It is so bloody wild to think that it's been an entire decade since Throne of Glass first made its debut in the world! I vividly remember being one of those lucky people who got an ARC at BookExpo America; I also recall in detail how I fell in love with this novel. And with every single one of the seven installments that followed, I developed a deeper appreciation for this story, these characters and their world. I've said it many times, and I still stand by this statement: of all of her series, Throne of Glass is my absolute favorite.
I've featured the series many, many times before on this blog (and you can find post links at the end of this post), but it felt important to celebrate this significant milestone! Luckily, my friends Rachel & Kristin felt the same way, so we ended up doing a series reread (I'm a book behind, and I'm concerned for the emotional roller coaster that will be my reread of Kingdom of Ash). And we also decided to share our series favorites today! Don't forget to check out Rachel's post and Kristin's post!
Favorite male character? I can say without any doubt that my answer for this question has never changed - it's Chaol Westfall. I love him, full stop. Is he flawed? Sure. Does he occasionally make poor choices? Yup. But I admire him for growing through and past that as the series goes on. His loyalty, protectiveness and heart are part of why I fell head over heels in love with him.
Favorite book in series? I'm truly tempted to say Kingdom of Ash, despite not yet having done a full reread of this novel, because it's so satisfying to watch everything that's been building since the start of the series reach culmination. It's also the biggest emotional roller coaster ride for me in terms of reading experience, including highs, lows, curveballs and everything in between. But if I were to be brutally honest, Tower of Dawn is actually my favorite. I loved this book so much when I read it the first time, and each reread has cemented this installment as one of the most pivotal in the series. It's wonderful to see an expansion in the world, the lore and the cast of characters; it's equally great that the story is also quite compelling. On this particular reread, I got even more emotional than I've ever gotten before!
Favorite place? If you've taken note of my previous answers, then it's certainly not going to surprise you that Antica is my answer. I love the time we spend on the Southern Continent with Chaol, Yrene, Nesryn, Sartaq and the other individuals they encounter along the way. I love that it feels incredibly different when contrasted with the other locales in the series, and that despite the ever-looming threat to the entire world, there's also places that inspire moments of wonder and peace for the characters. I could also totally see myself wanting to visit Antica if it were a place I could go to in real life!
Favorite animal? I love Abraxos! He leans towards playful, sweet empathetic, but also has a warrior's heart when it comes to putting up a fight for the people he loves and deems worth of his protection and loyalty.
Favorite member of the Cadre? I was torn between two members (Gavriel was the other), but I had to go with Fenrys. There's just something about him that really appeals to me (and it likely has to do with the fact that he reminds me a little of anime characters I like: witty, a little arrogant and deeply loyal). Even without having reread the finale, I can remember so keenly the role he plays in it -- and because it's still so vivid and it does make me incredibly emotional to even think about it, he felt like the right choice.
Favorite member of the Thirteen? I adore the Thirteen so much, but my favorite is definitely Asterin. She's incredibly loyal to Manon; her belief in her cousin, a better future and a place to call him are the reasons she is willing to be painfully vulnerable about her past and incredibly stubborn about doing the right thing (even if it means challenging Manon directly). She's amazing!
Favorite villain? Maeve is, without a doubt, the individual who fits the bill for me. She's evil, and the things she's done are terrible and terrifying. But it's also compelling to learn more about who she is, how she got to where she is; it's no secret that she's had to be intelligent, cautious and prepared to keep the life she's carved out for herself. Definitely the villainous character I find the most interesting for sure!
Favorite assassin? The Mute Master! I've always enjoyed the novella that tackles Celaena's time in the Red Desert. I'm particularly fond of the training sessions she has with the Mute Master, as he totally gives off the slightly-kooky-but-also-could-take-you-down-before-you-could-blink mentor vibes.
Favorite quote? Really, I'm only supposed to choose one quote when there are so many excellent lines in this series?! One of my favorites actually is from Throne of Glass, and it's definitely one of the more well-known quotes: “You could rattle the stars," she whispered. "You could do anything, if only you dared. And deep down, you know it, too. That’s what scares you most.”
Favorite fight scene? The fight between Manon and Aelin when they first meet in Queen of Shadows. It was just really cool to see two powerful young women battle it out, and eventually acknowledge a mutual respect for each other's skills. The fact that this fight also ends with a thread of fate tying them together, well, that's just a bonus.
Most memorable romance? This is a very hard question to answer, as I'm torn between a few different couples. My heart obviously beats for Yrene and Chaol (watching those two stubborn idiots eventually admit to their deep feelings is always fun), and there's an equal amount of joy to be found with Dorian and Manon (their chemistry is undeniable and they could totally have used a ton more page time). But on this reread, it was actually Nesryn and Sartaq who stole my affections. It was lovely to see two independent, capable individuals developing a regard for one another, and watching those feelings grow deeper as they spent more time together. Plus, I must admit to being a sucker for the fact that Sartaq knows what he wants pretty much from the start!
Most memorable friendship? I'm never going to be able to pick just one answer for this one. Never. I refuse to pick on the grounds that one of my favorite things about this series is that there are so many wonderful friendships within its pages. (I will say that the ones that stand out the most in my mind are Chaol and Dorian, Aelin and Lysandra and Manon and her Thirteen.)
For the next three questions, I'm going to preface this by saying -- I'm supposed to pick just one?! I feel like it's always an impossible task when I'm forced to pick just one since this is an eight book series and there are so many standout moments. Since I technically already cheated on the previous question, I'm going to do my best to pick only one scene for each question below, but I want to state for the record that this is under real personal duress.
Scene that still makes you cry? I haven't reread it yet, so but just thinking about the big pivotal scene with the Thirteen in Kingdom of Ash makes me tear up. That moment just wounded me very deeply.
Scene that still makes you laugh? I find plenty of moments in this series funny, especially because there often tends to be a lot of banter between our main cast of characters (and occasionally one-sided banter between one of them and an opponent). But one moment that never fails to crack me up isn't actually on page for more than a sentence or two - it's literally that bit where Lysandra vomits on Lorcan in Queen of Shadows. The mental image it presents me with makes me laugh every time!
Scene that still makes you swoon? I'll never ever ever forget the scene where Chaol and Yrene finally admit to their feelings for one another during Yrene's birthday celebration in the desert. From the present that Chaol gives her to their inevitable passionate embrace, it always makes me swoony.
And that's the end of this favorites post! If you're interested in finding more of my Throne of Glass related content, I'm going to link to as many of my old posts as possible in the hopes that you'll check them out!
Reviews: Throne of Glass Novellas (4 of them are in The Assassin's Blade) | Throne of Glass | Crown of Midnight | Heir of Fire | Queen of Shadows | Empire of Storms | Tower of Dawn | Kingdom of Ash
Blog Features & Tours: Throne of Glass Discussion, Throne of Glass Celebration, Throne of Glass Celebration, Part Deux, {Book} Shopping for Celaena, Shopping for Celaena, The Throne of Glass Book Tag, 10 Reasons You Should Be on Team Celaena, {Bookish} Travel Buddies, Alexa's A to Z of TOG, What Throne of Glass Means to Me, Twenty Questions, Series Roulette
since the release of Throne of Glass on the global stage! I still clearly remember how fortunate I was to receive an ARC at BookExpo America, and I also remember exactly how this book made me fall in love. And my appreciation for this story, these characters, and their universe grew with each and every one of the seven installments that followed.
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ReplyDeleteI still remember the day I picked up the first book and was instantly hooked. Throne of Glass has been a huge part of my life for the past decade. I still remember the day I picked up the first book and was instantly hooked. Throne of Glass has been a huge part of my life for the past decade! child pornography attorney
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Happy 10-year anniversary to the Throne of Glass series! Sarah J. Maas's iconic world and characters have captivated readers for a decade, and it's amazing to see how the series has grown and evolved. Want to know about attorney to contest protective order virginia click it.
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