Review - Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

The day has finally arrived. 
Today is the day I’m going to finally review this wonderful story!

This has been long overdue, but I don’t want to hold back my words anymore, just because it’s not a proper novel. I read the screenplay, though, and I have a lot to say about it. This is my favourite fictional world ever, and that means, I won’t shut up. And it shouldn’t surprise you. So, if you haven’t read the screenplay, or seen the movie, just go away, ok? This will be spoilery. And long, very long. But you already know I do that, so let’s go.

I have to say it, it is weird to go to see a movie that takes place in the Wizarding World, without having read a book first. I don’t know what to expect when I sit there to watch, but it is both strange and familiar at the same time. And this sums up my feelings after it, in one picture. I’m both these guys.

The fact that this isn’t the adaptation of a novel can be a good thing; we don’t see what someone cut and interpreted, but instead, we see directly what JK Rowling wrote and imagined. The book is the movie. And besides the utterly lovable characters, I really like the Easter eggs they scattered here and there, like the many creatures that are not mentioned, only shown, but still, any self-respectable Potterhead can recognize them: the billywig, the nundu, the fwooper, the diricawl, and of course, that pilfering niffler. I loved that they saw and took some of the golden opportunities given by this world, deciding to show fantasy creatures that are not the traditional ones, like dragons, or unicorns, choosing originality instead. Well done!

There’s something I really, really value, that is constant in everything JK Rowling wrote about the Wizarding World. Things are very clear in her head, because, here, the important thing is WHO YOU ARE. Not how you look like, or what you have. And I can sustain this. For example, take president Seraphina Picquery, and let’s get realistic for a second: in our world, racism and sexism are current problems, no one can deny they are ever-present issues. But the Wizarding World, already in the ‘20s, is light years ahead, with a powerful Minister of Magic who is both female, and a woman of colour! The real question is, why this has to stay fictional? Although that’s entirely another day’s topic, that doesn’t concern us in this review. My point is that Rowling barely describes her characters’ physical look in the screenplay, because again, what matters is who they are as people, their talents and capacity, their passion, their convictions, their actions, and the decisions that define their role in the story she’s trying to tell. It would be good if, even for a moment, we stop and think about that. 

And based on this, think how behind muggles are in comparison! While the wizarding community values all those things I mentioned, and doesn’t care about skin colour, sex, or nationality, when it comes to positions of power, or the well-being of their people, muggles go centuries behind them in their mentality. Literally. At the beginning of the movie, we see Mary Lou Barebone saying this:

“. . . this great city sparkles with the jewels of man’s invention! Movie theaters, automobiles, the wireless, electric lights—all dazzle and bewitch us!”

It’s funny that she is talking about progress, when, in fact, she is a walking contradiction. She and her followers are named the Second Salemers, and do things like they did no less than three full centuries ago from their time, still paranoid, looking for witch marks in people’s bodies, and hunting them to figuratively burn them at the stake. Even her kids dress similarly to the way they did in the 17th century, and get beaten up at the minimum slip in their conduct. So much for progress, right? All this while the Wizarding World is concerned by more pressing matters and shows superiority not only in their magic, but in the little, more evident things that muggles could also try from time to time. They find Mary Lou’s attempts even kind of funny, like just annoying background noise. True is that Mary Lou had a point, something was definitely off, wreaking havoc in the city and disappearing without a trace. Not even the obliviation after what Tina did to her could get the idea out of her head. But how on Earth she thought she could fight such a destructive force with just her speeches and pamphlets, it baffles my mind. 

But let’s go to the best part.

