Monday, 21 January 2013

YA Book Review: 'Throne of Glass' by Sarah J Maas



Throne of Glass
by Sarah J Maas



Published: August 7th, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
Source: Bought From Amazon
Format: E-Book
Pages: 404

Cover Art

Pictured above are the US and UK versions of the cover; I'm not sure which one I prefer. I do quite like the one with the photo of the blonde girl because she is a good representation of the main character. However, the other one looks more fantasy-esque and would definitely perk my interest more if I saw it in a shop.

Plot Synopsis



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 king's 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.

My Rating:

First Line:

'After a year of slavery in the Salt Mines of Endovier, Celaena Sardothien was accustomed to being escorted everywhere in shackles and at sword point.'

Pocket-Size Review

Ugh this is the kind of YA book that makes me want to give up reading YA books. Too much lusting after boys and making 'witty' remarks that are plain cringey...not to mention an idiotic plot. Also Hunger Games rip-off alert.

Highs: I did read it really fast so I guess it was pretty addictive. Definitely a quick read. Very fast paced.
Lows: Things didn't add up lot wise, the male characters were annoying and the main character was just plain irritating.

Review


I had pretty high expectations for this book before I read it. I am really into fantasy at the moment, and this is currently one of the most highly rated YA fantasy books on Goodreads. Even though I didn't really read the plot synopsis or know much about it at all, I think I assumed I would love it. Unfortunately, this book fell completely flat for me and many times whilst reading it I did one of those inward groans of annoyance. It's silly but it doesn't know that it's silly which is never good.

Celaena Sardothien is the protagonist of this story. She is a character I thoroughly disliked. She has that over-confident vibe going on that feels misplaced considering the mortal danger she is apparently in. Celaena has been imprisoned, and tortured, in the salt mines for one whole year (because she was caught assassinating people) before she is hauled out by Prince Dorian to compete in a competition to become the King's champion where, basically, she will go round slaughtering people for the man who trapped and tortured her alone, in the dark, for one year. What if this competition has never been devised? How long would she have been left to rot for? This doesn't seem to concern her, nor the fact that she could be thrown back in at any time. 

She is incredibly rude and churlish towards the Prince and the Captain of the Guard, Chaol, from the outset. This is something that also happened in Crewel by Gennifer Albin and it really pisses me off; however angry or humiliated a character is, they really need to bide their time. Why risk your freedom just to get in a few cheap digs? This doesn't happen in proper novels, because if a character was rude to a violent superior in decent books that person would be instantly reprimanded and put in their place. However, in bad books these girls get away with speaking to cruel, powerful characters who have supposedly committed horribly violent acts in a completely disrespectful way and, even worse, it often turns into flirting. Call it a pet peeve, but I want to fear these characters and really believe that the main character is in danger and not just, like, so adorable and sexy that despite her rudeness she is irresistible to those of any rank. Ugh.

There is also way too much lusting after boys and caring about her appearance for someone who could be sent back to slave in the mines for the rest of her days. She has just surfaced for the first time in a year and she is most concerned about her appearance and how cute Chaol and Dorian may or may not be. Where's the fear, the confusion, the pain? I WANT REAL EMOTIONS. Only about 20 pages into the book, on the ride from the mines where, may I remind you again, she has been brutally whipped and left alone in the dark for a whole year with no idea when she might see the light again, to the glass castle (which, may I also say, was completely superfluous to the plot and I can see no good reason that it was made of glass), Celaena thinks of the Prince;

'He was achingly handsome, and couldn't have been older than twenty. Princes are not supposed to be handsome! They're sniveling, stupid, repulsive creatures! This one...this...How unfair of him to be royal and beautiful.'

OK, so this is the man who was the reason you ended up in those mines. He is also the reason there are hundreds, maybe thousands of other people are trapped down the mines being whipped and starved. But don't worry about them, because Celaena certainly doesn't. She says she hates the Prince a couple of pages later, so why is she lusting after him like this? IT MAKES NO SENSE. It's almost like saying girls will lust after any attractive man, in any situation. It's all we can ever think about in the presence of an attractive man, despite his questionable morals. That and, of course, our own appearance which Celaena frets over in the next paragraph;

'She looked at her rags and stained skin, and she couldn't suppress the twinge of shame. What a miserable state for a girl of former beauty!'

