or Prince Dorian?	106	595	12 hours, 47 min ago
♥calling all fang...: Throne of Glass	20	39	May 15, 2013 07:08pm
Throne of Glass F...: * Introduce Yourself!	44	42	May 13, 2013 06:41pm
Any Similar Books?	19	86	May 10, 2013 03:50am
Book 2 - Crown of Midnight - BOOK RELEASE DATE	37	184	May 08, 2013 09:51am
Is it just me...	18	172	May 07, 2013 11:36am

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Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1)

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