Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, 7)Hardcover

I have put off reading this book for years. Mostly, I put it off due to how long it is. But when I have been in the mood to read here in 2021 after giving birth to my 3rd child, I have wanted to read something I know I will enjoy. Also, I originally read the series on Holly's kindle. But her 1G kindle stopped syncing. So I put KOA on hold with the e-library. I finally got my loaned copy, but of course, you only have two weeks to read a book from the e-library. And 900+ pages is going to take me a bit longer than that these days. My library copy expired, but by that point, I was hooked on the story. So I bought it with my birthday gift card money.

The first thing I want to say review wise about Kingdom of Ash is how very far we've come since Throne of Glass. Oh, my word! It almost doesn't even feel like these two books belong in the same series to me how far apart we've come. I remember thinking, and even commenting in my review, that Throne of Glass not focusing on the assassin competition more was a missed opportunity. Boy, I was completely ignorant about the overall arc of the series story and conflict. Aelin being an assassin was such a small (yet still important) part of the story. I intend to re-read this series from the beginning, and I'm sure I will be just as impressed by the distance from the beginning to the end as I was finishing Kingdom of Ash.

There is so much to discuss and unpack in this book, but with a series ender, I'm always hesitant to spoil anything.

I found it difficult to get back into the story because I put off reading this book for several years. There are so many narrators and so many pieces to this puzzle that it is hard to keep everything straight sometimes. But one thing is for sure, Sarah J Maas has crafted this series like a pro and even the smallest pieces and interactions are remembered for future use and crafted to tie back together. I truly love when a series is like this. Each piece is meaningful and important in some way or another.

Multiple times I found myself thinking that Kingdom of Ash had a JRR Tolkein and The Lord of the Rings vibe. Dorian's quest to find the 3rd key by going into Morath reminded me of Sam and Frodo going into Mordor. Dorian and/or Aelin needing to forge the Lock while war is going on in other areas of the land and story reminded me of the quest to destroy the ring. All of the dark, evil creatures Erawan created of course reminds me of all of the Orcs and creatures from The Lord of the Rings. The battle that Aedion is fighting in Terrasan reminded me of the big battle in Return of the King. Of course, I don't see the religious symbolism throughout Kingdom of Ash like The Lord of the Rings. If anything, maybe there is an "anti-religion" theme throughout Kingdom of Ash.

I want to discuss Aelin and Dorian's mission to destroy the key a little more, but I know that will likely stray into spoiler territory for sure. I'll just say that the self-sacrifice that was touched on in this area felt a little cliche. I was rolling my eyes a good bit through this section. Yet when I analyze it, I'm not sure I can come up with another way things should have gone down. In some ways, I might even say this section could have been skipped altogether.

Sarah J Maas has so many couples going in this book. Each couple has conflicts to overcome. Aedion and Lysandra aren't in a great place. Rowan, of course, has to reunite with Aelin. Lorcan and Elodie are also at odds when things begin. And Dorian and Manon have an impending separation coming. I'm probably even missing someone. Oh and Aedion and Gavriel...not a romantic relationship, but I had to shed a tear at this point of the story.

I really feel like this review has not done this book or this series justice. But there's so much to wrap my head around and so much that I don't want to spoil. Kingdom of Ash gets 5 Stars. And I believe this is my only 5 Star read from 2021 (at least so far). Have you read Kingdom of Ash? What did you think? Let me know!

I'm writing this at nearly a quarter past 1 AM, having just finished the book in one long, unbroken sitting and have more feels than I can process anytime soon. But I wanted to get all this down while it was still fresh in my mind, and in line with the overall impression the series has left me with.

As someone who aspires to be an author, I know the struggle to juggle characters' development, flow of plot and organic, unhurried development of the world and its lore is a tumultuous one, regardless of what genre you write in. I can also safely say that it is a juggling act Sarah J. Maas has in her own ways performed to beautiful and lasting results.

