Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Throne of Glass
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Expected publication: August 7th 2012            
by Bloomsbury USA Children's
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You don’t know how hard it was for me to even pick up this book. I used to be a really big fan of fantasy but lately I found nothing but disappointment in the fantasy books I read. So it was really a leap of faith to start Throne of Glass. But people, I have not enjoyed a fantasy book so much since Graceling, and it is save to say that I enjoyed it even more. *gasp*

Throne of Glass starts with a bang, Celaena Sardothien is the greatest assassin the country of Adarlan has ever seen, but a year ago she was betrayed and captured. Therefore she was send to Endovier, an awful place where prisioners are sent to work in the salt mines and where the average life span is a month. Celaena has survived a whole year but it has destroyed both her spirit and her body.

The surprise of her lifetime comes when she’s summoned to see Prince Dorian, son of the tyrant king of Adarlan, and he offers her something she can’t refuse. She will compete against 22 of the most terrifying people in the kingdom for a chance to be the King’s champion, a title for basically be the king’s right hand and do his dirty work. Celaena is not a fan of the king but shall she win and after 4 years of service, she will be a free woman. Shall she lose, she will be sent back to Endovier.

Celeana knows she can win, and the opportunity is too good to pass. So off she is to the Glass Palace, handcuffed and chained to the quiet and enigmatic Chaol Westfall, Captain of the King’s army, and upon their arrival they’re both bound to train and prepare for the contest.

The contest is several months long, the 23 contestants, must undergo tests to see who is the strongest and better suited to be the king’s champion. Celaena sees no threat in most of them, except for Cain, a huge ex-soldier that is unnervingly good.

But the contest doesn’t go nearly as smoothly as any of them thought, contestants are showing up dead and half eaten and no one has an idea of why this might be happening. So Celaena has to watch her back 24/7.

People, this book is full of surprises, you’re in for a thrill ride. I didn’t expect it to be so entertaining, I guess most of that comes from the fact that it reads like a modern read, despite it is quite obvious they live like the middle ages, Celeana and Chaol and Prince Dorian, they’re all witty and amazing and it’s hard to not smile while you read them.

Celaena is a 17 year old, who has had a tough life, but despite of everything she still mantains a sassy and witty personality that make her instantly likable. Celaena is strong and practically invincible yet she’s approachable, and that’s what makes her so easy to like. I wish she was my champion haha.

Every other character was masterly developed to be its own self. For example, the love triangle, you know I hate love triangles but the two guys in this book are so different and interesting in their own way that I couldn’t be bothered who ends up with Celaena. Even though it’s clear Celaena has already made a choice. I want you to get to know them too:

• Chaol Westfall: He is 22 years old and the Captain of the Guard, he got the position defeating countless men and every day he tries to prove he deserves it. He has a troubled past and is very enigmatic and reserved. At first he was the only one that didn’t trust Celaena and kept a close watch on her (it was also his job) but he still couldn’t bring himself to relax when he was with her. Nonetheless, Celaena instantly clicked with him and before either of them realize it, they became friends.

• Prince Dorian: He is 19 years old, handsome and prince of a country that has conquered most of the world. His father is a jerk who is hungry for power, and Dorian, a reader instead of a soldier, doesn’t understand that. So naturally he wanted to rebel a little, that’s why he chose to bid for Celaena at the contest, to annoy his father. But soon he can’t help but notice Celaena’s beauty and brains.

I liked both guys, they were amazing in their own way, but I think you know who *I* would chose. Even though Dorian is funny and charming, and as the book progresses he becomes braver and braver; Chaol is the one with the hard work, his father is not the king so he is not in a safe position. Chaol is deadly with a sword, he’s kind and mysterious and he is the bravest guy, I loved how he supported Celaena and put himself in danger. I would say he is the Tim Riggins of this book.

The only thing I am going to complain about is how much the fact that Celaena is deadly and amazing with swords is mentioned, it ws like "okay I understand, she's the best ever, I got it", she is also 18 years old by the end of the book but she was kind of childish and immature, I excpected her to be a woman who knew her strenghts and took advantage of them (like Nehemia) but she kind of let me down, there wasn't much depth in her, but I might get her better if I had read the novellas though.

So yeah, you guys, I really very enjoyed this story. This book, despite of being fantasy, it's incredibly easy to read, I am usually all about contemporary but this fantasy book was unlike any other because it's read just like a contemporary except set in the past. It wasn't as complex as others and that made you focus in the characters instead of in understanding the setting and the time. I really encourage y’all to try it, even if you're just 12 years old or something. I am sure you will not regret it.

There were a lot of scenes I wanted to draw but it is just so hard to draw on paint, haha.
This is when Dorian first starts to realize the Chaol & Celaena's friendship is also blossoming.