Ok, Newt Artemis Fido Scamander… *sigh* 

Yeah. I adore him. Can’t pretend that I don’t. I love Newt for many things, and Eddie Redmayne deserves an award solely for the expression in his eyes through this whole story. He’s the perfect casting choice for Newt, and you can’t argue with me on that. I really love how well he shows us the difference between Newt around people, and Newt with his creatures. He’s shy, and awkward, he doesn’t speak a lot, and most of the time he avoids eye contact. He’s not exactly what we would call ‘a people’s person’, being permanently uncomfortable around others. But inside his case, he transforms, he talks to his creatures as if they were family, all his awkwardness disappears, and even his whole body posture changes. His world, his life, are inside his suitcase. There, he smiles almost permanently, most of the time with that sheer, pure loving expression in his eyes, especially when he strokes Frank’s head, and tells Jacob about how he found him in Egypt, and decided to save him. I love how free and active he is when he’s in his element, as he goes from one creature to another, feeding them, healing them, and explaining them, everything with a perfectly visible passion. He has a big heart and defends all forms of life. I love how he’s not very worried when, later, he says “I annoy people”, because dealing with people isn’t really something he cares about, he’s always more comfortable with animals, that is what he really loves to do, and won’t apologize for it. He’s authentic. He doesn’t pretend to be someone he’s not. And for that, I love him even more (oh, and by the way, his face when he first enters the American Ministry of Magic is priceless).

And Tina…! 

Porpentina Esther Goldstein, Ilvermorny Thunderbird, natural badass, and an Auror for MACUSA, with a penchant for justice. She could easily be a Gryffindor. I love her, utterly and completely –especially when she nags Newt–, and I see a lot of potential in her character. She’s just a normal girl, who goes to work every day, and does the best she can with what she’s got (doesn’t get more relatable than that, right?). At first, I noticed her looks, with her short hair, not so neatly done as Queenie’s, the minimum of make-up, and of course, her clothes. Always in gray and white, she’s not a remarkable figure, and if I walked next to her on the street, I would barely notice her. She’s the kind of person that easily gets lost in a crowd. Her coat looks old and worn, even oversized, as she was degraded from Auror to the almost forgotten Wand Permit Office, which can tell us that they let her stay in the Ministry almost out of pity after her scandal; hers is an office that doesn’t actually need people, it’s dark and in the lower levels, the typing machines do the work all on their own, and she’s alone; and besides, the name tag on Tina’s desk says Queenie Goldstein, meaning that not even Tina herself cares enough about what she does. She has genuine reasons to be bitter. She barely smiles, in the entire movie, but when she does, her face lights up; I’m over the clouds because she always smiles around Newt, who, more than once, gets caught up in that, unable to stop staring at her. But still, I love how she never stops being loyal to herself, to her profession as a security force, and her commitment with justice, protecting the city and its people, wizards or not. I’m very happy JK Rowling decided to write Tina as an Auror from the start, giving her a chance to show her bravery and badassery, like a true Thunderbird. She defies authority in the name of justice. She even duelled Grindelwald himself, and being the first one to attack, for crying out loud! We should never forget that. 

The difference between the Goldstein sisters is perfectly visible; they are both very well written and portrayed, since you can see that from their attitudes to their costumes, and you don’t have to look further than their sleeping attires.

I think that says it all. While Tina is more of a practical girl, and perhaps less easy-going, because as the older sister she had to take the reins of their family after their parents’ death, Queenie is a happy, flirty girl, not to mention beautiful, always smiling, and being sweet with everyone. Having Tina and Queenie in the same room, it is very clear which of them will immediately attract the attention, leaving the other in the shadows. But Tina has wits, inner strength, and her own type of beauty, perhaps less dazzling than Queenie’s, but there nonetheless. And even when the world doesn’t really notice her, Newt does, and I can totally see where their connection lies, something that fails in most of the romances I’ve seen or read. They are both very similar, as Tina had with Credence the same attitude Newt had with his thunderbird, Frank. They both saw them chained up, unfairly suffering and being mistreated, and decided to act on it, no matter the consequences. Doing the right thing is important to them, more than anything else, and they have the same attitude towards defending life and protecting the innocent.

As for dear Queenie… Let’s face it, guys. More often than not, the happy, pretty blond girl in stories is also the dumb, shallow one. But Queenie Goldstein not only breaks that rule; she destroys it. 

