Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, 2)

I LOVED THIS BOOK. The first one started a bit slow and like I said in my review, it was a bit repetitive, BUT man… this one was INCREDIBLE. I swear. “A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached. It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend.” In this book we pick up right where we left off in Throne of Glass. Celaena has been named the King’s Champion and she now must fulfill his every wish. His every evil wish: kill this, kill that, and Celaena can’t do anything about it… or can’t she? She’s been told to do anything and everything in her power to uncover the King’s plans and the evil that surrounds her and everyone she cares about. Good think she’s smart. This book was so, so, SO good. I absolutely loved it. The pace picked up a lot more than it did in the first book, so it was easier to get into the story. The character development was incredible. Every single character had me guessing what they were going to do next and sometimes they turned out to be completely different than I expected. Some others turned out to be exactly what I hoped they would be. The plot twists. OMG. I didn’t see some of them coming!!!!!!! So I was a bit shocked at first, but then realized how much sense they make to get the story going. And this world. Man, this world is just so freaking awesome. Every single detail is well-thought and they are so important to the story. I loved reading every single word of this book. Celaena keeps being her sarcastic and badass self, but in this book you get to see her in her element. She fights like a true assassin, so she can be scary as hell sometimes, but the beauty of this character is that she’s the combination of a badass woman and sweet girl. She is able to recognize the good and the bad. She knows what side she’s on, even if it takes her a bit longer to come to terms with it. I think I understood her a lot more in this book. I also loved seeing her letting her guard down for a bit, and it felt completely different from what happened before. The stolen looks and stolen kisses. Meaningful words and memories. It felt deeper in this book. And I loved it, because she managed to show her vulnerable side without being weak. Not that I would think that she’s weak, of course. “But he had no idea what sort of darkness lurked inside her, or what sort of monster she was willing to become in order to make things right.” Now, let me tell you a little more about the mess this book has made out of me. I’ve always talked about how strong I am when it comes to picking a boy in the books I read. It’s always easy. There’s always something to hate about one of the boys, making it easy for me to pick one and stay true to that one boy. But this? I knew this was going to be hard. I knew it the moment Dorian kissed her for the first time. I knew it the moment Chaol reacted out of passion and protectiveness. I knew it when I noticed both of these guy’s look towards Celaena. These two characters are beautiful and passionate and just so freaking lovable: One is pure heart and magic. He’s just sweet and attentive and such beautiful and trusting soul. There’s magic within him. There’s power that he doesn’t know exists yet, but I know he’s destined for good. He is good in all the ways his father is bad. “He would move on. Because he would not be like the ancient kings in the song and keep her for himself. She deserved a loyal, brave knight who saw her for what she was and did not fear her. And he deserved someone who would look at him like that, even if the love wouldn’t be the same, even if the girl wouldn’t be her.” The other one is all about protecting those he care about, no matter the cost, all without exaggerating. He’s all about giving them the best of him, and making sure they are ok. He recognizes his mistakes for what they are and knows when to give some space. He’s passionate and trust-worthy. He’s reliable, even when he thinks he’s not. “I worry because I care. Gods help me, I know I shouldn’t, but I do. So I will always tell you to be careful, because I will always care what happens.” And I think, no I know, it will only get harder as the story goes on. Now, the plot. OH MY GOD. There are a lot of things going on and you MUST pay attention to the details. They will show you the way to understand this amazing world and see it through the character’s eyes. Also, we have some shocking plot-twists that had me jumping up and down. Some I expected and some I didn’t, but that’s part of the beauty of this story. I love all the possibilities this book has given me. There are queens and kings in the making. There is love that goes deep, but even so, it’s still fragile. There are truths, half truths and lies. There are mysterious and different kinds of magic. I must thank you, Sarah J. Maas. You have created such a wonderful and magical place and characters. Each character and their story is interesting by itself, but as a whole, they manage to fit perfectly. This is definitely the kind of book that will keep you reading until there aren’t any more pages, and it will leave you wanting more. So, do I recommend this series? So far, YESSSSSSSSS.

Rebellion is coming. Can you feel it? Do you see it? Is it too late? In the second instalment of Sarah J. Maas's death defying, blood curdling, heart a pumping series we are sucked back into the world of assassins and magic as Celaena must endure the King's wrath as he makes her do his bidding..she is the Kings Champion after all. If you haven't read the first one, well you need to! Like go and do it now..stop reading this. GO! Spoilers ahead: Anyway..sorry about that. Where was I..oh yes. I truly loved this sequel, especially because we are over the whole setting up of the story and the world etc..(all that first book good stuff) and now can really enjoy the mysteries and marvellous plot points created in the imaginative brain of Maas. I still love Celaena as a main character, she is truly everything a heroine should be. The fact that she has this softer side, erkrm Chaol, but at the same time maintains her sense of power is riveting to read. She is unique in that she is so deadly but at the same time develops this conscience, I guess, that enables her to grow as an individual. When we realise how much Nehemia gave up to push Celaena into embracing a higher purpose it gutted me. Why? well because I was the sap who wouldn't believe that she had actually d.i.e.d. She was so brutally murdered that I figured it was staged and she had finally escaped..but in fact she had sacrificed herself in the hopes that Celaena would take a step toward the path destiny had planned for her. Can I say what a woman, or what? I really, truly, upmostly love this world. Just the intricacies amaze me as Maas builds the layers of the castle, or describes the items of clothing, even the fighting scenes just immerse you and pull you under. If you can't imagine yourself there, well then. Concentrate a little bit harder readers and let this world encompass your imagination. The whole Chaol and Celaena thing I find to be ok. Yes I found their relationship to be uber cute and all sorts of sweetness, but I think I am a Dorian fan. Don't hate me. Maybe it is his charm and well, Chaol is such a nice guy, like a really nice guy. He gives up a possible future with the one he loves so that Celaena can uncover the truth about her magic and save the masses..he is truly a great guy. I think i'm just more attracted to Dorians smartassiness and his storyline with discovering his powers. Although I do think he should have fought for her a little bit more, or just at least get angry at Chaol..but he didn't because he too is a nice guy but oh so witty. (Also he realised that 'it had always been about Chaol and Celaena) I do wonder if he isn't actually the Kings son..if his mother lied about the conception if you catch my drift. Or maybe because Elena had waited all of this time to break through the barriers in the other worlds, that it is just a symbol of everything changing. Such mystery. These Wyrdgates are really interesting, and since Celaena can open them without the keys I'm sure the next book will be amazing as well. I like that we now know how the King has conquered realms so quickly, and overthrown the rulers of Terresan. Is his final goal just to be an all powerful ruler? He hasn't yet succeeded in taking over realms across the seas, I wonder if this would help the rebellion? Maybe he wants to unleash the demons back onto this world.? The manipulation of Katlain and Roland is really interesting, and I think the 'flapping wings' are actually the winged beasts that Celaena saw in the first book when she was drugged..of course I could be wrong. But maybe the mind melding due to the black rings can mess with your mind, and give you the sight or something..like what Nehemia had..although I think that was due to her families power. On a side note I thought Celaena had a bit of a stupid moment, since it took her forever to see the connection between Roland and Katlain. I don't like it when I figure things out way before the characters do..especially something so obvious. There is so much happening with Celaena being the rightful ruler (which I so saw coming...:p), the revolution, the Kings ultimate plans and these weapons he apparently created also his creepy monster...OH! And why couldn't the King have the sword? Maybe it chooses its owner..only the purest of hearts may wield it or something. Oo and I can't wait until Arobynn comes back into the picture...maybe Sam isn't dead after all. Someone who has died must come back...so I can be happy and not sad like with Nehemia. But now that Celaena can open portals we might get to see her again. Yesss. Loved this one, can't wait for the next one. Curse your world for the lengthy wait I now must endure. *shakes fist at no one in particular..just the air really*

