Scan barcode
lindsaygp_reads's reviews
52 reviews
The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
(Written right after reading) This book was a damn slog up until the last 100 or so pages, which is so SJM. The FMC is a pain in the ass and I could not connect with her until almost the very end. The ending ended up actually being quite nice and left me excited to read Throne of Glass.
(Thoughts Since) Since reading I’ve learned how young SJM was when she wrote AB and it reads like a 16yr old wrote it at times. I stopped reading this book 3 different times because I found Calaena to be entirely unlikable and not relatable. I think that my favorite bit of this book was her time in the desert, because it actually showed her growing through the things that hurt and forced her not to be a total brat the entire time. I wish I had read this in the order that it was published and not first.
(Thoughts Since) Since reading I’ve learned how young SJM was when she wrote AB and it reads like a 16yr old wrote it at times. I stopped reading this book 3 different times because I found Calaena to be entirely unlikable and not relatable. I think that my favorite bit of this book was her time in the desert, because it actually showed her growing through the things that hurt and forced her not to be a total brat the entire time. I wish I had read this in the order that it was published and not first.
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
(Written immediately post-read) This was so much better than Assassin’s Blade, but not my favorite of the Maas universe. Really enjoying the building of relationships that is happening, though you get very little of Calaena’s growth or insight into who she is. But despite my feelings about the FMC, I am enjoying how invested we get to be in so many characters. Side note: I swear to god, if they kill the dog I’m gonna be pissed.
(Followup Thoughts) I wish I would have started with Throne of Glass rather than Assassin’s Blade because reading AB first made me really dislike Calaena, whereas I think if I’d started here I would have enjoyed her bad-assery more or found her more charming in all of her bratty behavior. The thing that truly makes this series for me is the other cast of characters, and I think that is largely because we are allowed to get to know them whereas it feels like it takes several books for even the readers to get an idea of who Calaena is and why she does what she does in the way that she always does it.
(Followup Thoughts) I wish I would have started with Throne of Glass rather than Assassin’s Blade because reading AB first made me really dislike Calaena, whereas I think if I’d started here I would have enjoyed her bad-assery more or found her more charming in all of her bratty behavior. The thing that truly makes this series for me is the other cast of characters, and I think that is largely because we are allowed to get to know them whereas it feels like it takes several books for even the readers to get an idea of who Calaena is and why she does what she does in the way that she always does it.