Throne of Glass explained

Throne of Glass
Author:Sarah J. Maas
Country:United States
Language:English
Genre:Fantasy
Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing
Pub Date:August 2, 2012 – October 23, 2018
Media Type:Print (hardback and paperback)
Ebook

Throne of Glass is a high fantasy young adult novel series by American author Sarah J. Maas, beginning with the entry of the same name, released on August 2, 2012. The story follows the journey of Celaena Sardothien, a teenage assassin in a corrupt kingdom with a tyrannical ruler, the King of Adarlan. As the tale progresses, Celaena forms unexpected bonds and uncovers a conspiracy amidst her adventures. The series concluded with the eighth book in October 2018.

The series appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list, and was optioned by Hulu and Disney-ABC Domestic Television for a television series adaptation by Mark Gordon on 2016, but nothing came forward and the rights went back to the author.

Overview

Throne of Glass follows Celaena Sardothien, an 18-year-old assassin in the Kingdom of Adarlan. After a year of suffering for her crimes in a slave camp called Endovier, she accepts the offer of Crown Prince Dorian Haviliard, the King of Adarlan's son, to compete with other assassins and thieves for a chance to serve as the King's Champion, and eventually gain her freedom after four years in the King's service. This leads her to form unexpected bonds with Chaol, the Captain of the Guard, and Dorian, the Crown Prince of Adarlan. Over time, Celaena is drawn into a conspiracy and a series of battles, leading to discoveries surrounding both the Kingdom and herself.[1]

Books

Companion books

Companion game

Embers of Memory, a two-person card game based on the Throne of Glass book series, was released in October 2019 by Osprey Games.[3] It is set during the events of the final book in the series, Kingdom of Ash. The players are tasked with helping Aelin survive her imprisonment and ordeal at the hands of Maeve, diving with her into her memories and helping her find the way back out.[4]

Characters

Main

Recurring

Development

Background

Sarah J. Maas has cited Disney's Cinderella as an inspiration for writing Throne of Glass. While viewing the scene in which the heroine flees the ball, Maas found the soundtrack "way too dark and intense". This led her to re-imagine a number of details. "The music fit much better when I imagined a thief—no, an assassin!—fleeing the palace," she said. "But who was she? Who had sent her to kill the prince? Who might the prince's enemies be? A powerful, corrupt empire, perhaps?"[6]

Originally known as Queen of Glass, the story initially appeared on FictionPress.com.[6] Bloomsbury acquired the novel in 2010, and purchased two additional Throne of Glass novels in 2012.[7] Publicist Emma Bradshaw noted Maas' "huge online following, particularly in the US".[8] Additionally, Throne of Glass became the first Bloomsbury children's novel to be featured on Netgalley.com, attracting requests "from all over the world."[8]

Following its acquisition by Bloomsbury, the story went through a number of revisions prior to publication. Regarding the tale's development, Maas stated, "In the 10 years that I've been working on the series, Throne of Glass has become more of an original epic fantasy than a Cinderella retelling, but you can still find a few nods to the legend here and there."[8]

Characters

In an interview prior to the series' debut, Maas discussed the process of creating her protagonist:[9]

The story's teenage heroine, Celaena Sardothien, is introduced as an orphan who was raised and trained by an assassin. She is characterized as skilled, arrogant, and witty. While shaping her protagonist, Maas was inspired by the heroism of Eowyn from The Lord of the Rings, and by the characterization of Velma Kelly from Chicago. Maas has stated that the latter's "arrogance and fierceness made me want to write about a woman like her—about a woman who never once said sorry for being talented and determined and utterly in love with herself."[10]

The author ultimately designed Celaena as a highly capable character whose talents also form a basis for numerous faults. In interviews preceding the series' release, Maas noted her heroine's issues with "impatience" and "vanity".[9] She also suggested that Celaena would grow while adjusting to her new role. In addition to Celaena's skills as an assassin, Maas wanted the character to have several traits and hobbies befitting her age,[11] including a fondness for "shopping, books, and fine dining", as well as a "penchant for getting into trouble."[12]

