Book: Queen of Shadows
Series: Throne of Glass
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Pages: 721
The Queen has returned.
Everyone that Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire - for vengeance, to rescue her kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past...
She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclam her throne, she must fight. She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend , a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, condemned to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.
Hello, Angels!
I've read "Queen of Shadows" on Wednesday evening and I can't shake the feelings from what I've read. Maybe I won't in the next few days. And what I can only say for this book is - WOW!
"Heir of Fire" has left us wondering what will Aelin's next adventure will be. And what an adventure that was! "Queen of Shadows" is introducing to us so many new characters that I've lost the count and at times it was a bit hard to keep up with what is actually happening - there was so much going on at the same time but this is what reading a Sarah J. Maas book is. That's her charm.
Aelin, queen of Terrasen is back in Rifthold. She is back to face Arobynn Hamel, to save her cousin Aedion Ashryver, and she is back for her friend - Dorian Havilliard. She is back to take what has been taken from her. It's time the Queen of Terrasen to return and release the magic, to release her people, to release her loved ones.
So in the previous review I've told you a little bit about every single character, yet I don't think I can do the same with this one. After the grand finale of "Heir of Fire" I can safely say that "Queen of Shadows" took my breath away. So as my words. It left me speachless. It's dynamic. Deadly. Dangerous. Exciting. Unique.
Okay, fine. I want to tell you all about the characters in the book but I doubt that you would want to read everything or you would have the patience to do so. Yet, I can't help it. I have to. So brace yourself, get comfy and enjoy the magical world of "Queen of Shadows".
The Adarlan's King is preparing for a war and it's obvious that the whole continent will pay in blood. The epilogue of the secret and dark evil that has slowly crept on the continent, the Valg and the filthy secrets that the King is hiding along with Duke Perrington in Morath are finally at it's peak and will reveal a lot of bloody and filthy trurths, and the war... The war is inevitable.
The darkness is slowly taking over Adarlan and Morath, while Prince Dorian is on the edge and trying to save whatever is left of him, trying to escape the Valg's Prince' disgusting grip. The struggle was long and hard. Yet for me Dorian is still a strange person, because his character is always changing. Just when you are on the edge of thinking that Dorian has started to become smarter, in the next sentence you realize and wonder why he is so molluscous. His character is always controversial and is so the opposite of his royal status and bloodline, and you get to think that he is so far from the selfless , strong and good King that is striving for the good of his people and kingdom. His meeting with Manon light a hope in me - I am thinking that there might be something in there and I can't wait to find out what exactly will this be. I do hope that he will not be so undecisive with Manon as he is with the rest of the things. At the end my heart broke when he fought with Aelin and then.. For a moment I was so proud with him that he has managed to break free from the Valg Prince and help Aelin to save Rifthold and Adarlan together, even if that meant to murder his own father. Although that decision was quite heartless and murdering his father instead of freeing him only showed that Dorian cannot think straight under pressure and life-and-death circumstances. Still his character is on the crossroad and so controversial. I do hope that there will be a good thing out of it.
Chaol - from The Captain of the Guard to rioter, criminal, traitor that is constantly fighting for his friend. No matter how much I've hated the doubt, the insecurity, his disgust with Aelin like she is a monster, and his stupid affectations, I can't quite say that Chaol did not fight with honor in the battle - because he did. Which doesn't change a bit how much of an awful character he is. Even though he has showed bravery, he fought and was ready to die, I still cannot be indifferent to his constant whining, questioning and insecurity. And I cannot help but be mad at his unwillingness to differr what is right and what is wrong and what is good. No matter how selfish he is, no matter his stupid idealistic views I can't believe that Sarah thought to couple him with Nesryn. I am sorry but I can't ship that.
If you are wondering Nesryn Faliq is strong, independent, with an amazing fighter spirit. She is unstoppable, and kinda badass. She is like Sarah's version of Mulan. And I cannot deny that she is brave, selfless and willing to fight for her freedom and for what is right, and although her heartbreaking story of her childhood and her family... I couldn't ship that, neither I could ship her romance with Chaol. Maybe I've liked her for a short while just because Aelin did and she helped her a lot, but I was not impressed. I hope to see something else in her in the next book,and for Sarah to evolve her character a bit more. Maybe if I read something more I might sympathize, but for now - I am sorry, but not a fan.
Lysandra is another character that I did not expect to see so much evolving. She was definitely not my favorite throughout the books and I couldn't honestly see why she is even there and why didn't Aelin killed her. Maybe I didn't like her because she was described as shallow and superficial and she has only appeared a couple of times just enough to annoy me and Aelin. But in this book... Oh, my! I love her! Lysandra is bold, insolent, arrogant, but so wild and so feline. Just like a wild cat. A shapeshifter actualy. I've learned her story and her tough life with Arobynn, her life as a courtesan and about the selfless act of love towards Evangeline. She is now definitely one of my favorites and I am with both hands voting for 'Yes' to see her in the next books. I loved how merciless she murdered Arobynn and avenged for all that he has done to her, to Aelin, to Sam, to her beloved one. And at the end of the day I have finaly saw what a selfish stoic monster Arobynn was. He got what he deserved and if you ask me -it was not enough. Little Evangeline melted my heart over and over again. Oh, I loved the moment when Lysandra turned into a wild snow leopard and went to the rescue. I can't wait to read more and see if she will end up with someone.
