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A review by savage_book_review
Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Finally made it to the end of the series!
First thing to say is, if you think the book is a hefty tome, the audiobook is a marathon - over 33 hours! And yet there is so much going on in this final instalment that it doesn't feel anywhere close to that! The story is a long, slow build, full of emotion, revelation and pay offs, with set piece battles and skirmishes that give you all the action and drama you could want. It really is a masterclass is how to draw an epic story to a beautiful and satisfying conclusion, with no real threads left properly hanging... although, like everyone else, I really want to know what Lorcan did! 🤭😁 And there is absolutely scope for her to return to the series one day (I would LOVE to see Aelin, Feyre and Bryce together, with Rhys, Rowan and Hunt sharing a bottle of whiskey or five and despairing of their womenfolk's inability to behave...)
That being said, I do think reading this one has far more emotional impact than listening to it. Somehow, I got more immersed in the world when reading from the physical page, and I found it easier to digest the many different changes in POV. The sheer number of characters that SJM manages to balance is incredible, and she does it so well, but if you do struggle with multiple perspectives this is not going to be a book you'll enjoy. The secondary characters all have such wonderful story arcs though; there's something in each one of their stories that makes them so easy to fall in with and like. I'd argue it's the most 'even' ensemble cast of the author's works and all of their conclusions are pitch perfect.
There is a small part of me that wonders if the story did get away from SJM slightly towards the end. It all works and ties together, but there are a few small things that feel a bit fudged in here. By no means does this spoil my enjoyment, but it does send my brain off into questioning mode; not great when you're trying to concentrate on the narration! Likewise, where this book is so long and there is constantly something happening, it's very easy for the story to get away from the reader. Trying to remember who comprised which group was often an issue, especial without the written reminders of the physical book, and while the battle scenes are well handled, there's a lot of repeated tactics etc that kind of make them merge into one a bit.
I'd also say this is probably the weakest of the audiobooks in terms of narration. Elizabeth Evans does a sterling job, but where she uses identical intonation on certain words and phrases *cough* for a heartbeat *cough*, it does make it a harder listen. She certainly can't be accused of being monotone or boring to listen to, but equally there were certain moments that I don't think hit quite as hard as they should have because there just wasn't the oomph/gentle sincerity/depth of emotion in her voice. The engagement just faded away, which is a shame.
I am 1000% looking forward to the dramatised graphic audios when they arrive, as I suspect they will pick up on a few of the issues that arise with the 'straight' audiobook and give us the missing ingredient. Still, well worth listening to!
First thing to say is, if you think the book is a hefty tome, the audiobook is a marathon - over 33 hours! And yet there is so much going on in this final instalment that it doesn't feel anywhere close to that! The story is a long, slow build, full of emotion, revelation and pay offs, with set piece battles and skirmishes that give you all the action and drama you could want. It really is a masterclass is how to draw an epic story to a beautiful and satisfying conclusion, with no real threads left properly hanging... although, like everyone else, I really want to know what Lorcan did! 🤭😁 And there is absolutely scope for her to return to the series one day (I would LOVE to see Aelin, Feyre and Bryce together, with Rhys, Rowan and Hunt sharing a bottle of whiskey or five and despairing of their womenfolk's inability to behave...)
That being said, I do think reading this one has far more emotional impact than listening to it. Somehow, I got more immersed in the world when reading from the physical page, and I found it easier to digest the many different changes in POV. The sheer number of characters that SJM manages to balance is incredible, and she does it so well, but if you do struggle with multiple perspectives this is not going to be a book you'll enjoy. The secondary characters all have such wonderful story arcs though; there's something in each one of their stories that makes them so easy to fall in with and like. I'd argue it's the most 'even' ensemble cast of the author's works and all of their conclusions are pitch perfect.
There is a small part of me that wonders if the story did get away from SJM slightly towards the end. It all works and ties together, but there are a few small things that feel a bit fudged in here. By no means does this spoil my enjoyment, but it does send my brain off into questioning mode; not great when you're trying to concentrate on the narration! Likewise, where this book is so long and there is constantly something happening, it's very easy for the story to get away from the reader. Trying to remember who comprised which group was often an issue, especial without the written reminders of the physical book, and while the battle scenes are well handled, there's a lot of repeated tactics etc that kind of make them merge into one a bit.
I'd also say this is probably the weakest of the audiobooks in terms of narration. Elizabeth Evans does a sterling job, but where she uses identical intonation on certain words and phrases *cough* for a heartbeat *cough*, it does make it a harder listen. She certainly can't be accused of being monotone or boring to listen to, but equally there were certain moments that I don't think hit quite as hard as they should have because there just wasn't the oomph/gentle sincerity/depth of emotion in her voice. The engagement just faded away, which is a shame.
I am 1000% looking forward to the dramatised graphic audios when they arrive, as I suspect they will pick up on a few of the issues that arise with the 'straight' audiobook and give us the missing ingredient. Still, well worth listening to!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Ableism, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Classism