Reviews with content warning for Medical content - Empire of Storms

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Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

2 reviews

nerdkitten's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional 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? Yes

5.0

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mollydollydoodah's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

4.75

So like, I literally don’t even know what to say right now??????? That ending was… a lot. I’m in a stunned silence, because I can’t (but can) believe how everything just ended.
Okay, first of all, there were SO many things that happened in this book, and so many of them were happening at the same time. I would get so invested in one point of view, only to get interrupted by another and be disappointed to abandon the first pov, only to forget all about everything else happening as I became once more enthralled with whatever plotline I was reading about at the moment. Every time the pov switched, it felt as though I had been surprised, as I kept somehow forgetting about what was going on despite it all being thrilling and exciting and so action-filled.
First up, let’s go to Elide. I loved getting to know her more, to learn her strength and determination and brilliant & cunning ways. I really enjoyed her character development, and I loved that we were experiencing Lorcan’s through her story as well. It was fantastic getting to see how they grew, & how Lorcan changed because of her. It was so interesting to watch as they started out with him hunting her, only to become begrudging allies as they worked their way to their goals, & I really liked the caravan subplot and how it changed their views on each other. I especially liked how when Elide originally told Lorcan they were to pretend to be married, he refused, wanting to portray her brother instead, only to later wind up with him insisting that she’s ‘still his wife.’ I really appreciated how he took up the role without complaint once she mentioned how horrid men are, and about how protective he was of her & the other women, and how absolutely livid he was when she told him about the horrors of Morath she & others had experienced. It was so necessarily badass (for Elide at least) when Elide used that hatchet to kill those creatures, & I just really enjoyed their plotline and how everything converged— at least until the end. What in the fuck would make Lorcan believe that Maeve would save Elide, especially without using it to benefit herself?! That was such a regression of character, as it was to have him crawl after Maeve on the sand. I know that his character was in ‘love’ or whatever the hell with the bitch forever, but he had just watched her order a knife to Elide’s throat & dangle her life in front of him & Aelin as punishment! I feel as though SJM made a wrong call with his reaction, because despite his horrible obsession/love/loyalty to Maeve, she is a monster, & he’d just witnessed all of that first-hand as she forced them all to watch the horrors struck down upon Aelin after she sacrificed herself to save Elide. Like, where on earth did all of his character development go?! I agree with Elide’s decision to walk away from & scorn him, at least until he gets his fucking act together, because that was not fucking cool and I’m so pissed at him for calling Maeve directly to them. Hopefully he gets his shit together and works endlessly to right his endless list of wrongs.
Let’s move onto Manon. Manon’s character development has been so amazing throughout these past books, and I am so happy for her that she finally stood up against her gods-awful grandmother. Defying the orders to kill/take Dorian and instead saving him was such a power move, and then to turn the sword onto the Matron instead of her Second was brilliant. I feel for her & those startling realizations her grandmother dropped onto her, but I’m so grateful that she was able to get away w/ Abraxos & then do all that fancy flying maneuvering against the Yellowlegs. Thank the heavens for the amazing, gentle, fierce, warrior soul of Abraxos, because he did literally so much to help everyone oh my god. Without Abraxos, not only would Manon surely be dead a million times over, but the Thirteen never would have been able to find her or help save everyone in that last battle. He is glorious, and everyone owes him a million bouquets of flowers. I loved the relationship between Manon & Aelin as it grew, and how they are so alike in their ferocity & cunning plans & badassery & loyalty. They make for a fantastic team of Queens, and it was so well done as they started out with such disdain for each other & how they ended up having each other’s backs and fighting alongside each other like they’d been doing it forever. I loved how Manon was so worried about Elide & how she cares so much for her, as if she is one of her own Thirteen. And I loved how when Elide finally made it, everyone fought to claim her, how Aelin not only didn’t forget Elide, but at how emotional their meeting was because she’d done the opposite of forget her as she carried that guilt & grief & burden of being the cause for her mother’s death as she fought to protect little Aelin. Manon looked at it all and saw that hope for the future that everyone had been clinging onto, and I’m so happy she didn’t flee them and how she’s willing to go take on her lineage as a Crochan in order to provide help for them all, despite all her wariness & fears & guilt & thoughts on the matter. And I’m excited to see how Dorian will fare going with her on this adventure. Speaking of Dorian, I knew all throughout the book about his little fascination or whatever for Manon, because the way that he would describe her hair as snow & whatnot was so obvious. You only go out of your way to notice & remember & describe such details as ‘fallen snow hair’ if you’re intrigued about and interested in someone. He’s grown a lot through this book too, just as each of them have. I enjoyed his little friendship building retreat he took with Rowan, if you can call it that. I’m glad he’s learning how to properly use & hone his powers, because holy shit it will be so important (and has already proved to be) in these upcoming battles. I like his little relationship or whatever they have going on with Manon, because I think it’s important for both of them to have. I’m interested to see how this all goes down, with the King of Adarlan and the Crochan Queen.
