Disclaimer: If you have not read any of the previous books in the Throne of Glass series, this review might be quite spoilery of events in other books.
The final book in a thrilling series, Kingdom of Ash (KoA) delivers a riveting end to a series that has been beloved by many. The events within Empire of Storms have left Aelin locked in an iron coffin for her people, being tortured by Maeve, Queen of Fae. Though her resolve is to not give into her demands, each day that passes brings her closer to breaking down. Meanwhile, Lysandra and Aedion are working to rally the allies that Aelin has gathered for them, attempting to fight and defend Terrasen from being destroyed. Chaol, Dorian, and Manon are off forging their own paths in a different part of the continent, and Rowan races against time to find his beloved mate before he loses her forever. Told over a span of 992 pages, readers will be in for a long but fulfilling end to an amazing series.
Without being spoilery about the book, I felt that KoA delivered in several ways. The first was with the drama and angst. She does such a great job at building tension, and it is especially notable within this book. At the ending of Empire of Storms, several of the characters are at odds with each other over different reasons. Not only do we get to see resolution to those conflicts, but the consequences of those resolutions or actions in regards to the conflicts.
There is definitely a much darker vibe in this book than there is in the previous books. Considering how Empire of Storms ended, it comes as no surprise, but there’s a lot to deal with in terms of mental health. Aelin continues to be my favourite character in the series because she’s grown so much from the first book. The character development there is very well done in my opinion, and as always, the romance is definitely sizzling.
Honestly, most of the characters had some sort of significant development, and not a moment too soon either. I don’t think it’s a Sarah J. Maas book without some sort of heartbreak, and boy do we get to see some heartbreak too. It’s interspersed throughout the book, in little daggers that give you feels at just the right moment. Aedion and Lysandra specifically was one that I felt was very compelling. There were a lot of unresolved feelings and issues that I felt could have had their own novel. I was a little emotional at the thought that I was finishing a series that I’ve been reading for quite some time now.
If I had to pick a couple of characters that I loved seeing in KoA, it was definitely Elide and Manon. Both of these young women shone in spectacular ways, and I loved seeing their stories play out on the page. And if I had to pick a villain that I hated to admire, it was Maeve. She’s the absolute worst, but you almost have to admire the reasons behind her evilness. Almost. Still hate her though.
The pacing felt right, not too fast, but not dragging either. Action scenes were very gory and bloody and full of fire. I loved it. There was death…a lot of death. Which I liked, because of the fact that it felt truer to the fantasy genre. Not everyone is safe, and it keeps readers on their toes. I can definitely respect that. Doesn’t mean I won’t hate Maas a little bit for one death in particular. The imagery was so vivid, I felt that KoA really came to life in my hands.
The ending was satisfying, with a little less fan service than I felt the A Court of Thorns and Roses series had. Not that I didn’t love the fan service, sometimes, I like seeing what’s working in the author’s mind. In the case of KoA, some got endings that I was expecting, and some did not. I loved it because it made it more realistic for a fantasy. Not everyone has to have an absolute happily ever after. Now, that being said, there were a couple of people who I didn’t get resolutions for that were not necessarily part of the story, but because they’d been mentioned at the beginning I felt should be relevant at some point….so I felt that was a bit of a downside.
Overall, I would rate Kingdom of Ash a 9/10, because I felt that readers of the series would have also liked to have seen that resolution as well. Otherwise, I felt that it was a spectacular ending to an awesome series, and if you haven’t read the series yet, I would definitely recommend it. It’s been one of my favourites!
What did you think of Kingdom of Ash? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Years in the making, Sarah J. Maas’s #1 New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series draws to an epic, unforgettable conclusion. Aelin Galathynius’s journey from slave to king’s assassin to the queen of a once-great kingdom reaches its heart-rending finale as war erupts across her world. . .
Aelin has risked everything to save her people―but at a tremendous cost. Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. Aware that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, though her resolve begins to unravel with each passing day…
With Aelin captured, Aedion and Lysandra remain the last line of defense to protect Terrasen from utter destruction. Yet they soon realize that the many allies they’ve gathered to battle Erawan’s hordes might not be enough to save them. Scattered across the continent and racing against time, Chaol, Manon, and Dorian are forced to forge their own paths to meet their fates. Hanging in the balance is any hope of salvation―and a better world.
And across the sea, his companions unwavering beside him, Rowan hunts to find his captured wife and queen―before she is lost to him forever.
As the threads of fate weave together at last, all must fight, if they are to have a chance at a future. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever in the explosive final chapter of the Throne of Glass series.
The Kingdom of Ash was a truly wonderful book that was a spectacular end to the Throne of Glass series. I enjoyed both the book and series from start to end, waiting on my toes for each book release. The story in the final book was stretched out, but not too much so as to make the story feel sparse, and to have many meaningful events throughout. The novel was very long, nearly a thousand pages, and my most favorite moment was Dorian’s venture into, and escape from Morath. Also, the fact of Gavriel and the Thirteen dying, gave a more realistic aspect to the story, as it didn’t make all the characters to “live happy ever after”. The deaths and battle scenes were very passionate and vivid, so much so as I could almost imagine them in my own head. The final sentence of the saga, the blooming of the entire plains of “kingsflame” flowers, gave a beautiful (poetic), and final end to the story. I would give the book a complete 10/10, in my opinion. There were not much aspects left unfinished up, and the entire adventure came to a perfect end.