theteamsreader's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
samileobooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Spoiler
I love how at the beginning of the book we are brought back to the war that trapped Erawan. We saw Elena making her decision to use the key to trap Erawan. Her knowledge of knowing he would one day awaken and this war would be left for someone else to finish. Then towards the end of the book we learn the consequences Elena faced, the consequences her bloodline would face, and the Knowledge of Brannons plan with the key & the Gods to destroy Erawan completely. There was a awareness and plan on how to stop him. Then Elena Got in the way and ruined the hidden plan. Then at the End we learn of Maeve’s Plans and Intentions and her role in all of this. Without Knowing Aelin had all these bigger forces pushing her into all of these events without her even realizing how manipulated she had been. I enjoyed that between these three moments we finally get the full story of this Destiny for Aelin. We learn everyone’s part in it, these events no longer a mystery.Manon is one of my favorite characters and I enjoyed her continued Character Development.
Spoiler
I enjoyed the role she played in this book during the second half. Now…. The way Aelin behaved in the second half of this book towards Manon had my blood boiling. She was being the biggest hypocrite, sitting on her high horse, no restraint on her anger and acting like a Tyrant. This happened not just during interrogation but, throughout the rest of the book.Lorcan and Elide was a very enjoyable storyline in this book. I loved how it was written and I really look forward to the completion of their story and how it all plays out. I also enjoyed the other storylines and characters as well.
The ending did not surprise me because there is always a moment like that in these types of stories. It felt less like a cliff hanger and more like a completion of a phase in the full story.
Phase One: Assassins Blade, Throne of Glass, and Crown of Midnight.
Phase Two: Heir of fire is our transition into this phase, Queen of Shadows, and Empire of Storms.
Phase Three: The completion of the series and big Finale Kingdom of Ash.
I am not reaching quickly for The Final Book just like needing to know what’s next and not being able to wait. I’m excited to get back to Tower of Dawn and settle down my rage a bit. I really love this book and it’s such a comfort read. Then after that I can’t wait to jump into the final book.
Tower of Dawn will get its own review on how it fits into this for me.
Content Warnings
Minor: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Suicide attempt
katreadsit's review against another edition
5.0
“Nameless is my price.”
The moment I read that quote it clicked and I started to cry. With each book in the series, the story evolves in a way I didn't expect. I knew it would escalate to war, but I didn't see it playing out this way.
Aelin has finally embraced who she is and is now she's off on a near-impossible mission to regain her crown and save Terrasan. This book may be my favourite in the series. I LOVED it. I loved how Aelin constantly surprises not only the readers but her court as well. Gets me every single time!
We've watched these characters, new and old, grow and adapt to their terrifying reality and learn what they will inevitably face... all written beautifully by Sarah J Maas.
But the ending: the ending was one of the toughest I've read in a while, and made this read even more worth it.
An easy review for a fantastic book!
5/5 stars.
The moment I read that quote it clicked and I started to cry. With each book in the series, the story evolves in a way I didn't expect. I knew it would escalate to war, but I didn't see it playing out this way.
Aelin has finally embraced who she is and is now she's off on a near-impossible mission to regain her crown and save Terrasan. This book may be my favourite in the series. I LOVED it. I loved how Aelin constantly surprises not only the readers but her court as well. Gets me every single time!
We've watched these characters, new and old, grow and adapt to their terrifying reality and learn what they will inevitably face... all written beautifully by Sarah J Maas.
But the ending: the ending was one of the toughest I've read in a while, and made this read even more worth it.
An easy review for a fantastic book!
5/5 stars.
chekr1bord's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
vii_412's review against another edition
5.0
Definitivamente este es mi FAVORITO de los 5 primeros, no puedo creer ese final, estoy destrozada y no podré esperar al 7mo.
Siempre menciono esto pero creo que el desarrollo de los personajes es INCREÍBLE, si los comparamos libro con libro, la evolución y madurez que van adquiriendo es maravillosa.
Me encantan los personajes femeninos, incluso quien piensas se va a derrumbar, encuentra motivos para fortalecerse, SJM ha creado un grupo de personajes femeninos que hacen que valga la pena leer cada una de estas páginas.
Los personajes masculinos, no se quedan atrás, demuestran que los hombres (machos en el caso de las hadas) también sufren y lloran por muy guerreros que sean o por muy “duros” aparenten ser.
Me arrepiento de no haber leído antes a esta maravillosa autora porque cada libro que leo, me demuestra porqué es una autora Best Seller.
Sin duda esta será una saga inolvidable
Siempre menciono esto pero creo que el desarrollo de los personajes es INCREÍBLE, si los comparamos libro con libro, la evolución y madurez que van adquiriendo es maravillosa.
Me encantan los personajes femeninos, incluso quien piensas se va a derrumbar, encuentra motivos para fortalecerse, SJM ha creado un grupo de personajes femeninos que hacen que valga la pena leer cada una de estas páginas.
