Queen of Shadows
Title: Queen of Shadows
Author: Sarah J.Maas
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction
Published:1st September 2015 Pages: 648
Start Date: 14th August 2022
Finish Date: 19th August 2022
Summary
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.
Review
I truly loved Queen of Shadows, the books in this series just seem to get better and bigger. In Heir of Fire, we find out that Celaena's true name is Aelin, which is reflected in this book as she is now referred to as Aelin. This book was just epic! It was so complex and awesome because whilst Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight .and Heir of Fire broke my heart and had me in tears at times, none of the predecessors has felt as awe-inspiring as this one. Worlds collided, debts were reimbursed and a queen rose to her glory. Sarah J.Maas has done it again, she is such a genius when it comes to her writing. Queen of Shadows is a tribute to strong, tough heroines.
In Queen of Shadows, we see the release of Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, because before this book we haven't met her. She is still the same heroine that we have fallen in love with in the last four books but yet it is a completely different persona. Every trait of Celaena is magnified and combined in such a masterful way to create a unique character. Aelin is still sassy, arrogant, stubborn, and brave but she undergoes a spectacular character development into a cunning, determined and fierce queen. Aelin is in complete control and she is ready to reclaim back everything that was taken from her. And, she does it in style.
Aelin has shed her impulsiveness for being open-minded, calculating and often kind. Aelin managed to lose some of her darkness and her real strength both physically and spiritually, shone in Queen of Shadows. I have a feeling Sam and Nehemiah would be proud of her.
Manon Blackbeak, we met her for the first time in the Heir of Fire, she was fabulous in a mind-boggling manner. I did not expect her wonderful character development; she is not all about discipline and obedience anymore. She starts plotting, she starts to wonder and slowly she starts to take a stand. She is honourably wicked, but she is not evil, I cannot wait for when her defiance will leave the witches kneeling at her feet.
When Manon and Aelin met, fireworks exploded. They were powerful and deadly it was so magnificent. The encounter in its entirety was astounding by starting surprisingly and unfolding in an amazing way that only increased my love for Aelin and Manon. This book allowed us to meet new kick-ass females: Lysandra, who was nothing short of amazing and surprising; Elide Lochan, who was determined and immensely brave; and Nesryn Faliq, who was simply awesome in every way. I loved and cheered for them all.
Chaol's reunion with Aelin I didn't like that, I was mad at him for his demeanour. With that being said, I can love that he remained true to his character throughout the whole book, his loyal, selfless traits reminding me why I love him so much and his insecurities being in sync with his overall upbringing, legacy and priorities. Dorian's safety is his ultimate goal, his desperation is heart-breaking. Dorian. he killed me in his book. There were not many chapters in his point of view but when we did we saw him in pure, unaltered agony and pain. His loneliness, his sense of being lost, with his acceptance that he will drown in an ocean of misery and cold. He constantly fights back, with the desire to break free of the monster inside of him and with the protection he bestowed on his loved ones. He is done kneeling before others and he is forever changed. I love him, even when he broke my heart.
Aedion, him being the male version of Aelin is only a shade of his real personality. He had me in tears and smiling at the same time, with his boundless love for his queen, his loyalty and his sarcasm were a recipe for instant swooning.
Rowan Whitethorn again is the main focus of the book and I truly enjoyed everything about him. His devotion, his wisdom, his alpha-male intensity and not to mention the rare moments when he let his emotions overtake him. Aelin's effect on Rowan brings out sides of him we have not met before and the fact that he was at times he was sweet continually blows me away.
The fallout from there is death within the first half of this book. The body count is higher in this book but there are not as many fights described. What this book does display is Celaena/Aelin's tactical and planning precision yes she can be a hellcat and a hot head, but as wild as she gets she is a disciplined and dangerous fighter always thinking a couple of moves ahead. There is a great cat and mouse game between Aelin and her former master.
Aelin returns to Adarlan she finds it an even more brutal place than before. Along with her vengeance, she must deal with the fallout from the months she has been missing, one disadvantage is all the training she did to hone her powers in the last book, is lost as magic does not work in Adarlan. However, her physical training is still useful and has made her even more formidable. She has embraced her heritage as the Queen, now she must assemble her court. This is a big book with big-time ramifications and revelations. All in all great.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️