Wednesday, September 16, 2015

REVIEW: Queen of Shadows (MINOR SPOILERS)

No words at the moment.

All I know is that I love this series with all my heart and this fourth book did not disappoint. It left me completely satisfied and I just LOVED IT. 


I can't get over how good this book was. I CAN'T.


I'LL WARN YOU NOW. There will probably be some minor spoilers in here. So read the book. And if you haven't read the series yet, WHAT ARE YOU DOING RIGHT NOW? Drop everything and go read this series. 


"Let's go rattle the stars." 

Ok! I have a lot of thoughts on this book so bear with me. QOS picks up right were HOF left off, Aelin has come back to Rifthold and her goals are to get Aedion out of the glass castle and to destroy the King of Adarlan once and for all. As per usual, Aelin is KICK-ASS. Celaena was kick-ass too but Aelin IS NEXT LEVEL. Because she acknowledges her identity now she uses that to motivate her. Aelin knows who she is and what she must do to take back Terrasen and try to fix this world. However, in no way will Aelin and her court will be able to take back the kingdom peacefully. A LOT has to happen, including a lot of bloody battles and killings. 


"I don't care how long it takes, or how far you go: I'll burn and your gods-damned kingdom to ash. Then you'll learn how much of a monster I can be."

Chaol Westfall. Oh Chaol....Let me tell you something, I LOVED Chaol in the first two books. I mistakenly thought he was endgame for Aelin as most of us did. It wasn't until HOF that I realized he wasn't the perfect man I thought he was. He still needed to grow and learn a couple of things. However, in the beginning of QOS I absolutely despised Chaol. The way he was blaming Aelin for everything and not understanding the position that Dorian in was getting really frustrating. BUT THEN WE SEE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. Sarah J. Maas is a pro when it comes to character development. It's so gradual and wonderful to read about. Chaol has an internal struggle throughout the book and that has to do with what's going to happen to Dorian. Is he really evil now? Or is there a way that the magic can be reserved and the prince can return to his true self? This is something Chaol struggles to answer throughout the book. Another struggle he has is trusting Aelin because she had lied to him so much. How can he trust that with her magic she won't imprison and torture the citizens of Adaraln just like the king? Chaol has always hated magic but by the end of the book he has learned to accept it. He also learns to accept himself the good and the bad.


"'Maybe I don't want to be that person anymore,' he said. That person-that stupidly loyal, useless person- had lost everything. His friend, the woman he love, his position, his honor. Lost everything, with only himself to blame."

LYSANDRA. Ok Lysandra has been one of my favorite characters ever since I read The Assassin's Blade. And I know that sounds strange because we only encountered her for a little but I have always been interested in her and her life. I had a feeling there was something more to her and I'm so glad I was right. She's still one of my favorite characters especially now that we know she  (view spoiler). And what she did Evangeline? HEROIC. LYSANDRA IS A HERO. And if anyone who thinks differently can fight me. Also I totally ship her and Aedion together. NO SHAME.


ELIDE. Elide Lochan. Another strong female character that I think we will develop more and more in the next two books. I can sense she has an important role and I can't wait to see her grow as a character. I hope she finds Aelin and her crew and they help stop Perrionton and Vernon. 
Manon Blackbeack was also a major part because of her role as the Wind Leader. I loved how we learned a bit more about Asterin and her background. Manon is finally starting to figure out that her grandmother is evil. I hope that she'll find a way to unite with Aelin and they can take down Perrington together. I loved the scene between Manon and Elide when they were talking about Elide's hope and her connection to Terrasen. We again see a different side of Manon and her ability to feel something more than the bloodlust that her grandmother has poured into her.


"The Wing Leader said from behind her, 'Do you believe monsters are born, or made?'
From what she'd seen today, she would say some creatures were very much born evil. But what Manon was asking...'I'm not the one who needs to answer that question,' Elide said." 

Can I talk about Rowan and Aelin now?! I don't want to get too into it but all I have to say is....YESSSSSS. Sarah J. Maas totally tricked me in HOF. I thought Rowan and Aelin were building this awesome friendship, which they did. I totally thought nothing else could come from it, I hoped and PRAYED that something more would come but by the end of the book I accepted that they were only going to be friends rather than lovers. BUT BOY OH BOY AM I SO GLAD I WAS WRONG. Their relationship is just awesome and it's everything that I would want in relationship. Except I'm in not a fantasy world full of fae and magic and just AWESOMENESS. Sigh. Anyway, I loved their relationship and I can't wait to see more in the next book.


I have so many thoughts but they're all so jumbled. I just loved it. That's all you really need to know. The battles are epic, the characters are witty and just so strong, and the plot feels like a film playing in your head. I love it. I love Sarah J. Maas. She's so talented. So read this book and read her entire series!!



"'What if we go on,' he said, 'only to more pain and despair? What if we go on, only to find a horrible end waiting for us?'
Aelin looked northward, as if she could see all the way to Terrasen. 'Then it is not the end.'" 

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