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emilywemily6's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
5.0
Did I like this more than Empire of Storms?? Crazy. It was definitely slower paced, but felt very cohesive. I also loved that Chaol had a beautiful redemption arc- I hated him the last few books and this book actually changed my mind. I really appreciated getting to see the nuance and inner turmoil of his character. I adore Yrene and I also love Nesryn and Sartaq and felt like I was interested/invested in every plot line of this book. It ends much more hopeful than EoS so I feel like it fits in the series better before EoS if you don’t want to do the tandem read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Cursing, Gore, Torture, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child death, Drug use, Infidelity, Racism, and Alcohol
savage_book_review's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I have conflicting thoughts on this book having now read it as its own entity rather than as part of the tandem read. One one hand, it feels like a side-quest or spin off, rather than part of the main narrative arc, and while I don't really get the general hate for Chaol, having him as the main character and away from the rest of the group doesn't help lift the storyline. However, at the same time this is the first book in the series where I've felt that inexplicable draw to just keep reading/listening, even when it's going to make me late/keep me up/stop me from doing more important things. And not just because I wanted to get through it so I could start Kingdom of Ash. I was just more invested than I was expecting!
I like the final pairings that result from this story, but then all of the pairings up to now have felt 'right', and they've mostly fallen apart! There's a lot of serial monogamy going on, and while it doesn't sit quite right with me just how quickly the various feelings seem to come and go, I can appreciate that it's a good illustration of the characters' growth. That being said, the writing of the developing relationships here is a bit clunky in places; the change in Yrene's feelings especially feels really uneven. Considering how good SJM is at writing the enemies-to-lovers trope, this one really falls short of the mark.
I also love that, even with Aelin sidelined, little tidbits if her story so far start to pay dividends here. The reader gets to be in the know while characters remain in the dark (to an extent), and some of the payoffs that result are beautifully done.
But. This read through is also the first time I've found myself getting annoyed with one of SJM's writing 'tics'... I can laugh about the vulgar gestures and the watery bowels, but the amount of times she measures moments in heartbeats really started to get to me. I probably don't pick up on this as much when physically reading the books (and I don't recall it ever bothering me in previous reads), but the phrasing, coupled with the narrators almost identical inflections every single time this came up really makes the sheer volume of usage stand out.
Quick question regarding the narrator and Yrene's voice... am I going mad, or has she dropped the accent she used for Yrene is Assassin's Blade? Seems very unlike her to change the voice of a character half way through...
I am able-bodied, and cannot imagine being in Chaol's situation. Indeed, I suspect I'd be as desperate for a cure as he is. But I appreciate that the 'disabled person hating themselves because they can't walk' storyline has been used elsewhere in the past, and has been criticised for belittling the people and emotions behind these scenarios. Obviously in this case the fantasy setting makes a cure more readily available, and Chaol's emotions are part of the problem, but I just keep wondering if his character arc (and 'redemption' for want of a better word) would have been better served by his having to adapt and grow despite his disability? But then would it fit the world the character lives in? I just don't know.
Overall, this book is definitely better read in tandem with 'Empire of Storms', but nevertheless is still engaging and stands on its own merits. It certainly is not the best book in the series, but is a nice little breather before the emotional rollercoaster of KoA.
I like the final pairings that result from this story, but then all of the pairings up to now have felt 'right', and they've mostly fallen apart! There's a lot of serial monogamy going on, and while it doesn't sit quite right with me just how quickly the various feelings seem to come and go, I can appreciate that it's a good illustration of the characters' growth. That being said, the writing of the developing relationships here is a bit clunky in places; the change in Yrene's feelings especially feels really uneven. Considering how good SJM is at writing the enemies-to-lovers trope, this one really falls short of the mark.
I also love that, even with Aelin sidelined, little tidbits if her story so far start to pay dividends here. The reader gets to be in the know while characters remain in the dark (to an extent), and some of the payoffs that result are beautifully done.
But. This read through is also the first time I've found myself getting annoyed with one of SJM's writing 'tics'... I can laugh about the vulgar gestures and the watery bowels, but the amount of times she measures moments in heartbeats really started to get to me. I probably don't pick up on this as much when physically reading the books (and I don't recall it ever bothering me in previous reads), but the phrasing, coupled with the narrators almost identical inflections every single time this came up really makes the sheer volume of usage stand out.
