Eighteen-year-old Celaena Sardothien is bold, daring and beautiful – the perfect seductress and the greatest assassin her world has ever known. But though she won the King’s contest and became his champion, Celaena has been granted neither her liberty nor the freedom to follow her heart. The slavery of the suffocating salt mines of Endovier that scarred her past is nothing compared to a life bound to her darkest enemy, a king whose rule is so dark and evil it is near impossible to defy. Celaena faces a choice that is tearing her heart to pieces: kill in cold blood for a man she hates, or risk sentencing those she loves to death. Celaena must decide what she will fight for: survival, love or the future of a kingdom. Because an assassin cannot have it all . . . And trying to may just destroy her.
Last year, I read and absolutely loved THRONE OF GLASS, so when I received the ARC for the second book in this amazing series, I couldn't wait to devour it. And that's exactly what I did!
Celaena Sardothien is now the King's Champion, and has been tasked with wiping out anyone that the King sees as a threat. She's not supposed to ask questions, just do what she does best. After all, she is the best assassin in the world.
So she goes off, does her job and brings back each dead man's head. Except, she hasn't actually been doing that. She's devised her own plan: pretend she's killing these people, but in fact is giving them the opportunity to flee. She's playing a dangerous game, because if the evil king ever finds out, he won't just kill her but everyone she cares about.
However, when the next name on her list is actually someone she knows, Celaena needs to tackle the task with a little more time and care. And instead finds herself in the middle of a hidden rebellion that want to overthrow the King of Adarlan by using similar tactics, which puts her in a very difficult position. Soon Celaena starts to wonder who she can really trust, and finds out--the most painful way--that even those closest to her keep secrets.
Everything is going to hell but there is one brief, bright light for her--Chaol Westfall. The Captain of the Royal Guard has slowly made his way into her heart when she was sure she'd never let anyone else in. But even then, she still has to deal with the hard realisation that even though you love someone and they might love you back, there's always something that gets in the way. And sometimes, unfortunately, it has to take precedence. At least her friendship with Prince Dorian Havilliard is strengthened.
There's one quest she must follow to the end, though. The clues are hidden beneath the castle, in the dark chamber of a dead queen that might just have a deeper connection to her than she ever imagined...
This story is so well written and told from several angles, giving the reader glimpses of what other characters are thinking and doing when Celaena isn't there. I found myself on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what would happen next, hoping it would all work out in the end. I also went through a variety of emotions--anger, delight, heartbreak, excitement, sadness--and even had several "I knew it!" moments.
Reading this book was exhausting, because I got so caught up in what was going on I almost felt like I was there!
Crown of Midnight is breathtaking. I enjoyed every single moment I spent with this book and just couldn't put it down. I love Celaena, she's such a well-rounded character who gives easily into her emotions and allows the darkness deep inside to take over when it's necessary. She's also loyal, caring, reactive, and will stop at nothing to protect and/or avenge those she loves. There are a lot of revelations in this installment, and the world's potential opens up so much!
I absolutely LOVED this book, even more than the first one. Wow. Can't wait to see what happens next...
Oh, and check out that cover!
Crown of Midnight, August 2013, ISBN 9781408834947, Bloomsbury Childrens
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment