Queen of Shadows - Sarah J Maas

Queen of Shadows – Sarah J Maas

Queen of Shadows is the forth book in the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, a series of which has gone on to be one of my favourites. Now with this being the forth book, this review really is quite limited. As i do not want to provide any spoilers for those who have not yet picked this series up...If you are one of those people, seriously, pick it up, it is a series you will not regret reading! 

‘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 consume her heart. And she will face her former master, the King of Assassins, again- to wreak revenge for a decade of pain...’

This book was brilliant; it was everything that i was hoping it to be in the continuation of the series. We had the same characters from previous books, with viewpoints switching throughout to give us all sides of the spectrum in this dark and telling world. Sarah’s writing was incredible in bringing together this magical world, filled with horror, death and yet love and friendship too. 

Celaena was as bad ass in this as she was in previous books, returning to Rifthold, and dealing with Arobynn, the King of Assassins. Now i never got round to reading The Assassins Blade, the prequel to the Throne of Glass series. Now it is not a requirement to read it, there is nothing that says you need to read it to follow along with this story. However, in this book so many references were made to her time with Sam and Arobynn, and her younger years spent within his walls. All of which made me feel like i was missing out on a story. Sort of like when your friends have been somewhere and have a story to tell about it, but you missed out on it, so can’t really get involved or laugh along etc. It has made me more eager to pick up the prequel and give it a read. So i then have something to refer back to when Celaena talks about the clock that once stood on her mantle... *All the feels*

There has always been differing views on the ’ships’ in this series. So many people having their own preference, i have mine. I feel like this book really shook everything up, I’m not really sure how i felt about it really. I was upset at first...well more like devastated. But i am slowly coming to terms with the direction Sarah went, even if it was a bit begrudgingly at first. It will be interesting to see how other characters relationships develop. Especially with the introduction of so many more characters, with the likes of Nesryn and Lysandra. Both of who were brilliant introductions to the story.

I loved how there were so many strong, independent bad ass woman in this series, Sarah J Maas, seems to be pulling them out her sleeve and each one i love. 

We saw a lot more from Manon in this book, seeing exactly what was going down in Morath. The darkness that was taking place there, and witness the effect the Valg had and all their pure horror. I did struggle at first to get into Manon’s chapters, purely as i was more interested in what was going on with the characters in Rifthold, however as the book went on i did start to get drawn in. Especially with the big showdown between Celaena and Manon...which was EPIC!

There are so many revelations and shocks and turns in this book, i don’t think there was ever a point where you weren’t on the edge of your seat. Or the characters actually putting their own feet up and going ‘shall we have tonight off?’ it was just constant, and it was amazing. There were so many shock moments, one in particular with the Wyrdstone ring, my jaw full on dropped to the floor in that particular moment. The beauty with this book is that even though you are along for the ride, you actually have no idea what plans the characters have put into place, you know what the outcome is that they hope to achieve, but somehow, we are never given the full information for what should be going down. It is incredibly brilliant, and a credit to Sarah’s talent as a writer,  as you have no idea if all is going well, or if it has turned horribly wrong, which is truly what leaves you on the edge of your seat.

Queen of Shadows was brilliant, i loved everything that took place, and i am even more eager for book five, especially for how the forth one ended and where the fifth one should hopefully bring us. I am so glad that i stumbled across Throne of Glass, as i truly have no idea, knowing and enjoying the series as i do now, how i would have gone on never finding it, or reading it. It really is one of my favourite book series to this day, and i have read a lot. Sarah J Maas is an incredible writer, amazingly talented, and her imagination is by far beyond any limits possible. To bring us this world and characters to us. I honestly urge you if you have never read this series to pick it up, as you really would not regret it.

I have given this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.