Quick question regarding the narrator and Yrene's voice... am I going mad, or has she dropped the accent she used for Yrene is Assassin's Blade? Seems very unlike her to change the voice of a character half way through...
I am able-bodied, and cannot imagine being in Chaol's situation. Indeed, I suspect I'd be as desperate for a cure as he is. But I appreciate that the 'disabled person hating themselves because they can't walk' storyline has been used elsewhere in the past, and has been criticised for belittling the people and emotions behind these scenarios. Obviously in this case the fantasy setting makes a cure more readily available, and Chaol's emotions are part of the problem, but I just keep wondering if his character arc (and 'redemption' for want of a better word) would have been better served by his having to adapt and grow despite his disability? But then would it fit the world the character lives in? I just don't know.
Overall, this book is definitely better read in tandem with 'Empire of Storms', but nevertheless is still engaging and stands on its own merits. It certainly is not the best book in the series, but is a nice little breather before the emotional rollercoaster of KoA.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
spatterson7's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Chronic illness, Confinement, Suicide, Torture, and Fire/Fire injury
aksmith92's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
3.5
I read Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn as a tandem read, as requested by most BookTokers I've seen out there. Many recommend this because they love Aelin and Rowan and didn't want to be a part of them for one whole book; plus, there will ALWAYS be Chaol haters. I honestly don't care much about Aelin and Rowan (sorry!), and I am notoriously known for thinking there is more than meets the eye with Chaol. But, I will admit it: the tandem read slightly improved my experience with my Throne of Glass journey. While reading nearly 1400 pages, give or take, seemed daunting, I did fly through this read (these reads?).
Set up: The main characters are thrown into every direction as war breaks out between citizens and the infamous Vlag. Empire of Storms follows Aelin, Rowan, Dorian, Manon, Lysandra, Aedion, Elide, Lorcan, and others we know and love. Tower of Dawn follows Chaol and Nesryn as they trek to the southern continent to, hopefully, gain support from the kaghan there in the upcoming war. Also, to see if they can get Chaol walking again. In this book, we meet Yrene again after briefly meeting her in The Assassin's Blade.
What I liked: Lysandra. I also enjoyed Elide's and Lorcan's characters. I liked their romance. Theirs didn't feel forced per se, but their POVs were sometimes redundant. Finally, I was invested in this plot. I wanted to see how SJM wove in all the moving pieces and how it would end. I was invested. I didn't see TOO many plot holes. This is some decent high fantasy plotting.
What I didn't like: Aelin. Always. She's so annoying, even if she spouts some funnies occasionally. I didn't enjoy Rowan and Aelin either. "Just bang!" I would say throughout this novel, and THEN they did, and I was underwhelmed. Something about velvet-strapped steel also just....yuck.
Set up: The main characters are thrown into every direction as war breaks out between citizens and the infamous Vlag. Empire of Storms follows Aelin, Rowan, Dorian, Manon, Lysandra, Aedion, Elide, Lorcan, and others we know and love. Tower of Dawn follows Chaol and Nesryn as they trek to the southern continent to, hopefully, gain support from the kaghan there in the upcoming war. Also, to see if they can get Chaol walking again. In this book, we meet Yrene again after briefly meeting her in The Assassin's Blade.
What I liked: Lysandra. I also enjoyed Elide's and Lorcan's characters. I liked their romance. Theirs didn't feel forced per se, but their POVs were sometimes redundant. Finally, I was invested in this plot. I wanted to see how SJM wove in all the moving pieces and how it would end. I was invested. I didn't see TOO many plot holes. This is some decent high fantasy plotting.
What I didn't like: Aelin. Always. She's so annoying, even if she spouts some funnies occasionally. I didn't enjoy Rowan and Aelin either. "Just bang!" I would say throughout this novel, and THEN they did, and I was underwhelmed. Something about velvet-strapped steel also just....yuck.
"She really tortured them, she realized, by shoving her way into danger whenever she felt like it. Perhaps she'd try to be better about it if this dread was at all like what they felt." LOL, yeah, AELIN.
This (these) book(s) also did teeter on the ROMANCE scale so much. I was finally glad not to have a love triangle anymore, and thankfully, those (kinda) went away, but everybody is paired with somebody. I'm not sure why it annoyed me because I've read other books where this happens (Roots of Chaos - Samantha Shannon), but I don't think anybody quite hypes it up and makes it a considerable plot point like SJM. I also wished I counted how many kisses characters gave at the "corners of mouths."
