Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

• Pub. Date: August 07, 2012
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
• Pages: 416
• Series: Throne of Glass #1

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 exhilarating. 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. 

First Line: After a year of slavery in the Salt Mines of Endovier, Celaena Sardothien was accustomed to being escorted everywhere in shackles and at sword-point.


Review: I can't begin to tell you how much this book blew my mind away. I was catapulted into a whole new world full of magic, evil, assassins, a corrupt king, thieves, warriors, a glass castle and characters who were made to perfection.

Celaena is the worlds most notorious assassin and has been slaving away in the salt mines for a year which already is something to be impressed by seeing how no one lasts in the mines for more then a few months before death comes their way. She is asked by Prince Dorian to compete in a ruthless competition in which the prize will be freedom, that is after she serves as the kings champion for a few years first. The same king who she hates with a passion.

The characters were all very believable. Celaena is the ideal heroine, the girl was lethal and lived up to her title of being the most feared assassin. But what made her so likable was the fact that she was very much a girly girl in her own way as well. She loved to dress up in beautiful gowns, had a side that was very sympathetic to the ones she grew to care about, and we even saw her at her most vulnerable and learned that she is so deeply scarred that there were moments I just wanted to reach out and give her a hug.

Prince Dorian and Chaol the Captain of the Guard were both so very swoon worthy and I loved that both of them brought out two different sides of Celaena's personality. Both guys were truly fascinating characters and I'm curious to see what happens as the series progresses between them and Celaena. It's obvious they both have feelings for her one being a little more bold about it then the other but I can't wait to see who she ends up with. I have no favorites as of right now I would be happy with whomever she ends up with. Which also bring me to the fact that while the romance was there it was not the main focus of the book so yay for that.

The world building was impressive I had a vivid picture of everything that was going on in my mind the entire time. And the writing was so lush and intoxicating. Yes I know I am totally gushing over this book but I can't help it, it's hard not to when something is just that good and Throne of Glass is just that. Do not wait, go pre-order this book now!