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jelkebooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
originally read in 2019 - original rating 3 stars
REREAD 2024
I really just did not like this book. It's extremely generic YA fantasy, which I can have fun with from time to time, but this just had an extremely boring plot. I've found my problem with it this reread of it. Our main character does absolutely NOTHING in this book. Every plot progression is done by happenstance or by other characters. Celaena herself does NOT play an active part in this story. That was such a quick way for me to lose complete interest in the narrative. Truly, how am I supposed to care about all of these things happening if our main character is just an unlucky bystander in it all? I as a reader do more to progress the plot than Celaena does, as I still have to actively turn the page if I want to plot to move forward. It just made for an extremely dull read.
That being said I also just don't like Celaena. She's absolutely stupid, and nothing in this book actually convinced me off the fact that she's supposed to be this world's most feared assassin. It's honestly a miracle she ended up surviving this book considering she's in a castle full of assassin, with a murderous monster, and just completely oblivious to anything going on around her. Several characters manage to sneak up on her without even attempting to, she falls asleep literally everywhere without an issue, and she just eats food out of a mystery package, not knowing who send it or what happened to it. Honestly, like I said a complete miracle that she survived. She also isn't very clevver and seems to just be against what other character's want her to do just for the sake of it, rather than actually thinking she's in the right and they are not. It was so incredibly annoying.
That being said I did like some of the side characters. They are bit one dimensional because most of the focus is on Celaena but they are still much more likeable, and I'm really hoping to see more from them in the rest of the series. The romances weren't terrible but incredibly poorly developed, so I hope that will also get better in future installements, because yes I am still continuing on with this series.
REREAD 2024
I really just did not like this book. It's extremely generic YA fantasy, which I can have fun with from time to time, but this just had an extremely boring plot. I've found my problem with it this reread of it. Our main character does absolutely NOTHING in this book. Every plot progression is done by happenstance or by other characters. Celaena herself does NOT play an active part in this story. That was such a quick way for me to lose complete interest in the narrative. Truly, how am I supposed to care about all of these things happening if our main character is just an unlucky bystander in it all? I as a reader do more to progress the plot than Celaena does, as I still have to actively turn the page if I want to plot to move forward. It just made for an extremely dull read.
That being said I also just don't like Celaena. She's absolutely stupid, and nothing in this book actually convinced me off the fact that she's supposed to be this world's most feared assassin. It's honestly a miracle she ended up surviving this book considering she's in a castle full of assassin, with a murderous monster, and just completely oblivious to anything going on around her. Several characters manage to sneak up on her without even attempting to, she falls asleep literally everywhere without an issue, and she just eats food out of a mystery package, not knowing who send it or what happened to it. Honestly, like I said a complete miracle that she survived. She also isn't very clevver and seems to just be against what other character's want her to do just for the sake of it, rather than actually thinking she's in the right and they are not. It was so incredibly annoying.
That being said I did like some of the side characters. They are bit one dimensional because most of the focus is on Celaena but they are still much more likeable, and I'm really hoping to see more from them in the rest of the series. The romances weren't terrible but incredibly poorly developed, so I hope that will also get better in future installements, because yes I am still continuing on with this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and Misogyny
Moderate: Drug use, Grief, and Physical abuse
Minor: Rape and Suicide
longlostlillian's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Vomit, and Blood
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Addiction, War, Slavery, Sexual content, Suicide, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Panic attacks/disorders
notamouse's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
2.5
-
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Murder, Sexism, Gore, Grief, Torture, Blood, Death, Slavery, and Violence
Minor: Vomit
slahlum's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Slavery, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Vomit, and War
ursimae's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Blood, Physical abuse, Violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Grief, Body horror, Death, Murder, Sexism, and Slavery
Moderate: Confinement, Drug use, Genocide, Alcohol, Classism, Colonisation, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Child abuse, and Vomit
Minor: Animal death, Infidelity, War, Child death, and Death of parent
booksalacarte's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
First read 6/2022- 3⭐️
This is a YA book. It was an easy read. Not very fulfilling. Fluffy. I’m not really invested enough after finishing it to move on to the second book.
Things I respected:
- high fantasy, creating an entire new world, is very hard to do. I wasn’t distracted or confused by much.
- No sex scenes. The plot didn’t need it. Didn’t miss it.
- Maas wrote this when she was a teenager.
Things I didn’t like:
-the main character is only 18 (beautiful, vain, bookish…yawn) and supposedly the greatest assassin of all time after working/training for 10 years. But she still pouts when she isn’t invited to parties and balls.
-Competitions where there could be an opportunity to show off why she earned that title were glossed over or skipped all together. She is an assassin that made zero kills in the book. She has to cheat in order to win one of her challenges. Notorious assassin. Ha!
-she is so unaware of her surroundings. Sleeping through people coming in and out of her room. A heart as cold as ice, but then she befriends her maid and a princess within seconds of meeting them. She is completely oblivious. Her character is all over the place, even for an 18 year old assassin who did a year of hard labor.