I’m not sure where to start with this one. I tend to write shorter reviews as a series progresses, unless a book shocks and/or greatly disappoints. This is the second book in the TOG series, and I am a prisoner of this story. I’m so invested! It’s taking every bit of power (which I DO NOT have) to pick up any other book. I was able to squeeze a Mitch Albom book in between the first and the second, but I’ve no clue how successful I’ll be in my future attempts. I’ve already started reading the third! In this second book, the plot expands but not as significantly as I would have wanted. It picks up immediately where its predecessor left off. The series of events thereafter are fun, fast-paced, and keep you wanting more. Rather than learn more about its world, this book focuses more on some of its history to tries and help us understand why things are happening. SJM still does an excellent job at making sure we’re well engaged and has shown, time and time again, that no one is safe. <i> SJM is a secret murderer. No one can convince me otherwise. You fiend! </i> C remains one of the most fun characters I’ve ever read, and I value her dynamic personality. So scary but so lovable. So prone to getting hurt and she does…repeatedly. <i> Give the woman a break! </i> I learned to love Chaol in this book and was devastated, in the end, when everything unfolded. Dorian…eh. I like him less and less. Dunno why. One place where I feel SJM can do a little better is in creating stronger connections. Despite hating some of the things that happened, I did not feel that C’s reaction was warranted. I think that’s due to there not being enough material for us to feel as intently as C does about other people. I’m more invested in C than anyone else. I’m not even afraid of this terrible, scary king… I did love learning a lot more about the history of Erilea and am even more excited about the next book. Adarlan almost feels like a rat-infected sewage of awful people and I need things to move away for a bit. <i> Or forever. </i> I must commend SJM for her writing style. Some fantasy books spend so much time building a world and the story sometimes gets lost in all this. I enjoy that she does world-building but keeps the story moving. It helps that her writing is very good. I love this book, but I can’t lie and say that I didn’t see the big reveal coming. I didn’t connect some of the dots, but the *gasp* wasn’t there. It also made me a little angry at C. I get the fear and understand some of the reasons she’d shy away from some things, but ***’s death was hardly the trigger she needed. I would have figured 500 dead rebels or two whole slave camps would have done it, but alas. I’m looking forward to the next book and can’t wait to see where this goes.

I hereby declare CROWN OF MIDNIGHT by Sarah J. Maas the most worthy sequel of all sequels that have ever been written. Alright, perhaps I don't exactly have the authority to make such a declaration, but the beautifully-written, thrilling and mysterious sequel to the 2012 release, Throne of Glass, is more than deserving of the praise. I read both Throne of Glass and CROWN OF MIDNIGHT in an (almost) marathon, with only one book in between. I cannot believe I waited so long to start this series! Now that I've read these first two books, I am already waiting with bated breath for the next installment. The wait each year, until the sixth and (at the time of this write-up) final book is released in 2017, will be pure torture, I tell you... Pure torture. With that said, I guess you'd probably like to know why I love CROWN OF MIDNIGHT so much. I loved this second installment even more than I did the enthralling Throne of Glass, though that feat seemed near impossible at the time I was reading it. For anyone who enjoys good fiction - not just fantasy or magic or historical-type novels, but plain old good fiction - CROWN OF MIDNIGHT is a must-read. In this single novel you have the perfect combination of an original premise, a well-thought out cast of characters that you can root for as well as despise, a clash of kingdoms/enemies and allies, an unpredictable mystery, plenty of romance, action and adventure and so much more. If I had to make a comparison, after reading just the first two installments I can already see the Throne of Glass series doing for young adults (and adults) what Harry Potter did for kids (and adults) in the last two decades. What did I like most about CROWN OF MIDNIGHT? I'd say the writing, since the book is full of so many quotable passages and is highly "readable" for any lover of fiction. The descriptions the author uses to develop her world, her mythology and a history of magic are far more convincing than anything else I have read in fantasy fiction lately. Her dialogue conveys the character's personalities and emotions, while allowing the readers to fill in the blanks and develop our own opinions about their motives. The fact that the author excels in her writing style and skills is undeniable, but that is not the only reason I loved this novel... I also loved how solid every single element of the story feels. CROWN OF MIDNIGHT takes the introductions to both the characters and the world from book one and progresses those items into a solid story that, albeit fantastical, we as readers can 100% believe in. Actions and reactions roll off on each other like the swell of waves on steady seas. As with any ocean, those waves must come crashing into the shore at some point. In CROWN OF MIDNIGHT that crash comes with such force, at a point when the reader is most invested in the story, that it feels like the waves are crashing against our own heart. Because the author has created such a solid story, cast and world, both the good and the terrible things that happen within these pages are felt and believed in with every fiber of the reader's being. But that's not all... I'm always pleased when we get to see a romance progress before the final installment. I also love it when enough time has passed that the romance progresses in a realistic way, rife with uncertainty, passion and discovery. The "love triangle" that appeared in book one is quickly resolved in CROWN OF MIDNIGHT. But that is not to say that things are all unicorns and glitter for our pair of lovers... This book contains plenty of romantic swoons, I can't deny that. But we must keep in mind that we're talking about a romance involving a hired assassin for a tyrannical king, so things can (and will) go wrong for anyone who hopes for happiness... I love (LOVE) that the romance in this book feels just as solid as every other element of the story, despite its ups and downs. Can I just talk about the characters for a moment? There are so many within these pages, both old and new. In Throne of Glass I came to like the four main characters, Celaena, Chaol, Dorian and Nehelemia, as I gradually got to know them. While reading CROWN OF MIDNIGHT, my love for (and connection to) the characters just exploded! Trust me when I say that Throne of Glass was a mere build-up to the direction in which each of their lives were taken in book two. CROWN OF MIDNIGHT trumps all. Hands down. We see so much more assassin "bad-assery" out of Celaena in CROWN OF MIDNIGHT. (In Throne of Glass, I just wasn't convinced. But now.... NOW I AM.) This girl kicks some serious bad guy butt, guys. Celaena balances the fine line between good and evil with finesse, but all the while I love where her heart is in every move she makes. I never thought that I would back a killer as much as I do the young and extremely dangerous Celaena, but there you have it: I totally support every kill she makes and would totally take her on as my own personal Champion. I wish I could go on and on about my love for CROWN OF MIDNIGHT, but since it is full to the brim with surprises and new developments, to say more would be to spoil the story for you. If you have not yet read the first book, Throne of Glass, you really need to get on that ASAP. For those who are eagerly awaiting this installment, trust me, the wait is worth it. Be glad you have yet to experience the awesomeness that is CROWN OF MIDNIGHT. I'm sad that I will never again have a "first read" of it, but then again... I guess there will be at least four more "first reads" in this series, won't there? Can. Not. Wait. My favorite passage from CROWN OF MIDNIGHT: "Enough! We have enough enemies as it is! There are worse things out there to face!" Celaena slowly turned to him, her face splattered with blood and eyes blazing bright. "No there aren't," she said. "Because I'm here now."

