Author: Sarah J Maas |Website| Twitter| Facebook|
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Genre: SciFi YA
Series/Standalone: Series
Format: Paperback
Genre: SciFi YA
Series/Standalone: Series
Format: Paperback
Cost: $9.99
Pages: 404
How I got it: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: August 2012
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:
I read this as a part of the Youtube Read-a-long. I must say I found myself struggling to get into the book because at the moment I'm on a serious contemporary kick, like i"m totally gobbling up everything romance & contemporary that I can get my hands on. Which is a lot, like that's pretty much what I read when I'm not reading paranormal everything. Anyway, this took a little longer to get into and while I liked it, I wasn't as blown away as others said I would be. The hype is both justified and not at the same time. I grew up reading science fiction, paranormal books and while this is a pretty nice spin on the genre it's not completely new; I however can see why those who haven't read the genre would fall in love with it because of this book. It's a pretty awesome story with a strong female lead, who embraces being a bada** while also being a woman with all the girly frills allowed. She will totally kill you before she goes to the ball, but freak out about tearing her dress. Yeah I totally love Celaena for that.
There are a few moments that I so didn't see coming, but others I knew immediately. My sister who doesn't know what the book was about; took one look at the cover & made an awesome observation about our lead character, I cracked up that she made such a huge plot guess without knowing anything.
I really loved the book because it's got magic in it. The lead character is kick ass and totally a girl even though she's tough as nails and a total bad a**. Which I never understood why authors always make women choose between the two like you can't be bada** and care about what you look like. Says who?? Celaena was snarky, funny, and hell bent on being more than what everyone wanted her to be, mostly she wanted freedom, even if it means she's got to dance for the devil for a few years.
She's experienced harshness and even when she was down she was never broken. She raised hell even while being beaten down and the similarities between her struggle and the struggle of the slaves (both in the book and in reality) was harsh. raw and made me like her more. I loved that she knew how to keep her own counsel, and made decisions based on her own expertise and experience instead of just going off what everyone else thought. She chafed at being made to appear smaller and less so that others wouldn't feel threatened by her reputation and I totally loved her reaction to being told to constantly be less so not to intimidate the men
I loved her friendship with Chaol and Princess Nehemia , who by the way was bada** herself. I totally felt for her and even though Celaena thought she was a little out there, I totally get why Princess Nehemia did what she did and how she did it. Oppressed people have to do what they have to do to get out. May I say, thank you to Sarah J Maas for writing a world where Blacks are major characters?? Thank You for not creating a 'perfect' world that doesn't include Blacks, way too many times in SciFi or Paranormal books we are excluded and it bothers me to support authors who don't even count us in at all. So Thanks for writing a strong witty character who has her own strength and brings quite a bit to the friendship and isn't a token or a "Magical Negro" here to save or guide Celaena. Wait now that I write that....hmmmm. We'll have to see what happens in the next book to make sure, but for now Nehemia is a kick butt future Queen. Although I'm still mad that in your world we can't catch an effing break and we are still slaves. O_O
Personally I just think that Chaol is way better for her, but I would totally love to see all three of them together LOL never going to happen in a YA novel but hey a girl can dream. *See that's why I don't read YA too much, I don't want to choose I want both.* Dorian is good for her, but truly Chaol is the one who challenges her not just as a woman but as an assassin and I think if we are going in the direction I believe we are; Chaol's going to be way better as a mate than Dorian. Dorian has a lot of growing up to do, especially if he's never been on the battlefields, & he really wants to a both King and the man in Calaena's life.
It's going to be interesting to see the full arc once the King is found out and once the people of the country finally embrace change and a challenge the status quo. Will Celaena's true lineage be revealed although we got a small glimpse in the end. Does the King know is that why he wanted her?? Who really betrayed her?? And why?? So many questions.
While not the greatest fantasy novel I've read *which is what someone said* , I'm intrigued enough to want to read the rest (which I hear is going to be a six part series, I have the second book so it's not too bad a wait and the third one comes out in September soooo thankfully it's not a long wait). Like many of it's genre, this book spoke on subjects not really covered, speaking on slavery, conquering of nations, the brutality of oppression, the treachery needed to make it happen and even how those being oppressed may appear weak but their daily battles make it easier to see the end results: Freedom.
I'm looking forward to reading Crown of Midnight, so keep an eye out for my review of that. Hopefully Heir of Fire (book 3) will be at BEA and I won't have to wait until September. A girl can dream right?? Right??
Let me know what you thought of the novel below in the comments section. Did you love it?? Hate? Not care one bit?? Haven't read it yet??
Publication Date: August 2012
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:
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.
There are a few moments that I so didn't see coming, but others I knew immediately. My sister who doesn't know what the book was about; took one look at the cover & made an awesome observation about our lead character, I cracked up that she made such a huge plot guess without knowing anything.
I really loved the book because it's got magic in it. The lead character is kick ass and totally a girl even though she's tough as nails and a total bad a**. Which I never understood why authors always make women choose between the two like you can't be bada** and care about what you look like. Says who?? Celaena was snarky, funny, and hell bent on being more than what everyone wanted her to be, mostly she wanted freedom, even if it means she's got to dance for the devil for a few years.
She's experienced harshness and even when she was down she was never broken. She raised hell even while being beaten down and the similarities between her struggle and the struggle of the slaves (both in the book and in reality) was harsh. raw and made me like her more. I loved that she knew how to keep her own counsel, and made decisions based on her own expertise and experience instead of just going off what everyone else thought. She chafed at being made to appear smaller and less so that others wouldn't feel threatened by her reputation and I totally loved her reaction to being told to constantly be less so not to intimidate the men
I loved her friendship with Chaol and Princess Nehemia , who by the way was bada** herself. I totally felt for her and even though Celaena thought she was a little out there, I totally get why Princess Nehemia did what she did and how she did it. Oppressed people have to do what they have to do to get out. May I say, thank you to Sarah J Maas for writing a world where Blacks are major characters?? Thank You for not creating a 'perfect' world that doesn't include Blacks, way too many times in SciFi or Paranormal books we are excluded and it bothers me to support authors who don't even count us in at all. So Thanks for writing a strong witty character who has her own strength and brings quite a bit to the friendship and isn't a token or a "Magical Negro" here to save or guide Celaena. Wait now that I write that....hmmmm. We'll have to see what happens in the next book to make sure, but for now Nehemia is a kick butt future Queen. Although I'm still mad that in your world we can't catch an effing break and we are still slaves. O_O
Personally I just think that Chaol is way better for her, but I would totally love to see all three of them together LOL never going to happen in a YA novel but hey a girl can dream. *See that's why I don't read YA too much, I don't want to choose I want both.* Dorian is good for her, but truly Chaol is the one who challenges her not just as a woman but as an assassin and I think if we are going in the direction I believe we are; Chaol's going to be way better as a mate than Dorian. Dorian has a lot of growing up to do, especially if he's never been on the battlefields, & he really wants to a both King and the man in Calaena's life.
It's going to be interesting to see the full arc once the King is found out and once the people of the country finally embrace change and a challenge the status quo. Will Celaena's true lineage be revealed although we got a small glimpse in the end. Does the King know is that why he wanted her?? Who really betrayed her?? And why?? So many questions.
While not the greatest fantasy novel I've read *which is what someone said* , I'm intrigued enough to want to read the rest (which I hear is going to be a six part series, I have the second book so it's not too bad a wait and the third one comes out in September soooo thankfully it's not a long wait). Like many of it's genre, this book spoke on subjects not really covered, speaking on slavery, conquering of nations, the brutality of oppression, the treachery needed to make it happen and even how those being oppressed may appear weak but their daily battles make it easier to see the end results: Freedom.
I'm looking forward to reading Crown of Midnight, so keep an eye out for my review of that. Hopefully Heir of Fire (book 3) will be at BEA and I won't have to wait until September. A girl can dream right?? Right??
Let me know what you thought of the novel below in the comments section. Did you love it?? Hate? Not care one bit?? Haven't read it yet??
4 Witch Hats: Engaging Plot, Well rounded and well written characters. Great world building, and ends in a way that makes you want to read the next in the series. It's a definite must add to your TBR Pile and a highly recommended read for the genre.
Happy Reading
No comments:
Post a Comment