Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas Genre: Action, Fantasy, Historical Fiction 3.5 stars because I promise myself I won't give any more than that to a book that has destroyed all the characters I have come to love. Honestly, I dived into the book fully expecting to hate it. Unfortunately, it was fantastic. Was it the best book in the series? No. Was it better than the last installment? Definitely. Do I want to throw this book at someone's head? ASAP. I have never been more contradicted in my life. Let's just get on to my full-on spoilery review alright? |
The queen has returned.
Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…
She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.
She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.
Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…
She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.
She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.
So here's me starting the book and it was okay so far.
Then we went on to Chaolaena's meeting and if you listen closely enough, you can hear exasperated cries from a sinking ship.
You should have gotten Dorian and Sorscha out the day the king butchered those slaves. Did you learn nothing from Nehemia's death? Did you think somehow you could win with your honor intact, without sacrificing something? You shouldn't have left him, how could you let him face the king alone. |
In my head, jumping in front of the king in this sort of compromised situation goes something like this:
My queen, that would be the smartest thing you've ever suggested.
The Nehemia card is still sitting there on the game board being drawn out every single time to damn Chaol. I hate this. I hate how Chaol's character and dignity has been demeaned conveniently at a random point in the book. Nehemia caused her own death. I say it one last time. She would have died in other ways. She would do anything to die and it's the truth you just have to accept.
Chaol wasn't even himself for a good half of the book. He has become a piece of literary trash. The author simply morphs him into another being as she sees fit because Chaol no longer has potential to her. She's dumping Chaol aside. And it's just ridiculous. Making Chaol crippled at the end was a deliberate move so he can only participate in the background. It's so low coming from this author.
I'm not a bitter shipper. I'm sure many Chaolaena shippers will tell you the same because we wouldn't have minded if they gradually realised they won't good for each other. But none of us wanted them to bite each other's heads off after not seeing the other party for months. There was no phase - simply a move to end this relationship swiftly.
Aelin acts like a queen? You have got to be bullshitting me.
The Nehemia card is still sitting there on the game board being drawn out every single time to damn Chaol. I hate this. I hate how Chaol's character and dignity has been demeaned conveniently at a random point in the book. Nehemia caused her own death. I say it one last time. She would have died in other ways. She would do anything to die and it's the truth you just have to accept.
Chaol wasn't even himself for a good half of the book. He has become a piece of literary trash. The author simply morphs him into another being as she sees fit because Chaol no longer has potential to her. She's dumping Chaol aside. And it's just ridiculous. Making Chaol crippled at the end was a deliberate move so he can only participate in the background. It's so low coming from this author.
I'm not a bitter shipper. I'm sure many Chaolaena shippers will tell you the same because we wouldn't have minded if they gradually realised they won't good for each other. But none of us wanted them to bite each other's heads off after not seeing the other party for months. There was no phase - simply a move to end this relationship swiftly.
Aelin acts like a queen? You have got to be bullshitting me.
"Do you even understand what I faced?" |
#CHAOLISALWAYSRIGHT #AELINISABRATIMEANQUEEN
"You do not get to blame me for that. For his actions." |
OH GEEZ. WHAT EXACTLY DO WE GET TO BLAME YOU FOR? BECAUSE FRANKLY ALL THESE WERE ALL YOUR FAULT.
And in this book I officially gave up on Aelin's character. Aelin is a stuck-up snob. I think I would cry myself to bed if she were ever ruling me.
And in this book I officially gave up on Aelin's character. Aelin is a stuck-up snob. I think I would cry myself to bed if she were ever ruling me.
"Do you understand," Aelin said very quietly to them, "that if I suspect they're going to betray us, they will die?" |
Such mercy from the majesty herself for a saint trying to save her lover's life. It's okay, thou shalt not involve myself in such a terrible fate. May your lover die in peace.
