Throne of Glass

 

One of my favorite fantasy series is Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. The first book will always be my favorite because it perfectly blends action, romance, and mystery into one.  

The story follows 18-year-old Celaena Sardothien who is Adarlan's most notorious assassin. She is serving a year in the salt mines of Endovier as punishment for her crimes. Prince Dorian Haviliard and his Captain of the Guards, Chaol Westfall, offers her a chance of freedom if she competes in a "Hunger Games" like contest to be the King's Champion. If she wins, she will have to serve him for four years and then her freedom will be granted. She reluctantly accepts and begins to train with Chaol for the deadly competition. She is in bad shape after a year of being in the salt mines and has been malnourished for so long that she is weak and thin. Despite this, her natural talent as an assassin allows her to outperform many of the other contestants. Her beauty, which used to be her pride and joy, has diminished after being in the salt mines as well. But she is happy to be surrounded again by rich foods, beautiful clothing, and jewelry. All things she loved in her former life. As the competition continues, evil things begin to happen. Several competitors are being murdered before each contest and nobody can figure out who is doing it. As Celaena starts to quietly investigate on her own, what she discovers isn't just a mere assassin behind the murders... it's magic. Dark magic, long thought to be vanished, has resurfaced and she realizes that this competition is way deadlier than she had imagined. Celaena must uncover the truth before she becomes the next victim. 

One of the reasons I love Throne of Glass is that while the romance part is an important aspect of the book, it never overthrows the actual plot and the thrilling fantasy elements. Although the love triangle between Celaena, Chaol, and Dorian stresses me out sometimes, it keeps me entertained throughout the story. Another thing I liked about the book is that it is written in a variety of points of view. This includes Celaena(mostly), Chaol, and Dorian. So it is very interesting to read how different characters perceive each other and the world around them. For example, Chaol appears cold and stern to Celaena, but as we get into his point of view, it turns out he really likes and cares about her. On the other hand, Dorian's point of view offers a more humorous aspect of the book, which provides an escape from the darker, more intense moments in the plot sometimes. I really recommend this book and once you start, you won't want to stop reading! 

-Yelina :)