“‘No masters. No limits. No regrets.’ Celaena Sardothien is cloaked in her assassin’s hood once more. She is back in Rifthold, but this time she is no one’s slave. She must delve into her most painful memories and fight for her survival, while resisting a smouldering passion that might very well consumer her heart. And she will face her former master, the King of Assassins, again – to wreak revenge for a decade of pain.”
What is the book about?
Aelin is back in Rifthold after her adventures in Wedlyn and once more is hiding behind her fake identity as Celaena Sardothien, fearless assassin. However, now, she is under no one's control and answers to no one but herself. She has been a slave for too long, killing for whoever ruled over her at that time, and now she is finally free. However, before she can escape her old masters and find her way back home to Terrasen she must get something from her first one, something she once believed was lost but has just been kept hidden from her for too long. Then she can get revenge, on Arobynn, on the king and on anyone else unfortunate enough to cross her path and get in her way. But while she is trying to do all of this and defeat an evil bigger than anything she could ever imagine, she must also face some dark memories she has tried to push back for too long and fight to keep living in a world that has tried to break her too many times. Not only that but she also has to try to ignore some passionate feelings that have just kept growing and would just distract her from what she needs to accomplish. Will she manage to complete the tasks that may finally break her and return to her country, which she once believed she would never see again? And will she get her revenge for the things done to her since her escape from death at 8 years old?
What were your initial thoughts on the book?
I (nearly instantly after finishing Heir of Fire) grabbed Queen of Shadows, so insistent to continue the story that had started to become my personality. As I went deeper in the series, reading the books became the thing I most enjoyed and my designated reading time became the time I looked forward to most during the day. I was so excited to see Aelin return to Rifthold as a new person, a stronger person, a person ready to step into the role she had tried so hard to ignore. I was also interested to see the dynamic between some of the characters who had spent the previous book separate, leading their own adventures. My initial thoughts on this book were that it was going to be absolutely amazing and better than all the ones I had read before, which I had decided not just because my friend said it was her favourite book but also because of the fact that once again all the characters were going to be reunited. I was so excited to start reading and finished the book much quicker than I had expected (as it was quite chunky), probably because of how easy and enjoyable it was to read. I was in love from the very start and now I know that I was a complete idiot for not diving into this series sooner.
Who was your favourite character and why?
I loved loads of characters in this book but I would probably say that my favourite character was Lysandra. I honestly didn't think I would say this since reading The Assassin's Blade and didn't even think that I would ever see her again, but I guess her introduction in the prequel stories had a purpose far greater than to just explain some of Aelin's (Celaena's) past. As the book went on, I grew to really like Lysandra. She was brave and strong despite everything that she went through. She wasn't at all like the rude and selfish girl that I though she was, that Aelin thought she was. What she did for Evangeline was one of the kindest things ever and she did it even though she knew it would lead to her being enslaved to Clarisse for even longer. She was smart and so cunning and managed to take her revenge against some of the people who had used her. She could have gotten out and ran, but chose to go back and help, and was a strong friend for Aelin, which she really needed after Nehemia.
What was your favourite part of the book and why?
I loved many different parts of the book and honestly I don't think I could choose just one as my favourite. This whole book was absolutely amazing and was made that way because of all the different parts of the book. However, some parts that did stand out to me were those with Rowan and Aelin. If I'm completely honest, since reading the Grishaverse books by Leigh Bardugo I never thought I would ever meet another couple who I would ship so passionately that I would literally invest my whole life into them being together and would do anything to ensure they get their happy ending. Somehow, Sarah J. Maas managed to make me feel all that again with Aelin and Rowan so any part where they were together, either as just friends or finally as the something more I knew they had to be, holds a special part in my heart and made me react like some insane person who screams and cries and squeals at characters who do not exist outside their mind. These parts made me crazy but I loved them so much and I can't wait to see much more of the two of them in the next books.
What was your overall impression of the book?
I honestly can't even put into words how much I loved this book and I just wish I could go back and read it again. There were so many things that contributed to my enjoyment of this book and I don't think there was a single thing that I didn't love. One reason I loved Queen of Shadows was because of the fact that it was the best of both worlds. I had loved reading about Wedlyn in Heir of Fire, with the magic and the Fae and all the things that didn't exist in Rifthold because the King of Adarlan had made it all disappear. However, I had also enjoyed reading about Celaena in Rifthold, with all the people she had grown to care about and the people who made her who she was. In this book, it felt like both these places merged into one, because Celaena was back, but she wasn't the assassin she had been in the first books and instead was the magical and fearless Aelin who had spent time with the Fae overseas. And then when the Fae started to come to Rifthold and Aelin started planning something that would change everything, it was the most incredible thing ever. Another thing I enjoyed about the book was the multiple POVs. In the first 2 books (Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight) it felt like everything was just from Celaena's perspective and we had no real idea about what was happening outside of that. However, in Heir of Fire we got to see outside of Aelin's mind and learnt a lot about what was happening with Chaol and Dorian and the witches. Queen of Shadows took this to a whole new level with new characters and parts with the witches that were actually interesting (a big change from the ones that I had found boring in Heir of Fire). It made the book so interesting and I loved it. One last thing that I loved so much was the romance. In Heir of Fire I had still been a little hung up on Chaol and Celaena, but the introduction of a Fae warrior quickly changed that. However, I was annoyed that the two kept making it clear that they didn't want each other as I really felt they should be together and I finally got what I wanted in this book, which I will never stop ranting about. Queen of Shadows was amazing and I am so excited to continue with Empire of Storms.
Which book did you like better: 1, 2, 3 or 4?
I have loved every book in the series so far and am honestly so excited to keep going as the books just keep getting better as we go on. I believe that my favourite book now is probably Queen of Shadows for many reasons. Firstly, I feel like the books before this one were mainly just world building and were there to give you information so you aren't confused when reading Queen of Shadows and the rest of the books. When reading the first 3 books, I thought they were amazing and full of action and crazy plots, however looking back now that I have read the fourth book I can see that they were nothing compared to Queen of Shadows and the packed storyline that I experienced. Secondly, the romance cannot even be compared between Queen of Shadows and the other books. It is honestly so much better that the one in the previous books pales in comparison and I can't stop thinking about it and never will. It's one of the reasons I said Heir of Fire was better than the first 2 books and it's now one of the biggest reasons that Queen of Shadows is superior to all the other books I have read in this series so far. I am so excited to continue with the series mainly for this romance and know that it's just going to continue to get better. Finally, another thing that made me chose Queen of Shadows as my favourite is the fact that now Aelin is fully herself and has fully embraced the truth about herself and isn't hiding behind the mask of the assassin she grew up as. I love her so much more as Aelin and I am intrigued to see what she does in the rest of the books.
Would you recommend this book?
There is no doubt in my mind about how much I enjoyed this book and how much I believe that anyone else who reads it will also love it. I will never stop recommending that you read this book and the whole Throne of Glass series. I think it is the perfect read for over 16 year olds who enjoy romance, fantasy and thrilling adventure.
Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)
A wild, magical adventure full of friendship and romance that you will never stop thinking about.
Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego
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