By: Sarah J. Maas
Published: September 6, 2016 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
704 pages
Source: Personal Kindle Library
(Goodreads / Amazon)
Summary:
The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don't.MY REVIEW:
As the kingdoms of Erilea fracture around her, enemies must become allies if Aelin is to keep those she loves from falling to the dark forces poised to claim her world. With war looming on all horizons, the only chance for salvation lies in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.
Aelin's journey from assassin to queen has entranced millions across the globe, and this fifth installment will leave fans breathless. Will Aelin succeed in keeping her world from splintering, or will it all come crashing down?
This series will forever go down in history (in my history of favorite books) as one of the best fantasy series ever! The heroines in this book are powerful, strong and independent. The heroes are equally strong, loyal and seriously irrisistable! Characters that were once side characters become leading characters as each book goes on in the series. Some of these side characters were slightly deplorable at one time earlier on, only to become redeemed in later books. As an example, Manon, heir to the Blackbeak Witch clan. The witch storyline started out as a part of the story that I wasn't all that interested in. However, Manon grew to become a favorite of mine to read about. Her emotional development and loyalty to her 13 and their wyverns, prove her to be a formidable leader. There is a scene with her and her second, Asterin, that had me tearing up big time! Then there's Lorcan....readers of the series will remember this Fae male that goes up against Aelin and Rowan. Ooh man, I despised him. As his storyline grows in book 5, this 500 year old male, one of Rowan's cadre for many years, lethal as all get out, and loyal to the core to Queen Maeve, begins to show a side that makes the reader soften towards him. I'm curious and excited to see what, if any, transformations he makes.
With one common enemy, and one common goal, book 5 brings my favorite Fae's, demi-Fae's, humans, magic wielders and witches to one place, battling for their lives and the lives of their people. Fighting for a better world and for freedom. Aelin is given the journey of finding all of the three Wyrdkeys to bring them together to destory them once and for all, and thus ridding their world of Erawan and his evil, forever. Her companions trust her implicitly, and are there for her every step of the way. Guiding her, supporting her, fighting for and with her. Rowan, Aedion, Lysandra, Dorian and others become the core group of Aelin's inner circle. The only character we don't see in book 5, is Chaol.
I found myself thinking "what more could they possibly go through" only to see that there's much more - more battles, more struggles, more tough decisions, more love and more friendship than I ever would have thought possible at the beginning of the series.
Take note - the romance, the mature content, goes up like 100% in this book! My snl ran across a comment by another blogger when she was adding book 5 to her TBR list. The comment was something to the effect of "when did my favorite fantasy series become erotica?" When she told me about this I literally laughed out loud. I wouldn't go THAT far....however, it's seriously heated in more than a few scenes and is defintely more graphic than what we have seen so far.
Books 3 and 4 have been my favorites of the series....until this book. Book 5 takes the top place if I have to choose just one and it is deserving of none other than my top rating! It's clear there is so much more still to come before the end. Frankly I'm nervous. Series Enders usually make me slightly nervous anyway. But with this series....there are some clear endings I, as a reader, want to see happen. One thing I've learned though by Maas, is that she finds a way to keep me guessing as to which direction her characters go in. A series THIS massive with so many moving parts throughout, it just can't end in "happily ever after" for everyone involved. THAT is what makes me nervous.
If you're new to the series here are my earlier reviews and ratings:
Book one: Throne of Glass (4 stars)
Book two: Crown of Midnight (4 stars)
Book three: Heir of Fire (4.5 stars)
Book four: Queen of Shadows (4.5 stars)
And now I'm going to pout for a little while and come to grips with the fact that I have to wait nearly a whole year for the last book to come out. Pure torture.
Top 5 Favorite Quotes:
"I would have fought for the rest of my life to find a way to return to you again."
"I love you. There is no limit to what I can give to you, no time I need. Even when this world is a forgotten whisper of dust between the stars, I will love you."
"I see you. I see every part of you. And I am not afraid."
"It is not such a hard thing, is it - to die for your friends."
I am coming for you. Even if it takes me a thousand years. I will find you, I will find you, I will find you.
Language: 2 (medium)
Mature Content: 2 (medium)
Final Rating: 5 stars
I FINALLY typed my review of this one and so I came to see what you said of it. My review doesn't post until January (assuming it doesn't get bumped back for a review book). I have to say that your review is much much better than mine. I feel like I couldn't talk coherently about this book. You, however, did a great job. And you're right, I'm finally Team Manon!
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