*Note: There are multiple ways to read this story. I’ve opted to read in order of publication. However, I’ve numbered the series in order of the timeline (assassin’s Blade is Book #1). 

author: sarah j. maas

publication Year: 2012

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, romance 

Trigger warnings: Colonization, War, Mentions of Physical Abuse, Death, Mentions of Slavery and First accounts of enslavement, Violence, Mentions of Suicide 

Likes:

• The main character isn’t boy-crazed and actually motivated by her own desires
• “Has to pick between two boys” storyline

Dislikes: 

• Main characters lack motivation and are too passive considering the high stakes of the storyline. 

Rate:

Overall summary: 

The story has an interesting premise- a girl who was supposed to rot away in a slave camp, gets a second chance at life, love, and killing the king – however, the story lacks. Now, I love what Sarah J. Maas did with ACOTAR (ignoring its slow-to-start flaws) and thought while reading this book, I would have the same mindset. So I tried to manage my way through. The characters are interesting, not necessarily bad, but lack motivation throughout the entire book. The characters are hesitant and neglectful as they focus on a budding love and ignore the main themes of war, slavery, and death. The only person who seems to care and is working towards a solution is the only main Black character, Nehemia, (apart from the ones who are enslaved) in the story. Genuinely, the only reason this book has two stars is for the romance and Nehemia.

Check out my review of Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass Series Book #3) here!