Young adult series are often overlooked or brushed off as being trope fodder for teenagers, despite some of the most acclaimed and memorable amongst them like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and A Series of Unfortunate Events gaining world-wide renown and even enjoying some of the better (and some of the not so great) efforts of cinematic adaptation. Part of what makes them and others like them some of the best and received to such popularity stems from not treating their target audience as young or naive, not sugarcoating or omitting the darker or more mature aspects of life and the worlds the stories create for themselves. The Throne of Glass series shares this trait, but expands on it in tandem with the way Maas works to create her characters and let them grow as much as the world around them unfolds and develops with the story in turn.

While the first book did have some growing pains to it, from the second onward it was clear Maas knew what kind of story she wanted to tell and wasn't afraid of pouring as much humanity into her characters or lack thereof to craft it as best she could, and in a world packed with enough organic detail to see it as the living, breathing thing that it was. Aelin Galathynius is as much a strong, driven and cunning character as she is human, emotional and vulnerable, and falls into exactly none of the numerous tropes and literary pitfalls that can plague many female protagonists, especially in fantasy fiction. And she isn't the only one, Maas shows no qualms about filling her world with female powerhouses that could all viably headline their own sagas with ease, and even then she doesn't short the male characters at all in terms of their own intrigue and development in the short or longer term plot.

This series has garnered a major following in the years since its initial release for good reason. While the romance angle is indeed a central aspect, the medieval era political struggles, fantasy action and magical combat have always been strong supporting aspects throughout each book as well. The characters feel real and their struggles genuine, the relationships they have with eachother reflecting bonds many readers can empathize with on many different levels. For me, it was a fantastic example of a series that took itself seriously but with enough awareness of its genre to let the characters be people and have fun with who they were instead of just being swallowed by their roles and the drama of the plots' darker aspects.

These characters felt real, their stories and struggles felt like a proper series of adventures and the way they suffered and grew as people throughout the span of the series felt memorable and significant. This ending installment itself is a fitting and heartfelt example of that in its entirety, and without going into spoilers, any happy endings involved are as bittersweet as they are heartwarming for many of the characters in as many ways.

I will miss this world, will miss these characters and can still easily see the potential for so much more that could lie ahead for them. Part of me hopes Maas will return to them sometime in the future, but even if that isn't the case this last installment stands as a testament to the series as a whole and a fitting conclusion to the adventure Maas began years ago with the story of a smart-tongued young assassin girl coming into a royal past she'd thought left far behind her. As an avid fantasy fiction fan, I heartily recommend this series to any and all comers, and can say that making it to this ending will be far from disappointing.

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas is a breathtaking conclusion to the Throne of Glass series, weaving a tale of resilience, sacrifice, and unyielding hope. This book, which has become my favorite fantasy read, left me in a profound book hangover.The story follows Aelin Galathynius and her friends as they face insurmountable odds to reclaim her throne and save her world. Maas masterfully balances epic battles, intricate political maneuvers, and deeply personal moments, creating a narrative that is both grand in scope and rich in character development.

Aelin’s journey is nothing short of awe-inspiring, showcasing her growth from an assassin to a queen willing to lay down her life for her people. The supporting characters, each with their own arcs, add depth and emotion to the tale. Notable moments include heart-wrenching sacrifices, unexpected alliances, and the power of friendship and love prevailing in the darkest times.

The pacing is relentless, with each chapter propelling the story forward. Maas’s prose is evocative, painting vivid pictures of both the beauty and brutality of the world she has created. The climactic battles are intense, leaving readers on the edge of their seats.Kingdom of Ash is an epic finale that encapsulates the essence of high fantasy, delivering a story that lingers long after the last page is turned.

What can I say about this massive novel other than OH MY GOD WHAT A MASTERPIECE.

I loved EVERY SINGLE PAGE. With this end to the Throne of Glass series being 980 pages – there was A LOT that happened, and I obviously will not be able to capture everything in this review. This review will most likely be spoiler free for the first half and then the second half will contain spoilers that I simply HAVE to talk about, but I will be sure to put a disclaimer warning everyone not to proceed unless you’ve read it or like me absolutely love spoilers. You do you. (although I managed to not be spoiled at all!)

