By: Sarah J. Maas
Published: September 1, 2015 by Bloomsbury USA Children's
656 pages
Source: Personal Kindle Library
(Goodreads / Amazon)
Summary:
Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire-for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past...MY REVIEW:
She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.
She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.
Celaena's epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena's story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.
Wow, there's a LOT that happens in this book, book 4 of the series! If you are new to the series, though I try to keep my reviews spoiler free and vague on purpose, it's just the nature of reviewing later books in a series that often times spoilers are naturally going to leak out in some of the details. Though my intention is never to spoil anything for a new reader.
Book three, Heir of Fire, became my favorite of the series once I finished it, and then book four is a punch to the gut in a lot of ways. It is worthy of being a favorite of mine as well! As with character growth in book three, it's fair to say that the growth continues in book four. The world that our characters are living in is changing. Some for the negative, as evil continues growing, but so much for the positive as well.
I very much enjoyed how there was great resolution in this part of the story. In a series as long as this one is, each book definitely has a major plot and yet we aren't strung along waiting to find out the outcome for books on end. I don't mind the occasional cliffhanger, but from a reader's perspective, I appreciated this aspect.
Favorite characters of mine at this point are definitely the three initial main ones: Celaena, Chaol and Dorian, but also Aedion, Rowan, Lysandra, Manon and Asterin. It seems it's always a growing list of who my favorite ones are. They each bring so much strength and emotion to the story. Some of these are goosebump worthy!
In a word, this story is about hope. Hope of a better future. Hope of survival. Hope of a new world. Hope of freedom.
If you are new to the series, and love YA Fantasy with tons of world building, action, battles and yes, romance, then this is a must read series! Check out my other reviews:
Book one, Throne of Glass (4 stars)
Book two, Crown of Midnight (4 stars)
Book three, Heir of Fire (4.5 stars)
Top 5 Favorite Quotes:
"You will make mistakes. You will make decisions, and sometimes you will regret those choices. Sometimes there won't be a right choice, just the best of several bad options."
"It helps no one and nothing to look back. We can only go on."
"Even when we're apart tomorrow, I'll be with you every step of the way. And every step after - wherever that may be."
"It was like dying a little every day. It was like being alive, too. It was joy so complete it was pain. It destroyed me and unmade me and forged me. I hated it, because I knew I couldn't escape it, and knew it would forever change me."
Language: 2 (medium)
Mature Content: 1.5 (light - medium)
Final Rating: 4.5 stars
Gah! This book!! THIS SERIES^^ It's like you said: HoF was a total game changer and holds a very special place in my heart...but then so was QoS - granted, in a totally different way. I ADORED the character growth and the characters in general...SO MANY favorites to love!! The action was INTENSE and that ending just BLEW ME AWAY :O Fantastic review my friend ♥
ReplyDeleteLoved this one :)
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