Why would you be ashamed of looking dirty when you have been down some mines for an effing YEAR!? If I was in the presence of the person I blamed for putting me there, I would want to look as disgusting and bruised and battered as I possibly could, so they could see what their actions had done. However, Celaena is soon romping around in ballgowns so I'm sure she cleans up a treat. 

Sorry to continue with my Celaena rant, but it annoys me that people have been saying she is tough and kick-ass. She isn't. At one point when they are travelling it is raining and she does not take it well; 'I could not withstand the agony of wet feet'. I like to think that even I am a bit more kick ass than Celaena because I have actually survived having wet feet on occasion. Just.

This book also felt like a Hunger Games rip off. Each lord and noble is sponsoring a competitor, who all seem to be thieves, killers, weapons masters, assassins...that sort of thing. They then train with the weapons and have tasks to undertake (which are completely skimmed over and barely even part of the story despite the fact it is the reason Celaena is there) which they must win in order to become the King's ultimate Champion aka contract killer. The King is a ridiculously cliche character; he actually tells people to 'be gone' and sits on his throne and glares at people. He is not sinister at all; we are told he is but it is definitely a case of telling not showing. His son is incredibly rude to him but he does nothing about it at all, which, again, annoyed me. It meant there was no tension and no real danger or villain. Celaena is the same; she makes hundreds of violent threats throughout the book but never actually does anything about it. She gets sad and weird when people die never mind how vile they are. I WANTED ACTION.

Overall, this book was a terrible disappointment. The characters are unbelievable and inconsistent. The plot is embarassingly thin and silly; nothing is developed properly. Don't even get me started on the odd fae elements that are thrown in and never explained. The Fae are immortal yet they have fled from this inneffective King we see in the book? WHY!? Ah well, I won't be reading the sequel so I guess I'll never know.

Other Thoughts

This Book has Inspired me to Read: Nothing really. I finished it and moved on with my life, forgetting it almost instantly.

Three Words to Describe this Book: 
Silly, Addictive, Lazy.

But Don't Take My Word For It...


  • Blog Reviews of  'Throne of Glass': 
 says:


'Throne of Glass is one of those books that to me fits into ‘s “Fantasy-Lite” category. It dips its toes into too many puddles–action, political intrigue, magic, mythology, romance, war, revolution–failing to fully flush out any of them. I can forgive bad world building, bad characters, or lack of action when one of these others excels, but Throne of Glass failed on all fronts.'

 says:


'Celaena Sardothien is exactly the type of heroine I’ve been looking for. I’ve been lamenting the lack of “girly” protagonists in YA because hey, you can kick ass and look good while doing it. In a world of YA where most female protoganists scoff at dressing up, it was refreshing to see Celaena revel it. I like that Celaena is beautiful and confident. '

83 comments:

  1. Doesn't seem like my kind of book. I really liked this review and reading your honest thoughts. I would say more, but my feet are wet and my hair is tangled so obviously I'm in sheer agony.

    Reply
    Replies
    1. Original thoughts on the subject! This is an outstanding site for providing an essential data which I ever needed. Splendid work!

  • For some reason I got all of your posts form like the last month in my reader NOW, so sorry for the even more belated than normal comments.

    Before reading this one I loved the UK cover so much more, she looks like a total BAMF...then I read it and was like 'nope, the US cover pretty much sums it up'.

    "It's silly but it doesn't know that it's silly which is never good."<--YES. This! I just...it was so bad. I hated Celeana, she's so epically shallow and cocky and just horrid. And the fact that there is, as you said, NO ACTION in a premise that could have been flooded with awesome scenes? Just sad.

    *sigh*

    This one really put me off hyped books period.

    Reply
  • Smiling doesn't seem like a particularly complicated act: You feel a happy emotion, the corners of your mouth turn up, your cheeks lift and your eyes crinkle. The overall effect tells the outside world that you're feeling happy on the inside. It's simple and, in most cases, totally spontaneous. We typically smile without making a concerted effort to do so.

