Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, 7)

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’ve had the Kingdom of Ash on my bookshelves since it was released in 2018. I know it’s been four years, but I finally got the courage to read it. I knew that Sarah J. Maas would rip out my heart with the last book in the Throne of Glass series, which is why it took me this long to read it. Well, I finally finished it, and yes, Sarah ripped my heart into threads in certain parts of this book. Some more than others. I’m happy I finished it and sad at the same time. I told myself I would read it slowly to savor the story and characters, which I did. All I wanted was for a happily ever after. It did take some time to get there, but it finally happened. Thank you, Sarah J. Maas, for writing these characters and world. I’ll cherish the Throne of Glass books forever. This is one world I can’t get enough of, and I definitely plan on re-reading them again in the future.My Thoughts: Here are things I enjoyed about the last book in the Throne of Glass series:I love reading several points of view in a book, and Sarah J. Maas gives readers several angles to what is enfolding in her books. I felt the pain of what was happening to Aelin and Fenrys when she had been chained, bound, and taken away with Maeve and her sadistic friend, Cairn. I also felt the pain of Aelin’s mate, Rowan wanting to save her. He was determined to find her and get her back. Yes, it was hard to read, but it made me root for Aelin to fight back and Rowan to find her. The biggest tearjerker to me was when Aelin and Rowan are reunited. Knowing what she had to endure with Maeve and Cairn broke my heart. Carin’s fate came too quick in my eyes. Don’t even get me started with what happened to Fenrys’s brother.Aedion, on the other side of the world, is dealing with fighting Erawan’s forces with Lysandra. He’s livid on Lysandra and Aelin betraying him. Lysandra is doing everything to keep up the charade that she’s Aelin to the people. Unfortunately, things come to light, and the truth comes out. I felt terrible about how Lysandra was treated, especially with Aedion, but I knew he was frustrated. His queen and cousin didn’t want him to see the truth. It wasn’t easy for them at all in this book. In this book, there’s one scene between Aedion and his father Gavriel after they reunite, and then it all goes to hell. I had to put the book away for a while and come back and reread the scene. I couldn’t believe Sarah had done that to me.Yrene and Chaol. I loved these two in Tower of Dawn and was happy to be back with them, even when battling Erawan’s forces. I also loved when Yrene finally reunited with the woman who had helped her so many moons before to get her to where she needed to be to learn her healing abilities. If you didn’t read Assassin’s Blade, I highly recommend you do because you’ll find out how Yrene and Aelin met the first time. Aelin is a favorite female protagonist in this series, but Yrene is a favorite, too. I adored Yrene and what she did in this book. She kicked butt, and she’s going on my list of favorite kick-butt females characters. She even did with sharing a secret. =)Dorian. What can I say about this damaged King? He has grown since book one. He did go through a great deal. He’s still broken, but he’s getting there. He proved himself in this book and that he could deceive enemies and assist Aelin in retrieving the keys. I was worried about him when he faced Maeve and how he handled himself. I loved when he reunited with Chaol and met Yrene.Manon. Manon will always be a morally grey female character that grew on me in this series. I was devastated by what she went through in this book. Yes, another scene broke me. I had to step away from the book to regain my composure. I’m glad that Dorian and her didn’t really get together at the end. Manon was too independent, and Dorian still had issues.Lorcan and Elide. Lorcan tried to prove himself to everyone, even to Elide, the most in this book. I felt Lorcan because no one trusted him. Elide even couldn’t trust him. What she did, though, towards the end to save me, almost broke me, too.Maeve. After finding out the truth about Maeve in Tower of Dawn and what she put Aelin through, I was ready for someone to end her. The person who ended her was epic. I’ll never forget the scene of Maeve meeting her maker.Erawan. He was the biggest issue in the series when the truth came out on what he had been planning. The person who ended him was another epic scene. Yes. He deserved every bit of what happened to him, and I’m happy with who did it.Aelin and Rowan. These two. I love them together. The ending with them together will forever be one of my favorites to read. To whatever end. Aelin proved herself in this book as a true Queen with everything she went through. I was pissed with what the Gods did to her, though, and will never forgive them.Fenrys. Readers don’t get his point of view, but I wish we had gotten it. He won me over in this book, and he has a special place in my heart, maybe even over Rowan.I’m glad I finally finished the Kingdom of Ash. Am I upset that the series has ended? Yes, definitely. I’m happy, though; they all got a happily ever after in their own ways.Sarah J. Maas managed to suck me into this world, and I’ll never forget it. The action-packed scenes, the adventure and danger the characters went on to get to where they needed to, and a lost princess/assassin who finally claimed her crown back. It was an epic journey, and it’s worth so many re-reads in the future. Thank you, Sarah J. Maas, for sharing these characters and the world with us. Five stars for this fantastic ending.Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Throne of Glass series, and I highly recommend reading these books in order.Would I recommend this book/series? Yes. If you are a fan of Young Adult Fantasy that takes you on a epic adventure to claim a crown and defeat enemies that want to destroy everything, then yes, read this book.

