SPOILER-FILLED REVIEW OF KINGDOM OF ASH BY SARAH J. MAAS

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Submitted Date 02/28/2019
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*WARNING* There will be major spoilers for Kingdom of Ash ahead.

Characters 20/30

This series has had its ups and downs, but these beloved characters will stick with me for years to come.

The Good

Aelin, Manon, Fenrys, Elide, Gavriel, and Maeve because their character arcs were believable and satisfying.

Yrene, Chaol, Lysandra, Abraxos, and Fleetfoot because they all got the happy ending they deserved.

The Thirteen and Petrah because they were the true heroes of KOA. Dorian and Nox Owen because they actually managed to surprise me. Borte and Yeran because they were much needed comic relief.

The Bad

Erawan and Cairn because they were the most one-note villains ever.

Rowan, Aedion, and Lorcan because I was so over territorial fae bastards by the end of this novel.

Nesryn, Sartaq, and Falkan because they had no personality to speak of in this book. Ansel, Ilias, Rolfe, and Galan because I wanted so much more from them than a few throw-away lines.

Entertainment Value 15/25

From SJM's dramatic writing style to the steamy sex scenes, you know this series was made to entertain. KOA is no exception. On the entertainment value alone though, this book didn't rank as high for me as previous books in the series.

The Good

Aelin escaping Maeve and Cairn, Aelin using Maeve's killing blow to save Anielle.

Manon becoming the Queen of Witches, the gathering of the Crochans.

Dorian taking down Morath.

Evangeline helping Darrow change, Darrow finally calling Aelin Queen, and how could I forget our favorite ACOTAR couple showing up in a cameo to help Aelin get back to Erilea. (Seriously though, wtf was that?)

The Bad

Too few twists, the battle-scenes dragged, and the romance was far less toe-curling than previous books in the series.

I needed more interactions between characters I loved, fewer slow battle scenes, and a way more satisfying ending.

Plot 11/20

The first quarter of the novel was exciting, well-paced, and arguably the best part of the story. The rest of the novel just didn't live up to it.

The Good

The first few hundred pages, I was biting-nails-worried about how/when/if Aelin would get away from Maeve and Cairn.

The Bad

The pacing, the pacing, the pacing. For a finale, this book was just... so... slow. When Aelin was finally rescued and everyone was headed to Terrasen, it was a long slog until the end.

As for the ending, there were three main plotlines I was intrigued to see wrapped up: Aelin + Dorian v. Erawan, Aelin v. Maeve, and Aelin + sacrifice v. the gods

I expected our heroes to defeat the villains in order of increasing big-badness. This didn't happen and it kind of ruined the ending for me.

In my mind, villains should have been defeated as follows: 1. defeat Erawan (because let's be honest, he's just not that scary), 2. defeat Maeve, and 3. put the Wyrdkey back into the door and either die or defeat the gods, who should have been the true big-bad of this series.

As it was, the ending was anticlimactic for me because that big sacrifice we were all waiting for... Didn't even happen.

World 9/15

The world of Throne of Glass is expansive and the history, rich. Yet I have always felt these books could do with one less mating bond and a bit more exploring and expanding of the world.

The Good

The Little Folk, the shapeshifters, and the wyverns. The role of women as more than wives and mothers. The Witches. The valg as parasites. The southern continent.

The Bad

The mating bond. Please, no more mating bonds.

Themes 3/5

Girl power, torture, mates finding each other, and the big one: what would you sacrifice for the things you love? KOA did a decent job of wrapping up some overarching series themes while allowing the book's main theme of sacrifice to take the spotlight.

Bonus: Cover Art 2/5

I purchased the Barnes & Noble Special Edition book cover, which included character art of Chaol, Rowan, Aelin, Dorian, and Manon.

As underwhelmed as I was with the book as a whole, I can't deny that the cover art is spectacular. From the fiery background to that glorious armor to the faerie-queen-inspired dress on the back cover, it all just screams epic fantasy. Let's just all agree that Aelin was born to wear armor.

Total Score: 60/100 (or 3/5 stars on Goodreads)

I'll close with a huge thank you to the Throne of Glass series and Sarah J. Maas for introducing us to Aelin. And thank you, Aelin, for showing the world that female Fantasy characters can kick ass, too. I hope these books and others like them are inspirations to the next generation of female Fantasy writers.

 

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