Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Throne of Glass

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Published: August 2012

ISBN: 978 1408832332

Rating 4.5/5

The cover on this is what drew me to the book – I love the colour and the visual effect of the character.  I have seen the US cover, and I far prefer this one personally.

From the start we follow Celaena’s journey as she is heavily escorted to accept a new challenge, one that gives a glimmer of hope and means that she will see the sun, rather than slave in the Salt Mines of Endovier as a slave for her crimes.  It is akin to a Cinderella type book in that respect.  Celeana, although she is young, is an assassin, and a renowned one at that.  She was taught by the master assassin at a very young age and has spilled more blood than she remembers. 

I thought it would be difficult to get close to Celaena as a character because of who she is, but I was wrong.  In many respects Celaena has to learn to live again, it’s been so long since she’s been anything else than a slave.  As a reader I got to see several sides to her, and the effect she had on those around her.  I enjoyed the way the story kept me guessing – the magical element wasn’t as prominent at the start of the story, but it does become an integral part of what makes it so page turning and highly addictive.   I liked the fact that Calaena didn’t know everything about what was going on, and that she came to trust others.   

The level of evil through magic in this book is hair rising and gory in places, which added to the thrill of finding out what exactly, was happening.

All in all a really good read, it had me hook line and sinker all the way through – I would have given it 5/5 if the romance had of gone a bit further at the end with the right person…and I’m not saying who, as you’ll have to find that out for yourself! I don’t want to ruin it ;)

Book synopsis:

Meet Celaena Sardothien. Beautiful. Deadly. Destined for greatness. In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake. She got caught. Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament - fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin's heart be melted?

Source – With thanks to the publisher and Netgalley