Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass, #4) in Read-a-Long with PRICEISWONG

Jan 01, 2015 Jess | FairyTale Pages rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

*Reread August 2016*
First read - August 2015 - Full Discussion (with spoilers) on YouTube: Part 1 https://youtu.be/ubQzAfmGCUk Part 2: https://youtu.be/IJ-xU9WIgFg ...more

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Jun 21, 2014 Yvonne rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya-high-fantasy

I never felt so compelled to write a review for a book as I do for Queen of Shadows. I oscillate wildly between wanting to give it 10 stars and 1 star! I can honestly say that I have never had so many conflicting and powerful emotions over a book!

Before I dive into my review, I need to give you a sense of my mindset going into this book. I am a huge fan of the Throne of Glass series. I have been following Celaena/Aelin's journey since the first TOG book was released and I loved every book publi I never felt so compelled to write a review for a book as I do for Queen of Shadows. I oscillate wildly between wanting to give it 10 stars and 1 star! I can honestly say that I have never had so many conflicting and powerful emotions over a book!

Before I dive into my review, I need to give you a sense of my mindset going into this book. I am a huge fan of the Throne of Glass series. I have been following Celaena/Aelin's journey since the first TOG book was released and I loved every book published more and more. QOS was my most highly anticipated book of 2015. I even organised a day off work to read this book. When the clock struck midnight on 1 September, I was waiting by my kindle for my ebook version of the book to become available.

When I finished QOS, I was honestly shell-shocked.

Let's start with all the things that were amazing about this book ...

(view spoiler) ...more

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May 19, 2015 Brittany rated it it was ok

I read this about two weeks ago. When I had finished it I gave it 4.5 stars. I think I only did that because everyone else was loving it. When I finish a book, I usually want to talk about it, search it on tumblr, watch booktube videos about it, etc. I did not feel that way after this book. I just kinda felt blah. After reading reviews from people that didn't give it five stars, I found that I agree with them much more. I didn't dislike this book, but I certainly didn't love it.

I've been a Chao I read this about two weeks ago. When I had finished it I gave it 4.5 stars. I think I only did that because everyone else was loving it. When I finish a book, I usually want to talk about it, search it on tumblr, watch booktube videos about it, etc. I did not feel that way after this book. I just kinda felt blah. After reading reviews from people that didn't give it five stars, I found that I agree with them much more. I didn't dislike this book, but I certainly didn't love it.

I've been a Chaolaena shipper since TOG, but I knew after Heir of Fire that that ship had sunk. That was fine, but when we get to QoS, Chaol isn't even the same person. He and Aelin and are constantly at each others throats and it's like they never even liked each other, let alone loved. The characterization in the book is just no good. The only character development I appreciated was Lysandra's. Everybody else just went downhill (especially Chaol).

Now, to the Manon chapters, I still didn't like them. I had to listen to the audiobook (which was not very good) in order to be able to get through them. I fell asleep more than once trying to read them. I will say that I liked them more than I did in HoF, but I just don't see the need for them.

Aelin and Rowan. I don't hate this. I knew it was coming, but it felt like it was coming much too quick. Suddenly they looked at each other and were instantly in love and ready to have sex. I was confused. I also didn't like how acted when Aelin so much as looked at another dude. If someone talked to her he had to be there in case they said something rude or nasty about her. Then would freak out.

Aelin and Aedion. This relationship suffered. I feel like Aedion was completely ignored after Rowan showed up. The only person that payed him any attention was Lysandra. Rowan showed up and Aelin pretty much ignored everyone. On another note, I really liked Aedion in HoF, but I feel like all he did in this book was try to fight everyone over Aelin's honor. Also, I'm kinda upset that the relationship that was forming between Aedion and Chaol is now gone. After Aelin showed up all they did was fight.

I don't really know if I love where this series is headed. Our three main characters from ToG (Celena/Aelin, Chaol, and Dorian) are no longer our three main characters. I don't know if I love their replacements. I understand the lack of Dorian in this book, but I hope there's more of him in the next book. I don't understand why he needs a love interest. He just had a demon in him, but, hey he's still got to fall in love. I just don't understand. Not everyone is in love all the time. There's like four different relationships forming and I don't see the need for two of them.

All that being said, I did like it.

Aelin and Lysandra. I loved this relationship. Lysandra is a GREAT addition to the ToG series. I loved that we had another strong female character and that Aelin has a new female friend, I only wish we had gotten to see more of them together.

Nesryn. I really like her, she just seems much too underdeveloped. Aelin really only thinks about her when she needs her for something. I feel like she's only there for Chaol to have a love interest. Maybe once she's more developed she'll feel like less of a pawn for Sarah to use how she wishes.

I am excited for the next book, but I would say less excited than I was before reading this. I was just disappointed because ToG is one of my favorite series. I'm just REALLY hoping that the characterization is done better.

...more

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Sep 19, 2014 Hannah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-own

Fantastic as always, Queen of Shadows is another spectacularly written installment in the Throne of Glass series. A lot of things go down in this book, lots of people die, lots of unexpected twists are uncovered and new characters are introduced. I cried multiple times and also got very angry annoyed with some characters but I think that's ultimately a good thing if you genuinely care about a certain character, it gives them more depth because no one is 100% perfect and likable all the time. At ...more

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Sep 04, 2015 Georgia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ebooks

Ha, so this one took a while. I read the beginning 10% or so back when it came out but it super pissed me off. For various reasons.
So I only picked it up again once term was all finished this month and I enjoyed it a lot more after my initial reaction. I stayed up till like 3am last night to finish the last 20% because once the action started I HAD TO KNOW HOW IT WENT DOWN.
So props to SJ for the last section, which was magnificently tense.

(view spoiler) Ha, so this one took a while. I read the beginning 10% or so back when it came out but it super pissed me off. For various reasons.
So I only picked it up again once term was all finished this month and I enjoyed it a lot more after my initial reaction. I stayed up till like 3am last night to finish the last 20% because once the action started I HAD TO KNOW HOW IT WENT DOWN.
So props to SJ for the last section, which was magnificently tense.

(view spoiler)[ I had less what you'd call issues with the book, but more like confusion in continuity etc. I don't know if it was because the series (apparently) was supposed to be a lot shorter than it ended up being but I'm giving SJ the benefit of the doubt.

I have made it very clear that I love Chaol. Which was probably why the start of this book broke me. And I just felt like his character was treated really oddly in this book? As in inconsistently with how much he is explored in the earlier books, it just made it feel like that was all pointless. Also that ending just felt like one grand excuse to get Chaol out of the way again for the next book- like goodbye until book 6!

Then there was Rowan. And don't get me wrong, after this book I'm a big fan of Aelin/Rowan, but again it felt inconsistent with Heir of Fire. (Tbh with romantic relationships most of the time Im happy to go where the narrative takes us- like when SJ wanted us to like Chaol/Celeana I did, and the same for these guys). BUT even though I got that in this book it was like Aelin and Rowan were looking at each other differently after their separation, and in a new situation- it just felt like this was not planned in Heir of Fire at all. Like SJ changed her mind in this book and decided to make it romantic. Which I enjoyed but adds to the jumbled state of this story.

Tbh I like that there isn't only one love interest that she's *destined* for or that it didn't continue down the love triangle route, because she's had like four major love interests already and that's all cool- BUT it annoys me that every guy that comes along has to become a romantic possibility. The only exception is Aedion and that's because they're related.

Manon on the other hand, in my opinion has this great fluid narrative. I love all the witch sections which is why I don't have as much to say about those.

Dorian has returned as the sunflower child of my heart.

I was actually starting to get annoyed leading in to this book about Aelin pretty much just being surrounded by male characters BUT we got so many wonderful ladies in this one! I LOVED Lysandra, and Nesryn, and Elide and Kaltain and THE THIRTEEN!

And then obviously the crowning part of the narrative- Aelin and Manon meeting and facing off, and then Manon feeling like she owes her and she gives her the tip about Dorian, like: Please! Team! Up! Soon!

I haven't really delved in to the plot but that's because I enjoyed it a lot! Although the first half of Aelin's story did feel like it was just being dragged out until it was time for the second half to happen, but I'm not complaining about it to be honest. (hide spoiler)] ...more

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Oct 23, 2014 Alexandra rated it it was amazing

4.5/5

Definitely my favorite in the series thus far! I really, really enjoyed this book, more than the rest of the books in the series! I couldn't get over how much everyone has changed, and I love how complex the story and the world has gotten. Though it was very entertaining and generally an amazing installment, I was upset by a few things, hence why I did not give it five stars. I just didn't like Rowan as a love interest to Aelin. I always preferred them as friends and I even liked how they k ...more

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Mar 29, 2015 Anna Rose rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-own, 2019-updated-books-i-own

woah

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Aug 18, 2015 MalRoseMallory rated it really liked it

Another one bites the dust. I really enjoyed this one. A lot of build up to an awesome conclusion! Now let the agony pursue while we wait for the next.

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Oct 15, 2018 Angela rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, needs-to-re-read

AHHHH!!! I can’t comprehend anything right now. I want to cry and scream and yell, and just express all of the emotions. I want to reread the book and put sticky notes on all of the pages! Definitely my favourite in the series so far. Don’t know how the next books are going to top it!

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