First and foremost, I know a lot of people are talking about the length of this novel and the fact that its nearly 1K pages. I’ve read several reviews saying that the length was unnecessary and that AT LEAST 200 pages could have been cut. Honestly, I thought the length was perfect. Yes, it is long. Yes, it is a commitment to read it and get through it. But this book is written so well, and the story is so fantastic that I flew through it and it was over before I even realized I was close to the end. Also, to those that feel it should have been shorter I just want to say I hear you, but to someone that absolutely LOVES this series (and I consider it my favorite) I would have been fine with it being even loner if that’s where Sarah felt the story needed to go ¯_(ツ)_/¯

A major point I want to talk about with a lot of Sarah’s books is that she portrays mental health/illness/awareness incredibly well. Without spoiling anything there are a lot of parts in this book that speak indirectly on something tragic happening to a character and how they handle it. I think she does a wonderful job portraying that it is OKAY to NOT BE OKAY. It is okay to need time to deal with the pain and suffering in your own way and on your own time. I love how some of the characters in this book deal with situations like that.

The world building in this novel and in Tower of Dawn was tremendous, and such an improvement from her earlier books. I can see her growing as an author and I love where she is headed. We were able to see so many new and even various places in Erilea and I loved every word of it. I was happy we got to experience more of this world outside of Adarlan.

Another way Sarah has grown as an author is by showing us the amount of character development she puts in to these novels. I thought Kingdom of Ash in particular showed how characters have changed and grown throughout the whole series and I loved seeing it all come together and how it impacted their role in everything that happened.

Okay, on to the SPOILER section! So, if you have not finished and don’t want to be spoiled TURN BACK NOW!

The first thing I want to cover is Aedion. He seriously bothered me throughout the ENTIRE book. He was being such a self-righteous, pompous ass towards everyone but especially Lysandra for shifting to Aelin and impersonating her (WHICH IS LITERALLY WHAT AELIN INSTRUCTED HER TO DO), and Aedion just couldn’t get past the fact that his Queen didn’t “trust” him enough to tell him. That wasn’t the case at all, we all know how Aelin operates and it’s a “you don’t need to know until my plan is revealed to the world” scenario.

Because of this he was bitter and cold towards Lysandra for most of the book and took until she was knocking on deaths door for him to realize how terrible he was being. Thankfully she is a strong woman and all but told him to f*** off until she was ready to deal with how awful he was towards her.

Again, with Aedion (I swear most of my issues with this book revolved around him) his anger towards his father was SO DAMN DRAMATIC I could not handle it. He is so angry towards his father for, in my opinion, no valid reason. His father didn’t even know Aedion existed until Queen of Shadows and all he wanted was to be with him, protect him, be a father towards him. All Aedion did was be bitter and aggressive with him. Well, what goes around comes around and Gavriel ended up dying in the last battle and now Aedion will never get to have his father. Only then, only when Gavriel put his life on the line for Aedion did he finally see how mistaken he was. I cannot roll my eyes hard enough at that.

I know that there quite a few people out there who straight up won’t even read Sarah’s books anymore because of some insensitivities portrayed throughout her stories. The one that irritates me the most is in Empire of Storms Aedion makes a comment about loving men and women and that it’s more about who they are as a person rather than whether they are male or female. But I am also bothered by the fact that this was a one sentence in another massive book and then it is literally never brought up again. I was truly hoping it may have been explored a little in this book.

Okay, can we talk about Dorian for a minute? Just a minute? Because holy god did Dorian show some serious character development and an unholy amount of power all of a sudden. I feel like his power was seriously amplified in this novel compared to the previous books. Suddenly he was able to “absorb” other powers? He killed the spider that could shape shift and then he taught himself how to shape shift? I don’t know if I should be impressed or terrified. I think his power exceeded even Aelin’s and definitely went unchecked. But even with that I am happy that him and Aelin together tried to forge the lock and seal the Wyrdgate but in doing so Dorian’s power was diminished and Aelin lost the majority of her fire-bringing abilities.