Los personajes masculinos, no se quedan atrás, demuestran que los hombres (machos en el caso de las hadas) también sufren y lloran por muy guerreros que sean o por muy “duros” aparenten ser.
Me arrepiento de no haber leído antes a esta maravillosa autora porque cada libro que leo, me demuestra porqué es una autora Best Seller.
Sin duda esta será una saga inolvidable
ponkynation's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
georginaflor's review against another edition
4.0
✨4 stars✨
I’m literally so conflicted about this book because whilst I was totally hooked while reading it, it took me so much longer to read than it should have. With Queen of Shadows, I was frequently thinking about the book in between reading it, but with this one I just wasn’t as bothered- I wasn’t constantly waiting for some free time to next pick it up, and it kind of felt like, at times, it dragged on a little bit in that respect. (This is probably going to get spoiler-y, sorryyyyy)
I found myself becoming slightly less enamoured with Rowan and Aelin in this book, and I’m definitely far more invested in Elide and Lorcan after finishing it (eek don’t hate me😂). I understand and appreciate how much Aelin has grown from the first book, but at times she just felt overbearing, and the ‘keeping secrets from literally everyone’ aspect of the plot started to get annoying towards the end. Nearly every single plot point was planned by Aelin, and it felt a bit lazy to keep using the same formula for setting up plot twists- also how convenient that Aelin always happens to be right about things and always has a ridiculously solid plan in place. Also, Rowan felt more like an extension of Aelin in this book than I’m okay with. I adored their relationship in the previous books but it just felt a bit bland here, like a lot of his personality was replaced with being Aelin’s mate. I still love them but I just didn’t care for their storyline quite as much as I did others by the end (Elide !! and !! Lorcan !!)
No matter how much I may have been annoyed by certain aspects of Aelin in this book, she’s still a strong and beautifully complex character, and the ending ripped my heart to shreds. I’m surrounded by the teeny tiny little shreds of my now cold, dead heart. It was so brutal. I’ve come to really love Fenrys, Gavriel and Lorcan (give me the cadre any day) and so my heart was already wilting for them, and then Maeve essentially breaking Aelin, especially in the wake of Aelin’s acceptance that she has to die, threatened to break my heart. But, in the end, it was the state that the whole entire group is left in that properly broke me. Aedion and Lysandra’s dynamic in absolute tatters (I love them, waaaah), Rowan’s inherent brokenness at losing Aelin, Elide’s condemnation of Lorcan at the end that cracked my SOUL (I’m dramatic, hi). Honestly, if the only thing that gets nicely resolved in the next book is Elide and Lorcan’s relationship, then I’m okay with it (they’re so precious and wonderful, I’m so attached to Elide, and Lorcan is exactly the type of morally ambiguous character that I can’t resist- watch me completely fall apart over a fictional couple, oh god😂)
Manon is honestly such a gift. She has grown so damn much since she was first introduced, and her journey in this book is honestly one of my favourites. Her and Dorian’s feelings (is that what it is?? I don’t know but sign me up because I love them) developing throughout this book were so intrinsic to her working out who and what she is- breaking away from the monster that her grandmother has made her to be, and realising that human emotions aren’t necessarily the weakness she has been taught to see them as. Asterin is also wickedly brilliant and I really want more of her in the next book because she’s so intriguing, I love how easily she treats Elide as one of them. I can’t talk enough about Elide and Lorcan, they’re so bloody wonderful. Elide is so magnificently strong and determined; Lorcan is icy as hell, glowering and pessimistic; and together they’re the cutest thing in the world. I’m a sucker for ‘breaking-through-the-darkness’ type love stories: characters like Lorcan realising that, against all odds, they love this sweet and wonderful character like Elide (not to mention she’s badass as hell), and as cliche as it is I can’t help but love it. Rowan and Aelin who?? I’m here for Elide and Lorcan and no one can stop me😂.
I think the main problem I have with this book is that so much happens, and yet it just felt slightly disjointed. So much that takes place is something that Aelin has already pre-planned for, and as much as I adored the fact that Ansel and Ilias were brought back at the end, I don’t love the idea that it ends with Lysandra posing as Aelin. Characters drive so much of stories for me, and so leaving the group entirely splintered breaks me, and yet I still feel like lots of this book was admin. I don’t know, I really don’t know. I don’t know how I feel about this book at all. I think my main issue is that I absolutely loved Queen of Shadows, and this book just wasn’t quite on the same level. I’m not overly disappointed or anything, I think the problem is simply that I want to be sat here saying it was amazing, but it just wasn’t quite there. I still really loved it. I’m contradicting the crap out of myself, but if you’re still following what I’m saying, despite all this I did really enjoy it. Maas’ writing is so captivating and I’m complete trash for it at this point. She has the ability to beautifully form realistic dynamics and relationships between characters (Aedion and Lysandra; Elide and Lorcan; Manon and Elide; I’ll stop but you get the picture), and I’m completely in love with it. Sorry this review is such an incoherent mess, but that’s kind of how I feel about the book, so atleast it fits😂.
