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her0n's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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? No
4.0
xmenji's review against another edition
1.0
Thank god I finally managed to get through this book. What can I say? It kind of sucked and the parts that weren't even that relevant to the central plot dragged on waayyyy more than it should have. There is a blurb on the cover of the book by Colleen Houck that reads,
"Fans of Games of Thrones and the Hunger Games will love it!"
Um... I have read the entire Song of Ice and Fire books as well and the whole Hunger Games trilogy and this book is NOTHING like those series.
If you're like me and have played and enjoyed the Assassin's Creed videogames, you might envision one assassin as being sort of the more brooding type, maybe a no nonsense character who gets the job done whatever the cost might be and does it in the most stealthy way . Interesting villains, interesting dynamics between the assassin and other side characters, lots and lots of action and suspense going on... well you get the idea.
This book is the complete opposite of all that.
It's like the author has never read or watched anything that had anything to do with actual assassins and just woke up one day and thinks, like wowww, like wouldn't it be so much fun to write a book about a gurl assassin where she has to be in this competition like the hunger games?? Ooohhh, then let's put her in a glass castle, have everyone treat her like she's royalty. There will be balls and she'll wear lots of pretty dresses and all the guys will be all over her because she is so beautiful.
Which brings me to one of the most glaring problems this book has that I'm sure everyone who has read this book noticed, and it's that the book spends a good portion of the time emphasizing absolutely how beautiful the main character, Celaena is. Just nonstop needing to describe her perfect good looks despite having spent a year in a death camp. The book tells you over and over how beautiful she is and how she makes almost all of the court ladies jealous because of it. How all the guys adore her because she is so goddamn beautiful. Thankfully, the book tones this down around the last half or so because it did start to get annoying as hell.
Another problem is that even though the book's synopsis describes the story as being about a fierce competition, the book actually spends veeeeeerryyyy little time on that competition and a lot more time about really groundbreaking things (READ SARCASM) like Celaena (have I mentioned... she's an assassin??) actually LOVES reading and does that in her luxurious master suite while she isn't training for her competition. Like, no way!
Alright, to be fair that in itself isn't so bad. But the book spends a large portion of its time talking about really mundane scenes like these. Also, how the assassin (Celaena is an assassin!) always has the royal prince and the royal captain of the guard at her beck and call. Actually, it goes further than that. There are many occasions in this book where one of them will show up in Celaena's (the assassin as you'll hopefully recall) room while she sleeps. It was sort of the twilight-esque Edward Cullen fetish I guess they shared where they apparently enjoyed watching her sleep for a bit.
This isn't an assassin book. I don't know in what universe where the world's most deadly killers would be rounded up to fight in a competition that could result in death, but still be treated like royals, attend all of the extravagant balls, have the ability to wander the castle grounds without anybody really watching them.
The book is just flat out silly most of the time. The only time where I was actually at all intrigued was when Celaena, the assassin, discovers a secret entrance to this really creepy, but interesting secret passageway. But the book doesn't spend too much time with that part because obviously, that stuff isn't important right? No let's talk about the more interesting parts like what the assassin wore at the yulemas ball!
"Fans of Games of Thrones and the Hunger Games will love it!"
Um... I have read the entire Song of Ice and Fire books as well and the whole Hunger Games trilogy and this book is NOTHING like those series.
If you're like me and have played and enjoyed the Assassin's Creed videogames, you might envision one assassin as being sort of the more brooding type, maybe a no nonsense character who gets the job done whatever the cost might be and does it in the most stealthy way . Interesting villains, interesting dynamics between the assassin and other side characters, lots and lots of action and suspense going on... well you get the idea.
This book is the complete opposite of all that.
It's like the author has never read or watched anything that had anything to do with actual assassins and just woke up one day and thinks, like wowww, like wouldn't it be so much fun to write a book about a gurl assassin where she has to be in this competition like the hunger games?? Ooohhh, then let's put her in a glass castle, have everyone treat her like she's royalty. There will be balls and she'll wear lots of pretty dresses and all the guys will be all over her because she is so beautiful.
Which brings me to one of the most glaring problems this book has that I'm sure everyone who has read this book noticed, and it's that the book spends a good portion of the time emphasizing absolutely how beautiful the main character, Celaena is. Just nonstop needing to describe her perfect good looks despite having spent a year in a death camp. The book tells you over and over how beautiful she is and how she makes almost all of the court ladies jealous because of it. How all the guys adore her because she is so goddamn beautiful. Thankfully, the book tones this down around the last half or so because it did start to get annoying as hell.
Another problem is that even though the book's synopsis describes the story as being about a fierce competition, the book actually spends veeeeeerryyyy little time on that competition and a lot more time about really groundbreaking things (READ SARCASM) like Celaena (have I mentioned... she's an assassin??) actually LOVES reading and does that in her luxurious master suite while she isn't training for her competition. Like, no way!
