The book is not flawless, but it is undoubtedly a wonderful read. I felt pride for these characters – like friends I have known for years, I have seen them struggle and battle over and over again, and to read their final journey together was incredibly heartwarming.

And even as an outsider looking in, her writing affects me.

I don’t know how Maas does it, but her ability to get you to empathise with the characters, to really feel their pain and their joy, is something that has amazed me from the beginning. Having said this, the emotional impact was the same as always. But the differences in the character’s voices seemed less pronounced than they had in earlier books, and I felt them beginning to blend. The novel contains a huge variety of perspectives – not just Aelin, Chaol, and Dorian, but Manon, Elide, Nesryn – and more. One slight disappointment of Kingdom of Ash was that I thought a lot of the characters began to feel the same. It is difficult to say goodbye to – it has been a pleasure to delve into Erilea and beyond over these past years. The amount of work that has gone into the world-building of Throne of Glass is evident, and has never diminished. They leave me awestruck with their incredible detail and vividity. Rolling hills and luxurious cities – many turned to rubble during Erilea’s hardship – all come alive in my mind. The thing that has always struck me about this series is the decadent descriptions. I will not pretend the writing is flawless, but Maas can certainly captivate a mind.

I completely devoured this novel, as I expected. It was a simple thing to become completely absorbed in the 980-page tome. Maas’ familiar writing style welcoming me with open arms. Opening Kingdom of Ash was like coming home – with Sarah J. And now here it is – the conclusion, the final battle. Locked in that iron coffin, we have all been wondering how she could possibly escape. Kingdom of Ash is something we readers have been waiting for for an awfully long time – a lot has happened since we last saw Aelin in Empire of Storms, with Tower of Dawn pushing back the finale’s release date (a more than worthy reason). But as destinies weave together at last, all must unite as Aelin fights to save herself – and the promise of a better world. Some bonds will deepen, while others will be severed forever. With Aelin imprisoned, her friends must go on without her. If she yields to Maeve she will doom everyone she loves, but her resolve is beginning to unravel… Locked in an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must use all her fiery will to endure the torture inflicted upon. Six years in the making, the Throne of Glass series has finally come to an end, with a beautiful final look at all those characters we have come to know and love.Īelin Galathynius has risked everything to save her people – but at a tremendous cost.

Kingdom of ash by sarah j maas