Review - Kingdom of Ash

Original Title: Kingdom of Ash
Series: Throne of Glass, #7
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Published: October 23rd, 2018
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

I’m sobbing. I’m completely destroyed. My heart is torn apart. I’m a mess of tears, happiness, and admiration (for what I can discern).

I solemnly get up, and applaud. I loudly applaud as I try to ignore the pain. I’m not exaggerating. It took me forever to finish this series, but it was one hundred percent worthy. Every page of it. Every little word.

“To whatever end”, Rowan and Aelin say to each other. And I say it with them, because that’s how I came to this book. To whatever possible end, I would follow their story, their journey, their world. Sarah J. Maas proved over and over again the amazing author she is, deserving all the fame and hype her books have, and with this review, I’ll try to do justice to this amazing story (spoiler alert: I won’t).

Needless to say, this will contain spoilers, so if you stay and get the story ruined for you, don’t blame me. I warned you.

After the maddening cliffhanger in Empire of Storm left me hurting, I thought things couldn’t get any worse. But guess what? They could, and they did. Aelin spends months chained up and locked in the iron box, suffering torture over her body and mind, but not yielding, and always trying to fight back. But a good thing is that the whole book is not about rescuing her from Maeve’s clutches; that only takes less than the first half. And she’s not the only one in trouble, which is one of the best things in this book, because, while Aelin may be a prisoner, the war in the rest of the world doesn’t stop. And it’s incredible. Incredible how Sarah J. Maas wrote the price it has to both realms and kingdoms, and to each individual person, with their own depth, their daily struggles, their happiness and sadness, their feelings, their loyalties and, well… every possible thing. I mean, even when war rages all across the land and the Valg wreak havoc at every turn, each character has their own fronts to battle in, in their own personal lives, with the people around them, their friends, their lovers, soldiers, kings, queens, lords… Everyone. It’s just… amazingly done.

I love Aelin. I absolutely love and respect her. She’s so alive in the pages, and she’s such a strong woman! But even when she’s Fae, her heart remains human and her feelings are the ones of a normal person in her situation. I mean, being Fae doesn’t make her unbreakable.

“So she would not yield to this. What had been done. What remained.
    For the companions around her, to lift their despair, their fear, she wouldn’t yield.    She’d fight for it, claw her way back to it, who she’d been before. Remember to swagger and grin and wink. She’d fight against that lingering stain on her soul, fight to ignore it. Would use this journey into the dark to piece herself back together—just enough to make it convincing.”

She’s always been stronger than many, because of the difficult life she had, but not to the point of never breaking. She’s not indestructible, and although she is sarcastic, and has that swaggering attitude in general, she has her weaknesses. The breaking Maeve had in mind was not only about extracting information on the Wyrdkeys’ whereabout, but also about snuffing out her hope, and breaking her spirit, her will to keep fighting for her land and the people she loves, and she almost did it.

“I wanted to die by the end, before she ever threatened me with the collar. And even now, I feel like someone has ripped me from myself. Like I’m at the bottom of the sea, and who I am, who I was, is far up at the surface, and I will never get back there again.”

This struck me hard. Aelin, exhausted and cracking up from everything they did to her, told me that strength is not a question of being unbreakable. It means that, no matter what, she will keep fighting to the very end. And I love her for it. Making her a strong warrior doesn’t mean depriving her from feelings, or seeing her standing stoic in the face of pain and torture. I love that we get to see her softer side, her raw honesty, and the power to admit “I’m tired, I can’t do this anymore. I’m broken”, and yet, recognizing that she simply needs to keep going. Even people like Aelin need a hug from time to time, but she is definitely different from any other character I’ve read about, both strong and resilient, and selfless and loving (in her own way, of course). I love the way she talks, the phrases she uses, and how she teases others. No other character in the whole series speaks like her. If you see dialogue, but no names, you would be able to tell where Aelin is, just for the way she talks.

“Enjoy your evening, we’ll see you on the battlements tomorrow, and please do rot in hell.” – I absolutely LOVE Aelin for stuff like this, she cracks me up (and it’s nothing Chaol’s father didn’t deserve).

And when she appeared in her coronation, and swore to serve her people like that, bringing peace back to Terrasen, I just wanted to stand up, and cheer with them.

“Hail, Aelin! Queen of Terrasen!” Long may she reign.

I love Aelin and Rowan’s relationship. I’m not a big fan of their sex scenes, but at least we can say that they do it for love, not simple lust. I loved when both of them shared a crown of fire, and took up every single challenge together. Always together. Because they are one, and they both love and respect each other, through thick and thin. They laugh and cry together, and at one point it says “she would always be home, if Rowan was with her”. I love it. It’s wonderful to see how much Rowan loves her, that he didn’t let anything stop him from getting her back after they took her from him, and took his time to make Cairn slowly pay for what he did to Aelin. But I insist. Rowan loves Aelin and respects her, and that is something we should see more often in fiction. He doesn’t force her to do anything, and waits for her to be ready, set the pace and take the lead. His strength is for her, he shares his power, and last but not least, they are happy together. It’s a healthy relationship.

