by Sarah J. Maas

I took the leap and decided to try the other series by Maas. If you’ve read my other blogs, you’ll know I’ve read (and LOVED) the ACOTAR series. I have read the first book of the Crescent City novels and it was difficult to get through and I have not managed to get through the second book in that series, so I was hesitant to start this series.

There is a debate about which book to actually read first in this series. Many people have said to read ‘The Assassin’s Blade’ first, as it is a prequel of sorts and the backstory of our main character. But I did my BookTok research (kidding…kind of) and most of the videos I saw recommended reading The Assassin’s Blade third of fourth. So, if I decide to continue with this series, that’s the order I’ll be reading them in. If you have a different suggestion, please comment and let me know!

Throne of Glass starts with our main character, Celaena Sardothien being taken to the King to compete in a tournament to become the King’s Champion. Celaena is accompanied by the King’s son, Prince Dorian, and the King’s head guard, Chaol. Chaol and Dorian instruct Celaena not to tell anyone in the castle that she is one of the world’s most notorious and talented assassin. They know that Celaena could easily win the tournament, but they don’t want her to attract attention. so she goes by the name Lillian.

The Tournament is less than thrilling and most of the time after the first two challenges, it’s just completely glossed over in the book and instead focuses on the romantic tension between Celaena and Dorian. I know I shouldn’t compare, but the challenges in ACOTAR were just so heart-wrenching and intense, and this book made them mostly uneventful or just said, “There was another challenge today.” Maybe it’s because it’s YA and Maas things that the younger generation will be more interested in the ‘will they?/won’t they?’ between Celaena, Dorian, and Chaol.

OMG. They might kiss!

There are still intense moments in the book and some danger, mystery, and intrigue. But I think I am holding Maas to an ACOTAR standard that her other two series just don’t meet for me. But I think I will try to continue this series…

So here’s some pros and cons:

Pro: Likeable characters, an underlying romantic tension, easier read than the other books.

Cons: Less world building, not a lot of intense/descriptive scenes regarding the tournament, too much focus on Dorian and Celaena’s tepid romance.

Overall rating: 6/10 nerdy teenagers. I’ll try to keep going.