Being a Legilimens, she can perceive people for who they really are, and she can’t be fooled. Unlike in other worlds I’ve seen and read, here being pretty doesn’t mean being a slut, or a selfish brat, the same way being sweet, loving and caring, it's not synonymous with being silly, and unaware of the world around you. I know it sounds evident, but many books and movies miss that! Queenie has courage, and a great inner strength, and not everyone knows what she can do with her mind, which is great, because it allows her to see people’s real intentions. And her relationship with Jacob is the sweetest thing ever.

Truth be told, Jacob Kowalski is not an Adonis, and not your typical love interest. He’s just a regular muggle guy with a heart of gold, a difficult life, and the dream to make people happy with food. He stumbles upon the Wizarding World by accident, and just like us, he’s fascinated and wants to be a part of it. Jacob is all of us, and proves that you don’t have to have magic to be a part of a fantastic story, getting to be Newt’s friend and sidekick. I’m happy that, for the first time, a muggle can be so important for the development of a story set in this world. He’s there as the comic relief, most of the time, but his character has a purpose, and is utterly lovable. Queenie falls in love with him for who he is as a person, for the interests they share, and not for his physical appearance, breaking the concept that, sadly, is strongly installed in fiction: that the blond, giggly, gorgeous girl won’t look twice to a guy who isn’t nearly as attractive as she is, and that the man without the perfect body and the sparkling blue eyes is not worthy of a decent romance, nor can love a beautiful woman without being rejected, and his part is only the one of the goofy, hopelessly in love village idiot, who, obviously, doesn’t stand a chance. 

We already saw this in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, even if briefly, in Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour’s relationship. Mrs. Weasley thinks she’s going to abandon him because he’s no longer so handsome, after Fenrir Greyback attacks him, but Fleur gets angry with her, proving that she’s not as vain as everyone thinks, and that she really loves Bill, and will love him no matter what, being ready to stay with him through thick and thin. That is the kind of healthy relationship that should be seen more often in fiction. Romance and love based on who people really are, in their personalities, interests and talents, and less focused on being insanely beautiful, or rich, or any other less important thing, that, at the end of the day, isn’t key to be happy.

But back to Newt and Tina! I love their relationship, and I root for them, even when Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (the book), already tell us how their story will eventually end: “Now retired, he lives in Dorset with his wife Porpentina and their pet Kneazles: Hoppy, Milly, and Mauler.” But this doesn’t make me any less excited! Giving actual faces to these two names, along with well-defined personalities, is utterly priceless. And this is what I meant before. Here, Porpentina is just a name, we don’t know who she is, where she came from, how she met Newt… There’s nothing, except a great opportunity to be creative. And I love JK Rowling for taking it to make her a badass from day one, writing her as an Auror, of all magical professions. 

Both Eddie Redmayne and Katherine Waterston do a great job with their characters, to the point that I can’t think of anyone else better suited to be Newt and Tina. I love them, and I love how they portray them by making acting choices, and adding things to their performance that go beyond what it is in the screenplay, and that are personal to each of them (like when Newt places his wand between his teeth). I love that JK Rowling decided to give them a story all of their own, and honestly, my favourite scenes in this movie are both the dinner in the Goldsteins’ apartment, and the farewell at the docks.

The first one, because, well, the magic in everyday life and how natural it feels, for starters; I love how they just flick their wands and cook, and settle the table, and everything. But besides that, the tension! Even when Queenie and Jacob get along almost immediately, and make the others uncomfortable, we still get to see Newt enchanted with the little home and the sisters, and Tina’s attitude in a different role, other than the Auror who arrested him. She wasn’t obligated to give him a place to stay, nor anything, for that matter, but she acted showing her good heart, and that she cares. The glances they exchange across the table as the others talk, and especially when Tina stands up and says “Okay, you guys can bunk in here.”, are what I mean. The screenplay says nothing about Newt and Tina looking at each other fondly, or surprised, or anything. The actors added that, and they totally let me see the start of their relationship, without a single word. Just a look.

Those eyebrows, Newt...

*snap back to reality*

Sorry.