In creating the friendship between Celaena and Chaol, Maas gave the characters a number of differences. As the story begins, Chaol is introduced as a strict and ethical captain, while Celaena is presented as a morally ambiguous assassin. According to the author, this contrast contributes to Chaol's character development as his bond with Celaena grows. Amidst their experiences, Chaol eventually comes to view her not just as a captive criminal, but also "as a human being."[13] While writing the novel, Maas envisioned Chaol as a character who had "always seen the world in black and white," and concluded that "Celaena just throws a wrench in that."[13]

Prince Dorian is presented as a suitor for Celaena as well. However, their relationship is complicated by his status as the crown prince.[14]

Release

Publicity

In anticipation of the series' debut, Bloomsbury released e-book editions of four prequel novellas—The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, The Assassin and the Desert, The Assassin and the Underworld, and The Assassin and the Empire—between January and July 2012.[15] Throne of Glass was previewed by Publishers Weekly in February, while the book trailer premiered on MTV.com in May.[16] [17] Additionally, film option rights were acquired by Creative Artists Agency.[18]

Reception

Throne of Glass has received generally positive reviews, making its debut on the New York Times Best Seller list with the release of the second novel, Crown of Midnight.[19] A review from Publishers Weekly lauded the series' opening as a "strong debut novel." The review went on to state, "This is not cuddly romance, but neither is it grim. Celaena is trained to murder, yet she hasn’t lost her taste for pretty dresses or good books, and a gleam of optimism tinges her outlook. Maas tends toward overdescription, but the verve and freshness of the narration make for a thrilling read."[20] The Guardian gave it 5 stars out of 5 with the author of the review stating that the main character, Celaena, was more "relatable" than most other female protagonists.[21] In her review for USA Today, Serena Chase called Celaena a "next-level Cinderella".

Kirkus stated, "A teenage assassin, a rebel princess, menacing gargoyles, supernatural portals and a glass castle prove to be as thrilling as they sound." With regard to the protagonist, Kirkus noted that "Celaena is still just a teenager trying to forge her way, giving the story timelessness. She might be in the throes of a bloodthirsty competition, but that doesn't mean she's not in turmoil over which tall, dark and handsomely titled man of the royal court should be her boyfriend—and which fancy gown she should wear to a costume party." The review concluded that the story's "commingling of comedy, brutality and fantasy evokes a rich alternate universe with a spitfire young woman as its brightest star."[11]

Throne of Glass was named Amazon.com "Best Book of the Month for Kids & Teens" in August 2012.[22] Whitney Kate Sullivan of Romantic Times stated that "Maas' YA fantasy world is one of the most compelling that this reviewer has visited all year. The assassin heroine's growth and the multilayered secondary characters are amazing."[23] Serena Chase of USA Today applauded the story's love triangle, and noted that "Maas excels at world building, spicing up this unusual take on the Cinderella story by injecting myths, fairy tales and religious traditions with the magic of a fresh and faulted world. Whereas many authors rely on geographic detail to build their worlds, Maas' environment is more politically driven and her characterizations are deftly drawn to support that sort of structure." Chase also commended Maas for creating "a truly remarkable heroine who doesn't sacrifice the grit that makes her real in order to do what's right in the end."[24]

In 2024, Empire of Storms was one of 13 books banned from all Utah public schools by the state school board for allegedly containing "objective sensitive material." Five other books by Maas, all in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, were also among the banned books.[25]

Awards

The awards the author has received are as follows:

YearAwardNominee/WorkCategoryResultRef
2012GoodreadsThrone of GlassBest Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction[26]
2013Crown of Midnight[27]
2014Heir of Fire[28]
2015Queen of Shadows[29]
2016Empire of Storms[30]
2017Tower of Dawn[31]
2018Queen of ShadowsBest of the Best[32]
Kingdom of AshBest Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction[33]

Accolades

Year-end lists
YearPublicationWorkCategoryResultRef
2015BuzzFeedQueen of Shadows16 Of The Best YA Books Of 201511[34]
2015The IndependentQueen of Shadows10 best fantasy novels4[35]
2013PopSugarCrown of MidnightThe Best YA Books of 20132[36]
2015Queen of ShadowsThe Best YA Books of 20158[37]
2016Empire of StormsThe Best YA Books of 201620[38]

Television adaptation

In September 2016, it was announced that the Throne of Glass series had been opted for a television adaptation by Hulu and Disney-ABC Domestic Television. The series was set to be titled Queen of Shadows, named after the fourth novel in the series, with The Mark Gordon Company serving as the main project studio. The adaptation was to be written by Kira Snyder, who also wrote The 100, with the pilot potentially to be directed by Anna Foerster.[39] As of 2020, the rights have since reverted to Maas, with no further production currently in the works.

