Throne of Glass novellas

The Assassin of the Pirate Lord

By: Sarah J. Maas

This is definitely a novella done right. I think you could easily read it before Throne of Glass, but in the same way, I read it after reading Throne of Glass and I still loved it. I finally learned more about who Sam is that she talked about all through Throne of Glass. Obviously that means I know it's going to end in heartbreak, but gosh, I can just tell I'm going to love them together anyway! I absolutely loved learning about how exactly Celaena saved all of those slaves. Her total kick-butt side was definitely still there and so was her more femine side. Everything that you love about Celaena in Throne of Glass was there and I loved it.

Quotes:

"Her beauty was a weapon-one she kept honed-but it could also be a vulnerability."

"Because if we don't fight for them, who will?"

 

 

The Assassin and the Desert

By: Sarah J. Maas

This one was fantastic. It was a full story in and of itself, there was just so much content. It was better than the typical novella by far.  I really liked seeing Celaena without Sam again, because it showed that even back then she was tough enough to rough it. The characters in this novella were wonderfully developed despite it only being 100 pages long.  I loved Ansel (despite hating her, too)and the Mute Master. I loved seeing how the Silent Assassins operated as opposed to how The Assassin's Keep operates.

Quotes:

"Tomorrow will be better. It might be only a foot more than today, but it will be a foot longer that you can run."

"Where do men find it in themselves to do such monstrous things? How do they find it acceptable?"

 

 

The Assassin and the Underworld

By: Sarah J.Maas

 

Finally Sam and Celaena. Finally. The horribly wonderful things about the novellas is that even though you know how things are going to end up, if you've read Throne of Glass, you still fall for it. I still loved Sam and Celaena together even though I know my heart was going to break for it later. My disdain for Arobynn grows more and more with every novella. I hate what he keeps doing to Celaena, it's absolutely disgusting the way he messes with her mind.

 

The Assassin and the Empire

By: Sarah J. Maas

 

This one. THIS ONE THOUGH. I'm not afraid to say that I shed a tear or two over this one. I mean, it was so freaking horrible to read. Everything that happened and why it happened and what it meant for Celaena and Sam. I can say that I understand who Celaena is in Throne of Glass a lot more now that I've read these. She started out these four stories as a spoiled brat, but now she's hardened into something stronger but much sadder. I hate Arobynn so much I can't stand it. If I could go into this world the first thing I'd do would be to beat him senseless for all the crap he pulled.
 

Quotes:

"She was darkness, she was dust and blood and shadow."

"The breeze grew into a wind, and she closed her eyes, letting it sweep away the ashes of that dead world- of that dead girl. And then there was nothing left except something new, something still glowing red from the forging."

The Assassin and the Princess

By: Sarah J. Maas

This wasn't as long as the others, but it's truly one of my favorites. I absolutely love Nehemia's friendship with Celaena. I really appreciated Sarah getting into exactly why Celaena loves fine things, I think it adds even more depth to Celaena. She's tough and an assassin, but she can still appreciate beauty. These novellas are really making me excited for Crown of Midnight, particularly because I didn't want it to end.

Quotes:

"I suppose it's easy to dismiss it as frivolous, but a gown like the ones Kavill makes is art. It's art, and mathematics, and economics."

"That gown in the window-think about how Kavill had to first come up with the design, then et the measurements just right to match the image in his head, then find the right vendor to supply the perfect red velvet and black lace. Think about where that velvet and lace came from-the velvetfrom the port in Meah, the lace from Melisande, the thread that holds the whole thing together from a spinner in Fenharrow. Think about where the dyes for the red and the black came from, too-think about all the people and places that had a hand in that dress coming together. It's like a map of the continent, and every part of it ells a story..."

"It is my most selfish wish and daydream-to be normal, to be ordinary, to be free of my burdens...And yet you and I couldn't even pretend for a single day to be free of those burdens."