Monday, September 23, 2013

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Pages: 432pgs

The Story

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.

The Review

A big thanks to Bloomsbury Australia for sending me a review copy of this book!

I don't know about this book. I really don't know. Apart of me likes it (or at least wants to like it) and the other part of me doesn't want me to like it at all. So as you can see, I'm quite conflicted with this book to be honest with you but here we go with my review.

So here's the thing I want to point out: I wasn't a huge, huge fan of the first book, Throne of Glass, but I still didn't mind it though and it entertained me enough. I mean, who doesn't love a bit of kick-ass action in a grand fantasy world? But in regards to the next sequel, CROWN OF MIDNIGHT, I still found it very hard to connect with the characters - more so the main character - and that's a major problem for me when connecting to the rest of the book that I am reading, and that's because a main character is the core of a storyline and if you can't connect with them . . . well the rest of the book isn't going to go too well for you which is what exactly happened to me with this book I'm afraid.

Our main heroine, Celaena, like what I experienced from the first book, is a very hard character to like and come around to. I mean, while she does eventually show a much more sensitive and compassionate side to her in this particular sequel, at least a much softer side than from what I've seen of her from book one where she was stuck up and cocky most of the time, but there's still something about her that I just don't like or even want to like. But don't get me wrong though, she can definitely kick ass when she wants to and I love girls like that, but Celaena . . . oh I don't know . . . this time she felt even more distant to me because she does some pretty odd things even though she is supposed to have street smarts and such, but yeah . . . it's still very hard to connect with her sadly. But apart from her, I still very much enjoyed reading the other supporting characters and the adventures they undertake, even her love interests offered something more than Celaena ever did.

In regards to those love interests, that being Dorian and Chaol, I still may like them as characters (because the boys are far more interesting than other characters), but I'm not exactly a huge fan of the whole whirlwind romance they have with Celaena. It's not full-blown romance of course, not like what we see in most YA books, but I just can't feel the sizzling chemistry between either one of those characters with our main girl. If anything, Chaol has more of a connection with our main character than Dorian ever did, even though we are told otherwise. . . but hey, maybe that's just me feeling this way. Romance is something that doesn't win me over too easily. But again, I still quite enjoyed Dorian and Chaol as characters and I'm looking forward to what they're going to offer in the next book.

Overall, CROWN OF MIDNIGHT may not have won me over, but I think this book will work best with readers who were major fans of the first book, Throne of Glass, and if so, you'll definitely will get excited over this book. As for me, I'll still be continuing with this book series in hopes that something wowing will eventually come along to surprise me!

The Rating
2/5 stars

8 comments:

  1. awww I am sorry you didn't end up liking this as much as you wanted.. I have heard the best things about this book (or at least the first one).. I have a copy of Throne of Glass but I'm definitely not going to keep my expectations that high. I do know it is the type of book that you either LOVE or HATE.. mainly because of the main character.

    Thanks for this fantastic review,
    - Juhina @ Maji Bookshelf

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    1. I think it's a hit or miss kind of book . . . but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the third book in the series will blow me away. :)

      Thanks Juhina.

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  2. I find it really difficult to enjoy a book if I can't fully connect with the main character, so I do understand where you're coming from there. I was a huge fan of this sequel, but I did also like the first book. I'm sorry to see it didn't quite work for you! But lovely, honest review as always. :)

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    1. Yeah, pretty much if I can't connect with the main character than the rest of the book is going to be really hard for me to read. Still, I'm going to stick with the series until the end.

      Thanks Sam.

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  3. I actually just finished writing a review for a book where I really disliked the main character. Its impossible for me to love a book when I can't mesh with the protagonist. Wonderful review! I'm glad you like Dorian and Choal. Love them too from the first book, especially Dorian.

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    1. Yeah I hate when this happens because the main character is the ONE you are supposed to care about the most . . . but I'm still going to read the third book just to finish this series off (mostly for Chaol because I think I'm more of a fan of him than Dorian hehe).

      Thanks Rachel.

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  4. I actually haven't read book one yet. *hangs head in shame* I just wanted to read your review because it's been a long time since I've been blog hopping and commenting. I'm sad to hear that you're quite conflicted with this book. I'm hoping you'll try Book 3. Some of my friends really loved the sequel though. Not that this book didn't win you over, I'm a bit skeptical about starting the series... I'm nervous. But great honest review!

    Precious @ Fragments of Life

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    1. I'll definitely be reading the third book to finish the series off . . . so I'm hoping it will impress me by that time. But as for you starting this series, I would still recommend it because it is a fun read and you might actually like it more than me because a lot of readers LOVE this series.

      Thanks Precious.

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