she will not be afraid

Bits and pieces of Celaena Sardothien's past as the undefeated Assassin of Adarlan are hinted at in the main Throne of Glass series several times. We hear about Arobynn Hamel, the King of the Assassins and man responsible for shaping Celaena into the weapon she became. Snippets of her past adventures and conquests add to the mysterious quality of her infamy. And every scarce mention of Sam Cortland, Celaena's first love, is tainted by obviously painful, grief-filled memories. But it's this book, this series of five novellas, that shows readers who Sam really was, and the girl Celaena had the luxury of being before a nasty betrayal that saw her sent to Endovier, a slave camp those who enter rarely exit. I liked the structure of five different stories all linked by the same main character and slow but steady development of a relationship with Sam. And even though I knew what had to happen at the end of the book concerning Sam's life and Celaena's trauma, I still curled up on my bathroom floor where no one could see my tears and sobbed over the last fifty or so pages. Hurting right alongside characters is a sign of a truly well-told story. I'm glad I decided to read this prequel before continuing with the actual series since I can now see why it makes sense. Characters I have a hunch will show up later make their humble debuts in the various novellas, and the details of backstories are entreatingly illuminated to a point where I forgot I was reading a prequel. The progression of the novellas is carefully intentional as well. The Assassin and the Pirate Lord begins the whole collection perfectly, sweeping readers up in Celaena's first outright act of defiance against her master and slavery (and dragging Sam along with her). The Assassin and the Healer reveals Celaena's punishment for her defiance, an intriguing woman named Yrene, and budding feelings for Sam. The Assassin and the Desert took a turn I wasn't expecting, showing readers that the Assassin's Guild doesn't start and end with Arobynn, but rather encompasses a group of peacefully vigilant warriors in a corner of the scorched desert lands. What Celaena learns about herself and a very broken new friend makes so much sense later on (and explains her affinity for Asterion mares). The Assassin and the Underworld seemed to blend with the last novella, The Assassin and the Empire, which I think was intentional and very smart. They take place back in Rifthold, Celaena on the cusp of admitting newfound feelings for Sam and tasked with yet another target to kill related to the expansion of the slave trade on the continent. Everything that transpires from the moment she returns home (and the moment she and Sam finally lock lips) spirals down slowly but surely, until it's clear that the trickery Celaena didn't see coming from a person she thought she could trust will be her downfall. Like I said, I knew what had to happen for the rest of the events in the series to unfold, but geez, did I cry. RIP Sam Cortland. You deserved so much more. I'll be grieving him all the way to the end of this series... but on to Queen of Shadows I go.


Some of my favorite quotes from The Assassin's Blade:

"She would tuck Sam into her heart, a bright light for her to take out whenever things were darkest."

"There was no way in hell she was going to move to the southern continent without all of her books."

"My name is Sam Cortland... and I will not be afraid."

"My name is Celaena Sardothien," she whispered, "and I will not be afraid."

"The music broke her apart and put her back together, only to rend her asunder again and again."

"She didn't want to go out into a world where he didn't exist. So she watched the light shift and change, and let the world pass by without her."

"But she’d also promised Ansel that she had twenty minutes to get out of range. Celaena had fired after twenty-one."

"I suppose if we’re going to die, it should be for a noble cause,” he said."

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