Book Review: Throne of Glass

Media Type: Ebook (ARC)
Title: Throne of Glass
   *Series: Throne of Glass #1
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Pages: Hardcover; 416
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Source: NetGalley
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Intended Reading Group: Young Adult
Content Screening: Violence, Mild Language
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HDB Rating: 5 Keys to My Heart
Recommended to: Readers who love a strong female character, and amazing adventure!

Add it on: Goodreads / Shelfari / Amazon / B&N

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her… but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead… quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Where do I start? Throne of Glass is such a stunning whole package that I’m not even entirely certain how to put my feelings into words. Does “omg-that-was-so-amazing-swoon” count as a coherent statement? Didn’t think so. Suffice it to say that this is one of my absolute favorite books of the year, and probably of forever! Let the fangirlish rambling ensue.

First off, I absolutely adored Celaena. It’s completely fair to say that she makes the book. She is the epitome of everything that I love in my female characters! Raised as an assassin, and condemned to the salt mines, it’s more than accurate to say that Celaena is a bit rough around the edges. She’s strong, cunning, and as charismatic as they come. Gorgeous, and yet completely capable of killing you in an instant. However underneath her gorgeous, yet rough, exterior beats the heart of a loving person. Celaena has a soul, and it makes her that much easier to love.

If it wasn’t enough that I was enamored with the main character, my love for Throne of Glass was cemented when I met the rest of the characters who surround her. From a feisty young warrior princess, to a love struck Captain who tries to play gruff, right down to the spoiled Prince. Every single one of Sarah J. Maas’ characters are expertly written. They have vivid  and unique personalities. It’s like you can see them moving around on the page. This is what I want when I read! Characters to believe in. Characters who keep me coming back.

Setting this book on maximum overload, and thus fully earning my full five star rating, is the gorgeous world that Maas builds for her characters. Her descriptive writing is spot on and never overdone. Sweeping plains, desolate mines where workers go to die, and castles made of glass that stretch to the heavens. Reading Throne of Glass is like watching a movie. It all flows together into something more perfect than I have words for. It’s all too much and, yet, just enough.

Let’s get one thing straight. I love Fantasy. I love well-written characters. This book has both of those elements, and so much more. There is no doubt in my mind that Throne of Glass will be my favorite book of the year. Nor that I’ll have a copy that I read incessantly until it falls apart. It’s that good. Get this please, and for the love of everything bookish will someone please make a movie? If you are looking for a book that will taunt you, begging you to read just one more page, you need Throne of Glass.

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.