A review by rainydays191
Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

5.0

I'm quite literally speechless. I have never cried more, never smiled more, never felt more deeply for a set of characters. Nothing can top this.

It was truly devastating at the start with aelin captured and being tortured. I was sobbing. And then I'd remember Sam and sob even more. I didn't think I could possible cry more until Asterin and the rest of the thirteen came along. 
And Elide's cunning throughout the book and with the plan at the end, Yrene's courage, lysandra's strength to keep giving and take on the burden (even when Aedion was being an ass), Manon's character growth into becoming a queen of two peoples and taking them home, Asterin and the Thirteen's heartbreaking sacrifice to buy Manon and the witches a chance to go home - she deserved so much more that this world could give her and i hope shes happy in tbr Afterworld, (wish we saw more of Borte), Ansel of briarcliff's return and her companionship with both Aelin and Manon, Nesryn growing into the empress she will become, Evangeline melting Darrow's old heart. This is a tale of women supported with the magic of the old fae bastards who gave good comic relief. 

But Fenrys stole my heart in those first few chapters and the way he would've sacrificed himself twice for aelin. Their blinking communication still kills me. Gavriel was also such a sweetheart, helping elide during their journey. I'm devestated that aedion didnt get a chance at all to know him and the other way around too. Lord Lorcan Lochan finally stopped being an ass. 

I really wish we had more ilias and the silent master though (that was one thing I was disappointed with but honestly I didn't even miss it that much because so much was happening already). And the final goodbye to galan was pretty touching too - I'm intrigued by his character.

In fact that entire goodbye sequence was bittersweet. 

I love the little fledgling court.
The only thing that irks me is the fact that Aelin lost so much of her power, and Monon lost the Thirteen (each other's strengths). Why do the female characters always loose their power. I guess Dorian did too, but still, it's annoying. 

And finally chaol and Dorian. No words. I'm so glad we got to see their growth during the series, how they grew into their roles. I will always love them. My golden trio.

(And aelin, no character could ever top her. She bears it all no one else has to 😭)

I will always admire the way SJM was able to make us empathize with a fall in love with every single character regardless of how many pages we see them in. I'm still a little bitter that we didn't get to see Roland come back again.
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