In Throne of Glass, Sarah J. Maas follows an infamous assassin, 18-year-old Celaena Sardothien, after a year of assigned labor in the harsh mines comes to an abrupt end when she is forcibly taken to meet with the Crown Prince Dorian and his young Captain of the Royal Guard, Chaol. Here, Celaena and the prince strike a deal: she will be given her freedom as long as she fights as Dorian’s champion in the approaching competition to find the new assassin for the High Court and its cryptic king. Celaena is brought to the palace and over the course of a few months, competes against thieves to convicted criminals in order to make it to the final duel that will determine whether she will gain a future freedom or return back to the brutality of Endovier.

The writing in Throne of Glass is enjoyable to read and does well to describe Maas’ world in an intriguing yet charming way. Additionally, the premise was compelling and held many different layers that future installments can build upon. In regards to the characters, the protagonist was unrealistic and did not have room for development or growth. Her relationships were fabricated out of no real connections and overtook the premise, outside of her interesting bond with Chaol. Although future installments delve into her backstory and her character more, Throne of Glass does nothing to evolve Celeana’s character and paints bland pictures of the other characters’ histories. The two main characters alongside Celeana, Dorian and Chaol, seem to have more room for development and evolution in future books. I enjoyed reading about the world within Throne of Glass with the knowledge that future installments of the series will paint a better picture of its deeper political and geographical elements.

I would mainly recommend this novel to YA readers who enjoy fantasy. For similar materials, try reading the next books in the Throne of Glass series! The second novel, Crown of Midnight, has had raving reviews and is apparently a significant improvement from Throne of Glass. Other materials include Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson and Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout.