This book opened up a whole new world for me. Although I don’t normally love fantasy, the world-building and complex character backstories pulled me in. This is one of those books that is so extraordinarily well thought out that you feel like you’re actually living with the characters and you forget that you’re reading. Maas does a wonderful job of writing the story in such a way that you find yourself trying to solve the little mysteries along with the characters while also being constantly surprised with the twists and turns and the ever-increasing magic in the world. Another thing I loved about this book was how well gender equality is written. Although the world isn’t a place of gender equity, this book surpasses the Bechdel test and has really great role models. While female characters in most books are either strong and heroic or fashionable and cute, Celaena is a morally rough character who kills - a lot - but also does it wearing the newest fashion. Her confidence in herself and her ability to stand up to people who underestimate her is admirable and makes for some hilarious scenes where we get to see the extent of her sass. Overall, if you’re looking for a new fantasy world, especially if you’re tired of the common sexist tropes in the genre, this is a great novel for mid to late teens.
Review written by Ada, Grade 10