Matcha & Motifs’ Rating: 4/5 

Adarlan’s infamous assassin, Celaena Sardothien, is offered two choices: die as a prisoner in the salt mines of Endovier or become the King’s Champion. A glorified title for the King’s lackey, Celaena can’t pass up the chance of freedom after a lifetime of service. Recruited by Prince Dorian Havilliard and trained by Chaol Westfall, Captain of the Guard, Celaena must compete against 23 others before she can obtain the position. However, when candidates start mysteriously dying, Celaena finds herself in more trouble than what she signed up for. 

Ever since reading ACOTAR, I’ve been dying to read TOG. However, I knew that I would probably get sucked into the series, so I’ve been reading other books in between to diversify my reading palate. Anyways, I checked my Goodreads and apparently, I read Throne of Glass in 2014. However, I feel like my teenage brain didn’t comprehend anything because not only did I forget I read it, but I also don’t remember any details of the plot. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this “reread”. You know, this one might just be the better series of Maas, just like everyone says. 

Celaena Sardothien 

I love our main character. I enjoy the mystery in her backstory, and I like that we are fed only small parts. Essentially, we know as much as Dorian or Chaol, and I feel like this is purposeful. Do I only like her because I only know a small portion of her, the same reason Dorian or Chaol might like her too? 

The storytelling plays a tremendous role in creating her character through suggestion and audience inferences. For example, when Celaena holds back during the trials to conceal her identity, this creates so much insight. We can infer that her skill level is high, probably the best in the group, for her to need to, and have the ability to, hold back. At the same time, there is still so much mystique in her abilities. What is she truly capable of? 

I love that Celaena’s character embodies duality and depth. She is what her reputation implies: sharp, strong, and skillful. However, what I enjoy most is that she is a girl, too. I thought she would be the stoic, “not-like-other-girls” type, but she’s not. She’s dynamic. She loves dresses, complains about the floor being too cold for her feet, and heck, she even has menstrual cramps! That’s unheard of in fantasy books! This is writing! She enjoys being beautiful and having fun. There seems to be much life to her, but in a way, there seems to be much darkness too. Additionally, there is this pull to do the right thing, like every cherished protagonist. For example, even after being told to stay in the middle of the pack, during one of their scaling trials, Celaena throws that notion away to save a friend who was falling. This is our protagonist… who always seems to get into trouble. Their curiosity always gets the best of them. When she discovers the hidden tunnels in the castle, she shows respect for past rulers and magic, in sharp contrast to the current King. The seamless integration of a character-driven plot makes this character so likable. In a way, you wish you were her. 

Friendship and Romance 

The development of friendship and romance feels calculated from Maas’s end. 

Celaena’s romantic relationship with Dorian feels designed to find common ground and build a foundation for friendship. Their relationship was cute, but I’m not in awe. I can see the allure of charming, beautiful company, as well as of sharing common interests like reading. However, their attraction to one another felt more like a gateway to understanding.

Personally, I think I’m more of a Chaol girl. I feel like the banter, fighting, and slow burn between them feels more genuine. He’s stern and straight-laced, which I feel has better chemistry with Celaena than Dorian does. They’re both strong-willed and spend so much time together; we even get the occasional “they’re hot” silent acknowledgment. For once, I’m not kicking my feet and giddy over the romance. (AND I WISH I WAS! But I think it’s maybe because Dorian is the love interest, and he’s fine, but I’m not particularly interested). I am, however, enjoying the friendship that she’s beginning to build with all these characters.

A note on Nehemia. I so, so love a female friendship development. Celaena and Nehemia begin as likely friends in an unlikely place; they share an understanding of being outsiders and a dislike for pompous characters *ahem*, Kaltain. I appreciate how the plot centers on these two characters, giving them the same importance as a male love interest. The plot beautifully intertwines their exchanges to foster their relationship through something as simple as language lessons. They keep each other’s spirits up, and it feels like Celaena needs as many friends as she can get. In a way, I feel like Nehemia helps her feel less alone and gives her a reason to keep fighting, just as Celaena does for her. 

Plot/Writing 

I’ve mentioned this point in the character segment; however, I think it’s worth repeating. The third-person perspective does an amazing job of conveying information about our characters. For example, learning of Celaena’s battered and malnourished condition showed us what it was like to be a slave in Endovier. With Chaol’s additional perspective, we learn about him through Celaena’s lens. He sees a young girl, but his wariness is evident when he stations guards everywhere. This is yet another testament to her skills and reputation. Additionally, we learn of Chaol’s soft side when he acknowledges the amount of damage Endovier has done, and marvels at Celaena regaining her strength. All while building a world that illuminates how war and power shape the world. It shows the sickening reality of control, where those in power will do anything to keep it, including labor camps. It is also a moment of empathy for those who are still in Endovier and for others caught at the intersection of war, like Nehemia’s people. These moments in the book touch on war and loss, so slightly, but very impactfully. Sometimes authors are able to create very powerful dissections of themes through entertaining storytelling, and I felt Maas did so with her world-building here. 

This was a wonderful start to the TOG series, and there is definitely more to come. Let me know if you prefer TOG to ACOTAR. Or if you didn’t like TOG at all, let me know why. I would love to discuss this series and genre. 

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