This ended better than game of thrones!! Wow, what a ride. I caught myself reading faster as the epic battle to save Terressan raged on. Each character becoming closer to some level of risk. I felt as if this was written like a film is viewed, cutting from scene to scene, character to character. Ultimately smiling my way to through the epic conclusion, my imagination in full swing. Long term fans of the series will not be left disappointed.My only complaint, More!More of this world, these stories. I would love a novella about the witches. Manon quickly became a favorite among the side characters for me. Abraxxos being in that battle, the anxiety I had for Manon......Anxiety!This over 900 page read felt like a 400 page read, I could not put it down and can't recommend this series more.I will miss all of the characters and will remain secretly wishing for more novellas.To whatever end.

*spoilers for the previous books in the series*Where do I even being. This was my most anticipated book of the year. This book has been six years in the making and it truly built to something phenomenal. I first read Throne Of Glass as an ARC, so I’ve been with this series from the beginning and it’s so bittersweet having to say goodbye. I was dying to see how this all finally ended. How an assassin built her way up to Queen, but I also didn’t want to say goodbye to these characters. Sarah J. Maas is probably my favorite author and I love her books, but this series is my favorite of them all. At the end of it all, I am emotionally spent, but man was it worth it.Aelin. Oh man. Aelin is such a force and I forever love her. Waiting these two years with Aelin in that gods forsaken box has been killing me and the journey Aelin goes through in this one is not easy. Aelin has been through so much already, but the world just does not seem content to let her be. I’m forever in awe of her determination and her strength. She gives so much and never asks for anything in return. I have loved watching her grow over the course of this series and she'll forever be one of my all-time favorite characters. And then we have Rowan. We all know how much I absolutely love Rowan. It’s always crazy when I remember that he wasn’t even around until the third book and even then it takes him a while to get his act together. But man I can’t even begin to imagine what this series would be without him. He’s become so integral to it all and he’s just wonderful. And the way he just adores Aelin is heartwarming. I love those two together and it’s just abundantly clear that this was where they were always meant to be.And now where do I even go. I guess Lysandra. Lysandra is probably my favorite character in the entire series (aside from Aelin and Rowan). She’s just so strong and fierce and will not cater to others. And her friendship with Aelin is one of my favorite things. Another character who didn’t become a real presence until later in the series, but I can’t imagine it without her. She does so much and deserves so much more appreciation. Then there is Dorian who has held my heart since the first book. Another one who has come so far. I love him. He’s become such a good man and King. And when one mentions Dorian, you also have to mention Chaol. He and I went through a rough patch, but I love the man he’s grown into. In so many ways this all started with Chaol and Dorian and Celaena and while the cast has grown quite a bit, none of this could have happened without a Prince, a Captain, and an Assassin. And I can’t forget Yrene. Oh how do I love Yrene. And Elide! So many strong women and I love how they each bring their own strengths to the table. All of the women in this story truly shine and get to show their dynamic personalities and different kinds of strength. Oh and I can’t forget Fenrys who just…I love him so much. And Lorcan and Gavriel and Aedion and Evangeline and Nesryn and Sartaq and Manon and Abraxos and Asterin and Ansel and The Thirteen. I just love them all. I even love the villains for the evil they bring. Both Maeve and Erawan are chilling.This book was everything I hoped it would be and more. This book is long and there is so much that happens, but I still could have kept reading and reading. These books never go the direction I think they are going to go and they somehow wind up better than I could ever guess. I will never get tired of the twists and turns and all the secret planning. I live for Aelin’s scheming and surprises. But really, all of these characters excel at surprising the reader. Gosh this book, there’s a lot that happens and it’s not all easy. This book is emotionally draining and I cried through a good portion of it and man did it devastate me in parts, but I also loved it with all my heart. It’s just so good and this series built to such a stunning conclusion.Kingdom Of Ash was everything I could have ever hoped for. It’s always daunting going into a conclusion for a beloved series, but this delivered in every single way. I know this is a series I will continue to revisit again and again.

Satisfying conclusion to the series. It's heart wrenching at times. Unpredictable. Great character development. I still have some questions but overall everything gets tied up quite nicely. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this series and highly recommend it.

Wow. What an incredible ending to such a spectacular series. I’m honestly sitting here feeling all the emotions after finishing this one. I love these characters so incredibly much, and I’m just so glad I finally took the plunge and read this series because the hype is absolutely real.This final book had me feeling everything. There were moments that made my heart feel so full and others that completely wrecked me. The way all of these characters and storylines come together (especially the connections that pop up in ways you don’t expect) is one of my favorite things about this series.It’s such a massive, beautifully woven story, and finishing it feels both satisfying and a little heartbreaking because I’m not ready to say goodbye to these characters.This series has officially earned a spot on my list of all-time favorites. Truly a masterpiece.👏👏👏🤩

I can’t even right now, I just finished reading this book and I swear I didn’t want it to end. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the characters. I loved this series. I became so invested in every character we met. This book was honestly really good in my opinion. I won’t forget the story 😭 it evoked all the feelings. This book had it all. It was action packed and emotionally devastating- the perfect combo if you ask me.

There are no words for the sheer depth and breadth of emotions this book, this series, causes. I laughed, cried (a LOT), cheered, stressed, rejoiced, etc. I broke and rebuilt so many times. The twists and turns, the layers on layers that may take entire books to twine back together are nuanced and crafted amazingly beyond words. Not only does each book in this series exquisitely twine together, all 3 series in the Maasaverse are expertly woven into a breathtaking mind bending emotional rush.Words will never quite do justice to how amazing this series is, how much I love it, ACATOR, and CC.For those wondering do you "have" to read all the books before ACATOR 6......yes you do and you will love it!

Review: Kingdom of Ash was one of the best books I've read this year. It is the ultimate conclusion to Aelin Galathynius's story, where every character, every story and every detail that took place in her long journey to Terrasen culminates in an epic finale where all the loose ends are neatly tied up.Pros: Sarah J. Maas excels in meticulous detailing of every incident that takes place in the book. Each of the characters have a very well developed arc and a depth to them, their conversations witty and lifelike. The series has had many layers to it which finally comes together in a full circle. Sarah also manages to give each main character a pivotal role in the story, each shining in their own way. The emotions are raw and real, hitting you right in the feels.Cons: (no spoiler) I felt like one of the core elements, something that had the power to change the entire story, was done injustice to. Also the book was bleak at some places, where just action wasn't enough and thus being mentally draining to read those few pages.Conclusion: It is a hard and emotionally daunting task to finish a series you love, especially when the book happens to be thousand pages long but Sarah pulls her readers to it effortlessly and also manages to make them stay with them till the very end to see them rattle the stars. All in all, a really amazing conclusion to an amazing series. Must read.Star Rating: 4.5/5Age Recommendation: 15 and above.

Que final mais ÉPICO para esta saga 🤯🔥! Não há mesmo palavras. Arrebatou completamente o meu coração e deixou-me de rastos da melhor maneira possível. Estas personagens e esta história vão ficar comigo PARA SEMPRE ❤️‍🔥.Este livro deu-nos todas as respostas que precisávamos, fez-nos sofrer lado a lado com as personagens, e juro… passei quase o livro inteiro com lágrimas nos olhos 😭💔. Mas acima de tudo, entregou o final feliz que estas personagens e esta história mereciam — e foi tão, mas tão merecido.Incrível, extraordinário, envolvente, comovente… uma das melhores sagas que já li ✨📚. Ainda estou a recuperar e já tenho vontade de reler tudo outra vez.

No doubt about it this book is 5 stars - The Conclusion to an Awe Inspiring, Action Packed, Spiritual and Romantic Adventure. I don't know where to begin... maybe with the most impactful part of this book: the characters.Every single character, perspective or not, I was absorbed in their story.Even small characters (or maybe not so small) had huge roles to play in the war directly or indirectly.The development of characters and relationships, once again had my heart skipping a beat.An unexpected, notable pair was Evangeline and Darrow. A sweet young thing full of hope and openness, and an old, withered lord stuck in his righteousness. Together became wise and loving.We saw more of our well loved characters push their limits, live up to their values and kept their eyes on gratitude.My heart still held soft for the big 3 - Aelin, Dorian and Chaol. Their counterparts though do share an equal part of my heart as they create a space of true happiness for our hero's. Chaol and Dorians special bond is heart warming. I enjoyed seeing Dorian be able to share his bright light with both Aelin again, and Yrene (a fitting partner for Dorian to save the world with).Chaol and Dorian both got their closure from mother and father respectively.Chaol continued to be a rock everyone could rely on.Dorian got not nearly enough respect for his accomplishments this book - Shapeshifting, Morath, mindfulness and control, and honestly just his general kindness.Aelin once again survived horrific enslavement. She came out the other end stronger than before and still able to have her swagger. Forever self sacrificing and becoming the ruler I wish we all had.I could go on and on and on about every single character that touched my soul and taught me a valuable lesson. I will leave it with a mention for the Thirteen. And the character that broke me - Gavriel the kind hearted father figure we all want. I sing the song of Terrasen.Storyline: epic, fast paced, forever changing, darkness to hope to peace and joy, lesson after lesson and a walk through a whole kingdom.Writing: I was there in the world. Great visualisation. Everything was needed for the storyline to make you understand but also feel.Only down fall was I would have liked to have seen a POV from both Dorian and Chaol at the end with the Better World back in Rifthold. They are my favourites.I can not recommend this series enough just tuck yourself in for a journey that last weeks and is a little life consuming.

It is hard to let this world go, so much has happened that I don't know where to begin. The entire journey of the characters, their development, the found family, just all of it was incredible. The threading the author accomplished across the books all to reveal the bits and pieces clicking together at the very end. So many challenges take place in this book and Aelin will forever be my #1 character.If 6 starts could be given, you bet your ass I would.These books have burrowed into my soul and have forever changed me. I have laughed and I have cried (a lot) and would give up anything to go through these books again for the first time. Yes, that includes meeting Chaol again too.

La mejor saga de libros y el mejor final