long live the "fire-breathing bitch-queen"

Please, please, please read The Assassin's Blade before reading Queen of Shadows because it will seriously make so many things about this book even better. I don't think this has anything to do with SJM's writing or storytelling, but every time I sit down to write a new review for the next installment in this series, I stall and struggle to choose where to begin since so much happens in each one of these novels. If anything, I think this is a testament to SJM's talent, that she takes her time developing this world she's created to slowly introduce characters and stretch out the plot. I loved this novel's climax concerning a final battle of sorts with Aelin, Dorian, and his father, the King of Adarlan. I could feel the story pushing toward that final culminating event, since Aelin had unofficially declared herself alive and willing to fight for what was taken from her. But all of the events that have to transpire before this justice can be exacted are all parts of the complicated narrative and contribute to the weaving together of the bigger picture. They're also just plain entertaining. Like Aelin and Aedion finally being reunited after epically saving Aedion from his own execution. Or Aelin finally taking down Arobynn Hamel, the King of the Assassin's. And seeing how Lysandra blooms into a well rounded, important character (I love her and her unexpected shape shifting abilities). And, the entire time, I'm analyzing Manon Blackbeak and sure that she is close to cracking under the unyielding brutality and control her grandmother, the Matron Blackbeak, has forced her to bow to. Elide's character, meek and small as she may seem at first, is definitely going to make some big impacts later in the series. Oh, and how can I forget about Dorian... sweet, trapped, tortured Dorian... ugh, I love him so much. I knew his fate couldn't be a dark and painful death at the hands of a parasitic Valg demon prince, but SJM did a good job of making me think she might be twisted enough to let it happen. I'm very glad to have shed bittersweet tears over his story rather than full on sobs like I gave to Sam. And notice how I've hardly mentioned Chaol? It's cause I really can't figure out if I like him or not. I can say for certain that he majorly bugs me more than half the time because he's self aware enough to know he's made some pretty terrible mistakes at the cost of being loyal, but then he turns around and keeps on making more mistakes, being pretty cold about it every step of the way. I've just started my tandem read of Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn and have high hopes for the process. The two incredibly thick books are intimidating, but knowing that Tower of Dawn is mainly all about Chaol makes a tandem read more appealing since it pairs a slower storyline with a more fast paced one. In conclusion, this series has me in a chokehold and I am gladly being dragged along for the ride. :)
P.S. I love Rowan + Aelin! Their slow burn is (finally) figuratively and literally heating up!



Some of my favorite quotes from Queen of Shadows:

"You make me want to live, Rowan. Not survive; not exist. Live."

"They joined hands. So the world ended. And the next one began."

"Behind them, across the hall, the dancers shattered their roses on the floor, and Aedion grinned at his queen as the entire world went to hell."

"But perhaps the monsters needed to look out for each other every now and then."

"You and I are nothing but wild beasts wearing human skins."

"Fae warriors: invaluable in a fight—and raging pains in her ass at all other times."

"'What if we go on, only to find a horrible end waiting for us?' Aelin looked northward, as if she could see all the way to Terrasen. 'Then it is not the end.'" 

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