Thoughts on Chaol After Character Development in Tower of Dawn

[Mallori]

After QoS Chaol became one of my least favorite (non-villain) characters in the series. He was just unnecessarily bitter about the whole Celeana-is-Aelin thing, but after his character development in ToD he's starting to grow on me. I think Yrene may bring out the best in him. What do you guys think?

[Nikita]

I still like him. Sure this book pointed out his issues and how he had to overcome them but I liked that. I agree about Yrene. If humans were capable of having a mating bond. I think Chaol and Yrene are mates. They just fit compared to the other woman in Chaol's life. she was what he needs and wants.

[Ilana]

i like him a lot more now that he has a real purpose. There was a lot of emphasis in the past placed on his relationship with Aelin especially after the betrayal, but i think that now that he's got another story line, another 'mate' and something to really fight for - there's a lot more complexity to him.

i just hope that when we see him, Dorian and Aelin reunite (cause we know that Aelin will get away from Maeve somehow), that there won't be sour grapes and all the forces that they have together will be something to watch!

[Sunny]

Mallori wrote: "After QoS Chaol became one of my least favorite (non-villain) characters in the series. He was just unnecessarily bitter about the whole Celeana-is-Aelin thing, but after his character development ..."

Chaol has always been one of my favorite characters, I think his need to question everything, whether it be Aelin or his own morals is what makes him the most realistic character in the book. Everyone else is too perfect for me.

But what I want is A LOT more of is Chaol and Dorian bromance. The last time they were truly together for a long time was Heir of Fire, and in that book too there was tension between them. In QoS Dorian was possessed, and they were separated in EoS and ToD. They haven't been together for 3 books. It's killing me lol. Their reunion is what I'm looking forward to, way more than Aelin and Rowan's.

[Amanda]

Chaol was my favorite character throughout the series, and I was incredibly disappointed with the direction Maas took him in (starting in QoS). I did like his development in regards to questioning his loyalties (I love the part where he runs to the rebels after escaping the king). But I hated how bitter and rude he and Aelin were toward one another.

Tower of Dawn definitely restored my hope for his character, but I'm still a little peeved that we needed an entire book to do so! I would've preferred him growing without being a jerk in the first place.

[Susan]

Honestly, I am one of the few, I think, that is totally okay with the way he sort of blamed aelin for turning his life upside-down. He was angry and disappointed, and aelin stood as a symbol and reminder of all he'd lost. It's a natural reaction to find a scapegoat for that sort of grief, trauma, etc, that choal went through. It was a coping mechanism, though a lot of what he said to aelin was voicing what he felt about himself, not her. Not really. Once he was able to forgive himself, and recognized that he was blaming her for things out of her control, he was able to begin the healing process that we watched in ToD.