Book: "Heir of Fire"
Series: "Throne of Glass"
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Pages: 560
Celaena Sardothien has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak, but an unspeakable cost. Now she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth... a truth about her heritage that could change her life - and her future... Forever.
Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. To defeat them, Celaena must find the strength not only to fight her inner demons, but to battle the evil that is about to be unleashed.
The King's assassin takes on an even greater destiny and burns brighter than ever before.
Hello, Angels!
I've finished this book, finally with a great interest and just as it should happen - it's time to introduce to you a review. Please, take a chair and brace yourself because it will be a long journey.
In "Heir of Fire", part of "Throne of Glass" series, Sarah is introducing us to a world of magic, danger, betrayal, anger, hatred and is unraveling so many secrets that it's hard for me to tell you how I feel about all of this. I don't know if I'm confused or shattered from what has happened. Want to know why? Keep reading.
The book is showing us the life of Celaena, Chaol and Dorian after "Crown of Midnight", and also introduces us to new characters, that will entangle their destinies with our favorites.
P.S. This is going to be suprisingly very long review.
Celaena Sardothien
Of course I find it not surprising at all that I will start with her. Celaena is send to Wendlyn by the King's orders to fulfill her duty. Celaena is in a brand new world, long forgotten, filled with magic and mystery where she will have to reveal her true identity, to embrace what she is and who she is. She is on a crossroad whether to do what it's right - to show everyone and embrace who she is, or to fulfill her duty to the King and be free. Of course, she was never one that blindly follows orders. It's important for her to find a way to find the Wyrdkeys and destroy the evil that the King unleashed upon the world. In this very hard quest the only one who can help Celaena is her aunt - the immortal fae queen Maeve. But to meet her and get her answers, Celaena has to go through tough challenges and prove to Maeve that she is worthy of the knowledge. And Celaena will do it at any cost, of course with the help of the beautiful Prince Rowan Whitethorn ( I will give you details about him a bit later, have patience my Angels). Celaena is tortured, challenged, endured many dangerous encounters but her determination will lead her to the right path. The price she has to pay is to emrace who she really is - her fae nature, her powers, to learn to use her magic and control it - which is so not easy task to do. At the end of the day it's way much easier to just behead a few villains than learn how to control the fire... I love how Celaena didn't gave up although she was at the edge of a very dangerous path of despair, trapped in the painful memories of her past that are tearing her sould and her heart. Only her past could help her defeat her inner demons. I love how Sarah described every single moment of weakness, desperation and everything that she holds hidden inside it finally shows in to the surface and Celaena has to accept it. After all of it Celaena yet again rises on her feet, and she is not a girl anymore - she is a woman, a Queen. With the help of the beautiful fae prince Rowan, Celaena defeats her inner demons and heals her broken heart. Bits by bits she is yet again reinventing herself and even defeats the monsters that the King of Adarlan has sent. Celaena is ready to sacrifice herself so everyone else can survive. That is the point where Celaena Sardothien, the best assassin is gone. Before us, just like a phoenix rises Aelin Ashryver Galathynius - Queen of Terasen.
"She was Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, heir of two mighty bloodlines, protector of a once-Âglorious people, and Queen of Terrasen.She was Aelin Ashryver Galathynius—Âand she would not be afraid."
Dorian Havilliard
I have to mention the beautiful crowned Prince - Dorian. In this amazing book Sarah is observing the life of the three main characters but separately, and if in the previous book Dorian, Celaena and Chaol were friends who supported each other, well let's say that in this book they didn't. When I go back and look back at Dorian then and Dorian now after Celaena's departure... I want to cry. Dorian was left all alone, even though he evolved so much and changed a lot, he is still lost. His best friend betrayed him, then he finds out that Celaena is the biggest enemy of his kingdom.. Oh, let's not forget the magic that he has to learn to control. However here comes a new person - Sorscha the Healer in the castle. She doesn't ask questions, she doesn't despise him or looks at him like he's a freak. She accepts him, she pulls him out of the darkness. I liked the fact that Dorian falls in love with her and I was so happy for him, because they were so cute together and they were good and right for each other. I thought that they will ran away and live together... Until the King found out. My heart dropped when the King beheaded Sorsha before Dorian's eyes without any hesitation... Just for the fun. And just as much as my heart is breaking right now, I can't let the facts pass by and I have to say that I was very impressed by Dorian - he was ready to sacrifice himself, to do every bidding of the King only if he let Sorscha go, he was brave and opposed the King to save his best friend and his beloved one. A deed fit for a true King. Even though the story took a twisted turn and left me with watered eyes and breaking heart, I can't wait to find out what will happen with Dorian after the King decided to use him for his monstrocities. After all Celaena promised him she will come back for him.
Chaol Westfall
I've never liked him. Never. Not even for a moment. Okay, fine except when he has his cute moments with Celaena. I've been thinking.. how come when all of the characters in the book are evolving, changing, reinventing themselves... Chaol stays the same - teared by remorse of everything he did, constantly feels pitty for himself... And never, ever takes the right decision. He is driven by this blind loyalty for the Crown and is refusing to see what is right in front of him. He is doubting every move that his friends are making, he is living in his own world of what's right and wrong and refuses to see the bigger picture. I am frustrated by his pedantry. However I have to say that he is willing to sacrifice everything for his best friend Dorian, even to do a treason against the crown. I was pretty surprised when Chaol has decided to ally with Aedion, yet that doesn't change the fact that Chaol is a whiny, selfish boy that is refusing to grow up. And if someone comes to me and says the opposite - well excuse me, but read the book again, please. Chaol was one of my least favorite characters because he refuses to grow up, he refuses to change. And even though he wanted to do what is right,by his own standards and his own understanding, and even though Dorian told him loud and clear that there will be a time that Celaena will be back and Dorian will choose her, and Chaol has to choose a side - he still decided that if Aelin is a Queen of Terasen, then she does not deserves his trust and is a threat to the crown. This blind stuffy faith and loyalty to the crown and the king is so disappointing and even frustrating that I really want to go inside the book and twist his neck. I cannot even swallow the fact that instead of slitting the throat of the king , to kill him right there, to avenge the beheading of Sorsha and to save Dorian... Chaol ran away... Ew! And now you tell me if that is what a friend does... if that is called a friendship,please kill me now. Still, I cannot argue with the fact that there were times when Chaol was good - he went a long way to help Aedion, he did his best to find the Wyrdkeys mystery and the mysterious Towers of the king and to find out how to destroy them. Even though after everything that has happened in "Heir of Fire" and that his whole life, everything that he was loyal to and he has believed in to turned out to be a lie, I cannot be anything more than frustrated, just because he left Dorian and ran. I don't know if I could forgive him. I do hope that in the next book his character will be a little bit better, that he will realize what is actually happening around him and he will choose the right side,because if not - then I would really go inside the book and I will hit him with something heavy on the head.
Aedion Ashryver
It's about time to tell you a bit more about the new characters that Sarah introduced us to and just because I've mentioned Aedion's name when I talked about Chaol, it's only fair to tell you a bit more about him. In the beginning I have to say I didn't like Aedion. He was way too arrogant, always scheeming ... But he reminded me so much of Celaena back in "The Assassin's Blade". Yet, I really was quite unhappy that he is loyal to the king... However later on my feelings grown and changed. Sarah has traced his life and it amazed me how faitful, loyal and devoted to his cousin Aelin actualy is. He was so devoted to the cause to save what is left from his lost kingdom and his people... His one true wish was to see his cousin. It's true he did monstrous things for the king, he is called Adarlan's whore , however everything he did, every single thing he does was to protect and save what is left from Terasen and to see his cousin Aelin just one more time.
"Aedion Ashryver had been called Wolf, general, prince, traitor, and murderer. And he was all of those things, and more. Liar, deceiver, and trickster were his particular favorites - the titles only those closest to him knew."
I cannot be indifferent towards Aedion and I cannot wait to see if he will finally meet Aelin and what will happen next. It saddened me that the king captured Aedion and will execute him and will make a show out of it - to entertain the royal court and to make an example out of him for the rebels, and as a trap for Aelin. I do hope that she will show up, stronger than ever and will save Aedion and will kick the king's butt. Just like every other fairy tale -with a happy ending, but you know... a little bit messier and bloodier. We'll have to wait and see.
P.S. I just wanted to clarify that I really did liked Aedion (not because he is amazingly strong, beautiful and you know... sexy and attractive), and I can't wait to see him in the next book. And no - I am not drooling all over him and I am not falling for him, simply because my heart is taken by Rowan (and Rhysand and a few other stunning male characters).
Manon Blackbeak
In this book Sarah decided to introduce us to great many new characters and I can't help but mention Manon Blackbeak. In the beginning I didn't like her. I wasn't fascinated by her story, plus she is so far away from the typical witch image and the magic, that I didn't like anything about her. I was quite unimpressed. But then I had to follow up on her journey because, well.. there's no way I could read only selected chapters. Well, I can but what's the point in reading then. So later on when I've witnessed her story and continue reading up, she kind of catch my eye. Just because she is so not the typical witch - there's no pointed black hats or black robe, there's no cauldron or green potion in front of her. I liked how she is trying to follow her Matron's orders, she is fierce, bloodthirsty but she is different from her fellow witches. I liked her at the end of the day and I do hope that in the next book I will read a bit more about her and her beloved wyvern Abraxos and I think she will be one of my favorites. I liked the fact that the Blackbeak witches are born with no hearts, no feelings and no emotions, however from what I've seen - Manon definitely have feelings for her wyvern. She is definitely showing emotions and feelings, that were not supposed to be there especially for the Leader of the Clan.She is quite interesting and I can't wait to see what her destiny will be.
Rowan Whitethorn
Rowan... I have only three words for him: I adore him. In the beginning when Sarah introduced him I was like: "Oh, sweet muffins, I am seeing Rhysand here - but completely opposite looks!".
And I was right! Okay, fine I will not compare those two because if I start - it will take at least twenty pages essay between the differences and the similarities between Rhysand and Rowan (except the fact that both their names start with the letter R).
Rowan is the typical fae warrior - brave, fierce, strong, immortal, beautiful... I don't think that it's necessary to continue with all the stuff that he is - I hope you get the picture. Besides, Rowan is strict, arrogant (just like all the fae, we have seen it so many times already),, cold, heartless and sometimes cruel. Hoever... The more I've continued with the story, the more I've read about him, I could understand why he was like this. Rowan is my favorite character - almost as much as Aelin. Rowan tried really hard to teach Celaena how to control her magic, how to master it. I loved when Rowan was taking care of Aelin, protecting her, and for that my dearest, is far away from disinterest.I loved their moments together, even if it meant to read how he is so arrogant and bossy and cold towards her. Still, even though Sarah was generous enough with all her descriptions and stories , I still find Rowan's story way too short. I want MORE! I have to learn more about him. I guess, we will have more but it will be in the following books. Ah, my heard is wondering if it should flutter or break... I still cannot wait to meet Rowan yet again in "Queen of Shadows" and to see what the destiny holds for Aelin and Rowan. And for you.. I will leave only one sentense for you: "I claim you , Aelin. To whatever end."
I knew that the finale of the book would be unexpected, wild and very captivating. What I didn't knew is that it would be brutal. Even though sometimes the story was very slow, I can't blame Sarah for her decision because she wanted to show us the characters in all their light - their fall, their rise again, and their growth. After that - the story went upwards and it was so intense and full of surprises. The book was filled with so many emotions, sacrifices, painful memories that my heart broke so many times, that I can't even remember how many times I've watered the pages. Yes, I cried a lot but what can I say - I am such an emotional reader...
Now I cannot wait to see what will happen after Aelin returns to Rifthold, Adarlan and to see how Chaol will welcome her. I cannot see how will she react from the devastating news of Dorian and will she be able to save Aedion... I have so many questions that I don't even know if Sarah would be able to answer them all in the next book. I could only find out if I read it.
I am leaving here my rating for the book, and there's no room for suprise here. There's no chance to be lower than this.
I am going to read a bit more, my dearest Angels! If you would want to find out what will happen - read the books. It's about time already. If you don't want to read it, well you can always wait for the next review!
XoXo, - K.