Notes and References

  1. News: Throne of Glass . goodreads.com . February 24, 2012 . February 25, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120225002346/http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7896527-throne-of-glass . live .
  2. Web site: Throne of Glass Coloring Book . Sarahjmaas . January 29, 2019 . March 15, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160315132827/http://sarahjmaas.com/throne-of-glass-coloring-book/ . live .
  3. Web site: Osprey Games. live. March 25, 2021. March 20, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210320115727/https://ospreypublishing.com/.
  4. Web site: Embers of Memory: a Throne of Glass game at Boardgame Geek.. live. March 25, 2021. April 15, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210415224602/https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/274445/embers-memory-throne-glass-game.
  5. Web site: Review: 'Throne of Glass' by Sarah J. Maas . USA Today . 16 August 2012 . Chase, Serena . August 17, 2012 . September 14, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130914205819/http://books.usatoday.com/happyeverafter/post/2012-08-15/throne-of-glass-review-sarah-j-maas/825478/1 . live .
  6. News: Sarah . Maas . I hear music…Mighty fine music… . Let The Words Flow . April 14, 2011 . February 24, 2012 . March 24, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120324050155/http://letthewordsflow.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/i-hear-music-mighty-fine-music/ . live .
  7. News: Sarah . Maas . Big News Reveal (Part 2) . goodreads.com . January 16, 2012 . February 24, 2012 . May 31, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150531080505/http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/1975482-big-news-reveal-part-2 . live .
  8. News: Benedicte . Page . Free Prequels For Bloomsbury's Assassin . bookseller.com . July 27, 2012 . August 1, 2012 . July 29, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120729233011/http://www.thebookseller.com/news/free-prequels-bloomsburys-assassin.html-0 . live .
  9. News: Interview with Sarah J. Maas . yabookreads.com . December 8, 2011 . August 1, 2012 . December 28, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101228221343/http://yabookreads.com/blog/2010/12/08/interview-with-sarah-j-maas/#more-1690 . live .
  10. News: Leah . Cypess . Interview With Sarah J. Maas, author of Throne of Glass . Enchanted Inkpot . August 8, 2012 . August 8, 2012 . February 22, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150222061754/http://enchantedinkpot.blogspot.com/2012/08/interview-with-sarah-j-maas-author-of.html . live .
  11. News: Throne of Glass review . . May 2, 2012 . August 1, 2012 . December 16, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121216032543/http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/sarah-j-maas/throne-of-glass/ . live .
  12. News: Sarah . Maas . Celaena Through The Years . sjmaas.livejournal.com . August 18, 2010 . August 1, 2012 . August 21, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100821105416/http://sjmaas.livejournal.com/378304.html . live .
  13. News: Sarah . Maas . Long Entry About Writing and Inspiration . sjmaas.livejournal.com . February 5, 2009 . August 1, 2012 . April 16, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230416232003/https://sjmaas.livejournal.com/344012.html . live .
  14. News: Sarah . Maas . What I'd Write, Dogs . sjmaas.livejournal.com . December 15, 2008 . August 1, 2012 . April 16, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230416232002/https://sjmaas.livejournal.com/337538.html . live .
  15. News: Susan . Dennard . Susan Dennard . The Assassin and the Pirate Lord . publishingcrawl.com . January 21, 2012 . February 24, 2012 . July 28, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120728162656/http://www.publishingcrawl.com/2012/01/21/the-assassin-and-the-pirate-lord-by-sarah-j-maas/ . dead .
  16. News: Fall 2012 Sneak Previews . . February 20, 2012 . February 24, 2012 . February 23, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120223233910/http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/50717-fall-2012-sneak-previews.html . live .
  17. News: Kat . Rosenfield . Peep The EXCLUSIVE Trailer For Throne Of Glass . . May 14, 2012 . May 24, 2012 . May 21, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120521003524/http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com/2012/05/14/throne-of-glass-sarah-j-maas-book-trailer/ . dead .
  18. News: I Have A Film Agent . goodreads.com . January 21, 2012 . February 24, 2012 . July 9, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150709034743/http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/1995417-i-have-a-film-agent-and-really-important-news-about-novella-1 . live .
  19. News: Heir of Fire . . 978-1619630659. Maas . Sarah J. . September 2, 2014 .
  20. News: Children's Review: Throne of Glass . Publishers Weekly . June 18, 2012 . June 26, 2012 . September 20, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120920040419/http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-59990-695-9 . live .
