Scan barcode
g_monaghan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Slavery
ladypalutena's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
By the end of the final short story, the one that
She's thorny, she's arrogant, and she thinks that just because she's Adarlan's Assassin, that should be enough to either keep people away or keep them scared enough that she's able to finish her mission. She's also really bad at being an assassin - twice in these stories, she lets someone go that is ABSOLUTELY going to show up again in the rest of the series. And if they don't, well, I'll eat my boots.
The one thing I'm uncertain about is in the fourth story, The Assassin and the Underworld, Arobynn
Yes, Celaena has had a hard life. She's made it harder on herself, though.
Graphic: Death, Slavery, Torture, and Blood
stitchbooks22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
luca97's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Slavery, Violence, and Trafficking
comolaflore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Slavery, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Rape, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Gaslighting, and War
Minor: Emotional abuse and Gore
knottygeek's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Colonisation
finnzebelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Grief
amandafitz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
smnthstrrlwd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Split into five novellas, The Assassin's Blade gives readers a peek into the past of Celaena Sardothien and sets the foundation for a lot of decisions she makes in the later books. Learning about Celaena's history as Adarlan's Assassin, her moral compass at the youngest age she is throughout the series, and her relationships with friends and lovers, alike, were all valuable moments that allowed me to feel much more connected to her as a main character.
In addition to giving readers an intimate peek into the history of our main character, The Assassin's Blade also introduces us to at least one character in each of the novellas whose whereabouts by the end of the novella are unknown, leaving them seemingly destined to play a larger role later in the series.
I found that the novellas flowed quickly and I loved the way one novella picked up after the last with only a minor time jump. This technique kept the overarching story moving and kept me interested from start to finish. That ending though, my GOD. I was sobbing into my hands during the last 10 pages which seems to be a consistent trait of SJM's writing. And I have to say, it works! I found myself so invested in Celaena's future that I immediately picked up Throne of Glass which is exactly the kind of vibe I am looking for in a series!
Side Note: To each their own with their preferred order, I don't care to hear anyone else's reasonings behind the order they chose (trust me, I've seen enough TikToks about it to last me a lifetime.) One of the best things about books and reading? It is a completely personal experience. And I appreciate that the TOG series can be read in a variety of orders. I think that it is incredibly awesome that I can go back and read the books again in a different sequence if I want to have a different experience than what I'm having right now. Amazing!
Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
sarahangeline's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, and Murder
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Kidnapping and Cannibalism