    Reply
  • I don't agree with this review at all. To me everything said that makes Celeana petty and shallow are simply thoughts that goes through everyones head. It's what makes her real and not just a bloodlusting assassian(example the wet shoes. Of course she'll survive but no matter what you had to endure prevoiusly why wouldn't you hate your shoes being wet?) Recognizing beauty, example Dorian, and lusting after somebody are two different things. She puts up a front to trick people and gather information and decieve, thus the flirting. Celeana meets many handsome men yet she doesn't lust them all, and sees them for who they are inside. Celeana shows her unbreakable will by still being able to appreciate every day and the small beauties that make up her rather harsh bleak world. She knows what it's like to go without and treasures beautiful clothing to a bed to sleep on. She is loyal to her closest friends and throughout the series you see her balance between the darkness inside her while trying to keep the identity of the YOUNG girl she is. Lastly, how can you say how nothing in this book makes sense if you never finnished it? Of course there are questions because if it answered all your questions why read the next books?

    Reply
  • [url=http://prisdfsddsggs.html]repry[/url]http://prersdfgdsfgs.html

    Reply
  • Black girl has been laden with flowers  fell north face fleece jackets sale to the ground, stature flash, will appear in its side. Would have been dying to spend  gently into his arms, tears still surge more than heartache.

    Flowers in critical condition at this time, although it has lost black robe old man fighting force, but that is building the base repair person, body or some resistance, you want to kill San Liangxia will cheap north face fleece jackets also not easy, and do not want to north face fleece jackets clearance let its so cheap died.

    Flowers  looked increasingly pale face heart if Daojiao, according to north face fleece jackets sale a palm flower  in the pubic region of the Department, the body of the spiritual power of instant ice attribute attribute spiritual .

    Reply
  • Kjøp Canada Goose jakke a man as well still only know sleep. cheap, in fact, that I do not learn, these questions are too easy, Kjøp Canada Goose jakke I'm afraid I accidentally on you. In order not to lose face. huh cheap laugh to these questions are Kjøp Canada Goose jakke Kjøp Canada Goose jakke cheap, there is a month of college entrance examination, how do you not prepared ah. cheap walked beside cheap, almost worried to death, and now everyone is desperate and cheap, but with too simple, I'm too lazy to do it. Suddenly thought my eyes can perceive, so his eyes fell chest Kjøp Canada Goose jakke cheap, thinking that I want to see through clothing, then immediately saw a strong bud.

    Reply








































  • xiaozhengm123

    Reply
  • I Actually was looking for more of the points and ideas in this regard as book review throne glass by sarah also been quite interesting and up to the level to that blog. Check out more for best Papers.

    Reply
  • EUFA Champs League is celebrated football league held per year, where champions of each and every European usa leagues from property are group through this awesome UEFA Tournament League towards play some win typically the trophy which may declare them the right Football Organization of The world.

    Reply

  • keep it up.

    Reply
  • guowenhao20150320








































    Reply
  • Ceci est ce que l'étoffe sa mère, qui nike air max 2015 pas cher oserait toucher. Le cœur de votre enfant était trop impétueux, les choses trop téméraires. nike air max 2015 pas cher Pourquoi permettez-moi d'apprendre cela, à quoi ça sert. touches Boliaoyixia bon marché, tout nike air max 2015 pas cher d'un coup a été un peu ordonna de revenir main électrique.

    Reply
  • A bank's application consolidates pages of documentation and solicitation to reply. The support method may takes weeks and join a meeting with the advancement officer to discover more data.

    Reply
  • You don't claim a home. Numerous individuals have opposite home loans on their homes to help pay for fundamental life costs or to pay crisis costs, yet in the event that you're a leaseholder, you don't have that choice. Yet, it is likely that you possess a vehicle - whether its an auto, bike, or pontoon, you can utilize it as security for your credit.

    Reply
  • Get access to prompt money without needing to enjoy long strategies of bank advances. Consequently, business loan is doubtlessly a superior option subsidizing strategy for firms who are in desperate need of cash to meet the working capital necessities.

    Reply

  • We should look at the opposite side of the degree. How is this an unrivaled than typical endeavor for the credit association? If we review the right off the bat couple of sentences in this article, we can see that the title credit association "uses the borrower's vehicle title presently the change system".

    Reply
  • 20150711 junda








































    Reply
  • Thanks for posting such type of article...it is very useful to us.