The other relationships in this story do not fall back. They all have their baggage, and they don’t love each other simply because the author said so. There was a slow burn chemistry between them before they admitted their feelings, and it’s wonderful how they become each other’s lifeline and reason to fight and stay alive. And one of the best examples are Elide and Lorcan, the couple I never thought I would root for. But they won me over, with Elide getting past her anger after what happened in Empire of Storms, Lorcan having changed so deeply and completely, ending up unrecognizable from the person he was when he first appeared. And I have to say, I like him better like this. In love with Elide and trying to be his best version for her, doing everything he does because he wants to be near her, being attentive to her needs, protecting her, but never forcing her to do anything. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is love. It transformed him. He wanted her best even when there was no certainty that she would accept him, and I think that is one of best parts of their relationships. Lorcan was not possessive, he didn’t adopt this attitude of “she has to be mine” or “she will be mine, or won’t belong to anyone else.” And that’s a good thing. I just wish Elide had allowed him a couple of moments alone with Vernon, to make the bastard pay. We all knew he wanted to.

And Elide is just one of the many heroines that make this story what it is. Every woman here is her own self. They don’t need anyone to stand firm and be strong, and make their lives count. They are all warriors in their own, unique way, and there can be bonds of friendship between them, without rivalry (something a lot of authors have to learn from). Take, for example, Yrene, Aelin and Nesryn. They were able to form a strong bond, without any cat fights, nor jealousy, nor love triangles. Only genuine friendship and respect towards one another (even when, funnily enough, the three of them slept with Chaol at one point of their lives). When Aelin embraced Nesryn in Anielle, at first it came as a shock. They weren’t in those terms when they parted ways, but they both went through so much since then, that is believable, and nice to read about. And a bonus point is that they never fought over Chaol, because neither Aelin nor Nesryn are the kind of woman who fight over a man’s attention. They don’t need it. They are both above that, and have their pride and dignity, that are enough to make them stand on their own.

And at the end, I cried, and smiled. As the people cheered on them, I wanted to cheer too, and be there, applauding them.

“And when they all balked, Aelin walked forward. Took Yrene Westfall by the hand to guide her to the front. Then Manon Blackbeak. Elide Lochan. Lysandra. Evangeline. Nesryn Faliq. Borte and Hasar and Ansel of Briarcliff. […] All the women who had fought by her side, or from afar. Who had bled and sacrificed and never given up hope that this day might come.”

Women in this book are strong and powerful, and even though their lives are far from easy, they find a way to keep going, clinging to whatever is that keeps them alive and gives them a reason to fight, each of them being unique. And I love how none of them is their past, the consequences of the decisions made by others, because their lives and fates are theirs to shape. Aelin was a broken princess, an assassin, a slave, and now, she’s the Queen. Lysandra was a whore, a courtesan, and now is a warrior, with a huge heart, strong, brave, ready to die for those she loves and –I adore this–, shivering at the simple promise of a kiss from Aedion. Nesryn, was a soldier, and now is a rukhin, and the Empress of Antica. Still a warrior, but in a different way. Elide and Yrene were both dismissed, lost in the crowd, overlooked, used, and ignored, but when the world hung from a thread, they saved it the only way they could. With their talents and wit.

And I also loved that Sarah J. Maas didn’t forget about Evangeline, making her valuable to the world, and more than just that little girl saved from becoming a courtesan like Lysandra. She came to this book as a hope bearer.

“As soon as Aelin freed Lysandra, and offered to let us join her court, Terrasen has always meant home. A place where… where the sort of people who hurt us don’t get to live. Where anyone, regardless of who they are and where they came from and what their rank is can dwell in peace. Where we can have a garden in the spring, and swim in the rivers in the summer […]”

This, so simple and straightforward, from the heart of a little girl who wants nothing but a home and a family, is the reason why the fight, why they don’t give up in the siege, and keep battling the hordes from Morath. The reason to have a better world. And it’s more worth than anything.

I just wish they had mentioned Nehemia, too. She didn’t survive, but she was the spark that ignited Aelin’s fire, after all. But I loved that both Marion Lochan and Yrene’s mother were mentioned and honoured, because they gave up their lives to save two helpless little girls, and that sacrifice, out of love, was what in the end defined the destiny of the world. It gives me shivers, and I applaud even more.

“A thread in a tapestry. That’s what it had felt like the night she’d left the gold for Yrene in Innish. Like pulling a thread in a tapestry, and seeing just how far and wide it went.”

This is what I call an intricate, delicate plot. It’s not something easily disrupted. Everything is carefully planned and written to mean something. You can’t take it out of the book, and hope for it to stay the same. Everything is necessary, and it’s impeccably interwoven together.

As for Yrene and Chaol’s relationship, I absolutely love it. Their bond makes sense, it’s deep, and beautiful. She gives him a genuine reason to fight, and to be a good man. With her, he smiles and laughs, and is happy. She truly healed him, and keeps making him better, and that is the kind of relationship I like to read about. And I like how they show the way the war is a high-stakes game for everyone, not just for royals, and kings and queens. They have more than thrones, crowns, and legacies in mind when it comes to the conflict, and the effort they have to make to attain victory.

“…even the damned war, was secondary to the woman at his side.”

They need to win the war for simply staying alive, building a house, and having their family in a safe world. And although the ending left me wanting to know if they would have either a boy or a girl, I had no doubt they had happiness in their future, and a full, rebuilt family.

As for Lysandra and Aedion, I really suffered through their ups and downs, their fear, and how they became each other’s reason to survive. It was beautiful how, in the middle of the battle, the blood, and the death surrounding them, they could understand that they needed each other. He once promised she would be his wife, and although their path wasn’t easy, they earned their happiness, both as individuals, and as a couple. But again, their characters are deeper than their love story, and that is why I love Sarah J. Maas’s writing. Every character is there for a reason, they are unique, and their emotions are raw and amazingly written, portrayed in a realistic way. They are essentially human, and probably, the best part on Aedion’s side of the story, was that, when he was stripped from his title and the sword of Orynth because of a reason that, truth be told, shouldn’t have been considered in their situation, the men still answered to him. They remained loyal beyond formalities, and that is what proves that a leader is worth following.