*Sigh* this book! It was almost too much for me to handle, these emotions, such a Roller Coaster! Honestly, I hope to be as good as a writer as Sarah J. Maas someday, now that is a goal :) Her stories are SO good and gosh darn it, this book kept taking my breath away, it kept distracting me from studying (wasn’t a good idea to start a book near exams on my part heh…) Well I still did pretty good ^^! Sorry for that aside… back to Crown of Midnight. Gosh…golly… where to start? When I said this book took my breath away, it literally did. There was so much more to this back than the first, so many secrets, so many lies 0.0! My mind was blown moment after moment, literally sweeping me away in the River of Feels. For me, Crown of Midnight was so much better than Throne of Glass, even though I still enjoyed the first book. Only in this book, Celaena wasn’t looking in the mirror the whole time going over her reflection or dotting over the Prince, she was kicking some serious butt and much more assassiny. The book went from Assassins Princess to The Greatest Assassin. The Crown of Midnight picks up pace like bam! Pow! Right off the bat it grabbed me in it’s… uh claws? and dragged me into its deep plot and heart wrenching moments. Seriously, I can’t even give this book words, because there aren’t any that could describe how much I LOVED this book. Hold on… must calm… calming… deep breaths… I CAN’T HOLD IT IN ANY MORE HERE COME THE TEARS! “I worry because I care. Gods help me, I know I shouldn’t, but I do. So I will always tell you to be careful, because I will always care what happens.” Now to my serious review hah, if I can write this with out fan girling every ten two seconds. I feel like I start a ton of my reviews saying: where to start? Where to start? I guess I will start with the plot since it blew me away. Prior to actually picking this book up and reading it, I wasn’t sure if I would like it since The Throne of Glass wasn’t my favorite, gooooosh am I glad I did! When people say the Throne of Glass series just gets better and better, do they ever mean it! The plot of the Crown of Midnight is really good, really really good. The whole book starts with such an attention grabber, and everything gets better from there. As the book continued, Sarah J. Maas kept adding more twists to the story and it really began to sweep me away. With every turn of the page, every end of the chapter, it all begged to be read. This book had it all, the emotions, the climax, the heart pounding moments… The characters were as stunning as ever. I still adore Dorian but found Chaol and Celaena cute as ever! Those two, I swear! Really, the characters were all taken to a whole new level, with such wonderful personalities (uh depending on who, I’m looking at you the King >_>) each one with their own distinct mind. What is even better is that the rotating chapters and ever-present love triangle don’t hurt the story ONE BIT! Yeah, I mention the love triangle in every review but Sarah J. Maas wove it in PERFECTLY into this story, and it felt right. The love in the book felt like it belonged, like the characters had made their way up to it and love at first sight was no existent, *swoons*. Honestly, I love uh… love in books :) as long as it isn’t over the top or just plain in the way :P! “It was like coming home or being born or suddenly finding an entire half of herself that had been missing.” Could the bad guys get more bad? Uh, yes and they really did! Throne of Glass had some of the evilest villains I can think of, but the Crown of Midnight? They went to a whole new level, the threat is there. It is best to mention that this book did have gore like the first book did, and I would say about the same amount. It’s not like the book is littered with blood, it’s just there so fair warning :) “To escape death, she’d become death” And the ending? I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! Cue the evil laughter >:D mwhaha… this was fantastic! Honestly, the ending made me want to run in circles and cry or something, it was mind blowing!

After THRONE OF GLASS I wasn't expecting great things from this book, but Maas has provided me with an incredibly pleasant surprise. I rate the first one at about 3 stars, and despite it being a light, fun read I was significantly disappointed with the characters and several important aspects of the writing and structure. Most of those things were largely re-modelled and repaired for this book, and I found myself enjoying it much more from the very beginning. From the first page Celaena is morally conflicted about her assassinations, and shows consideration of deeper ethical issues. She actually develops and grows throughout the novel! Who'd have thought? Saying this, the introductory section of the story, in which plot and characters are established, did stretch out for a full half of the book. About 40% of the way through I seriously thought I'd let myself become hopeful too soon, and was just in for another complete book of the same fluffy dancing around important issues the first one consisted of. But then about halfway