Title: Empire of Storms

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Format: Paperback

Pages: 689

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

 

 

 

~ Goodreads Synopsis ~

The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don’t.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

In this breathtaking fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series, Aelin will have to choose what—and who—to sacrifice if she’s to keep the world of Erilea from breaking apart.

~ ~ ~ ~

     As the fifth installment of the Throne of Glass series, with two more books left, I wasn’t expecting too much out of this book because most series have a dip in the middle/last few books before the last one. I WAS WRONG to expect that. I should have known that with Sarah J Maas writing this series, I would not get a break in all the emotional trauma I have experienced at her hand.

One major thing I appreciated while reading Empire of Storms was getting to see so much more of the world that Maas created. I have been dying to read more about everywhere else in the world since the first book, and now I feel satisfied. And there are so many interesting aspects to the world, like the marshes they travel through that honestly sound like most backyards in Florida because every creature here is trying to kill you.

Something that I found strange, and that made me terrified of the last novel, is that everyone is paired with someone – everyone is either in or is falling in love. This has raised the stakes so high, and I know something has to go terribly wrong with some of there pairs in the last book. I really love all the couples, even the ones I didn’t expect, and I feel like Sarah J Maas paired them so well because they all strengthen each other. And I appreciated the lack of insta-love. All of the couples had gradually, throughout the series or beginning of this book, come together and used the relationship to build upon themselves.

The MVP of this novel definitely has to be Lorcan. I feel that out of all the characters, he did the most developing. At the beginning of this book, and in past books, I absolutely hated him – he was just such a self-centered, egotistic, whiny person who thought he was above love and friendship. Once he met Elide, however, the change in him slowly, but surely, appears and the lengths his he willing to go to for some people is actually heartbreaking.

I said in my Instagram vlog that one thing I adore in J.K. Rowling is her complexity in plot lines and her world-building, but Sarah J Maas’s worlds are now just as complex and rich. The ending of the story, when everything came out about literally every character, I was so stunned because that was the first time since Harry Potter that I had seen such intricate planning and behind-the-scenes development in a series. Characters long forgotten in previous books of the series had made an impact in the building of this mind-blowing plot twist. I was truly in awe of what this series has become.

Also on my Instagram story, I fangirled a lot about Aelin and Rowan so I wouldn’t include it in the review to keep it more professional… but you all know how much I love Rowan and Aelin – I have to talk about them. They really are perfect for each other in nearly every aspect possible. They are selfless and broken and ruthless and give each other such heart-warming (and heart-shattering) unconditional love. Rowan and Aelin are just such great partners that I could never imagine a world where they are not together.

Another thing I really appreciated was Aelin’s repeated threat of gutting people. I feel like that is her signature threat and it goes so well with her personality – she’s heartless, but she does it to protect everyone she loves.

I believe that is all I need to say about Empire of Storms. It was the first book I finished in 2018, and I am already in a book hangover. It is such a great adventure and it feels so real – starting the Throne of Glass series is something I will never regret. PLEASE read this series, I promise you it is amazing.

Thanks for reading!

Taylor