First Read: December 13, 2015 – December 17, 2015
Second Read: May 1, 2021 – May 2, 2021
Crown of Midnight is the second installment to Sarah J. Maas Throne of Glass series, and it left me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Storyline/My Thoughts: I was excited to read the second installment due to how Sarah J. Maas left things during Throne of Glass. I wanted to know how Celaena Sardothien would handle being the King’s Champion and find out if Chaol would finally admit his feelings. Let’s say I got my answers plus more.
Celaena is put through a lot in this book. She has to do unthinkable things for the ruthless King she serves, and both Dorian and Chaol find that she has changed since becoming the King’s Champion. Even her friend Nehemia notices changes with Celaena, but Celaena knows that Nehemia is also not telling her everything. Celaena will have to control her heart in the story because she’ll end up hurt again if she doesn’t. She doesn’t want it broken again after losing Sam. In this book, she’s going to deal with secrets coming out and lots of betrayals. Those betrayals will break her into pieces and show her real self to everyone. She doesn’t know who to trust once she starts finding out truths. Sarah J. Maas revealed so much in this book that it left me in shock.
Now Crown of Midnight made my emotions go like crazy, especially towards the middle of the book. I was in tears and feeling angry, just as bad as Celaena was feeling. I thought Celaena took Sam’s death hard, but this one character killed in the book made Celaena show the abilities she learned as an assassin. I wasn’t expecting the story to end the way it did too. The biggest secret comes out at the end of the book. I was surprised how it was revealed. Celaena trusted the one person in her life that betrayed her to uncover the truth about her. It’s a doozy!
I loved every bit of Crown of Midnight that I can’t wait to start my re-read of Heir of Fire. All I can say is I despise the King more than ever after reading this book and hope he gets what is coming to him eventually. Power-hungry, greedy King! Grrrr!!!
Celaena is one of my favorite female characters in Young Adult Fantasy, and I look forward to the next story because I know I’m going to adore her even more.
I also love how Sarah changes the POVs of the story from Celaena, Chaol, Dorian, and more because you get to understand what each character is going through. You get a more broad range of what is happening in the story. Plus, I’ve learned to love Dorian and Chaol even more, seeing how they react to everything that has occurred. I’m having a hard time deciding between Chaol and Dorian, though. Sarah makes me love them both in different ways.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. I give this book five stars and highly recommend this book and the first book to YA Fantasy readers out there. It does take a while for Celaena to grow on you in the first book due to her personality. Crown of Midnight will show off the Celaena that I read in the novellas. She’s growing up and realizing what she has to do to save everyone from the ruthless King.