Review | Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Alright. I appreciate why everyone went ga-ga for this series.

Crow of Midnight picks up several weeks after the end of Throne of Glass. Celaena has settled into her job as King’s Champion — running about the country, (sort of) doing what assassins do. What follows is a patchwork of secret tunnels, ghosts, magic door knockers, rebel plotting, evil kings, riddles, and … exposition.

For the record: I really want a magic, sassy, all-knowing door knocker.

I also am seriously craving a piece of chocolate cake.

Things I liked:

The Characters. Both the mains and the sides are much more fleshed-out relative to Throne of Glass — complete with personality quirks, flaws, and many teachable moments. Ditto for the friendships: messy and emotional and much more real.

Celaena is a badass … and has feelings?! Like, the girl has crazy-intense murderess skills. (I swear. Maas’s female characters are my fitness inspiration.) But, she also feels a lot more like a human in this installment. Don’t get me wrong: she still has a ton of growing up to do … but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

Things I disliked:

Spoiling *the* Secret … which was 100% self-inflicted. Friendly tip: don’t read the end of the book first.

Celaena is an Idiot. Leaving her guard post to dance?! [Spoiler!?!?!?!?!?!?] C’mon, girl. You’re smarter than that.

The Romance. I liked the romance in Throne of Glass as it was nicely balanced against the story: it was there, but the plot took centre stage. Crown of Midnight reverses this, frequently giving priority to young adult romantic angst.

The Villain. The twist at the end was very twisty … but not necessarily in a good way. I would have liked to have seen more lead-up and breadcrumbs dropped along the way. (Twists like this is what JK Rowling excels in. Check out this video essay on how Harry Potter is actually a mystery series!)

Favourite quote:

Everything in this world is magic.

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The Details:

• The Book: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
• Published: 2013, Bloomsbury
• My Copy: KFPL
• Read date: May 20 – 30, 2019
• Rating: ★★★★☆
• You should read this if you …
• You should avoid this if you dislike …