through, the story takes off, and it doesn't stop. Here, we see Celeana in the role that's always been rumoured but never witnessed before now. Adarlan's Assassin. We see her let loose and fight and kill. She is brutal and savage and gruesome and it is fantastic. She is dark and wicked and I loved her for it so much more than I ever loved her flirty or pretty. It frustrated me when someone was trying to bring her back from the madness; talk her out of the darkness, because in the darkness she was amazing. My respect for her instantly shot up at seeing her cause ruthless carnage (disturbing as that sounds), because this is the character we were promised back on the blurb of book one; this is the character we wanted to read. Finally, she emerges. And perhaps because it was so overdue, it was ridiculously satisfying. There was not quite so much obsession over the love triangle in this book either, which impressed me significantly. Romance was a large focus in the first half of the book, but only because it was used as a driving force for the plot events that occurred in the second half of the story, at which stage romance retreated to the periphery and yielded to action. I was glad that unlike the first book, where it was essentially used as the main plot-draw for readers, the romantic aspect was used instead to support and enhance the plot. It made for a much more readable story. Additionally, there's also a lot more in this book on Celaena's personal background and the history of the world, which is all well presented. The core plotline that one can sense will be the focus of the series entire is further developed, but not so much as to leave nothing for the next books to cover. In fact, I would say the central plot is only just beginning. My one concern in this regard, is that Maas revealed everything about Celaena's history all at once. It made for a great ending and a stunning developmental twist to her character, which would have been perfect leading into the final book of a trilogy, but considering there are supposedly another four books or something to come, I am a little concerned about where she'll go with the character from here. As mentioned I didn't much like Celaena in book 1 due to her lack of depth and development, and I'm worried that now Maas has unleashed all the development and revelations at once, and Celaena will slide back into being flat and emotionally stagnant for the rest of the series. But I suppose that's why she's the author, and as a reader I can't but trust in her abilities to continue keeping me amazed, surprised and entertained. I have settled on awaiting the next instalment with cautious anticipation, and will conclude here by saying that even those who thought the first book was `okay' like I did, should enjoy this sequel much more. If this is you, don't decide whether or not to read this based on the first book. Although it starts off similar it is worlds better, and I strongly believe you will enjoy it much more.

I thought Throne of Glass was good, but Crown of Midnight is the book that made me realize this series was going to consume my life. Sarah J. Maas strips away the confidence Celaena wears like armor and forces her—and us—to sit with grief, impossible choices, and the weight of loving people in a world that punishes kindness. Watching her struggle between who she’s been forced to become and who she desperately wants to be was heartbreaking. Nehemia shattered me. Chaol broke my heart in ways I wasn’t expecting. Dorian continues to prove why he’ll always have a special place in it. Every relationship feels messy, real, and impossible, and that’s what makes this book so unforgettable. The final hundred pages? I genuinely couldn’t put it down. Every reveal had me staring at the page, every chapter raised the stakes, and that ending completely changed the trajectory of the series. Suddenly this wasn’t just a story about an assassin—it became something far bigger. What I love most about Celaena is that she isn’t fearless. She’s terrified, grieving, angry, loving, selfish, compassionate, and incredibly human all at once. She keeps moving anyway. As someone who’s always related to her tendency to bury pain beneath strength, this book hit me harder than I expected. If Throne of Glass was the introduction, Crown of Midnight is the promise that you’re about to embark on something extraordinary. I have a feeling the best is still yet to come.

After finding Throne of Glass a little slow, Crown of Midnight completely changed my opinion of the series. The pacing is much stronger, the stakes are higher, and I was invested from beginning to end. Celaena's character growth was my favorite part. Watching her slowly open up while refusing to let hardship define her made me love her even more. I also grew to love Chaol, while Dorian's journey added even more emotional depth to the story. The action, character development, and twists kept me turning the pages, and I immediately started Heir of Fire after finishing. If you struggled with the first book, don't give up. This is where the series truly came alive for me.