Anyway, later on, when she turns him in after what happened in Central Park, and Graves questions him about the Obscurus, Newt answers his questions looking at Tina, who is standing right behind him, because he cares more about her knowing that both he and his creatures are innocent, than the law itself. It’s important for him that Tina knows he didn’t betray her. And, like any self-respecting Hufflepuff, he’s loyal to the end, because he doesn’t hold a grudge, and stays to save Tina in the death potion room, instead of running away without her, choosing to look at her directly in the eyes –something unusual in him–, and getting her to trust him in despite of her fear (and her sass).

And the scene in the docks, well… *sigh* It’s been long since I saw something so sweet and heart-warming. Newt and Tina are adorably awkward in this one, but there’s noticeable changes, things that weren’t there at the start of the story. For example, Tina’s clothing. She’s still in white, gray and black, but her clothes are now becoming, and fit her perfectly; she’s wearing high heel boots, and a trench coat, her hair is done, she smiles more, and in every possible way she looks more refined and pretty than she did at the beginning of the movie, mostly because she’s an Auror again. And she has someone to thank that for. I love Newt in this scene, because he’s awkward, and shy, and his words don’t come out as he would like them in front of Tina, but she doesn’t mind, because she’s as embarrassed as him, expectant, and almost moved to tears. And what I love the most, is this:

“Newt gazes at Tina—awkwardly affectionate. He gently reaches forward and touches her hair. Lingering for a moment, they stare into each other’s eyes.”

This, in my opinion, is a lesson for storytelling in general. In a film and literary world in which a romantic relationship, apparently, can’t be told without the characters constantly lusting after each other, to the disgusting point (and you know I’m not exaggerating), this is a breath of fresh air. The way they look at each other, so intensely, told me everything I needed to know. 

It was a good thing they didn’t kiss. This relationship wouldn’t be so sweet if it were rushed. Because even when he says nothing, and only breaks his awkwardness to sweetly stroke her hair, you can tell what they are thinking. You know that Tina is wishing he wouldn’t have to leave, and Newt even stops on the gangplank, fighting his wish to get back with her instead of boarding the ship, after somehow promising to see her again. I love his dawning realization, when he says that people change, and that he changed, after Tina mentions Leta Lestrange, who is, as we later find out, Tina’s complete opposite. He wasn’t even thinking of Leta –anymore–, as Tina mentioning her takes him by surprise.

It’s simple, and beautiful. It’s two people who found each other and discovered the other wasn’t what they thought they would be (something that sums up the concept of the fantastic beasts, in general). The gap between their duties and their passions is very notorious in both of them, especially with Tina, as she spends the whole movie doing what she thinks is right, instead of what her position in MACUSA demands from her. And that is the start that leads someone to be a hero. Breaking the rules and standing up for what you believe in.

Finally, a word on villains and victims. Gellert Grindelwad a.k.a Mr. Graves, is one power-hungry, smooth-talking villain. His most effective weapon are his promises, because he gets what he wants through saying the right word at the right time (unlike He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named).

Tom Riddle is more of a strong, fearsome kind of villain, who seeks power over everything else, but is also secretly afraid of the things he doesn’t understand, that did everything he did for his wish for immortality, and his fear of death. Grindelwald’s motivation, for what we know at this point, it’s far from that, and gets people to cooperate by promising things. My point is that Grindelwald’s weapon is not fear. Let’s think about that for a second. He generates fanatism without threats, as he gathered some of the followers we know so far through the promise to end their suffering in a society that doesn’t understand them, and by giving them the chance to choose. “For the greater good”, he says. Voldemort’s Death Eaters don’t think this way. But since Grindelwald has a bigger role in the next movie, I’ll talk further about him in that review.

And Credence… The poor boy.

