As the semester started, I came upon a problem that I couldn’t fix. I had finally run out of filmed content to keep my free hours busy. I couldn’t find any TV shows or movies that I either wanted to watch or rewatch. I floundered. I admit it, I needed entertainment! That was when I got the brilliant idea to reread a series that I hadn’t looked at in a long time. And, not surprisingly, the “Throne of Glass” series was the perfect solution for my problem.  

The “Throne of Glass” series is a young adult high fantasy series written by Sarah J. Maas that has a powerful feminism theme. The first book was published in Aug. 2012 and the seventh, and final book, was published in Oct. 2018. And with the release of the second book in Aug. 2013, it debuted on the New York Times Best Seller list.  

In the first book, the story follows Celaena Sardothien, an 18-year-old assassin, in her quest to survive in the corrupt Kingdom of Adarlan which is ruled by a cruel, tyrannical king. After a year of suffering for her crimes in a slave camp called Endovier, Celaena accepts the offer from Crown Prince Dorian, the King of Adarlan’s son, to compete against other assassins, thieves, and criminals for the chance to serve as the King’s Champion and eventually gain her freedom after four years in the King’s service. This leads her to form unexpected bonds with Chaol, the Captain of the Guard, and Dorian. As the book progresses, Celaena is drawn into a conspiracy and a series of battles leading to discoveries surrounding both the Kingdom and her.  

As the series continues, Celaena must fight tooth and nail to survive as she moves from Kingdom to Kingdom. She has to endure fights to the death, assassination attempts both by her and for her, court scheming, demons, a dark Fae Queen, romance, slavery, torture, spying, war, royalty, and sacrifice. All the while, she holds on to the promise she makes to herself and to the others that join her: to fight for a better world.  

Maas implements a third person omniscient point of view throughout the series as she jumps from character to character on their own missions and living their own lives. She crafts a very complicated storyline with many moving parts and characters. But at the same time, she makes you become invested in each and every one of them, wondering what kind of evil will befall them during the next chapter.  

Celaena is immensely powerful in many ways with an unbreakable strength of will, arrogance, fierceness, and cleverness who is completely in love with herself and never apologetic for her talents and who she is.  

As the series unfolds, Dorian makes one of the largest character arcs in the books as he goes from a self-centered prince to a wise King. He is forged into a good man by joy and pain.  

Chaol, the loyal Captain, is forced to look at himself and see his choices in a new light. And it breaks, strengthens, and leads him to a new path he never could have imagined himself taking.  

This book series will break you and bring joy to you as you find out who lives and who dies. It comes with soul-shattering sacrifice and unbelievable cruelty, while also not crossing the line into becoming oversaturated with either. Celaena is an enigma of a character that kills for a living yet finds extreme enjoyment in the pretty things of life. And in the end, it is uncertain whether or not they will, or even can, accomplish that promise of building a better world.  

I recommend this series to anyone who finds the need for an adventure. For anyone who wants a book that is rife with conflict and death, and romance and sacrifice. For anyone who desires fantasy, emotional torment, and comical release. So, when you are looking for a book to curl up with after finals are over, check out the “Throne of Glass” series.