Rezension Seit dem gewonnen Wettkampf ist Celaena Sardothien, Adarlan’s größte Assassinin, nun der Champion des Königs. Ihre Aufgabe: Seine Feinde zu eliminieren und ihm ihre Köpfe zu liefern. Und um ihre Freiheit wieder zu erlangen, muss sie vier Jahre in den Diensten des Königs stehen. Doch Celaena kann und will die Unschuldigen nicht töten – und täuscht deren Tode vor. Was passiert jedoch, wenn der König jemals herausfinden sollte, dass sie ihn hintergeht? Denn mit jeder weiteren Lüge die sie erzählt, ist nicht ihr eigenes Leben in Gefahr – sondern das der Menschen, die ihr am meisten bedeuten. Als es zudem zu einigen mysteriösen Ereignissen kommt, muss Celaena ihr Schicksal in die Hand nehmen und für ihre Ideale einstehen - auch, wenn das Opfer dafür groß ist… »If they wanted Adarlan’s Assassin, they’d get her. And Wryd help them when she arrived.« (Aus: Crown of Midnight, S. 215) Mit Crown of midnight schafft Autorin Sarah J. Maas einen beeindruckenden und phänomenalen zweiten Band ihrer Fantasyserie um Celaena Sardothien, welcher schon den sehr guten ersten Band der Serie, Throne of Glass, völlig in den Schatten stellt. Beeindruckende und unglaublich nahe Charaktere, eine extrem spannende Handlung und ein ausgeweiteter Rahmen, in welchem die Story ausgebaut wird, sowie die sich ständig verschiebenden und sich verstrickenden Charakterbeziehungen und Intrigen innerhalb der Handlung lassen den Roman zu einem grandiosen Pageturner werden, in welchem Celaena, Protagonistin der Geschichte, zu einer wahren Rachegöttin heranwächst, der sich nichts und niemand in den Weg stellen kann. Von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite wird der Leser dabei gefangen genommen in einer Geschichte, die ihn nicht zu lösen vermag, in der man sich völlig in dieser detaillierten und absolut glaubwürdigen Welt verliert. »Some things you hear with your ears. Others, you here with your heart. « (Aus: Crown of midnight, S. 168) Dabei stellt die Autorin nicht nur die voranschreitende Handlung oder gar die Dreiecksbeziehung der Charaktere, sondern vor allem deren Entwicklung untereinander und zu sich selbst dar. Nicht nur Celaena macht in diesem Roman eine enorme Entwicklung durch, sondern auch die beiden anderen Hauptfiguren, Chaol, Hauptmann der Leibgarde des Königs, und Prinz Dorian, erleben einige Überraschungen, welche sie in ihrem Tun und Handeln und in ihren Gefühlen beeinflussen. Das Besondere dabei ist vor allem, dass alle drei Charaktere einstecken müssen: Geheimnisse aufdecken, Verrat wegstecken und Brüche in den Freundschaften überstehen. Dabei gibt es riesige Gefühlsachterbahnen, Emotionen wie Verlust, Trauer, Hoffnung und Glück, Verrat und Vertrauen –alles Gefühle, mit welchen die drei Figuren zu den unterschiedlichsten Zeitpunkten zu kämpfen haben. Celaenas Arroganz leidet dabei und bricht ebenso, wie Vertrauen für sie neue Maßstäbe annimmt. Und dasselbe gilt auch für die beiden Männer, deren Herz an ihr hängen und eine neue Basis zu ihr finden müssen, um die schwierigen Zeiten zu durchstehen und sie alle ihren Weg zu sich selbst wiederfinden werden. Neben den unglaublich nahen Protagonisten schafft es die Autorin aber auch auf gekonnte Art und Weise Nebenfiguren zu inszenieren, die nicht nur die Handlung voranbringen, sondern auch ein gewisses Bild der Authentizität mit sich zu bringen wissen. Dabei erstreckt sich eine enorme Vielfalt an Figuren, welche weit entfernt von stereotypen Figuren verkehren und die Handlung umso spannender gestalten, eben weil sie nicht durchschaubar agieren. Und genau diese Mischung macht die Sympathie aus, welchen den Leser für die Figuren des Romans einnimmt. Und vor allem ist die Zeichung des Antagonisten, Prinz Dorians Vater und König von Adarlan, gelungen, denn weil so wenige Informationen über ihn preisgegeben werden, wirkt er nicht nur unberechenbar – sondern wird zu einem gefährlichen Gegner, den niemand unterschätzen sollte. »It was hard to care, she realized as