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So, I bought this book and the first book of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series.
I decided to start reading this book, though, because, from my experience, the first works of an author are indicative of their personal writing style and their imagination, but not always as personalized as their later works.
Yes, you got that right, I wanted to take a taste of the author's writing before trying out her latest books!
And, I have to admit that this book did not disappoint me. Quite the opposite, to be exact!
Mrs. Maas writing style was quite unique. While reading this book I kept thinking that this is her first work and sensed that some things needed a more personal touch. But exactly the fact that this was the first book she probably ever published, it delivered amazingly!
I kept missing something, which led me to not categorize this book as a favorite of mine, even if I gave it 5 stars!
But throughout my reading of this book, I could almost feel all the potential this series and this author has. And, considering the fact that I have this book in my TBR pile for quite a few years, but hadn't even realized the hype all around it, this potential might have been exploited in the following books of the series.
Celaena, the main heroine, is indeed a very brave and badass young woman who, orphaned at a very tender age, was taken under the care of the King of Assassins, who made her the best and most known assassin of Erilea.
The protagonist is really a character worth reading about, and I immensely enjoyed knowing her thoughts and reading about her adventures.
The story starts with her as a slave of the tyrannical King of Erilea, making us really crave to know what made her the best assassin, and also how she was captured!
While a few hints of her past are given, I came to realize that we really know next to nothing about her previous life, before she arrived at the court of the King to serve as his son's Champion!
Celaena is given a choice, to either become the Crown Prince's Champion and win in a contest of assassins, thieves and soldiers, where the winner will become the King's assassin, or keep on being a slave in Endovier and ultimately die.
A quite interesting storyline, that narrates the dilemma an assassin sworn to get revenge on the King whose orders killed her people, is showed with.
While reading this book, I had the strong urge to share a few comments of my progress, something I rarely do. If you have noticed those comments, you will know that I showed a preference for one of the male heroes, quite early on the book.
That person is Chaol, Captain of The King's Guard and childhood friend of the Crown Prince, Dorian.
While Dorian is describe as, oh, so handsome and glamorous, and everything, Chaol has his own qualities, which I believe are better in a person. Dorian was also a reader, and was said to be able to converse with Celaena for multiple hours, about a variety of subjects. But this was the only thing he had going for him, in my opinion!
Chaol was loyal and found it difficult to trust an assassin, who killed people, a fact that went against all of his instincts of guarding, even if by the end he had grown to be much warmer towards her.
I don't particularly enjoy love triangles, but in this book it wasn't so apparent. Mainly because Celaena was quite oblivious of one of the two heroes' qualities and feelings, for the best part of the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed the protagonist's friendship with Nehemia, a Princess from Eyllwe. Their relationship was tested quite a few times throughout the book. But, Nehemia also proved to be a brave young woman.
I also loved the fantasy aspects of this book! There was suspense, mystery, mixed with some magic, magical beings and portals to other, dark worlds. There were numerous villains, but quite a few unexpected friendships, too! I would definitely love to see more of Nox in the future!
All in all, 5 stars for a great start to a series that
seems to have so much potential to become an
even greater adventure of a badass heroine.
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