Even though I liked certain aspects of Throne of Glass, I was hesitant about continuing to read this series because the heroine is the type of character who is beautiful (as are all the other major characters), vain, materialistic, and succeeds at everything she does. I didn't really connect with Celaena or her predicament to become the King's Champion. In Crown of Midnight, however, things get a whole lot better. There are betrayals, political games, magic, actual moments of assassinating, humor, and yes, even a little bit of romance. Celaena has two love interests when this story begins. Yet, we know early on who Celeana wants to be with and her choice is known to both Dorian and Chaol. While she has some happy moments with her man, let's face it: there are more books to be written. All good things cannot last forever and it's clear Celeana will have to make some difficult decisions in the near future.Suffice it to say I loved getting to know more about Dorian, Chaol, and Celeana in this installment. Celeana's character grew on me as her imperfections manifested. She's very emotional and her arrogance often clouds her judgment. While Celaena does some stupid and selfish things that made me roll my eyes, I appreciated her complex characterization. It's a lot more interesting to read about than an unbeatable assassin. We also learn more about Chaol's past and Dorian endures an internal struggle that was rather interesting. This is far from a perfect book, but it's a huge improvement from Throne of Glass. The political storyline is the weakest part of the plot since we know the least about the nobility and other territories. While the world-building is better in Crown of Midnight, there are some things that were confusing or could have been explained in more detail. I'm also not a fan of the "twist" at the end of the story Why can't Celeana just be a bad-ass assassin?. I figured it all out early on - the hints weren't exactly subtle. I accept there's nothing I can do about it and there are other aspects of the series that still hold my interest. Rating: 3.5 Stars
Bookish Excursions
My name is Nicole. I'm a bookish person who is slightly obsessed with brownies and cheesecake. I enjoy the thrill of traveling to other worlds through stories and hope to share this joy with other readers.
Even though I liked certain aspects of Throne of Glass, I was hesitant about continuing to read this series because the heroine is the type of character who is beautiful (as are all the other major characters), vain, materialistic, and succeeds at everything she does. I didn't really connect with Celaena or her predicament to become the King's Champion. In Crown of Midnight, however, things get a whole lot better. There are betrayals, political games, magic, actual moments of assassinating, humor, and yes, even a little bit of romance. Celaena has two love interests when this story begins. Yet, we know early on who Celeana wants to be with and her choice is known to both Dorian and Chaol. While she has some happy moments with her man, let's face it: there are more books to be written. All good things cannot last forever and it's clear Celeana will have to make some difficult decisions in the near future.Suffice it to say I loved getting to know more about Dorian, Chaol, and Celeana in this installment. Celeana's character grew on me as her imperfections manifested. She's very emotional and her arrogance often clouds her judgment. While Celaena does some stupid and selfish things that made me roll my eyes, I appreciated her complex characterization. It's a lot more interesting to read about than an unbeatable assassin. We also learn more about Chaol's past and Dorian endures an internal struggle that was rather interesting. This is far from a perfect book, but it's a huge improvement from Throne of Glass. The political storyline is the weakest part of the plot since we know the least about the nobility and other territories. While the world-building is better in Crown of Midnight, there are some things that were confusing or could have been explained in more detail. I'm also not a fan of the "twist" at the end of the story Why can't Celeana just be a bad-ass assassin?. I figured it all out early on - the hints weren't exactly subtle. I accept there's nothing I can do about it and there are other aspects of the series that still hold my interest. Rating: 3.5 Stars
Currently reading
A Darker Shade of Magic
Progress:
152/400 pages
