Sorry for the absence of posts! I've just started a new graduate job which has been wiping out my energy and keeping me busy. However I'm getting into the routine now and I have adjusted to my new sleeping pattern, so ready to blog again! I've been doing lots of reading to relax after work, so plenty to review. I'm currently a book ahead on my goodreads, so done really well to catch up from being 5 behind.
Onto the review of Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas which was released last month (Aug 7th).
'When magic has gone from the world, and a vicious king rules from his throne of glass, an assassin comes to the castle. She does not come to kill, but to win her freedom. If she can defeat twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition to find the greatest assassin in the land, she will become the King’s Champion and be released from prison. Her name is Celaena Sardothien. The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her.And a princess from a foreign land will become the one thing Celaena never thought she’d have again: a friend. But something evil dwells in the castle–and it’s there to kill. When her competitors start dying, horribly, one by one, Celaena’s fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival–and a desperate quest to root out the source of evil before it destroys her world.' Summary from Sarah Maas' website.
What did I think of it?
I admit I didn't even read the blurb before buying this book as I'd heard good things, and it was a genre I knew I enjoyed. Not normally an overly smart move but thankfully I did really like this book.
When I first started reading I wasn't sure whether I had made a good choice due to the references to faeries (not normally my reading cup of tea!), but by the second chapter I was starting to feel invested in the story and curious. The main character, the master assassin Celaena was fantastic. She was a moody, witty and kick ass! I liked the development of Celaena and her relationships with the other characters, notably the Captain of the Guard and the Crown Prince. I also enjoyed the relationship between the Captain and the Prince. It was a great friendly rivalry, especially with them both falling for the assassin.
The plot was engaging, and although I guessed who/what was murdering the champions quite quickly, and worked out who was not to be trusted, it didn't impair my enjoyment in the slightest. I really liked how magic was incorporated in the story, and I'm not a fan of a lot of magic fantasy. It was subtle and not the main focus of the plot, despite playing an important role in the novel.
I wish there was a bit more time to hear about the tasks that the champions had to undertake to stay in the running to work for the king. The time line in the novel moves along swiftly and covers a period of several months. Due to the swift nature several events seemed summarised, which I would actually have liked to hear more about. Despite my mini grumble about the time line, the novel is well paced (because it doesn't stop to satisfy some of my minor curiousities!).
I really recommend this book and I'm already really looking forward to the next one to hear more about the infamous assassin Celaena.
Rating
Goodreads Reading Challenge
This book is number 11 out of 50
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