Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Vibe: assassin heroine • palace intrigue • deadly competition • training montage • love triangle • cake & couture
In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.
The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass—and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.
Picking up Throne of Glass felt like signing up for a wild YA fantasy sleepover where the main event was a deadly competition, the snacks were sarcasm, and the entertainment was Celaena Sardothien herself; the most extra assassin to ever strut across a page.
Celaena: The drama queen assassin of my heart
Celaena is dramatic, arrogant, and absolutely delightful. Half the time she’s boasting about her legendary skills, the other half she’s ogling gowns and desserts like a girl after my own heart. Did I roll my eyes sometimes? Yes. Did I also secretly live for her over-the-top flair? Also yes. She’s basically the poster child for “I can kill you with a hairpin, but only after I finish my cake.”
The love triangle? Oh, it’s here.
Chaol, the broody Captain with “I’ll die for you but also sulk about it” energy. Dorian, the charming prince with just enough swagger to make you forgive his privilege. And Celaena, caught between them while also trying to, you know, survive the cutthroat Hunger Games-but-make-it-medieval competition she’s been dumped into. Was it cliché at times? Absolutely. Did I eat it up anyway? Like it was the last chocolate cake in the glass castle cafeteria.
Chaol: Broody with a side of noble sulking
The Captain of the Guard himself. He’s got the “I’ll die for you but also scowl about it” energy down pat. He frustrated me at times, but that loyal, broody aura is exactly the kind of angst fuel YA fantasy thrives on. And to say that my heart didn't get caught up in him would be a very terrible lie.
Dorian: The prince who flirted his way into my good graces
Ah, Dorian. Charming, witty, and just the right amount of arrogant. He’s the type you want to smack and then immediately kiss. He may have privilege practically stitched into his tunic, but his playful swagger made me forgive him instantly.
Glass castles and cake cravings
The worldbuilding in this first book doesn’t hit quite as hard as later in the series, but the bones are there; magic whispers at the edges, danger lurks in the shadows, and the castle itself feels like it’s keeping secrets. You can tell Sarah J. Maas is just winding up to hit you with much bigger things down the line.
“Libraries were full of ideas—perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.”
Bottom line
Throne of Glass is messy, dramatic, and ridiculously entertaining. Is it perfect? No. But did I have fun? So much. And if you’re here for an arrogant assassin with a sweet tooth, a competition to the death, and enough sass to fill a glass castle... this is your starting line.
Scores — YA Fantasy
- Blade (stakes & momentum): 5/5
- Heart (character & relationships): 4.5/5
- Lore (worldbuilding & myth): 5/5
- Craft (prose & structure): 4.5/5
- Pull (unputdownable): 5/5
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