Aelin hissed, “Need I remind you, Captain, that you went to Endovier and did not blink at the slaves, at the mass graves? Need I remind you that I was starved and chained, and you let Duke Perrington force me to the ground at Dorian’s feet while you did nothing? And now you have the nerve to accuse me of not caring, when many of the people in this city have profited off the blood and misery of the very people you ignored?” |
Oh wait, so YOU get to blame someone. Huh didn't realise no one else other than her majesty gets such a privilege. I can't believe Chaol has to handle so much of her bullshit in this book. Everyone deserved better than the treatment they received from Aelin. The only way she has grown to be a queen is the way she walks with her nose practically high up in the air and her ego so huge I think the world is flattened underneath it. If you consider that to be the qualities of a queen.
When Chaol was actually saving the innocents - and the freaking plot, you would see Aelin eating chocolate, drinking tea, catching up with old friends, tour around the city and wearing scandalizing nightgowns. Tell me this is not true?
When Chaol was actually saving the innocents - and the freaking plot, you would see Aelin eating chocolate, drinking tea, catching up with old friends, tour around the city and wearing scandalizing nightgowns. Tell me this is not true?
She took a seat on the curved lip of the tub and told him everything that had happened since the day they'd left. (Rowan and Aelin) |
Sorry what were you saying again?
Aelin is a selfish prick. She would endanger the life of thousands to save a dude she haven't seen in 10 years but not one that has been a friend to her, did something for her. Innocents? What innocents? Other than the slaves she totally understands, everyone else should burn when she asks them to.
Aelin is a selfish prick. She would endanger the life of thousands to save a dude she haven't seen in 10 years but not one that has been a friend to her, did something for her. Innocents? What innocents? Other than the slaves she totally understands, everyone else should burn when she asks them to.
Aelin shrugged, heading for the roof door, "Or maybe this city should burn," she murmured. |
Are you sure you want this bitch to be queen? What of all the innocent lives she plan to rid of because of being queen? What does she care of save herself? And even so Chaol didn't have a right to be angry of what she said. Whatever Aelin does, she is never in the wrong. Just manipulate the words a bit and Chaol becomes obscurely in the wrong.
"You bring my court into this Chaol," Aelin said with lethal softness, "and I don't care what you were to me, or what have you done to help me. You betray them, you hurt them. And I don't care how long it takes or how far you go: I'll burn you and your gods-damned kingdom to ashes." |
If memory serves you right, your majesty, you didn't care if your court burned alive just mere months ago.
Her friend Dorian, which she promised she would come back for, was just forgotten - dismissed as a hopeless possessed human. SHE DIDN'T EVEN TRY.
Her friend Dorian, which she promised she would come back for, was just forgotten - dismissed as a hopeless possessed human. SHE DIDN'T EVEN TRY.
Aelin let out a low snarl. "You want to know what I did? I gave him one minute. I gave up one minute of my escape to him. Do you understand what can happen in one minute? Because I gave one to Dorian when he attacked Aedion and me today- to capture us. I gave him one minute, in which the entire fate of my kingdom could have changed forever. I chose the son of my enemy." |
OKAY BITCH, NOW ASKING FOR YOU TO SPARE YOUR FRIEND IS TOO MUCH, TOO TIME-CONSUMING. (I swear if you put Rowan there she would rather let her kingdom burn to ashes, just saying.)
Fine. Then the Aedion she risked everything to save, risked the king's wrath, lives of people, the entire fate of her kingdom, this poor puppy was literally out of league when compared with her precious furniture.
Fine. Then the Aedion she risked everything to save, risked the king's wrath, lives of people, the entire fate of her kingdom, this poor puppy was literally out of league when compared with her precious furniture.
She flung out a vicious finger, advancing on him. "You break one thing, you shatter just one of my possessions, and I will shove the shards down your throat." |
But everyone practically worships her. AELIN IS A MIRACLE. AELIN IS A QUEEN.
She spent the afternoon showing Rowan to the city. |
If you look closely, I'm running around Rifthold after them, waving the book in my hands whilst screaming 'plot'.
