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| Categories | Fantasy |
| Author | Sarah J. Maas |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing (February 14, 2023) |
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 448 pages |
| Item Weight | 2.31 pounds |
| Dimensions |
6.55 x 1.4 x 9.55 inches |
I. Book introduction
‘One of the best fantasy book series of the past decade’ TIME
Never trust an assassin.
Celaena’s story continues in this second book in the #1 bestselling Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas.
Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become the King’s Champion. But she is far from loyal to the crown. Though she goes to great lengths to hide her secret, her deadly charade becomes more difficult when she realises she is not the only one seeking justice. Her search for answers ensnares those closest to her, and no one is safe from suspicion – not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a princess with a rebel heart.
Then, one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena’s world shatters, she will be forced to decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie … and what she is willing to fight for.
“Crown of Midnight” The second book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series returns readers to a land destroyed by liars, where one woman’s truth is the only thing that can save them all.
Editorial Reviews
- “Action-packed . . . What a ride!” ―Booklist on The Assassin’s Blade
- “A thrilling read.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review, on Throne of Glass
- “An epic fantasy readers will immerse themselves in and never want to leave.” ―Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on Crown of Midnight
- “Celaena is as much an epic hero as Frodo or Jon Snow!” ―New York Times bestselling author Tamora Pierce on Heir of Fire
- “Packed . . . with brooding glances, simmering sexual tension, twisty plot turns, lush world building, and snarky banter.” ―Booklist on Queen of Shadows
- “Tightly plotted, delightful escapism.” ―Kirkus Reviews on Empire of Storms
- “Turns a corner from sprawling epic to thrilling psychological fantasy.” ―HuffPost on Tower of Dawn
- “A worthy finale to one of the best fantasy book series of the past decade.” ―Time on Kingdom of Ash
About the Author (Sarah J. Maas)
Sarah Janet Maas, known as Sarah J. Maas (born March 5, 1986) is an American fantasy author known for her fantasy series Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City. As of 2024, she has sold nearly 40 million copies of her books and her work has been translated into 38 languages.
Sarah Janet Maas began writing what would become her debut novel, Throne of Glass, at age sixteen. After writing several chapters of the novel, then titled Queen of Glass, Maas posted them on FictionPress.com, where it became one of the most popular stories on the site. It was later removed from the site when Maas decided to publish the novel. The story line of the series is based on the story of Cinderella, with the premise of “What if Cinderella was not a servant, but an assassin? And what if she didn’t attend the ball to meet the prince, but to kill him, instead?” In 2008, Maas started sending the story to agents before signing with Tamar Rydzinski of The Laura Dial Literary Agency in 2009. Throne of Glass was purchased in March 2010 by Bloomsbury, who later purchased two additional books in the series. The series is available in 15 countries and 35 languages. While four prequel novellas set two years before the first novel were also published, these were later condensed into one book, The Assassin’s Blade plus an original novella. The second book of the series, Crown of Midnight was a New York Times young adult best-seller. The final book in the series, Kingdom of Ash, was released on October 23, 2018; the finished series comprised seven books plus the novella collection.
A Court of Thorns and Roses, Maas’ second fantasy series, is a loose retelling of the traditional Beauty and the Beast. The first book of the trilogy was written in 2009, but was not published until 2015. Due to the success and popularity of the original series, it was extended and a spin-off series was announced which would feature stories of other popular characters. The fifth book in the series and the first of the spin-offs, A Court of Silver Flames, was published on February 16, 2021.
On May 16, 2018, Maas announced her first adult fantasy series, Crescent City. The first book, titled House of Earth and Blood, was released by Bloomsbury on March 3, 2020. It was ranked one of the top twenty Science Fiction & Fantasy books of 2020 on Kobo. The sequel, House of Sky and Breath, was released on February 15, 2022 and won the Best Fantasy award for Goodreads Choice Awards in 2022. The third installation of the series, House of Flame and Shadow, was released on January 30th 2024.
The A Court of Thorns and Roses series was announced to be adapted into a television series for Hulu in 2021. In an interview with The New York Times, Maas confirmed that she was developing the project with the writers and the showrunner as executive producer.
In May 2023, The Verge reported that the cover of the UK edition of House of Earth and Blood uses an AI-generated image.
The banning of many is her books in Utah public schools has led to a surge in their popularity.