I’m literally so conflicted about this book because whilst I was totally hooked while reading it, it took me so much longer to read than it should have. With Queen of Shadows, I was frequently thinking about the book in between reading it, but with this one I just wasn’t as bothered- I wasn’t constantly waiting for some free time to next pick it up, and it kind of felt like, at times, it dragged on a little bit in that respect. (This is probably going to get spoiler-y, sorryyyyy)
I found myself becoming slightly less enamoured with Rowan and Aelin in this book, and I’m definitely far more invested in Elide and Lorcan after finishing it (eek don’t hate me😂). I understand and appreciate how much Aelin has grown from the first book, but at times she just felt overbearing, and the ‘keeping secrets from literally everyone’ aspect of the plot started to get annoying towards the end. Nearly every single plot point was planned by Aelin, and it felt a bit lazy to keep using the same formula for setting up plot twists- also how convenient that Aelin always happens to be right about things and always has a ridiculously solid plan in place. Also, Rowan felt more like an extension of Aelin in this book than I’m okay with. I adored their relationship in the previous books but it just felt a bit bland here, like a lot of his personality was replaced with being Aelin’s mate. I still love them but I just didn’t care for their storyline quite as much as I did others by the end (Elide !! and !! Lorcan !!)
No matter how much I may have been annoyed by certain aspects of Aelin in this book, she’s still a strong and beautifully complex character, and the ending ripped my heart to shreds. I’m surrounded by the teeny tiny little shreds of my now cold, dead heart. It was so brutal. I’ve come to really love Fenrys, Gavriel and Lorcan (give me the cadre any day) and so my heart was already wilting for them, and then Maeve essentially breaking Aelin, especially in the wake of Aelin’s acceptance that she has to die, threatened to break my heart. But, in the end, it was the state that the whole entire group is left in that properly broke me. Aedion and Lysandra’s dynamic in absolute tatters (I love them, waaaah), Rowan’s inherent brokenness at losing Aelin, Elide’s condemnation of Lorcan at the end that cracked my SOUL (I’m dramatic, hi). Honestly, if the only thing that gets nicely resolved in the next book is Elide and Lorcan’s relationship, then I’m okay with it (they’re so precious and wonderful, I’m so attached to Elide, and Lorcan is exactly the type of morally ambiguous character that I can’t resist- watch me completely fall apart over a fictional couple, oh god😂)
Manon is honestly such a gift. She has grown so damn much since she was first introduced, and her journey in this book is honestly one of my favourites. Her and Dorian’s feelings (is that what it is?? I don’t know but sign me up because I love them) developing throughout this book were so intrinsic to her working out who and what she is- breaking away from the monster that her grandmother has made her to be, and realising that human emotions aren’t necessarily the weakness she has been taught to see them as. Asterin is also wickedly brilliant and I really want more of her in the next book because she’s so intriguing, I love how easily she treats Elide as one of them. I can’t talk enough about Elide and Lorcan, they’re so bloody wonderful. Elide is so magnificently strong and determined; Lorcan is icy as hell, glowering and pessimistic; and together they’re the cutest thing in the world. I’m a sucker for ‘breaking-through-the-darkness’ type love stories: characters like Lorcan realising that, against all odds, they love this sweet and wonderful character like Elide (not to mention she’s badass as hell), and as cliche as it is I can’t help but love it. Rowan and Aelin who?? I’m here for Elide and Lorcan and no one can stop me😂.
I think the main problem I have with this book is that so much happens, and yet it just felt slightly disjointed. So much that takes place is something that Aelin has already pre-planned for, and as much as I adored the fact that Ansel and Ilias were brought back at the end, I don’t love the idea that it ends with Lysandra posing as Aelin. Characters drive so much of stories for me, and so leaving the group entirely splintered breaks me, and yet I still feel like lots of this book was admin. I don’t know, I really don’t know. I don’t know how I feel about this book at all. I think my main issue is that I absolutely loved Queen of Shadows, and this book just wasn’t quite on the same level. I’m not overly disappointed or anything, I think the problem is simply that I want to be sat here saying it was amazing, but it just wasn’t quite there. I still really loved it. I’m contradicting the crap out of myself, but if you’re still following what I’m saying, despite all this I did really enjoy it. Maas’ writing is so captivating and I’m complete trash for it at this point. She has the ability to beautifully form realistic dynamics and relationships between characters (Aedion and Lysandra; Elide and Lorcan; Manon and Elide; I’ll stop but you get the picture), and I’m completely in love with it. Sorry this review is such an incoherent mess, but that’s kind of how I feel about the book, so atleast it fits😂.
ashlynamsden's review against another edition
5.0
Flawless yet gut wrenching. Pissed I now have to read about Chaol
tashaw's review against another edition
4.0
The story was great, but I can't commit to 5 stars because I was so tired of EVERYONE being the most BEAUTIFUL person who ever lived, and every male and female who spent more than one scene together fell in love.