And then after Arobynn was dead and her plans were revealed, I was practically kicking and punching the air at the bad ass scheming (that was before I realised that it was solely for her selfish needs of vengeance and had 0% relation to stopping the King and the Valgs)
We had a fabulous few pages of Aelin kicking the Assassins' Keep's gate open, cursing her mortal enemies whilst taunting them. It was fantastic. Then Lost Puppy Aedion swaggers in.
And then after Arobynn was dead and her plans were revealed, I was practically kicking and punching the air at the bad ass scheming (that was before I realised that it was solely for her selfish needs of vengeance and had 0% relation to stopping the King and the Valgs)
We had a fabulous few pages of Aelin kicking the Assassins' Keep's gate open, cursing her mortal enemies whilst taunting them. It was fantastic. Then Lost Puppy Aedion swaggers in.
Today- who you were today...that wasn't entirely a mask." |
Are you kidding me? Aelin has always been that person. How could Aedion not know who he was serving? Should she not curse her enemies?
I guess that's because everyone is in awe of Aelin and Rowan. They were like legendary warriors and heros of the world. Aedion was this spineless puppy throughout the story. A cousin he haven't met for 10 years and he instantly wanted to swear his loyalty to. Staring at her like some sort of blessing from the heavens, his goddess. Everyone who looks into her eyes find wisdom.
Really? I just saw two eyeballs I wanted to stab.
Rowan was the worst. Forget whatever I said about ruined characters. His face or even his name appearing on the page makes me want to gag.
I guess that's because everyone is in awe of Aelin and Rowan. They were like legendary warriors and heros of the world. Aedion was this spineless puppy throughout the story. A cousin he haven't met for 10 years and he instantly wanted to swear his loyalty to. Staring at her like some sort of blessing from the heavens, his goddess. Everyone who looks into her eyes find wisdom.
Really? I just saw two eyeballs I wanted to stab.
Rowan was the worst. Forget whatever I said about ruined characters. His face or even his name appearing on the page makes me want to gag.
You befriended one of the greatest warriors in history- perhaps the greatest warrior alive. Your father, and his men, all told me stories about Prince Rowan. (Aedion) |
Yeah, I get it. Rowan is legendary.
The male emerged from the fog; tall, powerfully built... |
That was found within 10 pages since he was back in the book. At this point, if I see another 'powerful' associated with Rowan, I was ready to gut someone. I've given up on any dude having a little common sense in this book (except Chaol and Dorian) all of them quick to fall in love with this brat they call queen. Aelin and Rowan literally went from 0 to 100 in 5 pages. And once we add on the AedionRowan pissing each other over Godess Aelin in some fae dominance crap #sodone
One thing that bothers me a whole lot is definitely how the book makes it a point to credit any achievement to either Aelin or Rowan. I swear it bugs me a lot. Who saved Dorian? Aelin did. (Funny huh, Chaol was the only dedicated one throughout) Who defeated Arobynn? Aelin. Who found money to build their army? Aelin. Who thought of all the plans? Aelin. Who saved Lysandra? Aelin. Who defeated the king? Aelin. Who saved Aelin? Rowan.
And funny that everything else that goes wrong is someone else's fault. Who caused Dorian to be held captive? Chaol. Who almost caused Aedion his chance of rescue? Chaol, Dorian and Nesryn. Whose fault is it that the king is still at large? Chaol. Whose fault is it that Rowan got shot? Chaol.
It irks me that the book tries to credit Aelin as much as possible.
And in the end, it disappointed me. Pulling off the bad-guy-turns-good thing on the king was a terrible idea. Like a parody and opening up more plot holes. Even Manon was practically grovelling asking what is love. As many feel, one Manon chapter is way too many, well I'm not sure where I stand because in both books only the latter chapters of Manon are worth reading, the rest make your eyelids droopy. Worse, more point of views are actually introduced that got me crawling through the chapters and messing up my brain (let's just be honest that names here are just difficult). Please sjmaas stop during this to my eyes and brain.
