From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.
Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.
Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.
The Review
Crown of Midnight was every bit as good--and in some ways even better--than its predecessor, Throne of Glass. One aspect that I loved was the larger focus of magic in the sequel. While the first book's plot was pushed by magic, I couldn't help but feel that I wanted more. Maas did not disappoint; there are creatures, spell books, witches and a close companion who isn't at all just what he appears to be. Without spoiling anything, be prepared for a twist that I did not anticipate from one of the few people Celaena can trust. As King's Champion, Celaena is tasked with getting rid of any enemies to the throne. Basically, we get to see her being all kinds of badass. She, like everyone else in Erilea, is still keeping secrets from everyone. Some threaten the entire realm and her companions are forced to question Celaena's identity, her motives and threaten the relationships she has built. Guided by the first queen of Adarlan, Elena, she is sent on a mission to discover what kind of power the king has claimed and what evil he intends to unleash. Here come the creepy monsters and I'll admit that I have no idea where the next few books are going to go, but I'll be damned if I don't want to come along for the ride. Maas also got rid of the love triangle bit that was so heavy in Throne of Glass. I truly think this is evidence alone of the Maas paying attention to her readers' tastes. Throughout the entire book we see a change in Celaena, a metamorphosis that isn't entirely for the better. However, it wasn't until the second half of the book that the pace really ramped up. But boy, did shit get crazy fast. Let me just say that I would really prefer not to be on the assassin's bad side... The world is still in chaos, though one can begin to see tiny little fractures spreading and the taste of change is on the wind in Erilea. This book made me laugh, cry, and rage. It's also worth mentioning that I read this book in one sitting and even faster than the first book. I'm now preparing to tuck into Heir of Fire. If you aren't comfortable with gore then this may not be the book for you. I personally don't mind it, especially when reading about an assassin protagonist, but if you're squeamish, be warned: here there be innards. My final rating is 4 out of 5 stars, and I think I enjoyed this one more than the first. It is an action-packed tale from start to finish, although the first half is a bit slower. I am blown away by this author's ability to suck me in for hours and hours. Read this book! It's one that ought not be missed!
