Title: Throne of Glass
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #1
Publication Details: May 7th 2013 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Link: Goodreads
In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.
The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.
I've been planning to read this sooner, but never got the time until recently. I was not able to attend the author's book signing event, but it's okay. Perhaps, some other time...
Plot
Throne of Glass follows Calaena, an assassin, as she tries to win her freedom by first competing to be the King's champion. But as she continues with the competition, a mysterious murderer lurks around the castle eliminating her competitors one by one. What follows is Calaena's fight not only for the first step in her freedom but also for her life, and her struggle in setting her priorities straight.
Being my first read about assassins, I find the premise intriguing. The pacing in the beginning was not as dragging as I thought it would be, except for that one part where the protagonist is getting cleaned and being prepared. Nevertheless, it kept me wanting to know more about how things will unfold.
As the path of the story clears, I found myself in a guessing/solving game with Calaena trying to piece together the clues for the murder mystery. Though I was able to predict some parts, it was still quite surprising to know some of the characters' roles both in the competition and the murder mystery.
I have heard a lot about shipping Calaena with either Prince Dorian or Chaol. Thus, I expected a major romance plot in the book. But thankfully, it's just a side plot. There's an attraction going on and budding romance(s) but yeah, side plot. Haha! Though I was grateful for Calaena keeping her priorities straight, I'm still looking forward to where this plot thread is going.
By the way, I am team Chaol. Haha!
Plot-wise, Throne of Glass was a page-turning and enjoying read for me.
Characters
Calaena is an interesting, strong character to begin with. Not only does she know how to fight and defend herself, but she also knows herself- her priorities and goals. She can be stubborn at times, but nobody is perfect. Haha!
Prince Dorian is as charming as any other princes (and also stubborn). He hates his father, the King, so though difficult, he tries to find ways to rebel. I think he has a good heart but I am yet to find out his real character.
Chaol, on the other hand, is the loyal Captain of the Guard and also best friend to Prince Dorian. Behind the strong, serious façade is a good heart, that is willing to do everything for the people he cares about. Like Prince Dorian, I am yet to find his true character but at the moment, he has my shipping heart. Haha!
As for the other secondary characters, I think they are all written well. No one annoyed me, thank you very much. And I think the major secondary characters were all able to contribute to both the plot and Calaena's development. I especially admire Nehemia for her bravery and will to stand for what is right even though her safety is on the line.
Writing
Throne of Glass is written in third person perspective, Celaena's POV. I liked the writing style of the author, in that the events are easy to follow and understand. The author was also able to keep an interesting flow that made me want to finish the book in one sitting (if only I do not have other things to do).
Also, I liked that it has a map in the beginning, thus, helping me to picture their world more clearly.
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Overall, Throne of Glass is a good read about trust, making choices and the will to go not only after one's want but also the will to do what is right despite opposition.
I was not totally amazed by it. But I definitely recommend Throne of Glass especially if you are a fan of the fantasy, adventure genre with a strong protagonist. And I can't wait to continue with the series and explore more of their world and character development.
Sarah J. Maas is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series (Queen of Shadows, Book 4, will be out in September 2015), as well as the A Court of Thorns and Roses series (out 5/5/15).
Sarah lives in Bucks County, PA, and over the years, she has developed an unhealthy appreciation for Disney movies and bad pop music. She adores fairy tales and ballet, drinks too much tea, and watches an ungodly amount of TV. When she's not busy writing, she can be found exploring the historic and beautiful Pennsylvania countryside with her husband and canine companion.