“My name is Celaena Sardothien. But it makes no difference if my name’s Celaena or Lillian or Bitch, because I’d still beat you, no matter what you call me.”
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass
Summary:
Celaena Sardothien, Adarlan’s Assasin, Endovier’s Slave, quick wits and bared teeth. After years of being an assassin under her master Arobyn’s harsh hand, Celaena has been captured and sent to the mines of Endovier to be a slave. Until she was dragged from her barracks and into the company of Dorian Havilliard and his captain of guards, Chaol Westfall. The Prince of Adarlan has a plan of his own.
The King of Adarlan is on the search for his Champion and Dorian Havilliard has offered her one chance, the only chance of survival. Be his champion, fight in the competition against other cutthroat assassins and be free in 4 years. Celaena, who was landed in Endovier’s cruel shackles by the King must now fight his battles if she wants any chance of a life beyond pain and brutality.
This sly assassin however, despite everyone’s imagination is a young doe and this might be the first time in her life she can make friends, fall in love, form bonds that go past the threads of time itself. With a threat behind every hidden door, an otherworldly threat looming over the competition, cryptic messages from other realms and a kingdom where nobody seems who they say they are, what will Celaena Sardothien do to survive? Who will she trust? And most importantly, will she win?
From the minute we meet Celaena, there is only magnetism from the girl. Even with her tired bones and gaunt face we know that this girl is made of fire, steel and more. It is always so incredible to read from the point of view of a character who is hilarious despite what life has done to them. A young girl of 18, she has spent one year as a slave, witnessing and rebelling against the atrocities so casually doled out at Endovier. According to me the most rewarding part of reading fantasy novels is being able to draw parallels between their world and ours. Adarlan is not far from any of our countries and to see the casual nature of the pain inflicted to innocents is shockingly accurate.
But the horizon is now warping for our protagonist. As she steps out of the prison with these new players in her fate, she finds herself at odds of whether to hate these people or whether she could one day entertain the idea of giving them a place in her heart. Dorian Havilliard, the Prince of Adarlan appears cocky, entitled and a perfect piece in the cog of the hell that is Adarlan. At least that is what we see of him at first. But when he starts showing himself to be kind and brave and perhaps a friend one day? Celaena finds herself at odds with herself.
Chaol Westfall, every bone in his body a warrior, honed to be the perfect killing machine. His devotion to his prince and his closest childhood friend is at the forefront of every decision he makes. As he spends more time with this cunning assassin, known for making entire cities tremble in horror, tales of her conquests flowing from bard to bard, he starts to see this girl for who she might really be. He starts to notice her bravery, her wits, her loyalty. Is she still someone he must protect his prince from?
This first book in the Throne of Glasses, not only introduces to us the characters that will play a role in the mighty multi-book epic, but also starts us, alongside the characters on a journey to one day finally discovering who these people really are. Sarah J. Mass a wizard when it comes to the slight of hand reassures us of one thing, while she breaks it down the next second. There is so much to unravel here, so much we don’t yet know. And I for one, can’t wait to find out.
While fans of the fantasy genre would not be particularly enthralled at the world building, the characters and the pacing of the plot is what might engage you enough to stay. For those expecting romance, you might find yourself disappointed by the slow burn throughout the series. While we do find our soulmate one day, as with life, we go through loops to find it. Perfect for the readers of the Folk of the Air by Holly Black and avid followers of Cassandra Clare, this series will do the trick. And once you fall into S. J. Mass’s liar, oh boy there is a treasure trove of stories awaiting you.
deadalive123blog 