And Manon! Oh, my God, what a character. I didn’t know I loved the witches so much before this book. She definitely grew, and left behind the person she was when she was under her grandmother’s thumb. The scene in which she fought and killed the Yellowlegs matron, snatching the crown from her and placing it in her head, gave me goosebumps. It was pure epicness, and my respect for Manon grew even more. She evolved as a character, and I think that the defining moment came when she and the Thirteen decided to bury the dead in Eyllwe with their bare hands. Manon trained the witches that caused that massacre, and she feels the weight of that guilt. But when she digs the grave, she also buries the person she was along with them. She’s no longer a weapon trained for destruction. She’s a Queen, and she will bridge the gap, uniting the covens and bringing her people home, to a new life, once more.

I can’t explain my feelings, the goosebumps, my eyes welling up in tears, and every messed up emotion that came with this book, with every scene and wonderful thing happening, but one of the best parts that did that was when the witches from every corner of the world came out from hiding at the summon from their Queen, ready to follow her into battle, to win or die. *sobs* I smiled broadly when the battle turned, when Petrah Blueblood appeared with her followers and knocked Iskra out of the way, stating her loyalty to the Queen. But nothing compares to how the tears went down my cheeks as I read the Thirteen’s Yielding. Nothing prepared me for that. I felt Manon’s despair as it were mine, I wanted to get into the book and stop them, and I couldn’t believe it when they did it, erupting into light, instead of threads of darkness. Because they are not monsters. They are made into them. They are not heartless, but capable of loyalty, and love. It was utterly heartbreaking, and when Manon walked to the place where Asterin’s Yielding took place, seeing there was nothing, absolutely nothing left… I sobbed. I loudly sobbed and wiped my tears away.

As for Dorian, he looks nothing like the flirty boy that started the series. It’s amazing how he evolved, how things changed for him, in every possible way. He’s now cold and serious, he barely smiles, and is haunted by the things that were done to him because of the Valg. But him acquiring the ability to shape-shift was something I never saw coming, and it was brilliantly done. What struck me the most was this:

“It was the magic’s sole command: let go. Let go of who and what he’d become since that collar and emerge into something new, something different.”

Shape-shifting and magic aside, I think this is essential for life. If you want to change, in any way, you need to let go. But in Dorian’s case, it isn’t exactly easy. His experience with the Valg let him with this kind of stench in him, that he can’t shake no matter what he does. Sorscha’s death is a heavy burden, the mark in his neck a permanent reminder of the things he did not do, and the people he couldn’t save. And his relationship with his father, that never was what it could have been, doesn’t give him a minute of peace, but I was glad that he could at least give some sort of closure to that part of himself. But the way Dorian darkened over the series… Oh, my God. His magic is mostly ice, but his personality went cold too.

“He had not been a true prince—not in spirit, not in deeds. He’d tried to be, but too late. He had acted too late. He doubted he was doing much better as king. Certainly not when he’d dismissed Adarlan out of his own guilt and anger, questioned whether it should be saved.”

When he killed the Stygian spider, that had offered to help them find the Crochans, was when I saw how deeply he transformed. At one point it says he wants to kill Erawan to show him that he didn’t break him, but actually, I think he did. He broke him and that is why he is the way he is now. He knows he doesn’t have forever to convince the Crochans of an allegiance, and past Dorian may have found another way, perhaps more diplomatic, but right now, he has to act. And so, he does what he has to do, there’s no time to think things over. Cyrene was a spy and a threat, and he eliminated her. End of the story.

As for Manon and Dorian’s relationship, I have to say it, it was never a favourite of mine, and here it wasn’t different. But no one can deny that there’s raw honesty between them. They don’t beat around the bush. They go straight to the point, and can read each other very easily. He wanted to marry her, and make her his Queen. They are equals in every way, but Manon is not that kind of person. She had her duty to their people, and wouldn’t neglect it for anything in the world. And that includes Dorian. Plus, let’s be honest, there was no promise of love between them. Just a burning bright desire and attraction. They never said the word “love”, so it’s ok they didn’t end up together. They are both too committed to duty to be that selfish, and put their thrones and their people in the background, just because of something –let’s be honest– that not even they know what it is. It’s not like they couldn’t live without each other, anyway, so I’m ok with the way they ended.

Oh, and when you think Sarah J. Maas can’t surprise you anymore, Kaltain Rompier shows up again. In ghost form, but still. I insist that, hadn’t she died, she would have made one hell of a character.

“And yet here she stood, the woman who had taken out a third of Morath, who had devoured a Valg prince from sheer will alone.”

Don’t tell me she didn’t have potential to do great things, had Sarah J. Maas kept her alive (same as Nehemia). But she did a great job in the sense that Kaltain, at first, was meant to be this ambitious, spoilt girl who wanted nothing more than catching the prince, and getting a crown in the process; but Sarah J. Maas took her away from that. And smoothly. She made her abusers pay for what they did to her, taking half of Morath down with her, before Dorian did the rest. At least there was closure on her character, after how violent her end was.

As for the king’s name, I had previously noticed that it was never mentioned, but I never give it a second thought. He was just “the king”, the evil presence that was there acting as Adarlan’s puppeteer, and that I hated for four books straight. What I definitely never thought is that I would think of him as a hero, capable of one last act of kindness and selflessness, paying part of Aelin’s price to seal the gate, and helping her in her way to the throne, in a scene that was absolutely amazing. He did love his son, and he did his best to fight the demon inside him, but as a mere human, he couldn’t win. But he was capable of one last act of rebellion, even after his death, and was redeemed.