I loved this part of the story because to me it showed that they are still flawed, they are not all powerful but even without their power they can still lead and rule with conviction. The saddest part of this book to me and I’m sure many others was when the Thirteen (minus Manon, because main character ¯_(ツ)_/¯) gave up their lives to the yielding to ensure the Witch tower would be destroyed. The sacrifice they made, and the heartbreak Manon went through was absolutely heart wrenching. I did not see it coming at all, which made it an even more fantastic and emotional plot point. When that chapter was over, once I was done sobbing I had to put it down and walk away for a while to collect myself and return my heart rate to a resting pace.

I know this review was wordy and long (the longest I’ve ever written!) but I felt it was necessary to convey my feelings toward this book and the series as a whole. I thought the ending was absolutely perfect and I wouldn’t have changed a single thing. The last page alone had me crying like a baby curled up in the corner (the flowers guys, the flowers). I thought the end of this series was more than I could have ever hoped for these characters that have become my friends. Even though I won’t be able to read these books for the first time again I am happy I will be able to thoroughly enjoy them in my rereads, because this series deserves nothing less than being read and loved all over again.

I began this series on a whim. I don't typically go for the more "historically worded" books. I kept reading because of Aelin. The brash and broken woman. The heart of gold and fire. I kept reading for the surrounding characters. They became real and I rode along with them through their insane journeys. I ended the series with tears and a snotty nose. I only wish it wasn't over. Even if they have no further great adventures, no more evil to battle, I feel almost as though I've said good bye to friends. That, my friend, is the mark of an excellent story teller. The ability to make a fictional character real. The ability to make you laugh, cry, cringe and worry. So I end this series with remorse. No longer will I be able to visit my friends and see what is new. I can only reread the journeys we've already had. This book is the last of the Aelin adventures. All of the characters, great and small, converge in this book. They each face their own battles and meet up to face the final battles together. Strong alone, unbreakable together. Aelin has an insanely difficult start as you can imagine. We last saw her in book two being carted off at the mercy of Mauve, the fae queen. Of course you knew it wasn't going to be tea parties and dress up dates. No. She endures so many things that should break anyone. She endures. Some are with her, some search for her and some play their part not knowing how the rest of them fared. I don't want to go into detail because I'm afraid I will spoil something. I will leave it with saying she does what she does best. Plot, execute and rally. Through it all, love carries her. Love for her mate, her home, her friends and strangers. With this book being the final battle between the forces that have destroyed so much and those who seek to build a better land, some people will fall. Those parts left me in tears. Of course, it didn't take death for me to cry either. Some parts were so full of brokenness and longing that it also made me cry. Some of the realizations, the battles within themselves, the loss and reigniting of hope....all left me bawling. So needless to say, I spent a great deal of time in tears. Two sets of death hit me particularly hard. Both a result of sacrifice for someone they loved more than themselves(I'm tearing up again!). I don't want to say more and give out any hints as to who it is, but ugh those parts really got to me. It ends nicely and wraps up most things. The plot lines are all finished. The questions all answered. As I said before though, it does feel like a friend has moved away and I'll never get to know how their family is, what their wedding is like, what they name their first child, and so on so that was sad for me. It was bittersweet for sure. Obviously it must end at some point and this was a good ending point story wise. Of course the editing is very well done. The writing style follows the previous books. All of the books are fairly long and well worth the price I paid for them. There are some minor sex scenes, nothing graphic. There are also scenes of torture and a lot of violence, which probably should be expected in a series about an assassin and war. If you've already read the first three books, I would strongly suggest getting the final book of course. If you haven't started the series yet and just happened upon this one while browsing for something new, grab book one. Start now. Just be warned that you may end up bingeing on the entire series after you get hooked into book one. This series will take you on an adventure. Not only within the pages, but also within yourself. A rare 5 stars from me.