she started the trek back to the castle. Incredibly hard to care, when you didn’t have anyone left to care about. « (Aus: Crown of midnight, S. 297) Neben den Charakteren ändert auch die Handlung sich deutlich gegenüber Band eins, welche durch ruhigere Phasen und das erste Setting doch sehr ausgeglichen war. Ganz anders kommt Crown of midnight daher. Als absoluter Pageturner wartet der Roman mit Rasanz, Spannung und Überraschungen auf. Immer wenn man denkt, man weiß was passiert, wird man vom Gegenteil belehrt. Unberechenbar ist die Handlung, wie auch die Hauptfigur selbst. Sehr gut gelungen ist der Autorin auch die detaillierte Zeichnung der Welt, auch wenn die Geschehnisse noch immer in Adarlan selbst passieren. Aber der Roman schafft einen Blick über den Tellerrand und bietet auf, was an Potenzial von Band eins noch liegen blieb. Mit voranschreitender Seitenzahl kann der Leser nur ungläubig den Kopf schütteln, denn die Geschehnisse sprudeln nur so vor sich hin und immer wieder wird man überrascht. Entsetzt, erstaunt, mitfühlend – so erlebt man als Leser die Geschichte hautnah mit und wird mit einem überragenden Ende belohnt, welcher es faustig hinter den Ohren hat. Fazit Crown of Midnight von Sarah J. Maas ist ein phänomenaler Roman und ein Pageturner ohnegleichen. Band eins war schon sehr gut – aber Band zwei ist einfach nur grandios. Sowohl Charaktere, als auch Handlung und Grundidee können restlos überzeugen. Zweifler des ersten Bandes sollten sich bereithalten, denn hier wird alles ausgemerzt, was je als Kritikpunkt hätte gelten können. Ein absolut phänomenaler Roman, welcher es locker mit den Spitzentiteln der hiesigen Fantasyliteratur aufnehmen kann und viel Potenzial für weitere Folgebände bietet. Bitte, bitte mehr davon! Pro & Contra + Handlung verdichtet sich + Entwicklung der Figuren + Beziehungsstrukturen + Celaena als potenzielle Rachegöttin & unglaublich ambivalente Figur + Spannend von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite + Pageturner ohnegleichen +Tolle & passende Aufmachung + Überzeugende Grundidee + Überraschende und unerwartete Wendungen + Undurchsichtiger Antagonist + Unglaublich viel Potenzial Bewertung: Handlung: 5/5 Charaktere: 5/5 Lesespaß: 5/5 Preis/Leistung: 5/5

The book was fantastic. Go read it. The emotional quotient is higher in this second book. You get more invested in it.

Top book!!

Crown of Midnight is the second book in the Throne of Glass series, it is darker, more emotional, and once again it has it all—an evil king, murder, love, betrayal, mystery, and secrets. So many secrets! It seems everyone is hiding something, including Nehemia and Archer. The story is darker, more emotional, and full of twists that kept me turning the pages. Celaena is forced to make impossible choices, and I loved seeing her character grow as she struggles between loyalty, duty, and doing what she believes is right. One quote really stood out to me: "The cape billowed behind her, her face remaining expressionless beneath her obsidian mask as she moved through the streets." I couldn't help but picture Darth Vader striding through the streets. It's amazing how a few words can create such a vivid image. Another quote that captured my imagination was: "Blue mist drifted by, and a rat scurried across the narrow passage. There was no noise..." It instantly made me think of an old Wild West duel, with two gunslingers facing each other in a deserted, dusty street. I love it when a book paints scenes so clearly that they come alive in my mind. Sarah J. Maas has a real talent for drawing you into the story. The ending left me eager to start the next book, and I can't wait to see what happens next. I would highly recommend this series. 5 stars

I'm a huge fan of the ACOTAR series and a couple of friends recommended I follow up with the Throne of Glass series. Although it does not have as much romance, the book is very well written and really engaging. Looking forward to the next book!