As for Elena, I felt really bad for her, because there was no other way around it, she ended up paying the price for her mistakes, dissolving into nothingness, without the chance to see Brannon or her children again. And I liked how, even when she lost her wildfire, Aelin still made the gods pay, and proved that she was more than her magic. The world indeed would be better without the gods, because they never deigned to fulfil their end of the bargain, and with that, they had no right to be in the future they would create with their victory. So there was justice in their banishing (although perhaps Silba and Mala could have stayed, they did a lot after all).

As for Maeve, my feelings towards her swayed like the tide. Honestly. They came and went all the time. Because at first, I hated her with all my heart for what she did to Aelin, but after I got to understand why she wanted to leave her dark world behind, along with her husband and his brothers, I thought “who could blame her?”. But nothing could justify what she did to this world, to the healers and Doranelle, and her so called “sisters” (who really weren’t), playing with minds over the centuries, to convince the world of her existence and right to the throne… Yes, she deserved what she got. For Connall, Gavriel, and everyone that couldn’t survive the mess she made. To quote Aelin once again, please, do rot in hell, Maeve.

The only thing missing from the ending was a further look into the character’s future. I wouldn’t have mind some short scenes featuring Nesryn and Sartaq ruling Antica, Chaol and Yrene with their baby and the new Torre Cesme, Dorian’s coronation, or even Manon in her throne. But other than that, nothing to criticize. It was an amazing book in every sense of the word, and Sarah J. Maas has definitely earned my full respect.

After such epicness, I was left with this feeling of “I don’t want to read another fantasy series in my life”, because they will have to top this one, and I don’t think it will happen. I’m so glad I decided to read it, and I can’t believe it has finished. I’m going to miss these characters, and this world. I will miss Aelin’s swagger and sarcasm, Rowan’s strength, Lysandra’s bravery and loyalty, Elide’s wit, Yrene’s kindness… Everyone.

Needless to say, I will keep reading Sarah J. Maas’s work, as every world she writes about will be worth visiting. I hope they are as good, or better than this one!

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Review - Tower of Dawn

Original Title: Tower of Dawn
Series: Throne of Glass, #6
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Published: September 5th, 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

This may be the fastest I’ve ever read a book in the Throne of Glass series. The reason it took me so long to get to it was that the whole book was about Chaol, and he has never been a favourite of mine. However, the promise to see Yrene Towers back, and to travel and visit other places created by Sarah J. Maas, ended up convincing me. And I could not give it less than the five stars it deserves. It was fantastic, in every sense of the word. 

The whole book was a breath of fresh air, after five instalments written to knock the air out of you, and give you shivers. It was very engaging, and definitely less intense than the previous books, with a smaller cast of characters, although equally captivating, and wonderful enough that I didn’t even miss Aelin, or Rowan, or Manon, or anyone who, at the same time, is in the other side of the world, engaged in the events that take place in Empire of Storms. Sarah J. Maas’ narration, as always, is more than great. She has an incredible style, it’s both strong and poetic, and her sentences are impactful, even when they are very simple, something that happened in all the previous books in the series. As for the representation, I’ve seen a lot of other readers making a huge deal about how, in the other books, there’s so little diversity in the cast of characters. I honestly don’t care about that, as long as the story is good and engaging, and the representation isn’t offensive. But here, Sarah J. Maas did her job, and I don’t think anyone can complain. There are strong female characters, people of colour, LGBT couples, and, of course, a hero with a disability. And the best part is that the author didn’t do this for the sake of it, or as fan service, because all these characters have their own personality, beyond those features that would make them, precisely, diverse. They are not there just because. The author makes sure that every single one has a purpose. 

The worldbuilding in Tower of Dawn is incredible, not only because of the details and the vivid descriptions, but because we get to visit a part of the map that, so far, has only been mentioned a couple of times. I was so invested in the story and the details of the world, that I couldn’t stop reading. Antica, with its court and sovereigns, made me think of Ancient Egypt and the pharaonic courts, and, truth be told, I liked a setting in which there’s no slavery or forced servitude, as servants, in the palace, get paid for their work, and the healers in the Torre Cesme both use their gifts for free, and take orders from no one. Not even the khagan has authority over them, and I loved that. As for the place they live in, the Torre itself, I found it fascinating, especially the library, and the Womb, with the pools, and the bells left by each healer who ever went there. But my favourite, of all places in this book, is the Eridun aerie, with the rukhin, and their lifestyle, so free and amazing, flying across mountains and going where the wind takes them… *sigh* I want to be there too, have my own ruk, and soar over the lands, going on adventures with Borte, Sartaq and Nesryn.

I thought that the whole recovery process Chaol had to go through would be boring to read, but, surprisingly, I ended up enjoying it. It’s so well done, and clearly, it entailed a lot of research for Sarah J. Maas. But she was able to take the real medical process from our own world to a fantasy setting, and she did it smoothly. Not only that, but Chaol’s feelings during the whole thing are so well depicted! The hopelessness, the depression that takes over him and how he feels, thinking that, as he needs help for nearly everything, is absorbing Nesryn’s life, and at the same time, he knows nothing of the people he loves and had to left behind, like Dorian, who is practically his brother. He still has pride, and although his bad mood is annoying at times, it’s perfectly understandable. It’s realistic.

I absolutely loved Yrene! I already liked her in the novella she appeared in, back in The Assassin’s Blade, and I was excited to see her again. She’s everything I love in a female character. She is strong, and determined, and although she’s not a warrior the same way Aelin or Nesryn are, she has her own personality and passion, and deserves this whole book for herself. Just as it happened with Elide in the previous books, Yrene’s strength isn’t exactly physical, but she proves that she doesn’t need to wield a blade to be a badass and that she’s as much a heroine as the rest of the characters. I love that she doesn’t let anything stop her from reaching her goals, and crossed mountains and seas to honour her unique talent and put it to good use, after the terrible fate her mother met at the hands of the king when she was a child. But besides that, healing is her passion and her life. She loves what she does, and she’s committed with life, because, although she could have made the choice of not healing a man from Adarlan, she understood that he needed her, and didn’t place the blame on him, deciding not to deny her help to those in need, and always remembering the chance to live given by the stranger that saved her and taught her self-defence back in Innish, that was none other than Aelin herself, back in her days as Celaena Sardothien. The only thing that I just have to mention, is that, if Yrene and Chaol could actually see each other’s memories and thoughts during the healing process, how is it that she didn’t recognize Aelin, as she was sitting with Rowan during that scene inside Chaol’s head?

I honestly didn’t think I’d like the romance between Chaol and Yrene, but I did! And very much. It made so much sense, and it’s so well written! And the best part is that they help and support each other, and they are better people when they are together. The healing goes both ways, because Chaol stops being so resentful and starts moving forward, physically and emotionally, finding hope and meaning once again, while she is able to make peace with her past and embrace her future. They both see each other at their worst. They learn not to judge one another on a first impression, past pain, and the things they know by hearsay. They peer into each other’s memories and feelings, and see both their strengths and weaknesses. They clash and disagree at first, of course. Anyone would in their situation. But they get to know each other, and their love is, for that, believable. To give you an idea of how much I loved this, in the previous books, if Chaol had died, I wouldn’t have cared. But when he almost died in this one, I was really scared for him, and heartbroken for Yrene. She loves him so much that she agreed to pay an unknown price to save him, tying is life to hers, and that took me back to Greek mythology, as it reminded me to myth of Philemon and Baucis, an old couple that loved each other so deeply that, upon helping the gods and them granting them whichever they asked for, they asked for them both to die at the same time, so they wouldn’t have to be separated. And that goes beyond mere romance. That is love, and there’s no other way around it. 

“Using the chair is not a punishment. It is not a prison,” he said. “It never was. And I am as much of a man in that chair, or with that cane, as I am standing on my feet.” He brushed away the tear that slipped down her cheek.
“I wanted to heal you,” she breathed.
“You did,” he said, smiling. “Yrene, in every way that truly matters … You did.”

*crying silent tears* Good that Chaol could understand that.

Back when I read Empire of Storms, I was annoyed by the so very graphic sex scenes, and although this book has them too (I knew they were coming the moment they said they were going to the oasis), they were better in the way that they were romantic, more focused on feelings than in physical sensations, and that made them more bearable. All the love stories in this book are beautiful, and lust has nothing to with it (well, partially). I mean, Chaol falls in love with Yrene, right? It happens after we are told how beautiful she is, with the inevitable mention of her body, her curves, her dresses, her hair, and every physical aspect she has in her favour. But when it comes to Nesryn and Sartaq’s story, it’s different. 

Before Tower of Dawn, I wasn’t a big fan of Nesryn. But I’m glad she got her own story, and we could get to know her through her own eyes, and not through Chaol’s perception. She’s deep and layered, and a warrior with all that it means. She’s brave, and strong, but also has this tender heart, with a profound love for her family, and for Antica and its people, that we barely get to see before this book. I personally never liked the idea of her and Chaol, simply because they didn’t fit together as more than just friends. There is not enough chemistry between them for that, and the proof is that, during the whole book, they spend most of their time apart, with other people, and they don’t miss each other. Yes, they slept together several times, but it never led to love, and I’m glad it didn’t. Nesryn can stand on her own, and doesn’t deserve to be anyone’s consolation prize. Chaol briefly saw a chance with her after he lost Aelin, but Nesryn is not there for that. She won’t be anyone’s second choice. And I love her for that. 

I loved her relationship with Sartaq, and I was happy when she was able to find not only someone to love, but her own identity. I loved their flights together, and the openness, and how much they came to love each other through going where no one could judge them (and also, that she got her own ruk at the end). I loved everything about the rukhin, the Eridun aerie, and the family he has outside the palace, where he is more comfortable and at ease. I absolutely loved the scene in which Nesryn sings, it’s incredibly beautiful. And that is exactly what I mean. The potential Nesryn has that make her so much more than just a warrior. She’s strong and sharp as a blade, fast as the arrows she fires. But she also has this side that makes her sing the old songs from the land of her parents with such deep, raw emotion, and that makes Sartaq fall deeper in love with her. In this scene, there’s no lust. Not a mention of her body, of her breasts, or anything about her physical appearance, because it’s not what matters in their relationship. Sartaq admired Nesryn long before he met her face to face, and their bond is deep because they share so much more than the physical pull to each other that is the mark of other love stories in the series. 

I almost die when the stygian spiders took Sartaq, the whole thing was heart-stopping. I couldn’t stop reading. I needed to keep turning the pages. It was amazing, and Falkan’s intervention as a wolf, and later as a spider itself, was great. If you paid attention in The Assassin’s Blade, you will know that Falkan is there, in the souk of Xandria, although he doesn’t mention his name, and tells Celaena about the price he paid for the Spidersilk. I like that Lysandra was mentioned as his only living relative, because, if Falkan had appeared out of nowhere in the next book and claimed to be Lysandra’s uncle, it would have felt forced, and out of place. But like this, it’s perfectly done. It fits, that is what matters.

