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A review by raissasreads
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
3.0
I had mixed expectations coming into this book series. I had heard multiple things about this first book so I went in warily, but with an optimistic mind - taking to heart some trusted warnings that this book isn't the greatest of the series. It was enjoyable and I devoured the whole thing within two days, but there were definitely some things that could have been better.
Celaena herself is a character that I enjoy. As an assassin, she is much more headstrong and ruthless than most of the female protagonists I read about. She was so wildly detached from everyone else in the beginning and you can clearly see her start to care more and more for people as the book continues. Though I finished a complete book of her story, I am not yet attached to her character, though I certainly expect to be as I continue the series.
I had heard multiple things about the "love triangle" in this book - but where was it? Any romance with Chaol was mentioned so briefly and was mostly one-sided on his part. They shared only a handful of moments that could have been considered romantic and I was always waiting for more. Dorian, on the other hand, had a true romance with her, though the future of it is left up in the air by the ending of the book. Celaena, to me, didn't seem at all interested in forming true love connections with anyone, as she was struggling so much with the idea of simply caring about people again! I was disappointed at the lack of angsty romance that I had been hoping for.
The fantasy aspect of the book itself - with the Wyrdmarks and alternate dimensions (?) was mildly confusing. I couldn't tell whether Celaena was dreaming or not some of the time, and I was mostly lost on the idea of the hidden veil in the world. I did like the idea that certain characters in the palace were well-versed on forbidden magic, in particular, Nehemia and the King, as this gives mountains of possible story content and outcomes to occur, and I am excited to see how the magic in this world develops.
Overall, it was a three-star rating for me as I can definitely tell that this is the first novel in the series. Many things were slightly underdeveloped, but there were also parts that were executed perfectly. It was an enjoyable book. I am excited to pick up the next one and see where it leads me!
Celaena herself is a character that I enjoy. As an assassin, she is much more headstrong and ruthless than most of the female protagonists I read about. She was so wildly detached from everyone else in the beginning and you can clearly see her start to care more and more for people as the book continues. Though I finished a complete book of her story, I am not yet attached to her character, though I certainly expect to be as I continue the series.
I had heard multiple things about the "love triangle" in this book - but where was it? Any romance with Chaol was mentioned so briefly and was mostly one-sided on his part. They shared only a handful of moments that could have been considered romantic and I was always waiting for more. Dorian, on the other hand, had a true romance with her, though the future of it is left up in the air by the ending of the book. Celaena, to me, didn't seem at all interested in forming true love connections with anyone, as she was struggling so much with the idea of simply caring about people again! I was disappointed at the lack of angsty romance that I had been hoping for.
The fantasy aspect of the book itself - with the Wyrdmarks and alternate dimensions (?) was mildly confusing. I couldn't tell whether Celaena was dreaming or not some of the time, and I was mostly lost on the idea of the hidden veil in the world. I did like the idea that certain characters in the palace were well-versed on forbidden magic, in particular, Nehemia and the King, as this gives mountains of possible story content and outcomes to occur, and I am excited to see how the magic in this world develops.
Overall, it was a three-star rating for me as I can definitely tell that this is the first novel in the series. Many things were slightly underdeveloped, but there were also parts that were executed perfectly. It was an enjoyable book. I am excited to pick up the next one and see where it leads me!