“But death was her curse and her gift, and death had been her good friend these long, long years.”—Sarah J. Maas
(4.5/5⭐️) Adarlan’s assassin has been unleashed. Celaena Sardothian has won the king’s brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet, the king is evil and she is far from loyal. This is a secret she must hide at all costs, even from those she loves. It isn’t just her life in danger, but Chaol’s and Nehemia’s too. But Celaena isn’t the only one keeping secrets. Everyone around her has them too. As she begins to unravel the mysteries beneath the castle, these secrets come to light, an an unthinkable tragedy rocks Celaena to her core. As everything around her shatters, she must decide where her loyalties lie.
Sarah J Maas’s writing transforms and Crown of Midnight far surpasses its predecessor. As her second book, the growth is obvious and excellent. We see Celaena as she ought to be—brutal, believable, and morally gray. I was skeptical upon reading Throne of Glass, but this book rescued the series for me. I absolutely loved the deft techniques Maas employed in weaving together the secrets and storylines across each page.
Celaena’s character is tested. She’s thrown into many difficult situations that force her to make choice after choice. She is far from perfect. She doesn’t always make the best decisions or use flawless reasoning. She is human (or not?). I loved that her decisions had consequences, and that she burned some bridges. It felt so realistic. Moreover, her character as an assassin this time around was SO MUCH BETTER than in the first book.
“I worry because I care. Gods help me, I know I shouldn't, but I do. So I will always tell you to be careful, because I will always care what happens.”
The romance between Celaena and Chaol was OMG. You could feel the smoldering looks they shared. You could feel how much they cared for each other. I loved the way they progressed and grew together. And I was heartbroken for them by the end. As far as romance goes, theirs was quite satisfying. Though, I did feel bad for Dorian having to watch everything unfold. I was proud of him for remaining mature about it all. He had his own inner demons to face, and I was glad that he and Celaena were able to remain friends by the end.
The feels in this book were on point. It made me feel a lot. Happiness, sadness, frustration, elation. There was plenty of suspense. Once the pages got turning, it was difficult to stop.
“Some things you hear with your ears. Others, you hear with your heart.”
The world building evolved, and we learned a little more about the fae, which I appreciated. We also learned more about the king’s power, and the history magic. There was so much foreshadowing that when the big reveal at the end happened, I wasn’t really TOO surprised. I had my suspicions, even as early as book one. Though it was very satisfying to have it confirmed. There’s nothing a reader loves more than being proved right.
I’ve been told these books get better and better, and that thrills me. I can already see this happening after having read two. I can’t wait to see more growth from Celaena’s character. Especially how she’s going to handle her next “mission”. I’m eagerly anticipating Heir of Fire, which I will tackle next month!
Recommended? Yes! Absolutely. This book is a perfect YA fantasy for all ages.