Book Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.
But her heart never wavers.

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

Best Bits: So, it took me forever to start Throne of Glass after I purchased my copy. I can't believe I waited so long! Now, most people who come here often know that I tend to find the second book in a planned trilogy to be the weakest (usually the characters don't develop much, and sometimes the plot can feel stagnant), but huzzah, that wasn't the case with this one! The reader gets to learn more about the backgrounds of the characters, and watch how their choices to fulfill their duty or follow their beliefs impact every aspect of their lives. Maas also doesn't dumb down her plot, which is so refreshing. I spent a majority of this book trying to guess at what was really going on, trying to connect the dots with the information we gathered in book one with the clues that are being dropped in this one. Plus, Mass has created the perfect ratio of action/story to romance. It definitely plays a larger role in this book, but the story focuses more on how strong Celaena can be, and how that doesn't mean avoiding her emotions.

Nit Picks: Although I really enjoyed reading this one, there were parts that felt a bit drawn out. Perhaps this is because there are multiple different stories being told within Crown of Midnight. Due to the very different nature of each sub-plot I think that at times the pacing felt slowed down when the story moved away from the action.

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass 2)
By Sarah J. Maas
Published by Bloomsbury USA
432 Pages
Received for Review
Rating: B