Oh, and by the way, I really liked Borte, her attitude and her badassery, and how she is always there for her family. If it wasn’t for her, they would have died, but she’s not afraid, and I loved when set the webs on fire, like a statement that nobody messes with the rukhin without paying for it. She has a lot of potential to make a great character, and I hope there’s more about her in the next book.

And the plot twists. Oh, my God, the plot twists. I have to talk about them.

They were terrible slaps in the face, and I swear, I didn’t see any of them coming. Not one. I was so distracted by the other plot points that I did not stop to think twice about the hints, and clues. And the best part is that all of them make sense! You wouldn’t think I’d have to mention that, but, oh, dear God! I’ve read my share of books in which the supposed plot twist just fell flat, or didn’t make any sense, but with this book, I ended up staring at the page like dumbfounded, completely stunned. And I honestly love when that happens. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you write plot twists. 

Oh, my God, the Valg Queen! I did not see that coming and it was like being hit in the head with a hammer. It left me utterly and completely speechless. But that explains so much about Maeve, and how she did all the things she did. Sarah J. Maas did a great job adding all the details that would have been clues, had we paid attention to them, like Doranelle being so secretive and hidden, and the owl Maeve keeps at her side at all times. And the Valg being parasites! I honestly didn’t think they would appear in this book, but everything has new meaning now, especially the role of healers as warriors on their own account, without wielding swords, but being equally vital for the war effort. Maeve is definitely one of the best villains I’ve ever read, and she’s more powerful and terrible than it seemed. She’s literally a demon, and knowing it made me see Erawan and the king of Adarlan as mere infants, their actions as child’s play. The Valg are terrible not only because of what they do to the body and mind of the people they use as hosts, but also because they force them to make the most terrible decisions, in order to prevent something worse. Look at the king! He had to have the healers killed because they would be used as chess pieces in the demons’ game. I mean, how do you make such a decision? How can destroying lives and tearing apart families be the lesser of two evils? And yet, here we are. At war with an otherworldly force. This has gone beyond one kingdom against another, and now it is a war between realms. Between light and dark.

And Duva being possessed the whole time! Being Tumelun’s killer! I mean… I would have never guessed it. Sarah J. Maas did a masterful job distracting me from her, because I completely discarded her. A young princess, married off for convenience, pregnant, and with a sweet look on her face… I did not give her a second thought, just like everybody else did. I mean, even Renia –Hasar’s lover– would have been a more likely suspect! But no, it was Duva the whole time! An unparalleled surprise it was, and greatly done. My applause to Sarah J. Maas. 

Phew! This was such a great book! And I honestly smiled at the last scene, with the newlyweds, the chance for Yrene to learn who was the stranger that gave her the note she treasures, and with the whole army ready to go and fight, the ships loaded with soldiers, and the rukhin flying above… It promises epicness, and I can’t wait to see how this continues. I hope it’s more, or as amazing, as this book!

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Review - Empire of Storms

Original Title: Empire of Storms
Series: Throne of Glass, #5
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Published: September 6th, 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

Oh, my God. That was one intense read. 

I’m so very happy that I read The Assassin’s Blade before this, because it’s essential to understand more deeply many of the situations and characters that come out to play in this one. But, where do I start? So much happened in this book, that I can’t cover everything here. And I won’t. You need to read it to understand how captivating it is, in its writing, in the little details, and its characters… Sarah J. Maas’ writing is incredible. It can be powerful and sharp like a blade, and poetic and beautiful when it needs to be so. It has the perfect balance to both have you gasping and sweating, and also slap you in the face, the way it hurts. Although not everything was perfect, and I guess I should have seen it coming. Yes, Sarah J. Maas definitely is a good writer. But this book, although epic, wasn’t perfect for me, which doesn’t mean it can’t be so for other readers. Many things were off-putting, or just plain weird. I have both good and bad things to say about it, and a simple star rating doesn’t cover it.

Let’s go step by step.

First of all, Dorian. What a change. He’s unrecognizable from the boy that started the series in Throne of Glass. He’s gone cold, and calculating, and after everything he went through, he’s completely broken. He’s slowly getting on hold of his power, and I feel like his ice is a reflection of the state of his soul. All that suffering at the demon’s hands made him numb, and although he has now reasons to become the King of Adarlan, with all that it entails, he’s definitely not whole. Something is amiss. As for his relationship with Manon… I just… I don’t know what to tell you, guys. It’s cringy, at the most. They are constantly in this tug-of-war kind of scenes, being sarcastic with each other, calling each other “princeling” and “witchling” as a mockery… If they are supposed to fall in love, I didn’t get that, and mostly because of the lust that constantly coats their scenes together. In my opinion, they didn’t have enough moments for them to want to rip each other’s clothes like that. And when it finally happened, well… It went too far, too soon, and too detailed. He didn’t treat her differently than a whore, and then it says:

“And it was the purely male promise that made her bare her teeth.”

If that’s a male promise, I don’t know what a female promise entails. What a hell does this is even mean? Promises have genders now? No. Just… no, thanks.

But still, leaving that aside, I really like Manon. She’s a badass, and in this one she earned my respect. Asterin’s execution scene, after what happened in Rifthold, had me in tears, because I didn’t want Asterin gone. I like her, I like that she knows the witches aren’t heartless, and because she was there. She loved and lost, and was marked in her own body for daring to defy the “nature” of her kind. The revelations about Manon being the next Crochan Queen were just amazing, it’s so well written, that I had all kinds of emotions as I read. Definitely, Manon’s grandmother makes one hell of a villain, and I’m glad that Manon decided to defy her. That is what makes someone a hero. Breaking the rules and standing up for your beliefs, and Manon did both. I can’t wait to know how that story will continue. The scene in which she escaped after ordering her Thirteen to fly, and then flew on Abraxos with her exposed wound, through the canyons and the mountains… It was epic. Amazingly done. As I have said before, everything did explode on the king’s face, as I was hoping for. But not on the one I thought it would, but Erawan. The Blackbeaks are no longer with him, and are loyal to death to Manon, their leader and rightful Queen. I love it. 

