A review by fernfuentes
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

4.0

I did the tandem read, so I’m just going to review Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn as one. Pretty much everyone I spoke to agrees that tandem is the only way to do it with these books, and I can see why. The back and forth was a hassle, especially given that I read hardcovers, but it was worth it in the end. Although I mostly see it as a single entity, if I had to pick a favorite, it would be Tower of Dawn. I absolutely love the relationship between Chaol and Yrene, and I think Chaol is just such a redeemable character. But I will say Manon’s transformation since she was first introduced has also been awesome to see.

Empire had such a tragic ending, and all I can say is finally!!! No spoilers, but It was nice to see SJM write something tragic, and not backpedal on it 5 minutes later.

But then again, she did exactly that for the ending of Tower, but I find it more acceptable because there’s still a lot to lose with that choice.

Overall, it’s crazy to think how this story has evolved since the first book. It truly is an epic story with so many parts. I can’t wait to see how it wraps up in the gargantuan Kingdom of Ash!