Book Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Throne of Glass
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: August 2012
ISBN: 9781639730957

Synopsis:

In a land without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She has no love for the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass, but she has not come to kill him. She has come to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three murderers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she will be released from prison to serve as the King’s Champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. And a princess from a faraway country will befriend her. But something rotten dwells in the castle, and it’s there to kill. When her competitors start dying mysteriously, one by one, Celaena’s fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival-and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

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In my quest to read all of the Sarah J. Maas books, I’ve inevitably turned to Throne of Glass. I’ve continued to pursue these series out of order, but it’s making for a very interesting adventure. Starting with Throne of Glass, I’ve begun my foray into Maas’ older series. It’s interesting to see how this author’s writing style has transformed over the last decade. In pivoting to this series, I can see where she’s come from in her writing and how she’s grown in her style over time. The transformation in her maturity as a writer is so evident and a marvel to witness. I’m excited to see where this particular series goes and how it stands as an introduction to ACOTAR and Crescent City. It’s easy to see how these each build upon one another, even with minimal content through comparing book one of each series.

Reading these series side-by-side, Throne of Glass as a first book is certainly simpler than her other series, but it’s intriguing to enter a world in the Maas Universe that has forgotten what it means to have access to magic, though to its detriment. Following Celaena’s journey from imprisonment to the King’s court, fighting in the race to become the King’s Champion and greatest assassin, and discovering a long-forgotten world of magic and Fae, this story moves quickly and linearly. The plot is straightforward, the challenges clear and simple, and the world of magic is only beginning to reveal itself. There is a promise of more to be uncovered in books to come.

I’d say out of the 3 Sarah J. Maas series, this is my least favourite at the outset, but I’m open to having my mind changed. I’ve heard incredible things about it so I’m excited to see how it will unfold. And though I say least favourite, it’s still quite an excellent book. Reading it in tandem with the other books is building a robust and complete understanding of Maas’ worlds. I can officially say I’m a convert for all of her books. I’m obsessed and I’m glad I’m coming into it after the entirety of the series has been released so I don’t have to wait for the next books!

Happy reading!