I definitely want to know more about him, his background, how he ended up with that crazy Mary Lou Barebone… There’s a lot of potential there. Most of the time, he appears to be an absent-minded push-over, as he follows Mary Lou around, says yes to everything, and gives away her pamphlets. He wants to be a part of the Wizarding World to escape his miserable life, and that is what Graves uses to his advantage. And honestly, who could blame him? We ourselves are that kid in the cupboard too, sometimes, waiting for someone to come and tell us we are wizards, and then take us to this wonderful place. Credence is relatable that way. As for him being the Obscurial, I figured it out by half of the movie, I was not fooled there. However, I find the whole concept of the Obscurus extremely interesting. A dark, uncontrollable power, like rotten magic, that comes from wizards and witches supressing their power at an early age, and that eventually kills them. Is that what Ariana Dumbledore was going to become, eventually, hadn’t she died so young? *suspenseful silence*. 

And it’s not for supporting Grindelwald, but Credence really is a miracle. How could he survive that long with that inside of him? Can it be removed? Can it be turned into a positive force, through helping him handle that power? So many questions!

But we do know one thing, and that is that, if you are familiar with Rowling’s style, you know that she will distract you, getting you into thinking you are aware of everything, when in fact you were looking in the wrong direction the whole time. It’s undeniable that Rowling is a master in distracting you from the hints, including them when your attention is elsewhere, and in the end slapping you in the face with the truth. No writer I’ve ever read does this better than her. 

*sigh*

Let’s face it, people. No one can create an entire world inside one simple suitcase and take you in a unique adventure, the way JK Rowling does. She’s the Queen of Magic for a reason, and Fantastic Beasts, in a way or another, sums up everything I love in fiction. I will never stop loving this world. It’s definitely the best, most fleshed-out fantasy world I’ve ever had the luck to find, and it will never stop fascinating me. This shows the power imagination has, and what a talented, passionate writer can do, as it makes you feel this world is very real, and at grasp, right there in front of you. Not to mention that it always feels like coming home. *sob*

I can’t wait to know how this story will continue, and I hope it only gets better and better.

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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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Review - The Assassin's Blade

Original Title: The Assassin's Blade
Series: Throne of Glass, #0.1 - #0.5
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Published: March 4th, 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

Let me be clear. I was not going to review this novella bind-up. But since the characters and the stories struck me so hard, and I kept thinking about them long after finishing, I feel like I have to do something about it. As I read them separately to meet my reading challenge (otherwise it wouldn’t have been possible), I’ll analyse each novella the same way, as I have more to say about some of them, and less about others. 

Just so you know, this will contain spoilers from many books from the series. If you haven’t read the series, go and read it. Just do it. Don’t think it. Do it.

Let’s go.

If you read my review of Queen of Shadows, you know I said that I had got a little tired of how many times Sam was mentioned, when I myself didn’t really know him, and couldn’t share Celaena’s pain. Well, in this novella, we can see how they started to work together, and what they were really made of. I really like the fact that, even with all their training and learning to sell their services to the highest bidder, they very clearly draw the line in regards of their job. They are assassins, not murderers. And that added a lot of depth to both Celaena and Sam, given that they are not naturally inclined to kill people, nor they enjoy it. It is what they do for a living, they are not naturally inclined to evil.

I like Celaena’s attitude and wit. She’s always one step ahead, and never yields, all the time with the sarcasm and defiance that rule her life. I like how deep her character is, because she’s both selfish and selfless, and knows when something is bigger than herself, or her master. When she found out Arobynn and Rolfe’s deal was about slavery and human traffic, she didn’t think it twice, and immediately started to plan their freedom, perfectly knowing that she would pay a steep price for it. Even then, her attitude is that of a queen.

I loved to get to know Sam Cortland, his sad past, and the fact that, even from the very first book in the series he appears as Celaena’s first love, here we get to see how they started their relationships butting heads, not always agreeing with each other, but finally finding common ground, to work together, and set the slaves free. Obviously, nothing stopped Celaena from being herself:

“Sam,” […]

“Hmm?”

[…]

“If you ever tell anyone about me embracing you … I’ll gut you.”

Celaena Sardothien, ladies and gentlemen. I don’t expect less from her. Even when she started warming up to Sam and thinking that she may have a true friend in him, instead of a colleague, it didn’t stop her from threatening him. She’s always been a bone hard to crack, and this is not exception. But one thing is true: she feels everything deeply and fiercely. Love, hate, anger… And if someone messes with them, her blades will answer for it. 

