Title: Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Pub Date: August 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Source: A fellow blogger
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In a sentence or so: A tournament for the King's Champion brings assassin Celaena out of slavery and into the palace for a chance to win her freedom.
When Prince Dorian pulls Celaena out of the salt mines, she's not sure what to expect. Certainly not for him to be drop-dead gorgeous and absolutely not for a chance to win her freedom. All she has to do is win a tournament against the best of the best and not die in the process.
After arriving to the glass castle in Adarlan, Celaena quickly discovers there are dark forces at play. Someone, or something, is killing a champion before each competition. Can she figure out what in the world is going on? And does Celaena have the power to stop it?
It's really hard to sum up this book because there are SO MANY THINGS. There's love triangles and new friends and fantasy elements and dark secrets and intrigue and LOTS OF FEELS.
What most readers will like about Throne of Glass is how easily we slip into Celaena's world. the language is contemporary so it is easy to read crazy fast.
What the experienced fantasy reader might struggle with are things feelint too modern and having so many elements at play at once.
But whatever. It's fun. There's ass-kicking and mystery and kissing in a castle. ROLL WITH IT. I'm ready for the next one, please!
Fave quote: "We all bear scars, Dorian. Mine just happen to be more visible than most." (305 ARC)
Pairs well with: We Found Love by Rihanna. I know. Bear with me.
I had this crazy epiphany when I heard the song on the radio the other day and it all clicked together. The song starts off slow and feels a bit average. That's how I felt with Throne of Glass. I knew people lurved this book but I wasn't getting any butterflies or sweaty palms over it.
Then, like when the beat builds in We Found Love to this epic dance worthy, arm flailing beauty, Throne of Glass blows the doors off and shit gets SO REAL. That's when I knew. I found love.
And also, finding love in a hopeless place = Celaena + Chaol (I ship them. Deal.) What's more hopeless than slavery to being an indentured assassin?
Fix er up: I was bummed we didn't learn more about the other champions. If we're going for epic fantasy, give me all the details.
FTC Notice: I was not compensated in any way for this review. This review is based off of the ARC.
YA fantasy with a kick-ass heroine FTW!!
ReplyDeleteI'm sayin!
Deletei don't know what LOTS OF FEELS means, and i don't care to find out
ReplyDeleteYour loss, yo.
DeleteI was a little disappointed with this book which seemed to not have enough fantasy and way more romance than I was expecting. Interesting song choice-I can kind of see what you mean...
ReplyDeleteAgreed - the fantasy to romance ration was surprising to me too.
Deletei do love kick ass heroines, but fantasy books (sorry to say... ahhhh!) always feel like such an investment to me. like a huuuuuge investment of time and brain effort. is it terrible that i read my books so that i don't have to think a lot? (i do love a good brain buster every now and again, but mostly i just like it to be easily spelled out for me) HOWEVER.... because you loved this one and there were lots of feels (i know what you mean) i may have to try it out.
ReplyDeleteThis one won't really bust your brain. It's like fantasy light. You'll love it!
DeleteTeam Chaol all the way, I'm telling you. He and Celaena are MEANT TO BE. Also, I'm super glad you liked this book too!
ReplyDeleteAGREED.
DeleteThis was one of my favorite reads of the year. I think it wasn't excellent if you're a fantasy-purist, but since I am not and prefer my fantasy "fantasy-lite" I loved it oh so much!
ReplyDeleteRight you are, Candice. I had to just let go all my fantasy snobbery and I was much better for it!
DeleteI read all the prequel novellas, so I wonder if I might feel differently than you about the novel being crammed with a lot of stuff going on. I'll have to get to my copy of the book and find out what I think about that. Definitely something I'll be looking for.
ReplyDeleteVery nice and short review!
I totally need to read those! I was surprised to learn that there were so many of them.
DeleteCelaena + Chaol FOREVER. I ship them so hard. I wasn't feeling the romance between Celaena and Dorian so much. But Chaol? HE BROODS. And I die. But like you, I wasn't blown away by this one like I have been by other fantasies, but I'm TOTALLY in it to win it. I'm definitely intrigued.
ReplyDeleteAll of the brooding!
DeleteI have a very, very happy heart right now, Lisa. I'm so excited about your review for this one. I couldn't STOP thinking about it when I read it. I also thought a few things were a bit modernized, but overall, I didn't care. I wanted to see her kick ass and have these two boys swoon over her. That is all. :)
ReplyDeleteYour happy heart makes my heart happy! Swoon forever!
DeleteCHAOL FOR THE WIN
ReplyDeleteDITTO.
DeleteGreat review. I can't wait to read this one.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I hope you dig the book.
DeleteSHIIIIIZ YES. I agree.
ReplyDeleteAt first I was like, meh meh meh. THEN I FOUND LOVE IN A HOPELESS PLACE y'all!
Whewwwwww.
Also, I have no idea who I want to win this triangle. NO IDEA YO.
I LOVE your "pairing" with Rhianna. PERFECTION. You are too cool for school, dude.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I loved loved LOVED this book!!!
Can't wait to finally read this one. Modernized fantasy...interesting, or not.
ReplyDeleteI really loved this book. I was meh over the love triangle aspect though. I dont think it was needed. I was so interested in all the other stuff going on. That alone would have had me wanting the next book.
ReplyDelete