II. Reviewer: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
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1. EMILY MAY reviews for Crown of Midnight
Shit seriously just went down. Oh wow, where do I start with this sequel? I wasn’t even sure I was going to read it when I recently finished Throne of Glass and found it entertaining but a poor excuse for fantasy. You want to know what Crown of Midnight felt like? It was like the author listened to every piece of criticism I could have thrown at the first book, listened to everything I loved and everything that irritated me… and then wrote a perfect kind of book. The kind I wanted the first one to be; the kind I hadn’t dared to hope she might produce in this sequel. There was more action, more nastiness, more character development, more surprises, more complications, more sexy, no love triangle – all of this and a well-placed, never-saw-it-coming twist. Ms Maas, consider me impressed.
Crown of Midnight takes a huge step away from the tame romantic/bitchy drama of its predecessor and opens up a story that is a bigger, bloodier and meaner than I think many readers will be expecting. Celaena gets to fully explore all aspects of what it means to be an assassin in this book; she is tested constantly and you can see her growing and changing and learning as the story progresses. And this story is one tumultuous journey of extremely high ups and unbelievably low downs with Celaena taking relationships to all new levels and watching others fall apart. Old enemies resurface and we start to get a glimpse of just how big the picture Maas is painting for us actually is.
One of the strengths of this book is having no idea how it’s going to end. You might think that’s a given, but Throne of Glass introduced us to a plot that was fairly easy to see mapped out. We are told of the challenges Celaena must compete in and win, we know that’s what the book is moving towards, and it isn’t too much of a leap to assume that (one way or another) Celaena is going to emerge victorious. Not in this book. This book starts with a blank slate, any mysteries or troubles that are to come are completely unknown to us – so every turn the plot takes is a surprise and every surprise is thrilling. I can’t wrap my head around just how much better this sequel is. Maas has already grown as a writer and storyteller, making me wonder what she can possibly have in store for us next.
The characters are also so much better developed in this book. Maas is brave enough here to allow the main characters to make mistakes, do the wrong things and test our ability to like them. Well, I don’t know about you, but the new dimensions to their personalities, their faults and weaknesses, only served to make me like them more. Dorian surprised me most of all. In Throne of Glass, Dorian feels like something of a plot tool, a pretty little obstacle to Celaena and Chaol’s romance. The scenes with him felt like filler between the parts I was actually waiting for. But not in Crown of Midnight! In this, Dorian emerges as an interesting character with secrets of his own; he makes sacrifices for the people he loves and his importance to the bigger story starts to become apparent.
In short?
Throne of Glass…
Romance, love triangle, pretty dresses, one-dimensional characters, little action…
Crown of Midnight…
Badassery, twists, nastiness, betrayal, more action, magic, secrets…
If you were so-so about the first one and considering *maybe* reading this, you have my thumbs up.
2. WARDA reviews for Crown of Midnight
6th reread.
Will I ever stop?
That’s a no.
————————————
The ending. The ending. The ending. And the buildup to that ending? Absolute game-changer.
My heart was beating! It brought me right back to the first time I read this series and felt my obsession with it and Sarah J Maas brewing! I latched on to it. And I have fallen in love alllll over again! 😍
There’s so much that I just felt!
Celaena’s character development in this, to her finally beginning to accept and deal with her past, to stop trying to escape what it is she is meant to be, was incredible to read.
And it hit me again how much she actually has suffered, from the time she was 8 till now. The people that she has lost, the sacrifices she has made to try and keep her soul intact and completely close herself off to the torture she experienced. It was so painful to read.
I’m so not ready and ready for Heir of Fire. Pure pain and excruciating growth resides in that book.
3. KHURRAM reviews for Crown of Midnight
This is how you write a fantasy novel. Great characters, development, evolution, and revelations. Magic used intelligently, and my personal favourite action. I could not put the book down. I like the way that they characters have their responsibilities and jobs, but that is not all that defines them. Celaena has no problem hacking up body parts, but she is still a girl who loves to shop. I think even though she is an assassin, she sees herself as more of an avenger. She will avenge her friends no matter the cost.