This is the second story in the bind-up. Not a lot happens in it, but I hope Yrene Towers appears again in the later books. And now that magic is free (as it happened in Queen of Shadows), her healing gift can truly bloom and be used in the war effort. 

This takes place right after what happened in Skull’s Bay, in the previous novella, and wee meet Celaena facing its consequences. Arobynn didn’t take the ruining of his business lightly, and punished her and Sam mercilessly, subjecting her to a terrible beating, and forcing Sam to watch it. But even that didn’t break Celaena, because she didn’t regret freeing the slaves. I really like how deeply her character is developed, how you can truly feel her inner struggle with both her thoughts and her actions, and her attitude worthy of a queen. She had to go through the punishment, but doesn’t apologize for what she thinks is right, and I love her for that.

And, honestly, I’ve never read about a heroine that kicks butt the way Celaena does. I have had my share of badass protagonists, but Celaena is in a whole other level. She has no qualms about gutting people, beating them, and torturing them, if she has a clear goal in mind, although it is true that her feelings cloud her judgement, more often than not. I liked how she instinctively jumped in Yrene’s defense (partly because she was bored and still reeling from the beating, true). But still, she even taught her a move or two, so she could defend herself, in case she needed it, and gave away her own brooch to pay for her education in the Torre Cesme.

Not much to add, except I hope to see Yrene back.

This one was, no doubt, my favourite. It was incredible, and mostly because of the extended worldbuilding. It’s amazing to keep knowing this land, knowing that other places still exist and buzz with life outside the places the characters visit in the series. It deepens the complexity and the layers of this world, and for a moment I stopped thinking this was fictional. It truly feels like it is alive.

Sarah J. Maas’s writing shines in this one, and I love it even more with each story she tells me. Among other amazing things, she says that “Words could be just as deadly as steel.”, and I couldn’t agree more. The right words, said in the right moment, can mean the difference between life and death, between the rise and the fall of an entire empire, and hit as high as the destiny of a nation, or as deep as the heart and the feelings of one single person. And that is visible in the character Ansel. I really liked her, because she was deep and layered, and had very clear reasons to do what she did. Her story gave a glimpse of what later can be read as a part of Manon Blackbeak’s story and that of her fellow witches in Heir of Fire. Plus, I liked the fact that Sarah J. Maas is perfectly capable of writing female friendships that are true bonds of fondness, when literature nowadays (especially YA) is filled with cat fights and slut shaming, and girls are always rivals instead of friends, judging and hating each other non-stop. It’s a breath of fresh air, and I’m grateful for it.

I loved everything in this novella, and I like Celaena even more after this. She may be impatient and passionate, talking back and hardly restraining the fire inside of her, but, as I said before, she’s not a murderer. Being an assassin means shutting off her heart and doing what she is paid to do, but she knows when death is meaningless. And I’m sure she found a friend in Ansel beyond what they shared in the Red Desert, because, just like her, Ansel lost her family and her lands at the hands of invaders, and bores a terrible pain inside. Just like Celaena feels about Terrasen. That’s why I think their bond is even deeper, because it lies in understanding. Celaena can fully see why Ansel did what she did, because it’s not further away from what she herself would’ve done in the same situation. That is why she fired that arrow a minute later than she was supposed to, and this only helps me state my claim. Death may be Celaena’s profession, but it’s not her passion, nor her goal.

I really hope to see some of these characters again.

This one killed me. I hate Arobynn Hamel, I hate him! But I have to talk about him. It’s one of the best written characters I’ve ever read. He’s the epitome of everything that is rotten in Rifthold. Everything that happens in the Vaults, summed up in one person.

