Okay, truth...my daughter is 10 and in the 5th grade. Grandpa, an avid reader like myself, went out on a limb and bought the book for her last Easter. We struggle to find books that are in her 8.4-9.5 reading level, have age appropriate content with a plot she has the life experiences to connect to and comprehend, that are also challenging AND interest her...tall order. We have read all the popular series - adore Harry Potter, of course; tore through the "Greggor the Overlander" series, etc. - so even though in previewing the series I noticed it contains some very minor-vanilla...no F-bombs or S$$T level, mature-type language, and there are a couple scenes that hint at an intimate relationship in book 2 (trying not to spoil books), I gave the book a green light. We started reading it together, taking turns reading aloud, and were BOTH immediately, read 30-40 pages at a time, wake up needing to see what happens to Celena, come home from school hoping to fit in a read and "see what Celena has gotten up to now" before dance, hooked like I have never seen her before!!! And while she is an awesome reader, she is not, by any means a sit & read person, preferring to dance, sing, socialize, game, etc...yet another challenge to add to the list. The challenged are important to note because the way Maas has crafted the characters has achieved what NO OTHER series has for my daughter, and that is to draw her in to the point she NEEDS to keep reading, every single day. The characters are beautifully developed to the point where my daughter was crying when she thought her favorite character died, and was angry at who did die. Maas has painstaking developed 3-dimensional characters that are ever evolving, and that are relatable to all ages. She has also created an entirely new setting that is similar enough to other books of the same genre, like Hunger Games (she has read/watched all), yet it is entirely new & fresh. The writing is clear & thought-provoking, and she weaves in asides & flashbacks that challenge and engage readers. We have had the most incredible conversations and my daughter has made multiple connections to other texts, movies, life, and especially music/song lyrics while reading. These connections are the reason I personally & professionally recommend the series to children beginning at age 10 who are reading at a 6.5-7+ grade level, primarily due to the challenging vocabulary. The twists and turns, the co afflicts & themes, character interactions, vivid & selected detailing, and obviously careful/thoughtful word choices make this series, in my opinion, an award winning, best selling series. As a reading specialist and 18 year veteran teacher of struggling readers, I fully give not just this book, but the entire series 5 stars! I could rave on and on...but I don't want to give away a single detail and only, sincerely hope what I have shared has piqued your curiosity enough to give the series a try yourself, along with a loved one, and that through sharing our personal experiences with the books I have helped answer the question of reader age appropriateness & interest level. Buckle up...it's a wild, wonderful ride through Adarlan!
Added info for Book 2...
Please note: I am reading the series aloud with my daughter, so as we go we just naturally, out of habit, change cuss words to "gosh" and "darn.," and the intimacy scenes were handled as follows: "A., this next chapter has Choal and Celeana interacting like a married couple sometimes do in private. Shall we read or skip?" Reply, "Well, um is it very like detailed?" Me: "Nah, it's pretty vague." A: "Well, I know she shouldn't be doing that stuff because they are not married, but let's just read it...it's not like I'm embarrassed or going to act like that myself...ewwww!" (Love the sweetness this age!) Basically, here is my point and yes I have one... if you take the time to first, preview what you will read with your child later; second, spend the time to read aloud with your child; third, talk to your child & maintain open dialogue, all the time, about everything, just as though they are the adults-in-training they really are (not saying talk like you are buddies, peers, or equals), the content of a fictional novel is not going to become controversial or be outrageous to them, throwing them into a tizzy of misadventure and exploits! So yes, while, the series is for ages 14+, I still maintain that WITH parental supervision/accompaniment, this is an incredible series to read together!
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Popular Highlights in this book
So Dorian closed his eyes, and took another long breath. And when he opened his eyes, he let her go.Highlighted by 5,269 Kindle readers- In that moment, after ten long years, Celaena looked at Chaol and realized she was home.Highlighted by 5,235 Kindle readers
- Then Celaena and the King of Adarlan smiled at each other, and it was the most terrifying thing Dorian had ever seen.Highlighted by 4,057 Kindle readers
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5-stars: 'Crown of Midnight' by Sarah J. Maas
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2021
First Read: December 13, 2015 – December 17, 2015Second Read: May 1, 2021 – May 2, 2021Crown of Midnight is the second installment to Sarah J. Maas Throne of Glass series, and it left me on the edge of my seat the entire time.Storyline/My Thoughts: I was excited to read the second installment due to how Sarah J. Maas left things during Throne of Glass. I wanted to know how Celaena Sardothien would handle being the King’s Champion and find out if Chaol would finally admit his feelings. Let’s say I got my answers plus more.Celaena is put through a lot in this book. She has to do unthinkable things for the ruthless King she serves, and both Dorian and Chaol find that she has changed since becoming the King’s Champion. Even her friend Nehemia notices changes with Celaena, but Celaena knows that Nehemia is also not telling her everything. Celaena will have to control her heart in the story because she’ll end up hurt again if she doesn’t. She doesn’t want it broken again after losing Sam. In this book, she’s going to deal with secrets coming out and lots of betrayals. Those betrayals will break her into pieces and show her real self to everyone. She doesn’t know who to trust once she starts finding out truths. Sarah J. Maas revealed so much in this book that it left me in shock.Now Crown of Midnight made my emotions go like crazy, especially towards the middle of the book. I was in tears and feeling angry, just as bad as Celaena was feeling. I thought Celaena took Sam’s death hard, but this one character killed in the book made Celaena show the abilities she learned as an assassin. I wasn’t expecting the story to end the way it did too. The biggest secret comes out at the end of the book. I was surprised how it was revealed. Celaena trusted the one person in her life that betrayed her to uncover the truth about her. It’s a doozy!I loved every bit of Crown of Midnight that I can’t wait to start my re-read of Heir of Fire. All I can say is I despise the King more than ever after reading this book and hope he gets what is coming to him eventually. Power-hungry, greedy King! Grrrr!!!Celaena is one of my favorite female characters in Young Adult Fantasy, and I look forward to the next story because I know I’m going to adore her even more.I also love how Sarah changes the POVs of the story from Celaena, Chaol, Dorian, and more because you get to understand what each character is going through. You get a more broad range of what is happening in the story. Plus, I’ve learned to love Dorian and Chaol even more, seeing how they react to everything that has occurred. I’m having a hard time deciding between Chaol and Dorian, though. Sarah makes me love them both in different ways.Would I recommend this book? Yes. I give this book five stars and highly recommend this book and the first book to YA Fantasy readers out there. It does take a while for Celaena to grow on you in the first book due to her personality. Crown of Midnight will show off the Celaena that I read in the novellas. She’s growing up and realizing what she has to do to save everyone from the ruthless King.
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2021
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Top reviews from other countries
S Payne
A good next instalment but not as gripping as the first
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 28, 2022
Bex
"To Escape Death, She Had Become Death"
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 8, 2016
Georgiana89
Huge improvement on book one
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 13, 2016
