The fantasy book series Throne Of Glass, by Sarah J. Maas, tells the story of a girl named Celaena Sardothien who, at ten years old, lost both her parents. She was taken in by a man known as the King of Assassins—the most dangerous and powerful killer in Adarlan, the area in which Celaena lived her life from the age of ten onward. He trained her into an impeccable, unstoppable killing machine. The first book is the beginning of an incredible adventure, that has provided me with countless hours of entertainment, suspense, laughter, and heartache. The best of literature is that that makes you feel. Happiness, sadness… all of it. And Sarah J. Maas does that in each and every single book that she writes.

     The pages of the Throne of Glass series are filled with witty remarks, incredibly strong female characters, magic, immense character development, and diversity. Maas gives readers a character they can relate to looking up to. She adores chocolate and candy, dogs, shopping, and books. She is also incredibly loyal to those who’ve earned her trust and is absolutely unapologetic for who she is. She fights for what—and who—she wants to without restraint. Her brilliant mind paired with her training makes her a formidable opponent for anyone who dares to stand in the way of her goals. One of my favorite aspects of the books is that, unlike so many others, love stories, don’t drive the plot. Additionally, romantic interests have their own storylines, as opposed to them simply being there as a love interest, giving you an actual reason to like the characters. And (in my opinion, most importantly) she’s flawed. She makes mistakes. And she learns from those mistakes—usually. 

     The first book is the jumping-off point and it begins with Celaena in a slave labor camp that has a life expectancy of one month, where she was jailed after being caught by the King of Adarlan’s men. She lasted longer than any other inmate, enduring over a year of torture and hardship at just 18 years old before being pulled out by none other than the Prince of Adarlan. Celaena is pitted against 23 killers, from mercenaries to soldiers to thieves, in a fight to become the King’s champion and earn her freedom. However, she gets more than she expected when her competitors begin to show up gruesomely murdered. Amongst the butchery, she makes friends and builds relationships with the other characters. 

Photo courtesy of amazon.com

     The world built by Maas will captivate readers, pulling them into an incredibly-built world of her own invention, and her words will make the readers feel as the characters do. She has already pulled students into her world, such as IHA freshman Casey Roberts, who stated, “Throne of Glass is thrilling and a great read. The fast pace of the novel makes the plot fascinating and exciting. Absolute 10/10,”, and NHRHS freshman Michael Reifman, “Throne of Glass promotes feminism by having the main character who defies the gender norms set in her world and prospers in a male-dominated competition,”. The series has plot twists that will come straight out of the left field and leave you scrambling for the next book. And now that all eight books (including a novella) are released, there’s no excruciating wait in-between.

     It is a must-read and one that will change your life as it draws you into the life of one Celaena Sardothien.

Brianna M Washburn ’23, Staff Writer