Onto Aedion & Lysandra, I am so intrigued with what happens between them, as well. Aedion realizing his feelings for her throughout the book was a great experience to watch as they tentatively navigate it as she slowly started to do the same. Aedoin’s dealings with his father are very interesting, and I hope he forgives the man or at least gives him a chance, which I think the tentative beginnings of were displayed as they fought these battles. But Aedion has to deal with his own demons, & accept the fact that he is not a failure or anyone to be embarrassed about before he can let his father in, and I’m glad Lysandra is helping him to see that. Lysandra has made me so nervous in these past battles, risking herself over and over again in order to help out. The sea dragon scene when all went to shit & she was their only hope was so scary, and I was right on the edge with Aedion, figuratively biting my nails in nervous anticipation. I was certain she was going to die in that battle, and I am so glad that it didn’t happen and SJM instead displayed Lysandra’s cunning wit, quick thinking, strength, and determination. I’m so scared for her, because I get the feeling she’s going to end up dead one of these days, and I’m dreading it. Also, what on earth is her plan for playing Aelin’s role?! She doesn’t have fire, or any kind of powers, and although she can look & talk like her, can she really portray Aelin for long? I hope & pray she doesn’t have to, but their plan was and is bonkers!! The whole thing about siring heirs with Aedion despite not discussing any of it with them, and just filling the role of her dead friend, their dead queen for the rest of her life?! How in the hell would that work?! Everyone needs Aelin back, especially to right this trickery and take her rightful spot once more.
Oh, Aelin. She did it, she gathered up her armies through all of those life-debts and whatnot, and I am so proud of her for the mass of people she was able to bring to that spot in Ellywe. But for her not to lead it?! That is insanity, especially as she did so many things specifically because she knew she wouldn’t be there to lead it. Her cunning, conniving plans were crazier, more desperate and foolish and self-sacrificing than ever this novel. The whole thing with Rolfe, with displaying her power to the world, that was horrendous how terribly that plan ended up. Of course, SJM had to make one of her plans fail at some point, but what the hell was with her getting possessed?! Everyone is so desperately lucky that Rowan jumped in front of her at the last moment, preventing her from destroying the Pirate Lord’s lands & everyone she cared about and had worked for!! That was insane, she was insane, and it was horrible. And her sneaky, self-sacrificing ass had set all of this groundwork for everyone to take over & keep living while she could not, either because of Maeve or after she gave herself up for the Lock. That is bonkers, the whole thing with Elena and how at the end of it all, after everything, Aelin will have to die to save everyone?! And of course she’ll do it, she’s been willing to do it a million times before, and this sacrifice more than anything will accomplish what she & everyone have been working so hard for. I hope & pray that there is another way, because this is all bullshit and they deserve happiness and an immortal life of joy and love, but at this point I have legitimately no idea how this is all going to end, but I can guarantee I’ll be shedding tears before the end of it all. My heart breaks for them all, especially Rowan, who was tricked and lied to and broken by that evil bitch Maeve about a mate that was not his, who has waited his whole life for the light that is Aelin only to have her ripped away from him so quickly without him ever acknowledging to her that they’re mates. And of course they are, of course they’re mates, we’ve known this deep down for a long ass time, as it’s been endlessly hinted about as others described their intertwined scents & how Dorian even said he assumed they were mates and keep it a secret & how perfectly they match each other, but it’s never been said. And now it has been, when they are against all odds once more, and incredibly separated. I am so grateful for the lovey dovey moments that we’ve gotten though, and I think my favorite scene between them this novel was when Celaena snuck into the Pirate Lord’s office and was playing with those emeralds, teasing Rowan about his lover. I love how they comfort each other, how unafraid of the other they are, and their intensity of feelings. I love their adventures and plans and how well they work together, how much they match. I love their little goofy, teasing conversations, especially when they’re just reading each other’s thoughts or whatnot. I so desperately want them to be happy, and I fear they may never have peace together, but I will continue to hope. And I’ll continue to read, of course, and wish that Aelin could have seen the little fleet of allies Rowan was able to get himself, wish that she had never been taken by that bitch, wish that they could just find a bit of peace before it gets ripped from them. I am very interested in seeing how this next book plays out, and what ends up happening with everyone, but especially Aelin, locked in that horrible box with those horrible wounds with that horrible bitch.

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