The story Celaena Sardothien won the right to become the King’s Champion (personal Assassin) since then, she has been charged with dispatching a number of his enemies. In many cases, she brings back trophies in the form of severed heads and family insignias (rings) still attached to the hands. However, having no love for the King she has been, she has been helping his enemies get away and fake their deaths. The problem is she is too good at it, and even her closest friends and biggest supporters believe she has completely turned over to the dark side. Then she is given a target who intersected with her former life in Assassins Keep (Archer), a courtesan (prostitute). This simple assignment sends a ripple effect affecting Celaena and everyone she cares about. They also fill in some history; there is a more detailed account of what Celaena did the day she “snapped” in Endovier. There are also hints that Celaena knows exactly who betrayed her. In the next book I am begging for a showdown with the King of Assassins, but so far Celaena has already made enough enemies to keep her busy for a good long time, which is great news for a long series. The only thing I did find annoying in this book is the right characters suddenly appearing exactly the right moment, but will all the fate and prophecies in the book, this could be easily explained.
I am a fan of Sarah’s writing style, having chapters of different lengths, and almost chunking the chapters so information is easy to take in and break up for me. This might be a fairy tale setting but that is where the similarities stop, this is more the grim story tales type of book, with grizzly deaths, torcher, and harsh language (even though the characters do not swear in print, they usually “unleash a string of curse”). I love the Throne of Glass universe. There are references made to not only the first novel but the eBook prequels as well.
This book is a lot more action packed to the first novel, there HUGE revelations about Celaena and Dorian, (who have a Luke and Leia type relationship), as well as the forces that are using them. It’s a great book. Start it, and you will not be able to put it down. You do not need to have read the previous stories to enjoy this one, but they do help, and after reading this one, you will want to go back and read the others.
4. JESSICA reviews for Crown of Midnight
upon reread, ive decided to bump up my rating. knowing how the story plays out over the span of 7 books, its allowed me to view this with a different perspective. when i first read this, i didnt like how much page-time is focused on boring history, but now i can really appreciate all of the top-notch foreshadowing thats going on.
everything else in my original review still applies.
___________________________
firstly, wow! i think this might be better than the first book! and i actually really liked ‘throne of glass,’ so thats saying something!
secondly, i saw a status update the other day where someone expressed their frustration with how women in novels, specifically YA, are too often portrayed as fierce and dangerous. while i agree that kindness and gentleness should also be represented, i have to say that i live for my ruthless and downright deadly ladies.
for me, reading about celaena, about an assassin, is insight into a world i would never experience in a million years. i dont have a violent bone in my body. i actually think my body is programmed with a ‘flight and flight’ response. so i love being able to experience what its like for someone to have so much conviction that she would literally kill for what she believed in. that is the beauty of books, my friends.
so give me a merciless assassin any day of the week. you go, girl! see ya in book #3!
↠ 4.5 stars
5. CALEB reviews for Crown of Midnight
In this book, we pick up right where we left off in Throne of Glass. Now that Celaena is the King’s Champion, she must fulfill all his wishes: she must kill whatever and whoever he asks on the timeline of his choosing. Celaena is unable to do anything about it, or can she? She has been instructed to use every resource at her disposal to learn more about the King’s schemes and the evil that surrounds her and everyone she loves.
This book was so good!!! I was enamored by it. The character growth was amazing. I was always wondering what each character was going to do next, and occasionally my predictions were not correct. Others proved to be just as wonderful as I had imagined. The storyline takes a turn. OMGOSH. Some of these caught me off guard!
I was initially a little taken aback, but I soon saw how sensible their choices were to advance the plot. If you’ve read this book, you know what i’m talking about 😭😭😭. Ugh.
The world building is excellent! Each and every one of the well considered details is crucial to the plot. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
6. ELZY reviews for Crown of Midnight
A lot better then the 1st book
The 2nd book was a lot better than the 1st book. The 1st book took sometime to get me to truly get started on it. I kept losing interest. This one held my interest throughout the book. There was a few times a chapter felt like it was getting too long, & then something in the story would get me fully interested again. The romance still lacked for me, but I’m also someone who’s more into reading spicy romance novels so I guess I have a higher expectation when it comes to the romance parts. Maybe it’ll improve in the next book, we will see.
7. ASHLEY HUTCHINSON reviews for Crown of Midnight
So many secrets and this book. And some are uncovered.
Holy moly what a great book!
Will read the prequel next. I’m even more in love with Celaena. It was so good to hear about the past. I cried a few times reading this. The whole time I felt like I wanted to yell at the characters to stop holding secrets and they would solve so much together. But of course that never happened until the end. I loved how she ended the book with the biggest surprise.