Alright, to be fair that in itself isn't so bad. But the book spends a large portion of its time talking about really mundane scenes like these. Also, how the assassin (Celaena is an assassin!) always has the royal prince and the royal captain of the guard at her beck and call. Actually, it goes further than that. There are many occasions in this book where one of them will show up in Celaena's (the assassin as you'll hopefully recall) room while she sleeps. It was sort of the twilight-esque Edward Cullen fetish I guess they shared where they apparently enjoyed watching her sleep for a bit.
This isn't an assassin book. I don't know in what universe where the world's most deadly killers would be rounded up to fight in a competition that could result in death, but still be treated like royals, attend all of the extravagant balls, have the ability to wander the castle grounds without anybody really watching them.
The book is just flat out silly most of the time. The only time where I was actually at all intrigued was when Celaena, the assassin, discovers a secret entrance to this really creepy, but interesting secret passageway. But the book doesn't spend too much time with that part because obviously, that stuff isn't important right? No let's talk about the more interesting parts like what the assassin wore at the yulemas ball!
katie_barty's review against another edition
5.0
“Libraries were full of ideas—perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.” 🗡
bookplantadictlola's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Paving and plot development were really difficult to follow. So many times when talking or asking a question would propel the plot and the main character just sat and didn't ask.
emgows's review against another edition
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? No
5.0
aanhetlezen's review against another edition
4.0
Zal dit eindelijk de eerste serie worden die ik fantastisch ga vinden? (na Harry Potter, duh)
Update: nee
Ik kom niet door deel twee
Update: nee
Ik kom niet door deel twee
taylorturnsapage's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
_book_topia_'s review against another edition
5.0
This book had been on my TBR list for a long time. Friends had recommended it but I just never felt a pull to it like I did with other books. But...
In the middle of reading a big heavy book, I took a break and browsed the kindle and this little book popped up. So for half price I bought the book that had never made it to my currently reading pile. And it was the best decision I’ve ever made.
I found the first few chapters a little confusing and wondered if this was a story I wanted to invest in.....and Yes. Yes it was.
Celaena Sardothien is a deadly assassin who is currently a prisoner: slave in the Salt Mines of Endovier. You will love her by the end of this book. She’s taken to meet the one and only Prince Dorian, who wants her to become his champion and by doing so she will get to work for the Crown. She’s sassy, and takes no crap. She’s the hero of her own story and she’s fabulously unapologetic.
Dorian Haviliard is a spoilt, vain, womanising Prince. You will love him by the end of this book. His charm is a mask and you see him begin to question his life choices as the book comes to its conclusion.
Chaol Westfall is a loyal and earnest Captain of the Royal Guard. You will love him by the end of this book. Let me not beat about the bush. He’s the man I want Celaena to fall for. He helps to train her ready for the contest and slowly starts to have feelings for her. There’s a scene at the end of the book that got me and I fell in love with Chaol there and then.
Fleetfoot you will love the minute she enters the story.
There’s murder, magic, corruption and a ghost of a dead princess that holds a lot of secrets. What’s not to love.
I have now bought the next 2 books in the series. I need to know what happens next. I want to know what happens next.THAT’S HOW GOOD THIS BOOK IS.
In the middle of reading a big heavy book, I took a break and browsed the kindle and this little book popped up. So for half price I bought the book that had never made it to my currently reading pile. And it was the best decision I’ve ever made.
I found the first few chapters a little confusing and wondered if this was a story I wanted to invest in.....and Yes. Yes it was.
Celaena Sardothien is a deadly assassin who is currently a prisoner: slave in the Salt Mines of Endovier. You will love her by the end of this book. She’s taken to meet the one and only Prince Dorian, who wants her to become his champion and by doing so she will get to work for the Crown. She’s sassy, and takes no crap. She’s the hero of her own story and she’s fabulously unapologetic.
Dorian Haviliard is a spoilt, vain, womanising Prince. You will love him by the end of this book. His charm is a mask and you see him begin to question his life choices as the book comes to its conclusion.
Chaol Westfall is a loyal and earnest Captain of the Royal Guard. You will love him by the end of this book. Let me not beat about the bush. He’s the man I want Celaena to fall for. He helps to train her ready for the contest and slowly starts to have feelings for her. There’s a scene at the end of the book that got me and I fell in love with Chaol there and then.
Fleetfoot you will love the minute she enters the story.
There’s murder, magic, corruption and a ghost of a dead princess that holds a lot of secrets. What’s not to love.
I have now bought the next 2 books in the series. I need to know what happens next. I want to know what happens next.THAT’S HOW GOOD THIS BOOK IS.
sirislay's review against another edition
4.0
This story was amusing and engaging right from the start. It got a little slow in the middle but once the actual trials had started I was interested again. I wish it had fleshed out some characters a little more (Nox) but overall I like the concept and Celaena is a really fun protagonist.