  21. Web site: Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas - review . The Guardian . 4 January 2015 . July 27, 2017 . September 7, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170907124029/https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/jan/04/review-throne-of-glass-sarah-j-maas . live .
  22. News: Best Books of the Month for Kids & Teens . Amazon.com . August 3, 2012 . April 16, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230416232023/https://www.amazon.com/404?ref_=cs_fdm_1000821761 . live .
  23. News: Whitney . Sullivan . Book Review: Throne of Glass . . August 2, 2012 . July 7, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120707005249/http://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-review/throne-glass . live .
  24. News: Serena . Chase . Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas . . August 16, 2012 . August 16, 2012 . September 14, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130914205819/http://books.usatoday.com/happyeverafter/post/2012-08-15/throne-of-glass-review-sarah-j-maas/825478/1 . live .
  25. News: Nesbitt . Carmen . It’s official: These 13 books are now banned from all public schools in Utah . 3 August 2024 . The Salt Lake Tribune . 2 August 2024.
  26. Web site: 2012 Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction . Goodreads . 12 October 2021 . October 28, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211028175146/https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-young-adult-fantasy-books-2012 . live .
  27. Web site: 2013 Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction . Goodreads . 12 October 2021 . October 8, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211008162641/https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-young-adult-fantasy-books-2013 . live .
  28. Web site: 2014 Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction . Goodreads . 12 October 2021 . October 8, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211008162645/https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-young-adult-fantasy-books-2014 . live .
  29. Web site: 2015 Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction . Goodreads . 12 October 2021 . December 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181220045826/https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-young-adult-fantasy-books-2015 . live .
  30. Web site: 2016 Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction . Goodreads . 12 October 2021 . October 7, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211007182103/https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-young-adult-fantasy-books-2016 . live .
  31. Web site: 2017 Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction . Goodreads . 12 October 2021 . October 8, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211008163127/https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-young-adult-fantasy-books-2017 . live .
  32. Web site: Best of the Best . Goodreads . 12 October 2021 . April 20, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210420220208/https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-of-the-best-2018 . live .
  33. Web site: Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction . Goodreads . 12 October 2021 . October 26, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211026095959/https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-young-adult-fantasy-books-2018 . live .
  34. Web site: Arielle . Farrah . 16 Of The Best YA Books Of 2015 . Buzzfeed . December 19, 2021 . December 21, 2015 . December 19, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211219212510/https://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/the-best-ya-books-of-2015 . live .
  35. Web site: Wallis . Max . 10 best fantasy novels . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/10-best-fantasy-novels-a6732966.html . May 7, 2022 . subscription . live . Independent . December 19, 2021 . November 13, 2015.
  36. Web site: The Best YA Books of 2013 . December 21, 2021 . December 21, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211221072138/https://popcrush.com/best-young-adult-ya-books-2013/ . live .
  37. Web site: White . Hillary . The Best YA Books of 2015 . PopSugar . December 19, 2021 . March 11, 2016 . December 19, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211219193513/https://www.popsugar.com/love/photo-gallery/39246392/image/39248113/Queen-Shadows . live .
  38. Web site: White . Hillary . The Best YA Books of 2016 . PopSugar . December 19, 2021 . March 11, 2016 . December 19, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211219193931/https://www.popsugar.com/love/photo-gallery/40940805/image/40940813/Empire-Storms . live .
  39. News: TV Series Adaptation Of 'Throne of Glass' Books From Mark Gordon Co. Set at Hulu. Andreeva. Nellie. 2016-09-07. Deadline. 2017-03-26. en-US. September 8, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160908165449/http://deadline.com/2016/09/throne-of-glass-books-tv-series-mark-gordon-co-hulu-1201814665/. live.