*Spoilers*
I really loved that Celaena and Chaol get together. It broke my heart when Nehemia died and how the last conversation was left. So curious how Dorian is going to learn about his powers and is the king ever going to find out about that about his son? And how Celaena revealed to chaol her biggest secret of.
8. ALEX reviews for Crown of Midnight
Why have I been sleeping on this masterpiece?
‘Crown of Midnight’ is the second installment in the ‘Throne of Glass’ series. Let me start off this review by saying that I’ve read the blurb of ‘Throne of Glass’ several times before, but it didn’t really pique my interest until I decided to give the series a shot based on the great reviews. After reading the second installment in this book series, I’m very upset with myself that I’ve been sleeping on this masterpiece for years. The first installment in the series was good, but the second installment was EVERYTHING!
In this book we see Celaena’s life after winning the tournament and becoming the King’s champion. As to be expected the King solely wanted her to do his dirty work and that’s exactly what she did in order to gain her freedom. That is until one of the King’s targets led her to discovering something monumental that shook her world off its axis.
In this book we also see another side of Chaol that melted my heart into pieces. I knew that there was more under his stern and stoic exterior that he constantly wears, yet I didn’t expect him to weave himself into my heart so quickly. After reading this second installment we see that there’re more layers to his character – he’s selfless, loyal, fiercely protective of his loved ones and charming.
Now, I expected this book to dive deeper into this bewitching world that Maas created, but I didn’t expect the second installment to reveal not one but several monumental secrets. It was quite a rollercoaster ride that I didn’t want to get off. I’m not going to spill the beans but I’m just going to say that Celaena’s backstory left me stunned and speechless. Then there’s an interesting plot twist that involves Dorian and not forgetting the secrets of the King and the story behind his sudden rise to power. Something tells me that this is just the beginning and that there’re many more earth shattering revelations to come. Revelations that I’m eagerly looking forward to diving into.
Again, I have to take the time to show my appreciation for Maas’ storytelling abilities. Every book that I’ve read from her has been AMAZING. I really enjoy how descriptive she writes, which transports you into the bewitching worlds that she creates. She also writes amazing multidimensional characters. From the main characters right down to the secondary characters. Characters that permanently weave their way into your heart, so much that you feel a sudden loss after their unexpected death. Speaking of which, I didn’t expect nor could I believe that a specific character died in this second installment. This death rocked Celaena and the rest of the group’s world.
Overval, this book seriously blew my mind and constantly had me at the edge of my seat. There was so much going on that I seriously couldn’t put it down until I devoured every word. After reading ‘Throne of Glass’ I wasn’t 100% sure if I would continue reading this series, but after reading ‘Crown of Midnight’ there’s no doubt in my mind that I WILL see this series through to the very end.
9. CHLOÉ reviews for Crown of Midnight
4.5 stars
hi there, i’m just another girl on goodreads who has become obsessed with this series and thinks about these characters all day… don’t mind me. 👋🏻
my entire life, i’ve only given boys once chance at breaking my heart… but i’ll let sarah j. maas repeatedly destroy my heart and then proceed to tell her thank you.
crown of midnight was so much better than book one, in my opinion. despite knowing/expecting the ending, this book was still so very incredible and painful. oh, how i absolutely love when fiction ruins me.
(side note — still a hardcore chaol girly. i refuse to change my mind.)
10. SK reviews for Crown of Midnight
SO GOOD 🤌
I smiled. I laughed. I cried. I screamed. That’s how good it was. That’s how deeply it made me feel.
The first half of the book was slower and more lighthearted. The second half was more action paced and heartbreak. I preferred the second half, it was so hard to put down. The twists and turns were chef’s kiss.
The characters are so so amazing. Chaol and Celaena made me feel everything. Also why the fade to black?! 😩😩😩
Dorian is a precious bean. I swear if something happens to him in the series, I’m gonna lose it.
Nehemia broke my heart. Then obviously Chaol and Celaena too 😭😭
The ending tho- it was perfect. I loved the cliffhanger, can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
III. Crown of Midnight Quotes by Sarah J. Maas
The best book quotes from Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
“So Dorian closed his eyes, and took another long breath. And when he opened his eyes, he let her go.”
“Then Celaena and the King of Adarlan smiled at each other, and it was the most terrifying thing Dorian had ever seen.”
“In that moment, after ten long years, Celaena looked at Chaol and realized she was home.”
“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.”
“Why are you crying?”
“Because,” she whispered, her voice shaking, “you remind me of what the world ought to be. What the world can be.”“The best lies were always mixed with truth.”
“The rest of the world quieted into nothing. In that moment, after ten long years, Celaena looked at Chaol and realised she was home.”
“What does that mean?” he demanded.
She smiled sadly. “You’ll figure it out. And when you do…” She shook her head, knowing she shouldn’t say it, but doing it anyway. “When you do, I want you to remember that it wouldn’t have made any difference to me. It’s never made any difference to me when it came to you. I’d still pick you. I’ll always pick you.”“But death was her curse and her gift, and death had been her good friend these long, long years.”
“Some things you hear with your ears. Others, you hear with your heart.”
“Who said anything about shame?” She gestured down to her naked body, even though it was covered by the blanket. “Honestly, I’m surprised you’re not strutting about, boasting to everyone. I certainly would be if I’d tumbled me.
“Does your love for yourself know no bounds?”
“Absolutely none.”“Celaena was the lost Queen of Terrasen.
Chaol sank to his knees.”“It was like coming home or being born or suddenly finding an entire half of herself that had been missing.”
“If they wanted Adarlan’s Assassin, they’d get her.
And Wyrd help them when she arrived.”“Dance with me, Celaena,” he said again, his voice rough. When her eyes met his she forgot about the cold, and the moon, and the glass palace looming above them. The secret library and the king’s plans and Mort and Elena faded into nothing. She took his hand and there was only the music and Chaol.”
“To escape death, she’d become death.”
“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.”“Because she wasn’t human, Chaol realized, gaping at her from where he still crouched over Fleetfoot.
No – she wasn’t human at all.
Celaena was Fae.”“There had never been any line between them, only his own stupid fear and pride. Because from the moment he’d pulled her out of that mine in Endovier and she had set those eyes upon him, still fierce despite a year in hell, he’d been walking toward this, walking to her. So Chaol brushed away her tears, lifter her chin, and kissed her.”
“Roland gave her a courtier’s smile. “And what sort of work do you do for my uncle?”
Dorian shifted on his feet and Chaol went very still, but Celaena returned Roland’s smile and said, “I bury the king’s opponents where nobody will ever find them.”“And because she was young, and so damn clever and amusing and wonderful, wherever she made her home, there would be some man who would fall in love with her and who would make her his wife, and that would be the worst truth of all. It had snuck up on him, this pain and terror and rage at the thought of anyone else with her. Every look, every word from her… he didn’t even know when it had started.”
“In every way that counted, I failed him.”
“You love your country,” she said. “I can’t let you give all that up.” He caught a glimmer of pain and hope in her eyes, and before he knew what he was doing , he’d closed the distance between them, one hand on her waist and the other on her shoulder.
“I’d be the greatest fool in the world to let you go alone.”“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.”
“He wouldn’t let his servants change the sheets on his bed because they still smelled like her, because he went to sleep dreaming that she was still lying beside him.”
“I’m happy for you, my friend.”
Celaena smiled back. “I think… I think I’m happy for me, too.”
And she was. For the first time in years, she was truly happy.”“He’d loved her so much that she still felt the echoes of it, even now.”
“Whatever shred of hope he’d had for a future with her was gone. She still felt something for him, she’d admitted, but she would never trust him. She would always hate him for what he’d done.
But he could do this for her. Even if he never saw her again, even if she abandoned her duties as King’s Champion and stayed with the Fae in Wendlyn forever-as long as he knew that she was safe, that no one could hurt her… He’d sell his soul again and again for that.”“I can’t tell if I should be ashamed of wanting to hold you on this day, or grateful that, despite what happened before now, it somehow brought me to you.”
“Hide from fate all you like,” Baba Yellowlegs said as they turned away. “But it shall soon find you!”
“Her salary as King’s Champion was considerable, and Celaena spent
every last copper of it. Shoes, hats, tunics, dresses, jewelry, weapons,
baubles for her hair, and books. Books and books and books. So many
books that Philippa had to bring up another bookcase for her room.”“When you do, I want you to remember that it wouldn’t have made any difference to me. It’s never made any difference to me when it came to you. I’d still pick you. I’ll always pick you.”
Excerpted from Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
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