Synopsis (With Spoilers):

Before I even start typing the synopsis, the tears are already forming and preparing itself to drop.

This book starts with our main character, Celaena Sardothien, come in with a dead, human, head to turn into the King of Ardlan. Pleased with the deed, the King gives Celaena the name of another man he wants her to kill. Then, a few pages later we find out that Celaena hasn’t been killing the people the king has ordered her to. Instead she spares their lives, tells them to fake their own death and run away far way where they could never be found. Now that just BOTHERS ME!!!!! If the king finds out that all of these people that he asked Celaena to kill, are actually alive, then Celaena is dead meat.

But who is this man that she’s ordered to kill? Archer Finn. He is a suspected rebel leader. His rebel movement is to try to find the lost princess Aelin Galathynius.

What I loved about this book was the relationship between Celaena and Nehemia, Princess of Eyllwe. They talk everyday and become this sort of support system for each other.

In the side plot of the book, the relationship between Chaol and Celaena begins to blossom into a flower!!! This is the book where they start to fall in love, and all the feels start to solidify. But then, Chaol get’s kidnapped by Archer Finn because Chaol is about to interview Nehemia about the rebel movement, Celaena goes saves him, and then runs back to the castle to save Nehemia who’s on the verge to being killed, but by the time Celaena gets there Nehemia is already killed. Celaena is of course mad and upset that Chaol didn’t do enough to save Nehemia, and basically goes in to kill Chaol with her knife, but then Dorian, the king’s son, stops the knife from puncturing Chaol’s heart using his FREAKING MAGIC! Like what he has magic? and that’s the end of that day! So much goes on that day that I had to take a day to weep the death of Nehemia, process the idea of Celaena almost killing Chaol, and discovering the magic inside of Dorian. (This is why I love Sarah J. Maas. She creates complex characters, unfolds them in senarios like these, and through that we discover the truth).

Then later in the book she meets a witch, Baba Yellowlegs. In the book she’s told that she’s this figure told in stories of someone who you don’t wanna mess with. To me, she’s sort of the equivalence of La Llorona. But then later in the book, Celaena kills her inside of her trailer. Like does Celaena not know what she’s getting into? Celena’s equivalence of killing Baba Yellowlegs is Mulan killing the clown from IT but BLOODIER! Celaena was so lucky that she came out from that alive because at one point she was chained up by Baba Yellowleg, but she was able to let go and kill her with an Ax.

In the book Celaena discovers why the king is so powerful. So far it is speculated that the king has hold to one of the three keys that control the whole continent essentially. Like I understand Celaena has to discover the truth here, but it just gives me shivers knowing that Celaena is trying to mess with someone who’s super powerful, nevertheless her own boss.

Then there is the epic scene of Celaena doing some crazy demonic magic to open a portal to speak with Nehemia. Nehemia eventually does come through, but tells her to close the portal immediately and that her death was necessary to take down the king. Right when Nehemia, fades away, Archer Finn comes in and explains to her that he basically killed her because Nehemia decided to leave the rebel group and so that he could set up Celaena to try to get her to kill Chaol. They then fight, and they step inside the portal and we discover that Celaena is Fae. OMG!!! I’m honestly not surprised by this because I knew this was going to happen because I’ve read A Court of Thorns and Roses, and I assumed the main character in this series was Fae too. Eventually, Archer Finn dies, and then Chaol and Celaena reunite.

And then at the end of the book we discover the plot twist, that I didn’t see coming, that Celaena is the lost princess AKA Aelin Galathynius, AKA the princess Archer Finn was trying to find. I for one, did not see that coming. I knew she would be found, but I assumed in the next book. I’m just wondering how, what, when, and why!!!! Leaving me, wanting to read the next book in the series.

My Favorite Page:

118. Starts with, “This song was an ancient legend”

This is the part in the book when Celaena is listening to Rena sing at a dinner party. In this song it tells the story of, “a Fae woman blessed with a horrible, profound power that was sought by kings and lords in every kingdom. While they used her to win wars and conquer nations, they all feared her—and kept their distance.”

It was beautiful to read about it because it was interesting how everyone was listening, nobody saying one word, and even left them crying.

And then, she was killed because she sang a song about encouraging magic, in a country where all magic was banned. But it was sad that she was killed because she worked 10 years to become famous enough to sing at the castle, to deliver a message. That message was to tell the king that even though he outlawed magic, they still matter and exist. As she was getting prepared to killed, she listed the names of those who were killed by the king to bring importance. Nevertheless, she was still killed but she mostly gave up her life to show resistance to the king.

My Favorite Chapter:

Chapter 22: This was interesting chapter because this is where the mind of Dorian starts to wonder when he looks into the library to trace his family tree of where his magic comes from.

This is also the chapter where Celaena plans an elaborate birthday dinner on the top of a building, surrounded by plants, flowers, and beautiful scenery.

Fan Art:

What I liked about the book:

I loved everything about the book. I love the plot, the way things came together, and how everything connected to one story. You can tell that Sarah J. Maas is good at telling a complex story with rich detail in the worlds that she creates.

What I didn’t like about the book:

The slow pace to the meat of the book. This is just a personal opinion, but I found it hard to read through the first 100-200 pages. I get that those pages is what set up the rest of the book, but while I was reading it, I was bored. But it’s also important to note that this is Sarah J. Maas’ second book so her writing is developing as she publishes, and it’s already far better than the first book she’s written so that just makes me hopeful for the next book.

It’s important to note though that the first part is important to set up what the book is going to be about and to connect the pieces together.

What could of made it better:

More love scenes between Chaol and Celaena. I get it, there are enough, but the love scenes before they explain their love for one another is what I wanted more of.

I also wanted more scenes with Dorian and Celaena. I feel like they are really good friends, and they work well together that it would of been great to see them interact more in this book.

Will I read more books by this author?

Yes! This is my 6th book by this author and every book is a treat. Except for Throne of Glass, but I had to push through that book because I knew the rest of the books were good.

Favorite Quotes:

“The rest of the world quieted into nothing. In that moment, after ten long years, Celaena looked at Chaol and realised she was home.” 

“But death was her curse and her gift, and death had been her good friend these long, long years.” 

“Then Celaena and the King of Adarlan smiled at each other, and it was the most terrifying thing Dorian had ever seen.” 

“Celaena was the lost Queen of Terrasen. Chaol sank to his knees.” 

And then there was the ride home, where he did things to her neck and ear that made her forget her own name.

What did you love about the book!? Comment down below and let’s start a conversation!