Before Throne of Glass, discover Celaena’s rise—her training, her bonds, and the choices that shape her destiny. The Assassin’s Blade is a prequel to the Throne of Glass series. It’s a collection of novellas that serve to better understand Celaena Sardothier, the main character of the series.
Romantic Snapshot:
- Emotional Intimacy: 5/5 A romantic interest strongly influences Calaena’s development. She will have a few in the series, as I understand it.
- Physical Intimacy: 1/5 Their sensual moments aren’t past kissing and cuddling.
Overview
Celaena Sardothier is the top assassin in Adarlan, and she isn’t even 20 yet. When she was a child, Arobynn found her and took her under his wing. He not only personally trained her, but he also sent her to study under other masters while showering her with gifts.
But it wasn’t for free. Now she is stuck under his reign until her debt is paid off. She’s not the only one he did this to. She just happened to be his favorite. As she works to gain her freedom, she experiences things that force her to establish her own morals and open herself to others.
Positives
Celaena is such an interesting character. I rented the e-book from the library. It’s actually all eight books in the entire series. I was a few chapters into Throne of Glass before I realised it wasn’t the prequel. The e-book put The Assassin’s Blade as the last book, so I jumped to it. Having had a glimpse of Celaena post-prison, these stories made me fall in love with her even more.
Even though they are novellas, Sarah J. Maas can build a big, unique world. Since the purpose of this book is to capture Calaena’s development, you will clearly see it and hopefully bond with her, as I did.
Negative
I don’t think that if I hadn’t already started Throne of Glass, I would have understood the world. On the other hand, when reading Throne of Glass without knowing the experiences of The Assassin’s Blade, it wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as it is after.
Recommendations
To avoid any confusion and have the best reading experience, familiarize yourself with the series by reading this review, and know that this results in a betrayal and imprisonment that the Throne of Glass picks up from. I think both reading experiences will benefit. For myself, The Assassin’s Blade is four stars.
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