Young Adult Annotation

Throne of Glass

by Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy (High Fantasy)

Publication Date: 2013

Number of Pages: 404

Series: Throne of Glass #1 (out of 7)

Appeal Terms: Strong Female, Action-Packed, World-Building

Synopsis: Celaena Sardothien, at 18-years-old, might possibly be the most notorious, badass, and hardcore assassin that the land of Erilea as ever seen. Well, at least she was until her betrayal, arrest, and enslavement. A year into her sentence, we meet Celaena as she is pulled from the mines by the Crown Prince with an offer of freedom she cannot refuse: if she can win a competition against some of the nastiest and brutal killers, thieves, and warriors in Erliea, her record will be wiped clean and she will serve as the King's champion. With the chance for freedom her only thought, she agrees and is carted off the the capital city of Rifthold. Between her time training and competing, she begins to develop friendships and even romantic interests in some of the least likely places, further complicating her position and once straightforward goal of freedom. To make matters worse, there is something evil lurking in the castle, brutally murdering other competitors in the dark of the night one by one. Celaena must decide where her true friendships lie, who she can trust, and if she can dare love; while doing everything she can to make it through the competitions and not becoming the next victim of the mysterious thing that is stalking the castle. 

Setting: This story takes place in the land called Erilea, that once was made up of many kingdoms of differing people, but which are now being brutally conquered one by one by the King of Adarlan. As with other high fantasy stories, the setting is an integral aspect of this series, and is incredibly detailed and fleshed out, albeit through context rather than direct description (as explained under "language" below) There is even a map that is included in the front of the book to aid the readers as they become more familiar with the sprawling land of Erilea and the diversity of its inhabitants. 

Story Line: This book is the first of seven novels in the series, so this specific story is clearly building and setting the stage for a much larger story arc. This book does have its own standalone plot, and it leaves the reader content for the time being but still craving more of the characters and story in the following books.

Tone: While being high fantasy, this book is still considered young adult, and has lots of humor as well as flirtatious, young romance intertwined in the dark and grim overarching storyline. The tone shifts slightly between chapters as it's told from the perspective of various characters. It also shifts depending on the scene (i.e. romantic vs. action-packed and dangerous).

Characterization: The story is told mostly through the eyes of the main character, Celaena, as she develops and grows as the story progresses. There are some clear distinctions between "good" and "bad" guys, but there are some other key characters that either skirt the line or are purposefully left ambiguous in their motives. These extra layers of character complexity add some depth and intrigue to what could easily have been a shallow plot-line.

Pacing: Unlike adult fantasy, this story picks up rather quickly from the get-go and keeps the reader turning the pages with lots of suspense and action. The chapters are short, which seems to propel the storyline even faster, though it takes place over the course of several months. 

Language: Other than the descriptions needed for the direct involvement of the main characters, the reader picks up on all the backstories of characters and the different regions of Erilea from context as the story progresses. Maas doesn't take a lot of time to go into great detail about the setting and doesn't use sweeping or rich language. Rather, she relies on the quick, rapid fire dialogue that often happens between characters.

Read-Alikes: (Summaries from Novelist)

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young (2018) - Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient rivalry against the Riki clan, but when faced with her brother's betrayal, and driven by a growing love for her brother's friend Fiske, she attempts to unite the two clans.

Defy by Sara B. Larson (2014) - Seventeen-year-old Alexa's parents were killed by a sorcerer during a raid, so she has disguised herself as a boy, joined Antion's army, and earned a place on Prince Damian's guard--but Antion is ruled by an evil king, and "Alex" must find a way to defeat him and protect her prince.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008) - In a future North America, where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting young people from each of the twelve districts against one another, sixteen-year-old Katniss's skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister's place.