Ok, Elide… What a character. She doesn’t do much besides traveling around with Lorcan in this one, but still, I loved how she proved her worth. Nobody gave a penny for her skills, but she’s smart, and resourceful. And although she went through a lot, she still had enough willpower to survive and keep going, to find Aelin and deliver both the Wyrdkey, and Kaltain’s message. I like that, even with everything she went through with her uncle, the abuse, the insults, the pain… she still considers herself Lady of Perranth; she defends what’s rightfully hers and nothing can make her yield. Nor her body, nor her lands. Elide has inner strength, and is capable of fighting back. Not in Aelin’s style, but still. The only thing I just have to mention regarding Elide is that, yes, granted, I didn’t see the romance with Lorcan coming, but I don’t really care about it a lot, mostly because it is very cliché-like. Elide is that girl that always gets lost in the crowd, the one dismissed as weak, and unimportant, having spent most of her life serving others and bearing everyone else’s abuse. But when she’s finally free and in command of her own will, she’s suddenly this beautiful woman, and Lorcan starts lusting after her even before realizing it. Don’t tell me this is not an overused plot point. I honestly don’t know what writers have against a plain girl being the hero and falling in love with a handsome guy that will love her back, instead of making her a hidden beauty with big breasts and the body of a deity, that were always there but no one cared enough to notice. She can be plain, and still fall in love. She can be plain, and still be loved back by someone who will see and value her true personality and bravery, and all the virtues she has. Don’t get me wrong, it’s ok to choose this path, and every writer can do as they please. I just don’t know why they never choose the other option. 

And speaking of relationships… Everyone in this book gets someone to lust after. Not love. Lust. Lorcan and Elide, Aedion and Lysandra, Aelin and Rowan, Dorian and Manon… And that is why this isn’t the best book for me. The sexual content went over the top of what I can consider ok. Horniness is all over the place. It’s everywhere. And I repeat, it may be fine for other readers, but for me, it’s exhausting. Not every great love story has to have the couple continually thinking about ripping each other’s clothes right there on the spot. It gets repetitive, and I couldn’t help yelling at my book “For the love of God, calm down!”. After all, I’ve seen and read excellent romances that managed to be deep, complex and beautiful, without getting to the point in which you just beg the characters to take a shower, so they can focus. I already talked about this, but again, take Dorian and Manon. They don’t really know each other that much before going directly at it in the ship’s cabin, and perhaps I misread something, but I don’t see this making them happy, but rather… Like they are trying to see if their connection can grow, perhaps? I don’t know. 

As for Aelin and Rowan, their sex scenes are so uncomfortable to read, honestly. Cringy at the utmost. They love each other and that’s wonderful, yes. But I don’t need to know the particulars of their lust in the most inappropriate times and places, and their intimate encounters. I just don’t. There’s no point in getting that many details about how they do it, and perhaps that’s ok for other readers, but I’m not among them. Sorry. I’m happy they are happy, but I don’t need to know everything.

But besides that, the males in this book are in which I can only define as a snarling contest. They are like animals, constantly baring their teeth, and being territorial, and jealous, protecting their females… Because every single one of them has to have someone, and be drop-dead gorgeous. And if Sarah J. Maas is trying to make me see love in all this, I just don’t feel it that way. Do you want an example? You get it. After Aelin and Rowan do their thing, loud enough for the entire island to know it, they go back with the others; Rowan enters the room, and upon seeing Dorian and Aedion there, his first thought is this one:

“Rowan bit down against the rage at the sight of other males near his queen, reminding himself that they were his friends, but—”

See what I mean? He already has this instinct, this rage, to protect her, but there’s nothing to protect her from. Basically, because Aelin left very clear that she can protect herself since the beginning, but besides that, the other guys do literally nothing. Their presence alone bothers Rowan, and all I can think about is that I want to slap him and yell “would you calm down? Trust Aelin a little more, if you love her as you say you do, and please, focus!”

As for them being fated from the start, well… Thanks, but I think we already knew that. I honestly don’t need to be told that over and over again. I’m smart enough to figure that out on my own. Just stop.

As for Aelin, I understand she loves Rowan now, but there’s something that just baffles my mind. I don’t understand how, with everything she went through, she managed to have four different love interest in the span of… what? Four years? She’s beautiful, and very attractive, that’s true. One can understand why men are drawn to her. But… That doesn’t fully convince me. Sam, Dorian, Chaol, and Rowan. Obviously, there’s no turning back from Rowan now, but still. Four guys? Four love interests in such a short time…? She may have suffered a lot, and her first thought is to keep people at arm’s length to avoid the pain of losing them, like when she first met Rowan and wouldn’t ask him about his tattoos, because she had had enough of her friends dying. But, apparently, falling in love is not a problem for her. Dorian was her shortest infatuation, and it didn’t get far, but the other two did have her heart at one point, before Rowan, and in the only way she knows how to love, that is no less than fire itself. She recovers quickly, apparently.

The ending killed me. Maeve, oh my God, what a villain! Her work is subtle, she hasn’t lived and ruled for centuries for nothing. No one would suspect what she’s doing. Setting those fires in Eyllwe didn’t sound like something she would do, and the purpose was, apparently, to sow the seeds of Aelin’s bad reputation, as fire is her element and everyone knows that. Truth be told, setting villages on fire was a little basic for her, she was definitely preparing the stage for something bigger, and I did not see that coming. But neither did them, for that matter. As everyone fought at sea, and even when her own warriors betrayed her at Rowan’s pleading, she still won by placing her armada as a distraction, to buy herself time to go for the real prize. She’s a powerful weapon all on her own, and gloats about her victory, not only with words, but finding satisfaction in the punishment and humiliation of her victims. She knows exactly where to strike, as she is both powerful and smart. But I’m kind of glad that she understood that the only way to contain Aelin is an iron cage and chains, because she won’t go down without a fight, and without at least attempting to take her down with her. And honestly, I don’t know which of the villains is the worse. If Maeve, Erawan, or Manon’s grandmother. It’s up for debate. 

Aelin is a heroine in every sense of the word. She works in silence, preparing the ground before her, selflessly, and always thinking what’s best for others. But she never reveals her plans, and that is where the shock always lies. She plans and plots, but out of our sight, so secretly that not even us, the readers, get a glimpse of what she’s going to do next. She’s more than fire and blades. She’s also a smart mind and a neat strategist, and if she makes a decision, it’s the world the one that needs to be careful, because she’s going to make it happen. And it’s not that she is ignorant of the things happening around her when she makes her choice. She knows what she has to lose, and it breaks her heart, but she does it anyway, because she understands that it is all bigger than her. Through her actions, and her unyielding in despite of her humiliation, she wants to tell people that Terrasen is more than its Queen, and it’s worth the fight. That they can still win, even if she’s not there with them. No matter what happens to her, they have to keep fighting with everything they have, because if they don’t, no one will. Even down and caged, she managed to make one last stand for Terrasen by sending reinforcements and collecting life debts, so her army would still be strong enough to hold on. Her people and her land are more important than anything that happens to her, and although she’s powerful, she let her followers clear that they still can win without her. That they fight for Terrasen, and not for her. And that, my friends, is what makes a hero.

“Aelin Galathynius had raised an army not just to challenge Morath… but to rattle the stars.”

And that is the only way she knows how to do things.

Another thing I really like about Aelin, is how she doesn’t beat around the bush. She’s practical and goes straight to the point, like when she asks Brannon how Maeve can be killed:

“Brannon’s mouth tightened. 'Specify what you need to know.'
'Can she be killed?'
[...]

'She is old, Heir of Terrasen. She was old when I was a child. Her plans are far-reaching—'
'I know, I know. But will she die if I shove a blade into her heart? Cut off her head?'”

See? That’s what I mean! She goes straight to the point, and I love her for that. She makes her ancestors leave aside the cryptic messages to, for once, tell her the truth in plain language. And it’s the first heroine I’ve read that does it. She questions everything, and makes people be clear so she can fulfil her goal without unnecessary confusions, because they mostly end up being catastrophic. And later on, when she has to stop Gavriel and Fenrys from fulfilling Maeve’s orders, and protect Elide and Lorcan, she simply says: 

“You touch them, you die. You so much as breathe wrong in their direction, and you’re dead.”

And you know she will do it. She’s such a badass, and a queen in every sense of the word.

Oh, my God, the battle in Skull’s Bay! I literally had to close my book to catch my breath. I’m not even joking. I was heavily breathing during the whole thing, as it was so intense, and well… AMAZING. Epic like nothing I’ve ever read before, and perhaps I’m exaggerating, but that is how it felt like. The pirate ships, the chain, the blood, the sea dragon, the wyverns, the screaming… Everything is described so well that gave me chills. Lysandra outdid herself with her shapeshifting, and her battle skills! No one messes with her! And Aelin’s power…

“She was a stone plunked into the sea of her power—their power.”

This sentence really impacted me, short and simple as it is. It’s a perfect visual image of how much power lies in her, and how deeper it gets when she joins it with Rowan’s, who is incredibly powerful already. This is all in Sarah J. Maas’ writing, that is incredible, and well put in the places that need to have this effect on readers. Everything was so great and so well done in that scene, that I can’t believe a book had such effect on me. That was purely epic. I can’t explain it, you need to read it.

As for Elena’s revelation in the pool of memories… I’ve seen that kind of plot twist before, it had like a Harry Potter flavour in it, but it didn’t make it any less painful, because it was a mistake that could have been avoided. But there’s something I value on this, and that it’s not always in other stories. Both Aelin and Elena must face the consequences of what happened. The price is both of theirs to pay. Because although Aelin’s fate was sealed even before she was born, Elena also has to face the consequences for what she did. 

“I go, too. For the time I bought you, when this game is finished, my soul will be melted back into the darkness. I will not see Gavin, or my children, or my friends… I will be gone. Forever.”

Elena condemned Aelin, but she’s not getting away with it just like that. The burden goes both ways. 

Finally, I’m glad we could at least see a little of Nehemia in this one. Apparently, everyone forgot she ever existed. And I stand by what I said the last time: such a waste of character! Her death had a point, but don’t tell me she wouldn’t have led to amazing things, had she stayed alive. And also, I loved to see Ansel back. I liked her in the novella she appeared in, and although she’s questionable in many ways, she’s still a badass, and will fight to the very end to repay the life debt she owes. I hope to read more about her in the next books.

I think I covered everything I wanted to say. All I know is that I’m close to the ending and it promises to be amazing, even with all the things I didn’t like in this book. Can’t wait to get to see how everything turns out! 

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