Throne of Glass, much like many YA books these days and former days but hopefully not future days, pays a lot of lip service to women while cutting them off at the knees in the narrative. Celaena Sardothien, Adarlan's Assassin - feared, fierce, lethal. Everyone in Erilea knows her name, a name synonymous with death. But then betrayed, caught, tried, convicted, Celaena is sentenced to a lifetime in the unforgiving salt mines of Endovier as punishment for her many crimes. In an ironic twist of fate, she's offered the chance to compete to become the Champion of the very king who condemned her; in doing so, earning her freedom... and possibly becoming Erilea's best hope against the dark forces that would seek to destroy it. Celaena is as much an epic hero as Frodo or Jon Snow!”—Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author on HEIR OF FIRE The biggest problem with this book is the dual plot: the competition and the murders, which are interconnected, they don't really seem that way, which is a problem. The thing is, the book becomes somewhat convoluted with both the competition and the murders. I think the competition would have provided enough conflict. I also kind of find it strange that these soldiers, thieves and assassins wouldn't try to sabotage and kill each other off (themselves, without a prowling monster) when they each fight for their freedom. Calaena doesn't seem like the character who'd just be content with reading and training all the time, when freedom means so much to her... and that's exactly what she was doing. I really feel that Maas should have focused more on the competition, having more fights and stand-offs between the competitors rather than putting on so much focus on the grisly murders and developing the love triangle between Celaena and two romantic interests. The second problem I have with the plot is the fact that Celaena was the only female competitor. I refuse to believe that aside from her, Ansel and Nehemia, that there are no other baddass women around. In fact, it seems that aside from Nehemia and Kaltain, and a couple of other supporting females, most of the cast of characters are male. I demand more female characters!

I have seen all the team talk as well regarding this series and I did my best to ignore it so that I could form my own opinion without preconceived notions. Although, from what I've seen there seems to be an even divide between Chaol and Dorian. After reading Throne of Glass I understand why, they are both pretty amazing! Without spoiling this for others... I am ALL team Chaol over here! I loved the friendship and trust that he and Caelena formed. I have conflicting feelings about a lot of YA in general (or maybe New Adult? I can't seem to figure out where the lines are between the two). Most of the conflicting feelings stem from the treatment of female characters and/or feminist/attempted feminist messages in the narrative (to the surprise of exactly no one who knows anything about me). I feel like Throne of Glass is a very good example of the books I have problems with.

Celaena, with her formidable skills and biting wit, is a riveting protagonist. The depth of her character unfolds gradually, revealing a mix of vulnerability and tenacity that is both relatable and admirable. Her journey from enslaved assassin to a formidable player in the game of thrones is compelling and filled with unexpected twists. The whole premise of Throne of Glass is: Imagine a serial killer who's been stalking the streets and she's so well known that people shudder at the sound of her name. The serial killer is caught after a betrayal by her cronies and sent to suffer to prison camps for her crimes. Hallelujah!? No summary of the plot that I could write would accurately show just how awesome this story is. There is action and mystery and the supernatural. There is a love story ... sort of. It's pretty subtle at this point in the story. This is a story of survival as well as a story of a society which is potentially at the dawn of a new age. This is the story of a girl who has gotten by in this life by taking care of herself and herself alone for the most part, but who finds herself letting her guard down enough to find friendship and companionship. There are so many things to like about this story. I think I'll boil all of it down to these things:

Throne of Glass isn't just about the competition that Cealena is in, there is so much going on throughout the entire novel! It is so full of action and from one second to the next I never knew what was going to happen! I absolutely loved it! World. It's obvious to me that the continent of Erilea has been something Sarah J. Maas has been developing for a very long time. From climates, to languages, to landmarks, to legends and local lore, it's a very polished, beautiful and complete world that Celaena Sardothien resides in. Plus, this book got a few automatic points in its favor because it includes a gorgeously drawn and detailed map, which I put to very good use while reading.

A point of contention could be the initial pace of the story. It requires some patience, but those who persevere will be rewarded with a narrative that is as thrilling as it is intricate. The development of secondary characters and the threads of romance woven into the story add an extra layer of depth, making the wait worthwhile. Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas is a complex and engrossing fantasy epic that ultimately triumphs, despite its slow start, earning a laudable 4.5-star rating.

My opinion of this book didn't improve much since the first reading. But several facts remain the same. I've read this story when it was still called Queen of Glass on fictionpress, so I was familiar with the story more or less, and the characters. A lot of the big details changed, so did the plots, but the characters were fairly the same -- except for the added ones. Overall, this is a pretty weak start to a series. While the book starts and ends with a bang, the middle absolutely drags. This is a story about an assassin, and that's absolutely the last thing she does... or doesn't do at all really. She's brought from a prison to compete in a tournament and while we get to see two of the first challenges and tests, the plot for some reason diverges into mystery of solving the grisly murders of other contestants. Oh, instead of scheming and figuring out ways to escape, or thinking bloody murder--what Celaena does instead is read, bitch about the dumb bitches who are aren't her and don't look as pretty as her-- every time another woman aside from her maid and Nehemia-- come within a foot of her. I think Celeana's opinion and treatment of most other women in court is what annoyed me the most. She gets offended when someone treats her like a murder she is, because while she may have killed people for living and deservedly been sentenced to suffer. Because apparently she's a good person with a heart of gold, and yes, she may have killed people but only the corrupt officials and the cheating spouses. Give me a break. She's so righteous and arrogant about it, it's like... where the hell do you get off?Simply dazzles. . . . The clamor for a sequel will be deafening.”—Starred review, Booklist on A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES Read the first book in the epic saga Time Magazine called, “One of the best fantasy series of the past decade.”