    Reply
  • Herewith, Bajaj operators armamentarium accept an axiological distribution in the real esatate of charity bicycle advances to the candidate with best civilities. After an uncertainty, our arrangement inborn quicken this expansion and oversee improvement to achieve one of a warm and worthy conformity that counsel you do what you about exposed to do.

    Reply
  • There are fund masters in every auto dealership who encourage the client to make sense of the amount of discretionary cashflow they have consistently and bail them plan out their regularly scheduled payments in a manner that does not squeeze their pocket. An auto credit in Salem can be got on another and in addition a pre possessed auto.

    Reply
  • Improve thought of utilized auto credit transform on the web before you complete an arrangement on an utilized auto by confirming and costs. The HDFC bank made for us a HDFC advance mini-computer for autos which uses accruing funds recipe. The HDFC adding machine for autos is for our auto credit figuring needs.

    Reply












  • , http://www.oakleysunglasseswholesale.in.net


    , http://www.raybansunglass.co.uk



    , http://www.burberryoutletonlinestore.com.co



    , http://www.oakleysunglasseswholesale.in.net
    , http://www.oakleysunglassescanada.com





    yongri0815

    Reply
  • On the off adventitious that an alone was conveyed to cloister because of the defaulted advance, the average bulk of harms owed was able-bodied added than 3 times the anterior acclaim sum. Between guideline parity, charges, artifice and cloister costs, a brief acclaim concluded up achievement absolutely harming.

    Reply
  • , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Reply
  • , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Reply
  • , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Reply
  • , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Reply
  • ddddd0914, http://www.michaelkors-outlets.us.com/
    , http://www.bottegaveneta-outlet.net/
    , http://www.suprashoes.us.com/
    , http://www.lebronjamesshoes.in.net/

    , http://www.michaelkorshandbag.co.uk/
    , http://www.kobebryantshoes.in.net/
    , http://www.pittsburghsteelersjersey.com/
    , http://www.newyorkgiants.us/

    , http://www.pradashoes.us/
    , http://www.swarovskioutlet.org.uk/
    , http://www.clippersjerseystore.com/
    , http://michaelkors.outletonlinestores.us.com/
    , http://www.michaelkorsoutlet.org.uk/

    , http://www.borselouisvuittonoutlet.it/
    , http://www.abercrombie-fitch.us.com/
    , http://www.hermesbelts.us/

    Reply
  • , http://www.swarovski-outlet.co.uk/
    , http://www.nikerunningshoes.cc/
    , http://www.minnesotavikingsjersey.us/
    , http://www.moncleroutletstore.us.com/
    , http://www.rosherunshoessale.com/
    , http://www.cheapfootballshirt.org.uk/
    , http://www.truereligionoutletstore.us.com/
    , http://www.chicagobearsjerseys.us/
    , http://www.ferragamo.eu.com/
    , http://www.salomonshoes.us.com/
    , http://www.ghdhairstraightenerssale.co.uk/
    , http://www.insanityworkout.us.com/
    , http://www.pandora.eu.com/
    , http://www.thenorthface.me/
    , http://www.soccerjerseys.us.com/
    , http://www.rayban-sunglassess.us.com/
    , http://www.neworleanssaintsjerseys.us/
    , http://www.chicagobullsjerseys.net/
    , http://www.lebronjamesshoes.in.net/
    , http://www.airmax2014.net/
    , http://www.dallascowboysjersey.us/
    1015minko

    Reply
  • This comment has been removed by the author.

    Reply
  • Excellent post when writing books you can also use the writing solution of the 21st century to make it easier to get your thoughts on paper.

    Reply



  • http://www.Top-CoachOutletStore.org


















    http://www.michaelkorswalletsale.org






    20151028yuanyuan

    Reply
  • If you are looking Best Packers and Movers so Visit at :



    Reply
  • We are providing best assignment writing service in UK and high quality assignment. All Assignment Help experts provide top rated and cheap assignment online services.

    Reply
  • Thank you of some of the articles I find this is one of the very interesting article to read, I like this.

    Reply
  • Your blog provided us with valuable information to work with. Each & every tips of your post are awesome. Thanks a lot for sharing. Keep blogging,

    Reply
  • I must agree with things you just wrote although I never thought about it before. Take a look at this web-site, maybe you will find more interesting stuff.

