Once again, Sarah J Maas has absolutely ruined me with her fantastic writing and incredible characters. I have been meaning to make my way to this book for a very long time, as it was released back in March 2014, but I’ve had to build up the courage to actually read this book. I think that anyone who’s even heard of the Throne of Glass series knows exactly what happens in this book, but if you don’t, be warned: this is not a spoiler free review.
When I first started reading this book, I could not for the life of me understand how Sam and Celaena could ever be in love by the end of it, since they appear to hate each other so viciously. Well I was so, so wrong: by the end of this book, I could not imagine Celaena with anyone else. Not Dorian, Chaol or even Rowan, because Sam was her perfect fit. Sarah creates this timeless, agonizingly sweet relationship that she then just rips in half and that makes Sam’s death all the harder to bear.
Fantasy has got to be my favourite genre, but pair fantasy with romance, and I will be completely hooked. Both the Throne of Glass series and A Court of Thrones and Roses have proved Maas’ talent in writing and this was only highlighted in The Assassin’s Blade. Each new world or area that Maas introduces is so unique and interesting. The idea of silent assassins is quite common but by creating the Mute Master, we get to see this old idea in a new light, which is so refreshing. However, I think that Sarah’s greatest asset is the detailed characters that she creates time and time again. Celaena is an incredibly independent and strong female character, yet Maas was able to add so many more layers to her character by bringing in Sam. Always second best but furiously in love with Celaena, Sam is very different to her and I adored the dynamic between the two. All of Maas’ other characters are just as brilliant.
Arobynn Hamel is a character that I love to hate. We start off these mini novellas thinking that he saved Celaena and should therefore be liked, but by the end of the last novella, there was not a single character that I have ever hated more than Arobynn. Maas makes you dislike this character with every single thing he does but as we readers start to hate him more, we see Celaena start more openly to feel the same way towards him. I really liked that perspective since it made me feel more involved in the book and just made me want to keep reading all the more. Plus a good villain keeps the story moving and the history revealed helps us to understand Celaena’s actions in the later Throne of Glass series.
I am beyond impressed with this book. Each smaller, minor character is carefully and well written, which makes for such an enjoyable reading experience, and I don’t think that I’ve reacted so strongly to a fictional death since Will Herondale (which means a lot). I love to read books that make you feel something because I find that they are always the most memorable and this book certainly lives up to that theory. I would recommend The Assassin’s Blade to anyone who has read the Throne of Glass series or to anyone who likes a good fantasy read. It’s intriguing to find out more about Celaena’s life before Throne of Glass, but the book is also fast-paced and thrilling so makes for a quick read!
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