This book had potential, opened up new possibilities and insights. We learnt about Erawan, complicated history, the different sorts of magic. However little I care for the Ironteeth witches, their latter chapters started to keep me hooked up. Just watching plans and plot lines fall in place got me a little wow. What I feel this book needs is a fresher part of Aelin. Like yeah I've seen the kick ass side since the first book, read the five-men-lay-dead-before-they-could-draw-their-swords line at least a thousand times. We need something new. We have barely actually read about Aelin's scheming before, so Queen of Shadows showed me that and I loved it. It was damn fantastic yet ruined by a ship. Because of a guy I dislike. Because Rowan. A mess of relationships. This was utterly pathetic.
The one thing that saved the characters was Chaol and Dorian #bromance
One thing that bothers me a whole lot is definitely how the book makes it a point to credit any achievement to either Aelin or Rowan. I swear it bugs me a lot. Who saved Dorian? Aelin did. (Funny huh, Chaol was the only dedicated one throughout) Who defeated Arobynn? Aelin. Who found money to build their army? Aelin. Who thought of all the plans? Aelin. Who saved Lysandra? Aelin. Who defeated the king? Aelin. Who saved Aelin? Rowan.
And funny that everything else that goes wrong is someone else's fault. Who caused Dorian to be held captive? Chaol. Who almost caused Aedion his chance of rescue? Chaol, Dorian and Nesryn. Whose fault is it that the king is still at large? Chaol. Whose fault is it that Rowan got shot? Chaol.
It irks me that the book tries to credit Aelin as much as possible.
And in the end, it disappointed me. Pulling off the bad-guy-turns-good thing on the king was a terrible idea. Like a parody and opening up more plot holes. Even Manon was practically grovelling asking what is love. As many feel, one Manon chapter is way too many, well I'm not sure where I stand because in both books only the latter chapters of Manon are worth reading, the rest make your eyelids droopy. Worse, more point of views are actually introduced that got me crawling through the chapters and messing up my brain (let's just be honest that names here are just difficult). Please sjmaas stop during this to my eyes and brain.
This book had potential, opened up new possibilities and insights. We learnt about Erawan, complicated history, the different sorts of magic. However little I care for the Ironteeth witches, their latter chapters started to keep me hooked up. Just watching plans and plot lines fall in place got me a little wow. What I feel this book needs is a fresher part of Aelin. Like yeah I've seen the kick ass side since the first book, read the five-men-lay-dead-before-they-could-draw-their-swords line at least a thousand times. We need something new. We have barely actually read about Aelin's scheming before, so Queen of Shadows showed me that and I loved it. It was damn fantastic yet ruined by a ship. Because of a guy I dislike. Because Rowan. A mess of relationships. This was utterly pathetic.
The one thing that saved the characters was Chaol and Dorian #bromance
Everything—everything was for Dorian, for his friend. For himself, he had nothing left to lose. He was nothing more than a nameless oath-breaker, a liar, a traitor. |
Even though Chaol and Aelin's relationship was patched up in the end, it was another 0 to 100. It went something like: I got Rowan, you seem to have Nesryn, so we are done.
And at this point, I just can't bring myself to ship Chaolaena anymore (or Celorian or really any ship in this book) despite being so hardcore on this ship. Celaena's changed and I don't like her. She doesn't deserve Chaol at all so really I'm sticking with hardcore shipping of Chaolaena in Crown of Midnight. Chaol deserves better. Dorian deserves better. I hope Aelin sticks with Rowan - since people I dislike should stick together - and never come back to Chaol because bitch please.
And at this point, I just can't bring myself to ship Chaolaena anymore (or Celorian or really any ship in this book) despite being so hardcore on this ship. Celaena's changed and I don't like her. She doesn't deserve Chaol at all so really I'm sticking with hardcore shipping of Chaolaena in Crown of Midnight. Chaol deserves better. Dorian deserves better. I hope Aelin sticks with Rowan - since people I dislike should stick together - and never come back to Chaol because bitch please.