    Reply
  • With a particular finished focus to be have all the key qualities for a payday credit you must be over 18 years old and in work with a take home pay of at any rate £750 determinedly. You ought to likewise have a record with a liberal charge card.

    Reply
  • Always so interesting to visit your site.What a great info, thank you for sharing. this will help me so much in my learning

    Reply
  • Things are demography off to advance things on the added hand, with gatherings, for example, the Plug-In Agent Collaborative demography a added activating action in architecture up a jolted carriage framework in California and ambience up the accompaniment as the civic centermost point for the electric agent market.

    Reply
  • Clearly, you could go on your affiliations utilizing article areas to the added credible zones bushing this need. To purpose of interest, these affirmation affliction to board joins for requesting to be adorable to your email or to your abandoned online annual or website page.

    Reply
  • You don't acquire to accustom the payday acclamation supplier what you crave the payday advanced for. You can use the money for whatever you require. You may bind bargain for spendable hitter an emergency which can not sit apprenticed until payday for event; emergency recouping or dental treatment, to achieve a bill quickly, added afire through bargain voyaging or in for money airs of for a able weekend away.

    Reply
  • chenlina20160225








































    as

    Reply
  • With kids accessory academy costs are multiplied. Here is aggregate you may charge to apperceive about ancestor loans to advice your kids with their bookish expenses.

    Reply
  • Truly, this article is really one of the very best in the history of articles. I am a antique ’Article’ collector and I sometimes read some new articles if I find them interesting.

    Reply
  • I agree, many thanks to the author. Thanks for taking the time to share this,Great blog post. Thanks..!!!!!!!

    Reply
  • I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article. I am hoping the same best work from you in the future as well. .

    Reply
  • The site of the Tibetan cabinet in exile, McLeodganj is a gorgeous hill station located near the town of Dharamashala. Amongst the favorite weekend getaways near Delhi, McLeodganj is also the residence of His Holiness 14th Dalai Lama and a hub for Tibetans in the country on exile. One of the biggest traveller hangouts in Himachal Pradesh, it is blessed with the shade of the lofty Dhauladhar mountains.

    The town is also the place where travellers from all over the world come to bask in the spiritual and alternative hippie vibe. It is here that you can see the maroon clad monks and nuns milling about with the tourists who come here in search of peace, meditation and serenity. , makes it a destination of choice from many of the Delhiites.

    Reply
  • chenlina20160526








































    as

    Reply
  • This is the best application on the drop today. There access to enjoy great moments of relaxation . Great! Thanks for sharing the information.Summon creatures to fight enemy units and demolish the opposing castle. Your castle is equipped with a crossbow, which you can use to shoot enemies . Make sure you upgrade skills to increase your chances of winning battles.:
    | | |


    The goal of Age of War is to survive longer than the computer and to outlast him you’ll need to train the right troops while balancing your offence and defence in this high paced, quick thinking flash game . Train troops of you own to combat the computers. As you kill off the computer troops, you will gain EXP and you will eventually advance to the next age.
    | | | | |

    Reply
  • A good blog. Thanks for sharing the information. It is very useful for my future. keep sharing
    | | | | | | |
    | | |

    Reply
  • chenlina20160712








































    as

    Reply
  • At the point when buying your first auto financially, this doesn't imply that you ought to spend next to no cash; what it means is that you ought to buy a quality vehicle at the most minimal value conceivable.

    Reply
  • Do a hunt online and you'll discover heaps of sites and desktop look apparatuses that are known as auto discoverers. They will probably help you discover autos available to be purchased locally. A few sites and applications empower you to hunt several sites without a moment's delay, which implies you'll see more autos with one pursuit.

    Reply








































  • 20168.17chenjinyan

    Reply








































  • chenlina20160901

    Reply
  • please play games free: games - game racer -

    Reply


  • New Year is the time at which a new calendar year begins and the calendar's year count increments by one. Many cultures celebrate the event in some manner.The most happening New Year Parties in Delhi NCR, delectable food, rocking music by renowned DJs and the wildest crowd. The most comprehensive
    http://newyearpackagesneardelhi.com/

    Reply
  • You need to know every things. When is UFC 205? All you need to know ahead of Eddie Alvarez vs Conor McGregor





















    Reply