-The captain of the guard is 22. Only 22?!… and got to such a high position as captain of the guard having never killed anyone… so has he never fought in a single battle? How did he earn his spot at such a young age?
There isn’t an ounce of urgency to read what comes next after book 1 is over. I could drop this series all together after this first book and not feel any pull to read the following 7 books or the prequel.
—————————————————————
Reread 1/2024- 4⭐️ 2🌶️
Young Adult Fantasy
Assassin/morally grey FMC
Multi POV
Trials/competition
Love triangle
Chosen one
Secret history
Murder mystery
Tw: vomit, slavery, murder, gore
There is so much for-shadowing for the whole series within the first 3 chapters. You already know that she is not just an assassin. The forest knows she is something important. That was never hinted at in Assassin’s Blade.
I completely forgot about the murder mystery aspect of this book. Actually, I had forgotten a lot of this book, leaving me with only vague ties into the overall plot of the series. I highlighted SO much.
Celaena is such a flawed character. She is vein and arrogant. Without the novellas there isn’t much to show her being a ruthless assassin, so it’s hard to put that mantle on her. But with the novellas and fully knowing about her time as assassin, you can respect her a little more. She is morally grey, but in the most honorable way!
Dorian is such a spoiled prince. And I say that with love. His chaotic good nature is something else.
Chaol is tight laced, lawful good, loyalty and honor above all else.
The two men are at such odds with themselves and their situation. It’s so good!
This is a YA book. It was an easy read. Not very fulfilling. Fluffy. I’m not really invested enough after finishing it to move on to the second book.
Things I respected:
- high fantasy, creating an entire new world, is very hard to do. I wasn’t distracted or confused by much.
- No sex scenes. The plot didn’t need it. Didn’t miss it.
- Maas wrote this when she was a teenager.
Things I didn’t like:
-the main character is only 18 (beautiful, vain, bookish…yawn) and supposedly the greatest assassin of all time after working/training for 10 years. But she still pouts when she isn’t invited to parties and balls.
-Competitions where there could be an opportunity to show off why she earned that title were glossed over or skipped all together. She is an assassin that made zero kills in the book. She has to cheat in order to win one of her challenges. Notorious assassin. Ha!
-she is so unaware of her surroundings. Sleeping through people coming in and out of her room. A heart as cold as ice, but then she befriends her maid and a princess within seconds of meeting them. She is completely oblivious. Her character is all over the place, even for an 18 year old assassin who did a year of hard labor.
-The captain of the guard is 22. Only 22?!… and got to such a high position as captain of the guard having never killed anyone… so has he never fought in a single battle? How did he earn his spot at such a young age?
There isn’t an ounce of urgency to read what comes next after book 1 is over. I could drop this series all together after this first book and not feel any pull to read the following 7 books or the prequel.
—————————————————————
Reread 1/2024- 4⭐️ 2🌶️
Young Adult Fantasy
Assassin/morally grey FMC
Multi POV
Trials/competition
Love triangle
Chosen one
Secret history
Murder mystery
Tw: vomit, slavery, murder, gore
There is so much for-shadowing for the whole series within the first 3 chapters. You already know that she is not just an assassin. The forest knows she is something important. That was never hinted at in Assassin’s Blade.
I completely forgot about the murder mystery aspect of this book. Actually, I had forgotten a lot of this book, leaving me with only vague ties into the overall plot of the series. I highlighted SO much.
Celaena is such a flawed character. She is vein and arrogant. Without the novellas there isn’t much to show her being a ruthless assassin, so it’s hard to put that mantle on her. But with the novellas and fully knowing about her time as assassin, you can respect her a little more. She is morally grey, but in the most honorable way!
Dorian is such a spoiled prince. And I say that with love. His chaotic good nature is something else.
Chaol is tight laced, lawful good, loyalty and honor above all else.
The two men are at such odds with themselves and their situation. It’s so good!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Misogyny, Confinement, Violence, Vomit, Death, Drug use, Murder, Blood, Bullying, and Gore
perytonne's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny, War, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug use, Murder, Sexism, and Slavery
Minor: Animal death, Child death, and Vomit
ylimesnwot's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Death
Moderate: War, Slavery, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexual assault, Drug use, and Death of parent
toris_in_her_own_world's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
I loved Celaena!! Such a strong character, very complex and yet still relateable. It really takes some skill to make an assassin feel like an average person. I also loved the little bits of romance that were in there! Honestly though, the ending fight scene was hard to read. Especially knowing that she had been drugged it was just tough to read through a whole chapter or a few of her struggling and hallucinating. I just wish that part had been shortened slightly, that’s all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, and Slavery
Moderate: Torture and Blood
Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Grief, and War
jordan_uhden's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Slavery, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Bullying, and Confinement