Manon Blackbeak - Head of the Wing of the witches is sadistic, cruel, evil... and yet she feels dislike, pity, equity are slowly crawling inside her wretched heart that she is not supposed to have. Manon Blackbeak with her amazing wyvern Abraxos, what sometimes reminds me of a pet - like watchig How to Train your Dragon. Yet she and Abraxos are one of my favorites. I liked that with Manon's character Sarah is showing us a completely different side of the human nature - no matter what her past is, what her present is, what her life was - Manon still is an exception that the witches are supposed to be heartless, obedient and cruel. Yes, Manon has that ice cold cruelty but little by little she is capable of telling what is right from what is wrong and the feelings inside her are taking a turn. I was touched by her Second in Command - Asteryn and her story that also on the contrary to the beliefs of the witches has felt love and loss. I love how much Manon cares about Asteryn and her Thirteen and also towards Elide and I can't wait to see what Sarah has in store for her. I was surprised when Aelin and Manon had a fight and after all Aelin choose to save Manon instead of letting her die. And I was even more surprised when Manon returned the dept. The fight between the two strong women was epic and through it all I even forgot how to breathe. I think that Manon's life will be more and more interesting along with Elide and her Second - Asteryn.
Aedion - captured, tortured is praying for only one thing - the Death to claim him.
At the edge of his strength, walking between reality and death he is waiting impatient to meet his end. And I can't help but mention even though he has gave up - Aelin never did. And it was epic. She managed to fool everyone and to free him right under the King's nose - with the help of Arobynn and a few other friendly characters from "The Assassin's Blade". The connection and the relationship between Aedion and Aelin was just the way I have imagined it - crazy, friendly,funny, controversial, but forever. Aedion's desire and his sense of duty is so strong that sometimes I wondered if it's too much, but it wasn't. I loved how quickly he managed to become friends with Rowan although most of the time they just wanted to kill each other.
Aelin has returned to Rifthold to arrange her reckoning with Arobynn and to destroy once and for all the evil that the Adarlan's King has spread on the world, and of course - to free the magic that has been locked. To free her friend.
Aelin and Rowan - what can I say... I love their moments. There is no way not to love them. I love how Aelin's crazy and bravery matches perfectly Rowan's wild nature. I love their sarcastic hints and their looks. I just... I think that I can never get enough. I oved how Aelin Fireheart managed to melt all the ice walls that Rowan build in his heart, and her patience towards him. I had so many shivers when I was reading their dialogues (and I would read them over and over again becuse those are my favorite parts of the book). I can't help but tomention how posessive is Rowan sometimes but Aelin is so indifferent to that and to his moods that I can't help but laugh out loud. I can't stop thinking about the moment when Aelin brought Rowan to Sam's grave... I still cry when I think of that. I also cry when I think of the moment when Aelin was falling down and Rowan thought that he lost her. Their connection and relationship grew so much that I can't wait to see how it will evolve. The fight that Aelin and her friends fought with the King of Adarlan was brutal, so as the truths that he revealed. All the mysteries, all the magic that Aelin faced.... It all left me breathless and the end was grand and epic. With all that in F or a moment I didn't want her to stop being Celaena. The path that Aelin has walked from Celaena Sardothien to queen of Terrasen was long, filled with obstacles, pain, intrigues, schemes and so much loss that it made me wonder will she ever survive this time, after all of it. I really hope that she will, because I can't wait to read about it.
Although the book has chased up so many new and different characters at the same time, I can't be anything less than impressed by the way that Sarah is describing all of them, because they help the story to unfold and unravel its details - to be so intense and incredible. I cannot be anythin less than rapturous from the way that Aelin and her friends are thinking of such an epic schemes and intrigues that left you hanging there for hours, speechless, just thinking about it - so easy to fulfill, and at the same time so original that you are just sitting there, and then BAM! You got yourself such a twisted turn of events that you are sitting there for hours , like hit by a truck trying to figure out how did it all happen and how did you get here. I love Sarah and her style - dynamic, amazing, dangerous. Authentic.
The path that Aelin and her crew, her court after the epic battle and the damage they have left behind in Rifthold and Adarlan, the release of the magic that was locked, and so much more - it seems like it is going to get even more dangerous and harder. Even more captivating and interesting.
But the adventure is still not over yet. I guess that the best is yet to come.
And I can't wait for it.
My Rating: 5/5
It's no surprise and I cannot lie - it's impossible to have a lower rating for Sarah J. Maas' books.
I am heading to the next adventure and see what awaits and where the wind blows in "Empire of Storms", and you my dearest Angels - keep an eye on the blog and stay tuned!
And don't forget: A book a day keeps the reality away!
XoXo, -K.