Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Mass

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Copyright: 2013

Two weeks ago I review the first book in the series Throne of Glass.  I was lucky enough to get the second book yesterday at the public library.  Very lucky.  Actually, I often think that the second book in a trilogy is a necessary evil.  Not good by itself, but providing the necessary information to have an exciting end.  Sometimes, I think we get so caught up in the idea of trilogies, that we don’t realize we didn’t nee the second book – it’s main ideas could have been incorporated to one of the other ones.  There are notable exceptions.  Catching Fire was too good to be missed!  So is Crown of Midnight.

I admit that I wanted Celaena to the person that she is.  I hoped for it.  I like her and I didn’t want her to be an assassin.  But she is an assassin.  So how could I like her?  She’s the King’s Champion but hates the king.  She’s an 18 year old who wants to live her own life freely, but can’t.  And maybe others around her are actually in worse positions.  Should she trust the Captain of the Guard?  Or the Prince?  Or the Princess Nehemia?  Celaena sets out to learn to read the Wyrdmarks.  Will it help?

Will Celaena tell one secret too many?  And what is the truth about magic?  Too many questions with some surprising twists and turns keep the story moving along.  The author has said the next book is out Fall 2014.  I’m almost tempted to tell you to wait til you have all three and can read right through.  But, maybe not.   Read the first two and enjoy the wait.

Highly Recommended:  Grades 6 & up