publisher: Bloomsbury USA
date of publication: August 7, 2012
format: digital review copy
pages: 416
source: Netgalley
From Goodreads:
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.
Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.
Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.
Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.
There are some books that just grab hold of your attention and won't let go. There are others that rekindle diminished interest in particular subjects or genres. There are also books that cause you to lose sleep because you just can't stop thinking about how great it was. As I came to learn, Throne of Glass is all 3. Every single bit of hype this book has received is very much well-earned and I am so glad to have read it, even if I did stay up all night reading and finished it within a 10 hour period (those pesky meals cut into reading time, after all).
Celaena Sardothien is one of the most amazing female characters I have had the pleasure of being introduced to. From the very beginning, you can see that she is fierce, sarcastic, and fearless, all of which are great qualities in an assassin. It's obvious that she has a strong will as evidenced by her strong will and resilience. To have survived the things she has is proof positive that she is a force to be reckoned with. The leading males in the story, Prince Dorian and Captain Westfall, each have their strengths and weaknesses that make them fascinating to learn about. Where Dorian appears to be conceited and abrasive on the outside, inside he is a sad young man with little to no say in his future. Captain Westfall, on the other hand, is enigmatic, churlish, and difficult to figure out. Once you do, though, it's hard to dismiss him, which is a nice quality to see in a character. When they take you by surprise when you least expect it, it's an awesome thing.
This story is truly an epic one. It could last for several installments and I would be happy to read every single one. The action and events seen within are nothing short of gripping. The threats Celaena encounters and the way she deals with them are captivating. I say captivating because I really was reluctant to put the book down at all due to the driving need to see what would happen next. The settings range from horrific (the mine), to spectacular (the palace), to spooky (the passages). They really set each scene with vivid descriptions and thorough attention to detail. Each is explained so well that picturing each one is wonderfully easy. This is storytelling at its best.
There are some spectacular books coming out this summer, and I can vouch that Throne of Glass is one of the best. If you are a fan of fantasy stories and kick-ass heroines, you can't do better. With fascinating characters, awesome backdrops, just the right amount of tension, and a fantastic plot, Throne of Glass ensures you will have a great reading experience. Get yourself to your local bookstore quickly. Throne of Glass is a must-read that would be well-placed at the very top of your TBR pile.
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Obligatory legal
statement: This digital review copy was provided to me free of charge by the
publisher via Netgalley. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for
this fair and unbiased review.
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