Book: "Tower of Dawn"
Series: "Throne of Glass"
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Pages: 760
Glorious Empire.
A Desperate Quest.
An Ancient Secret.
Chaol Wesfall and Nesryn Faliq have arrived in the shining city of Antica to forge an alliance with the Khagan of the Southern Continent, whose vast armies are Erilea's last hope. But they have also come to Antica for another purpose: to seek healing at the legendary Torre Cesme for the wounds that Chaol received in Rifthold.
After enduring unspeakable horrors as a child, Yrene Towers has no desire to help a young lord from Adarlan, let alone heal him. Yet she has sworn an oath to assist those in need - and will honour it. But Lord Westfall carries darkness from his own past, and Yrene soon comes to realise it could engulf them both.
And deep in the shadows of distant mountains, where warriors soar on mighty ruks, long - awaited answers slumber. Answers that might offer their world a chance at survival - or doom them all.
Hello, Angels!
The time for this book to get its review has come.
At the very beginning I have started the book with great distress, because I don't like Chaol - he just couldn't get to me. He didn't capture my attention and I've hated him because of the events in the books. I didn't like him from the very first book and that was it. At the same time, after I've read "The Assasin's Blade" I was so not impressed with Yrene Towers as well. Nesryn Faliq on the other hand - well, what can I say, I didn't like any of the characters here. I was way too prejudiced and with great effort I've read the first twenty pages.
Then the story took me by surprise and captured me.
In the sixth book of the "Throne of Glass" series Sarah intriduces us to a very different world than the one we already know.
Here, Sarah is chasing up the adventures of Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq after they have been send by Dorian and Aelin to the Southern Continent to convince the Khagan to participate with their armies in the war against Erawan.
Along with that, they have another mission - to find a healer from the famous Torre Cesme who could heal Chaol.
Yes, I definitely was not a fan of Chaol Westfall due to various reasons. However, I can say that in this book his character has evolved so much, that I have managed to like him. I liked the fact that from always complaining, whining coward he has managed to overcome his fears and defeat his inner demons. He turned out to be smething very different. I saw yet again the selfless, caring Captain Chaol Westfall, prepared to do everything that he can to help his friends. And both the tasks that he has been assigned to by Dorian and Aelin are hard, however Chaol managed to succeed with the help of Nesryn and Yrene.
Chaol has lost Celaena and her love; he left his friend Dorian to fight with his father, billions of times has led Nesryn with his feelings and didn't knew what to do with his life. He was confused, scared, leaded by blinded and twisted point of what's right, but after the battle... After he has been stuck to the wheelchair, with no other way around it... He left Adarlan by Dorian's request, so he could be healed. Not only to heal his wounds and his legs, but to heal his soul as well. To battle his inner demons. And he has found a way to overcome everything, even though it has cost him so much. He overcame his arrogance, he swallowed his pride, because the task that he had was more important than that. He shared his deeply burried secrets and fears with Yrene, he was ready to protect her at any cost. He didn't let his self -pity to stand on the way. I have seen a very different Chaol in this book. He managed to find love again and this time he fought for it and kept it at any cost.
Nesryn Faliq did not impressed me with her previous appearance in the books. Yes, I cannot deny that she was brave in the battlefield. But her character was far away from evolving and sometimes even boring. However, here in "Tower of Dawn" I have seen her in a very different perspective. After being led by Chaol and his feelings and false promises for a long time; her love for her family; leaded by the sense of duty and justice, with her hopes of a better world - I have seen everything good in Nesryn and I liked it. Even though she was not good with her words, she was amazing with her arrows and her bravery. I liked the fact that even with the affections that she has for Chaol and their past, she went to a glorious adventure that she has ever dreamed of in Antica. And she was not alone - she was with Prince Sartaq by her side. With his help she has managed to unravel ancient secrets... She has managed to reveal the mystery around the Valgs, their arrival in this world and who exactly is the Valg Queen... When I have read this part - I was in a state of shock for quite a long time. I also liked the meeting of Nesryn and the trader, who sold years of his life for the spiderweb - the same trader who met Celaena in "The Assasin's Blade". Now I wonder what would Lysandra say when she meet the only family she has left.
Yrene Towers did not impressed me in "The Assasin's Blade" and I thought hers was one of the most uninteresting story in the whole novel.
However, knowing Sarah - she cannot be mentioned just like that. Now, in "Tower of Dawn" her character has evolved and I could see how brave, strong, selfless , stubborn and hardheaded she is. And she won a place in my heart. Yrene has despised the king of Adarlan for a very long time after what he did to her mother, and that very same fact was stopping her to heal Chaol in the first place. Her oath as a healer however has taken a toll. She and Chaol seemed like a pieces from a puzzle that were waiting to be sticked together. Along with Chaol, together, she has managed to battle her inner demons and even managed to fall in love with him. Good thing was that the relationship between them was not in any way rushed - it was well measured and written, so as we read , we could get used to with the idea of the two of them together.
I was so impressed how much love and appreciation Yrene is carrying for Celaena and her act of kindness.
I can't wait to see Yrene and Chaol in "Kingdom of Ash" when Yrene finds out who exactly was the unknown woman that help her to get to Torre Cesme.
Of course, Sarah didn't missed out to describe in such detail the beautiful city of Antica and the Southern Continent, the beauty and serene that was in every corner just reminded me of Velaris. In the same time, Sarah didn't missed out of showing us the whole truth about the Valgue Kings and Queens , even though I am kinda doubting that statement. Knowing Sarah, there would be something intentionally left out that would surprise me in "Kingdom of Ash". Because with Sarah, there's always more to the story.
After all the adventures in the "Throne of Glass" series so far, I can't wait to see how things would turn out in "Kingdom of Ash" and see what the destiny (or should I say Sarah) holds for all my favorite characters. How would Chaol react when he finds out about Aelin's sacrifice? Would they even tell him? What would Yrene's part in the war would be, after it's clear that she can remove valgs out of people's bodies... What would happen with the Wyrd keys? What would Manon do as a Crochan Queen... Would Sartaq and Nesryn get married and have cute little babies... All those questions would I guess have their answers in the epic "Kingdom of Ash" and I can't wait to read it.
Rating: 4/5
Even though in "Tower of Dawn" I didn't meet all my favorite characters, it doesn't mean that I was disappointed. On the contrary - I was very impressed and deeply touched. The characters that I didn't like for so long turned out to be quite good and I started to sympathyze and like them a bit more.
Sarah once again managed to prove that she is a mastermind with the amazing tales, beautiful worlds and various range of intensed emotions; so as the exciting adventures that leave you breathless up until the very end. Even though in the beginning I didn't like the characters in this book, because I missed Aelin, Rowan, Aedion, Lysandra, Dorian and Manon so much, if I say that I didn't liked the book - that would be a lie.
Since I cannot wait to read "Kingdom of Ash", which I haven't yet got my hands on, I will dive in to another adventure for now.
And you, my Angels, don't stop reading!