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A review by rebelliousflare
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
3.0
To me, this wasn't as strong as the first book (shocking I know) but it did so many things right that I commend SJM for laying the groundwork early. I read this back in high school and this was the book that changed my opinion about the series/ giving it another chance. ToG was fun, clichéd, and fast paced but this sequel? Oh man oh man does it widen the world, characters, and raise the stakes.
I think upon rereading it that it's slightly weaker since the first half builds up (and kind of slow at that). It does reward the reader in the back half with the wyrdkeys, lore, and questions dangling. I did also read an interview somewhere that this was SJM's last chance to impress the publishers because otherwise if the sales didn't match she wouldn't get to write the rest of the series. So she threw so many damn eggs into the basket and it paid off. Many people- myself included- consider this the turning point in the series for when it goes from fun to really fucking good. Or at the very least, it changes to intriguing so you can read the "best" book in the series next *Heir of Fire which I adore*. CoM really swings from YA into a more mature story and damn if I'm not as excited as the first time teenage me read this.
Also I took a star away for Chaol and the whole love triangle thing. Yes, he does get better in the series but goddamn does he annoy me for the first half of the books.
Nehemia....that's a whole other basket of worms that I'm not equipped to properly discuss or rant about as many other reviewers have put it much more plainly and eloquently. I encourage people to seek out Black/POC reviewers for this book to see why Nehemia remains a big point of contention and a worn, tired, frankly harmful trope to prop up the main white character. Her character, while amazing and deserved better, is a victim of inadequate writing and falling upon stereotypical fantasy leanings that diminish and box in harmful tropes onto Black characters/ characters of color.
I think upon rereading it that it's slightly weaker since the first half builds up (and kind of slow at that). It does reward the reader in the back half with the wyrdkeys, lore, and questions dangling. I did also read an interview somewhere that this was SJM's last chance to impress the publishers because otherwise if the sales didn't match she wouldn't get to write the rest of the series. So she threw so many damn eggs into the basket and it paid off. Many people- myself included- consider this the turning point in the series for when it goes from fun to really fucking good. Or at the very least, it changes to intriguing so you can read the "best" book in the series next *Heir of Fire which I adore*. CoM really swings from YA into a more mature story and damn if I'm not as excited as the first time teenage me read this.
Also I took a star away for Chaol and the whole love triangle thing. Yes, he does get better in the series but goddamn does he annoy me for the first half of the books.
Nehemia....that's a whole other basket of worms that I'm not equipped to properly discuss or rant about as many other reviewers have put it much more plainly and eloquently. I encourage people to seek out Black/POC reviewers for this book to see why Nehemia remains a big point of contention and a worn, tired, frankly harmful trope to prop up the main white character. Her character, while amazing and deserved better, is a victim of inadequate writing and falling upon stereotypical fantasy leanings that diminish and box in harmful tropes onto Black characters/ characters of color.