"She thought of the new, delicate scars on his back - marks from her own nails (*cough* sex *cough*), that he'd refused to heal with his magic, and instead had set with seawater, the salt locking the scars into place before the immortal body could smooth it over. Her claiming marks, he'd breathed into her mouth the last time he'd been inside her. So he and anyone who saw them would know that he belonged to her. That he was hers, just as she was his." WHAT. First. What? Second. How would people look at his back and be like THOSE ARE FROM F'in! Third. What. Fourth. The dramatics. Fifth. What. Lastly, they can do that with salt water? Since freaking when? This internal monologue was also the start of a BATTLE IN WAR. Lol. Just lol.
Lastly, there is a plethora of toxic perseverance and the glorification of war, which is something I must get used to with SJM writing. In addition [I'm putting a spoiler on this just in case], but
Overall, though, it was fine. This was a solid read (reads). However, I have officially decided that my TBR is too long for any more SJM. I will finish this series with Kingdom of Ash, and I will stop reading her works. Fated mates, toxic perseverance, and unnecessary romanticism of war simply isn't for me and I will officially put the books down after.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Chronic illness, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
Minor: Suicide
Suicide is mentioned but not talked about in detail (Tower of Dawn)anguawolf's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Chronic illness, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing, Infidelity, Slavery, Pregnancy, and War
readwithde's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I've always had a soft spot for Chaol, and it was cathartic to read through his emotional and physical healing. I appreciated how his injury/disability was handled: as something to work through and around, not a problem to be solved. His "sleuthing" with Yrene to find answers was fun, and I liked that this warrior still had trouble dealing with all the politics.
But the reason I loved this book so much is Nesryn's story. It was refreshing to have a BIPOC FMC with so many connections and interesting characteristics not become the "love interest" side character for Chaol's MC. I love that she chose herself over their relationship, and she chose to fight in her own way for help and answers in this war. Also, I love her being with Sartaq. She made meaningful choices, had interesting adventure and action sequences, and came away with arguably the most important hidden information in the series: Maeve's false identity and purpose in Erilea.
I read this book in tandem with Empire of Storms, and I think both books benefited from that choice. It helped the narrative flow well, giving the reader time to react to both sides, as well as balancing the heavy action of Empire of Storms with the lore of this book.
But the reason I loved this book so much is Nesryn's story. It was refreshing to have a BIPOC FMC with so many connections and interesting characteristics not become the "love interest" side character for Chaol's MC.
I read this book in tandem with Empire of Storms, and I think both books benefited from that choice. It helped the narrative flow well, giving the reader time to react to both sides, as well as balancing the heavy action of Empire of Storms with the lore of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Gaslighting
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Infidelity, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
jijina's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Violence, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, and Slavery
Minor: Pregnancy
itsebrumutlu's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
4.25
The reason I loved this book was actually other characters. First, Yrene. She and Chaol made sense, sure. But she's still too good for that chucklehead.
I knew that Nesryn was too good for Chaol even before and this book ensured me. And Sartaq. My lovely, brave, stupidly in love with Nesryn Sartaq. I freakin' love him. His crush on Nesryn long before meeting her was heartbreakingly good. I went "Aw" so many times.
Borte and Hasar just HAVE TO meet Aelin. Especially Hasar would love Aelin (at least, after a while). I think Borte would stress Aedion all the time like Aelin does. And I think Aedion and Sartaq would like each other very much.
I already cannot wait for Falkan and Lysandra to meet. When I realized that Falkan was related to Lysandra, I was so happy. Damn you, Maas for getting me all invested in all these characters. And making Chaol bearable.
I'm already anxious about the Kingdom of Ash. But I'm starting the book immediately at the same time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
sierrabowers's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I think this book was a good addition to the throne of glass series, but it was definitely not the best one. If I hadn’t done the tandem read, it would have been dreadful. I think the only way people should read this book is in conjunction with empire of storms. The ending was not as enthralling as EOS but definitely gave me motivation to hurry into Kingdom of Ash!!!! I think the journey that Chaol went through emotionally and physically is very important and shows the strength of people who live with physical disabilities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
nerdkitten's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Cursing, Drug use, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Racism, Sexual content, Blood, Stalking, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism