Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas _ Spoiler Free Review

**Hayley’s Review: A Detailed Exploration of "Queen of Shadows" by Sarah J. Maas**

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### Introduction to the Video and Book

In this video, Hayley presents a spoiler-free review of *Queen of Shadows*, the fourth book in the critically acclaimed *Throne of Glass* series by Sarah J. Maas. Known for her engaging and insightful commentary, Hayley ensures that this review is accessible to readers who have completed the first three books: *Throne of Glass*, *House of Night*, and *Tower of Glass*. While she acknowledges that elements from previous books may be referenced, she guarantees no spoilers, making it safe viewing even for those who haven’t read all prior installments.

Hayley also touches on the optional yet recommended reading of *Assassin’s Blade*, a collection of novellas serving as prequels to the main series. She explains that while this book provides deeper context and enriches the experience, it is not mandatory for enjoying *Queen of Shadows*. Her review is designed to be standalone, though she highlights how certain details from *Assassin’s Blade* resurface in the current narrative.

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### Plot Overview: Picking Up After Air Fire

Hayley sets the stage by noting that *Queen of Shadows* begins immediately after the events of *Tower of Glass* (*Air Fire* in some editions). The previous book was particularly devastating, with a host of tragic events that left fans reeling. Now, Selina (Celaena Sardothien) emerges from this darkness ready to embrace her role as queen. However, her journey is far from over; she must first navigate the complexities of ascending to power and protect those she loves.

The book’s plot is described as multifaceted, with two interconnected storylines that finally converge in *Queen of Shadows*. Hayley praises how these threads come together, providing clarity and depth to the narrative. Her enthusiasm for the direction of both Selina’s royal journey and the evolving dynamics among supporting characters is evident.

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### Writing Style: Masterful Use of Perspectives

One aspect of Sarah J. Maas’s writing that Hayley repeatedly admires is her ability to weave multiple perspectives into the narrative. In *Queen of Shadows*, each chapter often shifts between different viewpoints, offering readers a bird’s-eye view of the story without overwhelming them with excessive detail. This technique allows for a rich, immersive experience, and Hayley draws inspiration from it for her own writing.

Hayley emphasizes how Maas’s use of perspectives enhances character development and plot progression, making the storytelling feel dynamic and layered. This approach keeps readers engaged and provides fresh insights into the world of Adarlan and its inhabitants.

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### Character Analysis: A Mix of Familiar Faces and New Developments

Hayley delves into her thoughts on the characters, starting with Selina (Celaena Sardothien), whom she admires for her resilience. Despite facing unimaginable tragedy, Selina emerges as a powerful and empowering figure, navigating her new role as queen with grace and determination. Hayley acknowledges that while Selina’s actions—such as killing—are morally complex, they are necessary in the context of the story.

Kalen is next on Hayley’s list, though she admits he has grown on her less than others. While his character arc is intriguing, she finds him a bit frustrating at times. In contrast, Rowan receives mixed praise; while she appreciates his relationship with Selina, she doesn’t find him as compelling as Dorian. She expresses deep sympathy for Dorian, feeling that he often bears the weight of his princely responsibilities without support.

Manon and the other witches also receive attention, with Hayley highlighting their growth and complexity. She particularly enjoys how Manon’s hardened exterior softens as layers of her personality are revealed. Etienne, Selina’s cousin, is another character who piques her interest, especially given his familial connection to Celaena—a rare sight in the series.

Fleetfoot, on the other hand, is a character Hayley is thrilled about, noting that Sarah J. Maas has confirmed his survival throughout the series. This news brings relief and excitement for fans who have grown attached to the loyal creature.

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### Plot Development: A Slow Start but Rewarding Journey

Hayley describes the plot of *Queen of Shadows* as starting slowly before picking up momentum. Initially, she found it challenging to get fully invested in the narrative, but once she did, she was hooked. The book becomes increasingly action-packed, with constant developments that keep readers engaged.

She notes how the story intertwines elements from *Assassin’s Blade*, particularly involving characters like Sam. While these references add depth for those who have read the novellas, they are not essential for understanding the main plot of *Queen of Shadows*. Hayley believes the integration of these prequels enhances the overall narrative but is unnecessary for a standalone reading experience.

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### Final Thoughts and Rating

Hayley concludes her review with a glowing assessment of *Queen of Shadows*, awarding it 5 out of 5 stars. She praises the book as an excellent continuation of the series, particularly noting how *Air Fire* sets the stage for this installment. The character development, intricate plotlines, and masterful writing style all contribute to making *Queen of Shadows* a standout in the series.

She expresses hope that her review will inspire viewers to share their own thoughts on the book and looks forward to discussing more books in the future.

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### Conclusion

Hayley’s review offers a comprehensive and enthusiastic exploration of *Queen of Shadows*, highlighting its strengths while providing honest insights into characters and plot. Her passion for the series shines through, making this video an essential watch for fans of Sarah J. Maas and those curious about the *Throne of Glass* universe.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhey everyone its Hayley and today I'm going to be doing a spoiler free review for queen of Shadows by Sarah J masks so as per usual since this is the fourth book in the throne of glass series this review will be spoiler free as long as you have read the previous three so as long as you have read throne of glass krenov been night and air fire if this will be spoiler free there will be no spoilers I'm not going to be spoiling this book but since it is the fourth book some elements of the others might come in you don't have to have read the assassin's blade yet either because I'm not going to be spoiling that though I am going to mention something about it but it's not spoilery so this book picks up right after air fire where all that chaos has happened there like so many terrible things I think that book may have beaten a crowd of minute for being like the most heartbreaking just so many awful things happened in that book so this book picks up right after that and Selina after all this tragedy has finally decided to take up her role as Queen she is finally accepting it and she's ready to take this role but first she has to kind of fight to the throne she has to save all the people that are in danger that she loves along the way and she's kind of taking on this challenge and that's really what this book is about is her coming into her role as Queen the writing of this book was once again fantastic I really love how I think I've mentioned this before but I love how Sarah Jane mass uses perspectives she doesn't have like a certain chapter is under a certain perspective she kind of they're all interwoven into each of the chapters and it really gives you like a bird's eye view of everything but at the same time you don't know too much she's just kind of a genius with perspective and I love it like I'm trying to emulate that in my writing just kind of because I think it would be such a great tactic to learn because she's just so talented in using different points of view to show you different elements of the story that all kind of come together to make this amazing story and I love that and I love all the characters she has um this book now has since air fire there are now kind of two plot lines that are going on and they finally kind of started connecting in this book they were always kind of connected but they really came together in this one and I really liked the fact that they came together because it really made it kind of make sense to have the two separate plot lines but like I was saying I love the character she writes I just don't know how I feel about some of them now but I'll get to that when I talk about characters and now to the characters so as far as characters go Celina I still love her I just think she's a really empowering character because she's really she's living in this fantasy world which she's really kind of humanized and she's facing all of this tragedy but it's kind of showing how she prevails in the face of it and how she really rises above it so I think she's a really empowering female figure and I really like her even though I mean she kills people but like it's fine you know things happen I'm not entirely sure how I feel about kale anymore I really really love him but in this book and even in air fire he was kind of testing my patience a little bit I did kind of like where his plotline was going in this book but I do wish that would be going a little bit in a different direction as far as Rowan I like him but I don't like him as much as everyone else does people seem to really brave about him and honestly I think he's just kind of an okay character I don't know I guess he needs to grow on me a little bit I do like his relationship with Selena I think it does make sense but once again he's not really my favorite male character I prefer Dorian I really like him and I just feel so bad for him all the time because I just feel like he always gets like undercut because he is the prince like he has to deal with all of these terrible things and no one can really save him from them and it just makes me so sad because I really really enjoy him especially after what having an arrow fire I just feel so hard for him and as far as what's her cousin's name Etienne is it avian I can't think of his name but I'm pretty sure it's Etienne but her cousin I like has a character I think he's interesting and it's interesting to have her have a familial connection because she you never see that with her before um because I mean she's had all this tragedy happened to her she doesn't really have a family so seeing Selena have a like a family member there and how she treats them and how they kind of connect I really liked surprised Manon and the other witches I liked seeing man and grow I feel like she's a character who she is also faced with a lot of hard things and she has to make all these hard decisions and she is supposed to be kind of like this really hard doesn't care about anyone which but you kind of get to see like kind of like an onion peeling back the layers and seeing she's not really showing you everything and she's a little bit more kind than she's letting on and I really love her in Abraxas I'm really worried for him I have been informed though because I was worried about Fleetfoot before and I said that in my last review I have been informed that Sarah J Maas said the only character guaranteed to survive the series is Fleetfoot so I'm very happy about that the plot of this book I found to be a little bit slow initially but then it really picked up and it kind of kept on going um it was constant action action after a little while but like I said it did take a little bit for me to get into but once I did get into it it was awesome I really like where things are going I like the story I like seeing Selena really taking on her queenly duties I think it's interesting to see her in that role and see how she's dealing with it and I like the way that the witches plotline is going to it's not going where I expected but I think it's really taking an interesting direction and a lot of people have been saying that you have to have read the assassin's blade which is the bind up of novellas that are prequel to the throne of glass series a lot of people are saying you have to have read that book before reading this one and I can see why they would say that but I don't think you have to have read it I think it just you will pick up on a lot more in this book if you have read the assassin's blade there are lots of kind of little things little hints and things that were in that book that are coming back again for example a lot of stuff with Sam comes up in this book but he's been coming up with in the other books before too but lots of stuff from the assassin's blade does come up in this book for sure but I don't think you have to have read it I think it would just make for a better reading experience if you had because you will pick up on kind of the little hints that are kind of scattered through and the things that are coming back from that book that being said I really like the fact that a book is being brought into the story into the story so much because the novellas were really great and I think having them kind of come into the story the actual like novels it works really well and it makes the story kind of come to life so overall I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars I really thoroughly enjoyed it I thought it was a great continuation to the series it really showed that era fire was just kind of a setup for this book but I think it set it up really nicely and it ended up working out really well so yeah that's going to be all for today's review I hope you guys enjoyed let me know if you have read this book your thoughts on it and yeah I will see you guys in the next video byehey everyone its Hayley and today I'm going to be doing a spoiler free review for queen of Shadows by Sarah J masks so as per usual since this is the fourth book in the throne of glass series this review will be spoiler free as long as you have read the previous three so as long as you have read throne of glass krenov been night and air fire if this will be spoiler free there will be no spoilers I'm not going to be spoiling this book but since it is the fourth book some elements of the others might come in you don't have to have read the assassin's blade yet either because I'm not going to be spoiling that though I am going to mention something about it but it's not spoilery so this book picks up right after air fire where all that chaos has happened there like so many terrible things I think that book may have beaten a crowd of minute for being like the most heartbreaking just so many awful things happened in that book so this book picks up right after that and Selina after all this tragedy has finally decided to take up her role as Queen she is finally accepting it and she's ready to take this role but first she has to kind of fight to the throne she has to save all the people that are in danger that she loves along the way and she's kind of taking on this challenge and that's really what this book is about is her coming into her role as Queen the writing of this book was once again fantastic I really love how I think I've mentioned this before but I love how Sarah Jane mass uses perspectives she doesn't have like a certain chapter is under a certain perspective she kind of they're all interwoven into each of the chapters and it really gives you like a bird's eye view of everything but at the same time you don't know too much she's just kind of a genius with perspective and I love it like I'm trying to emulate that in my writing just kind of because I think it would be such a great tactic to learn because she's just so talented in using different points of view to show you different elements of the story that all kind of come together to make this amazing story and I love that and I love all the characters she has um this book now has since air fire there are now kind of two plot lines that are going on and they finally kind of started connecting in this book they were always kind of connected but they really came together in this one and I really liked the fact that they came together because it really made it kind of make sense to have the two separate plot lines but like I was saying I love the character she writes I just don't know how I feel about some of them now but I'll get to that when I talk about characters and now to the characters so as far as characters go Celina I still love her I just think she's a really empowering character because she's really she's living in this fantasy world which she's really kind of humanized and she's facing all of this tragedy but it's kind of showing how she prevails in the face of it and how she really rises above it so I think she's a really empowering female figure and I really like her even though I mean she kills people but like it's fine you know things happen I'm not entirely sure how I feel about kale anymore I really really love him but in this book and even in air fire he was kind of testing my patience a little bit I did kind of like where his plotline was going in this book but I do wish that would be going a little bit in a different direction as far as Rowan I like him but I don't like him as much as everyone else does people seem to really brave about him and honestly I think he's just kind of an okay character I don't know I guess he needs to grow on me a little bit I do like his relationship with Selena I think it does make sense but once again he's not really my favorite male character I prefer Dorian I really like him and I just feel so bad for him all the time because I just feel like he always gets like undercut because he is the prince like he has to deal with all of these terrible things and no one can really save him from them and it just makes me so sad because I really really enjoy him especially after what having an arrow fire I just feel so hard for him and as far as what's her cousin's name Etienne is it avian I can't think of his name but I'm pretty sure it's Etienne but her cousin I like has a character I think he's interesting and it's interesting to have her have a familial connection because she you never see that with her before um because I mean she's had all this tragedy happened to her she doesn't really have a family so seeing Selena have a like a family member there and how she treats them and how they kind of connect I really liked surprised Manon and the other witches I liked seeing man and grow I feel like she's a character who she is also faced with a lot of hard things and she has to make all these hard decisions and she is supposed to be kind of like this really hard doesn't care about anyone which but you kind of get to see like kind of like an onion peeling back the layers and seeing she's not really showing you everything and she's a little bit more kind than she's letting on and I really love her in Abraxas I'm really worried for him I have been informed though because I was worried about Fleetfoot before and I said that in my last review I have been informed that Sarah J Maas said the only character guaranteed to survive the series is Fleetfoot so I'm very happy about that the plot of this book I found to be a little bit slow initially but then it really picked up and it kind of kept on going um it was constant action action after a little while but like I said it did take a little bit for me to get into but once I did get into it it was awesome I really like where things are going I like the story I like seeing Selena really taking on her queenly duties I think it's interesting to see her in that role and see how she's dealing with it and I like the way that the witches plotline is going to it's not going where I expected but I think it's really taking an interesting direction and a lot of people have been saying that you have to have read the assassin's blade which is the bind up of novellas that are prequel to the throne of glass series a lot of people are saying you have to have read that book before reading this one and I can see why they would say that but I don't think you have to have read it I think it just you will pick up on a lot more in this book if you have read the assassin's blade there are lots of kind of little things little hints and things that were in that book that are coming back again for example a lot of stuff with Sam comes up in this book but he's been coming up with in the other books before too but lots of stuff from the assassin's blade does come up in this book for sure but I don't think you have to have read it I think it would just make for a better reading experience if you had because you will pick up on kind of the little hints that are kind of scattered through and the things that are coming back from that book that being said I really like the fact that a book is being brought into the story into the story so much because the novellas were really great and I think having them kind of come into the story the actual like novels it works really well and it makes the story kind of come to life so overall I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars I really thoroughly enjoyed it I thought it was a great continuation to the series it really showed that era fire was just kind of a setup for this book but I think it set it up really nicely and it ended up working out really well so yeah that's going to be all for today's review I hope you guys enjoyed let me know if you have read this book your thoughts on it and yeah I will see you guys in the next video bye\n"