Arobynn Hamel is one of those villains that truly grow fear and hate in you. He’s everything that is wrong with the world, and that wouldn’t be so terrible, if he wasn’t the King of Assassins. I mean, he’s possessive, greedy, lustful, and is willing to do everything he can to get his way. The power he wields only makes everything worse, because the consequences are far greater. He uses everything in his favour. He knew exactly where to hit to get Celaena and Sam to cooperate and fulfil the mission, making them go to the party and see Doneval with those girls, to paint the picture of him as the bad guy, when in fact, he was the one who wanted to save the slaves. Look how well written Arobynn is, how smart he was there, acting as the puppeteer and pulling the right strings in the right moment. He doesn’t feel any love or empathy, and the world is his chessboard. He knew exactly when to exploit pain, weakness, and virtues. He knew Celaena, knew her passions, and her integrity, and used her virtues to his advantage, knowing that she wouldn’t spare any slavery supporter’s life, whoever he or she was. He used her as a weapon, using her light for darkness. And that, my friends, not only speaks of a great character, but also of an amazing writer behind it. 

Now that I know Sam better, I can understand Celaena’s pain. Their feelings for each other were real, and it’s sad to see that they could totally have been happy together, if they had had the chance. Finding someone to open up to, to be vulnerable with, and not get hurt in the process, was what made everything a lot more painful. As I said before, Celaena doesn’t know moderation when it comes to her feelings. She feels everything strongly, and has both light and darkness in her, and Sam is the ice to her fire. He knows how to calm her down and I even when I knew what would eventually happen to him, I couldn’t help but loving him, and that made the next novella so difficult to get into. 

It killed me, guys. I cried real tears as I read this one. I couldn’t help it.

But first things first. I really loved Celaena’s passion in this one. She may be an assassin, knowing how to handle poisons and blades, and fight like hell, but she’s also this girl who loves music and has an indescribable passion for dresses, make up, and everything beautiful, which, for me, it’s a good thing to see in fantasy. Normally, the heroine is not like that. If she is a badass and can wield a sword, she hates dresses, and dancing, and all girly things. But Celaena is both things. She kills because she has too, but she’s still is a lady on the inside, and doesn’t hide her taste for fine clothes, and expensive things. The balance is perfectly written. It can be seen how she can be both, and still stay a great character.

Sam and Celaena start planning their future in this novella, and it wouldn’t have been so difficult to read it if I didn’t know what would eventually happen to them. After being manipulated by Arobynn into doing the dirty work against her own principles, Celaena decides to leave Rifthold and start a new life somewhere else, with Sam by her side, finally free from his manipulations. But Arobynn and Celaena are more alike than they think. Nobody messes with them without facing the consequences. Although while Celaena is pure fire and goes straight for her blades, choosing gutting over reasoning, Arobynn’s ways are subtler, he destroys his victims from the inside out, utilizing their strengths and weaknesses against them, to get his way. He’s definitely one of the most incredible characters I’ve ever read, and one of those I wanted dead the most. Bravo, Sarah J. Maas!

This novella is how everything started. In Throne of Glass, we are told that Celaena, as long as she suffered as a slave in the salt mines of Endovier, told herself “My name is Celaena Sardothien and I will not be afraid”, to keep her sanity in a place when very little people could survive. And here, we get to know she learned that from Sam, who told himself the same thing when he was scared. He stayed with her long after his death, and I can only call that love. It gets perfectly understandable why they love each other, and how Celaena wants to be with him because he sees her as more than an assassin, and can love her with all her faults, with the burden of everything she did. No wonder she went berserk after what happened to him. Rourke Farran wasn’t exactly merciful with him.

“Reality opened wide and swallowed her whole.” – I think all of us can think of a situation in our lives that felt this way. Sarah J. Maas’ writing is beautiful, accurate, and painful like a dagger to the heart. She’s a gifted writer, and she’s definitely among my favourites. It took a little while for me to realize that, but after this novella that made me cry a sea of tears, I can positively say so.

Long story short, this novella was utterly heartbreaking, and you need to read it to understand how much. It’s not the same effect if you read them before reading, at least, the first book in the series, because ignorance keeps you safe. If you come here having read as far as Throne of Glass, you know what to expect, and it doesn’t make the ride less painful. 

***

Thank you for stopping by, and I’ll see you soon with another review! Bye! 

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