#dorian x calaena

[bigheartedbibliophile]

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Summary:🐱‍👤👩🏾‍🤝‍👩🏼🗡✨

SPOILERS

I was highly skeptical of this book going in. Everyone I know who has read it loved it, and it’s enormous on Booktok/Instagram. I figured they were overhyping it, honestly.

Boy, was I WRONG! This book was honestly so good. 

This book has everything: competition to become the King’s champion, female friendship, magic, foreshadowing, love triangle esque? But not overly complicated, humor, tragedy, EVERYTHING.

I enjoyed that the book had different POVs the entire time, although it mainly focused on Calaena Sardothien (the main character), who is such a badass. She’s an assassin who was in a labor camp (you'll find out why later in the series, I’m assuming) and spent a year there before being released by the prince to fight and win her freedom as the King’s Champion. She has a hard time trusting people, and letting someone close to her got them killed last time (again, explained later in the series)

Dorian Hallivard is the prince and one of the love interests. He’s annoying in this book, but I heard he gets better as the series continues. His dad is the king, and he is fucking evil. I kind of called that, and certain things, like the king attempting to kill his son’s champion, were pretty expected, but some of the other stuff, like the king’s heavy involvement in the magic he supposedly got rid of, was a bit surprising.

Chaol 🥗 Westfall goes with Dorian at the beginning of the book to get Calaena out of the labor camp and be Dorian’s “champion” in the competition. I love him; he’s sassy and no-nonsense, or at least he pretends to be. I liked him immediately. He’s the other love interest but does not act on his feelings in this book. He’s reserved and best friends with Dorian, and doesn’t want to get in his friend’s way of pursuing Celaena.

Calaena is initially interested in Dorian, but once she wins the competition, she knows they can’t be together, as he is the prince and she’s nowhere near royal.

One of my favorite characters is Nehemia, a princess visiting from another country. She is trying to get information and stop the king from taking over her country. She and Calaena become fast friends, and even though they lie to each other about things, they work through it.

What was wild was the way this book ended! I knew Calaena would end up fighting Cain, the most prominent and worst competitor in the “game.” What was surprising was how he was killing the other competitors through some sort of magic called Wyrd, where he summons demons and shit, and then absorbs the other competitors' strength!! Calaena is such a significant threat to him (and the King, we find out later) that she was poisoned, and she still fucking wins. The ancient Queen Elena is kind of a ghost, and she helps Calaena get rid of the poison in her body before she can get back to fighting seriously, but while the poison has her, she can actually see the demons Cain summons. The poor girl keeps going through some shit.

Meanwhile, Dorian, Chaol, and everyone else can only see her struggling, but can’t see the demons. Nehemia is pretty badass and starts doing magic secretly to help protect Calaena while she’s trying to get rid of the poison. Dorian does nothing to help her, and I get that his dad is the king, and interfering would invalidate and disqualify her from the competition, but come on. You guys made out a whole bunch, and you’re just going to watch her die? Chaol at least went to her side and kept her fighting, saying she couldn’t quit. From his perspective, he gets so worried about her. When she finally wins, the king not so subtly nods to Cain, who tries to kill her when she turns her back. Chaol, the Captain of the Guard, by the way, notices and kills Cain without hesitation. He’s obviously traumatized by this, and I don’t believe he’s killed before, but maybe he has. The king shows Calaena a hint of how truly evil he is by telling her that if she fucks up, she will kill Chaol, then Nehemia, then everyone else she cares about. And that’s pretty much how the book ends!

I’m excited to see where the series goes with everything and how certain things get explained. Questions I have for this series: How did the king eliminate all the magic in the land? Will it ever come back? What does the symbol that appeared on Calaena’s forehead mean? Who does she end up with? What will happen once she’s done her four years as the King’s champion? There are so many others that I can’t remember right now. 

I forgot to mention why I didn’t give this book five stars. The author keeps saying Calaena “isn’t like other girls,” I get that she really isn’t like other girls because she is an assassin! But there are ways to explain that without being a “pick me girl,” if that makes sense. I don’t know; it just feels like the author hates other women or at least has some underlying issues with women that came out in her writing. Maybe Kaltain, the woman who poisons Calaena and is trying to get with the prince, is based on a woman she doesn’t like, and that’s why everything comes off so weird.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy/young adult/romance. I read this in July/August 2024.

[nikethestatue]

Thank you Nike! I just finished Assassin’s Blade and moving on to TOG. I haven’t read this in years. I’m catching things that I haven’t noticed before. After Assassin’s Blade.. I noticed something that is important to SJM- loyalty.

*Calaena keeps bringing up that Sam has switched loyalty to her. He chosen her over the king of assassin. He stood up for her.

*Chaol didn’t- his loyalty was to the king and Dorian.

*Calaena didn’t choose Dorian because he didn’t stand up for her when she was “down” while fighting with Cain. That was the last straw, there were other reasons. Chaol was the one that told her to get up. Dorian apologized over and over that he was sorry he didn’t stop Cain.

*Rowan- you know, he is utterly loyal to her.

ACOTAR-

Feyre x:

*Tamlin- his loyal was to himself.

*Rhysand- clearly ALL for her.

*Nesta and Cassian- He is loyal to Nesta, but I can see that can be questionable. I will have to reread this. It’s been a while. But what do you think?

*Azriel- over and over again, he has proven his loyalty to Elain. She already sees Lucien as a betrayal. That’s beyond over.

CC-

*I don’t like Bryce. She did asked Hunt to put all in for her. That was after he was being tortured. She wants him 100% with her through whatever she demands. So, he did and that’s loyal.

Gwyn’s loyalty is still in question. Lucien is not to be trusted.

I think if anyone read all her series- they should see that Gwyn and Lucien is obviously not it. Lucien is loyal to Vassa i think, right?

Isnt it interesting how you find things when you re-read books and have more info now? It's fascinating.

As it pertains to Lucien, there is of course a huge question mark about where his loyalties actually lie.

In ACOWAR, Rhys tells Feyre that 'Lucien is fiercely loyal' and that it's one of his better qualities.

In ACOFAS we learn that Azriel doesn't watch Lucien.

Then we learn about BoE.

And in ACOSF, we have Mor saying that Lucien cannot be trusted because his loyalties have shifted and Elain is no longer an anchor that keeps him tethered to NC.

The question about Lucien is always--who IS he loyal to? Except for himself? It is just based on whichever way the wind blows?

I was talking to a mutual of mine just yesterday and I think the biggest question about Lucien is what does he want? What does he want to be? What's his ambition? Just survival? What happens when his survival is assured? I think there is a huge question mark about Lucien's whole personality and reason for existence (as a character).

What I think will ultimately happen is that Lucien will become a King Consort to Vassa (who'll become immortal somehow, or will tie her life to his) and he'll be the middle man between Fae and humans. I think that will be his 'purpose'.

As for Gwyn, I have no idea what the hell is going on with her. I truthfully do not. I don't even know where to begin speculating. She is too 'open door' to determine anything concrete about her background or storyline.

I do think that we have a bunch of people in ACOTAR whose loyalty is sus.

Amren

Mor

Lucien

Vassa

JURIAN!

Possibly Azriel

Eris

They can ALL go rogue.

[theladyofbloodshed]

Yeah anon, I miss Dorian and Calaena too. Like they are the same ages, both like music, have dog together, dance together. They are this long lost Atlantis ship we could have but instead lost in the burning of alexandria library

Gonna find fanfic where Dorian x Calaena is endgame. And what the hell Maas give Sorcha to Dorian then proceed to take her head off

They were originally endgame until an abusive bird turned up :(

don't you understand anon, women must suffer to encourage male character growth whereas women must suffer for their own growth (see also lyria, cassian's mother, LoA)

[doras-fandomworld]

I’m currently reading queen of shadows for the first time (I started reading ToG 3-4 years ago but I somehow never managed to pick up the rest of the series up) so I basically binge read the novellas and the third book and I’m already halfway through the fourth and ARGHH they saved me from my reading slump (also I have already been slightly spoiled concerning ships as the books have already been out for a long time - and I used to think that I would never read them)😅

Thanks SJM 🙏🧡

[myemptybooks]

RESEÑA EMPIRE OF STORMS

Estoy enfadada y rabiosa.

Me costó cogerle tranquillo al libro al principio. Me parecía pesado y las partes de Aelin me aburrían muchísimo. Literalmente las leía por continuar la historia y porque quería leer a Lorcan, Elide y Manon. Estos fueron más o menos cuatrocientas páginas del libro. Que no son pocas. El final me mató no sabía si llorar, gritar o patalear de la rabia. Al final acabe haciendo las tres. Es cierto que se vuelve a demostrar lo inteligente y calculadora que es Aelin y eso me gustó. Creo que fue lo único de ella que me gustó realmente en este libro.

SPOILERS:

—Dorian: Este personaje probablemente es el que mejor esté construido de toda la saga. En cada libro crece de cierta manera y en este su evolución a sido buena y se le ha dado un poco más del protagonismo que se merece. Aunque en mi opinión se merece mucho más. Que para eso también es heredero de la sangre de Brannon.

—Manon: Es una diosa. Definitivamente se ha convertido en mi personaje favorito. Su relación con Dorian es mi favorita también.

—Elide y Lorcan: Al principio quería leer más de ellos. Me gustaba como se desenvolvian ambos en un entorno sin Manon (por parte de Elide) y sin Aelin (por parte de Lorcan). Pero la traición de Lorcan me enfadó y tuve muchísimas ganas de que Rowan lo matase en ese instante. Todo iba viento en popa hasta que él los traicionó. Se me cayó hasta lo más hondo.

Ahora, yo no sé cómo pretende Sarah J Maas que lea un libro de casi 700 páginas de Chaol y Nesryn teniendo el final que tiene esta parte. Y por lo que he oído para Kingdom of ash se necesita leer Tower of Dawn.

[sak2605]

Kings and Valg? - possible ACOTAR link to Throne of Glass *spoilers but not including Koa*

Does anyone find it strange that we don’t know the names of some characters in SJ Maas’ world that we’ve spent a lot of time interacting with or that is talked about a lot?

Forenames (first name) and surname missing:

The King of Hybern & the King of Adarlan

Villains have usually been named by Maas, for example Maeve, Amarantha, Erawen etc. However, Maas didn’t reveal the name of Dorian’s father in ToG, he was known as the King of Adarlan. Is there a reason she didn’t name these two men? Was it to undermine their influence or say they would become forgettable Kings in the history books? Maybe it’s because the lack of name makes it harder for the reader to sympathise with? (thanks for the point @pinkprincesseommajin )

Or is it to link to two characters together?

We know that the king of Adarlan had been possessed by the Valg, and that Maeve is a valg Queen. While I don’t think they had association as he became possessed through her valg brother-in-law, why didn’t he have a name?

Also missing a name is a certain king from Hybern. Do you think it was done on purpose? Both nameless? Could he be linked to Maeve or the valg too like the King of Adarlan. They talk of darkness when describing both men, and Maeve, who we now know is Valg now. What’s more is that the King of Hybern looks awfully like her (or at least the body she inhabits) with dark eyes and dark hair, so do his neice and nephew: (pics at the end of this post...)

King of Hybern: “But his face—which looked perhaps like a human man in his forties … Blandly handsome. To hide the depthless, hateful black eyes that burned there.” (ACOMAF, ch 63)

King of Adarlan (inhabited by valg): “There was a darkness in his eyes that felt cold and foreign, like the gaps between the stars.” (Throne of Glass, ch 44)

“High Fae in appearance, their skin the same ruddy hue and hair the identical inky black as their king. But it was their vacant, unfeeling faces that snagged the eye. A lack of emotion honed from millennia of cruelty.” (Twins, ACOWAR, ch 2)

“They shot their dark eyes toward me.” (Twins, ACOWAR, ch 2)

What if it wasn’t a millennial of cruelty but valg possession? Also it’s interesting to note that they have titles (King, Princess, Prince) like many of the valg so it could be a hint that they are inhabited by royalty. Perhaps Erawan is banished from his realm or survives ToG by inhabiting another body.

Also it’s worth mentioning that both twins are Daemati, a power not unlike how Maeve is described to use on Aelin

“the darkness in Maeve’s eyes spread, reaching. There was a faint pulse in the air, a throbbing against her blood. A tapping, then a razor-sharp slicing against her mind—as if Maeve were trying to cleave open her skull and peer inside. Pushing, testing, tasting—“ heir of fire, ch 8)

So what do you think? Do you think that King of Hybern and his nephew and neice were valg? Though it might not matter now as all 3 are dead as of ACOWAR, it might suggest that valg a exist in the ACOTAR world, and that the series are linked

Though I couldn’t find any pics of the King of Adarlan, here are some pics of

The King of Hybern

Brannagh and Dagdan

And Maeve

All done by the talented @morgana0anagrom

[otps-killl-me]

Heroines, Throne Of Glass

[readerinthepages-blog]

Let me just hand my heart and soul over to Dorian and Rowan from Throne of Glass! 😍

Rattle the Stars art print by Her Bookish Things

Rowan candle by Meraki Candles

Bookmarks by Happy Hello Art

Image via my Instagram

[loddie]

Tog AU

Celaena and Aelin are different people.

Celaena helps out Aelin to take the throne. 

On the way Celaena sees how Aelin is being influenced by Rowan and how she’s turning into a bad person, so Celaena kills Rowan. 

Nehemia doesn’t get killed.

Celaena, Nehemia and Aelin (add Manon and Elide if you’d like) team up to beat up demon ass.

Celaena marries Dorian and Chaol(they’re a throuple. Let’s call it Chadorena).

Dorian is king, Chaol is king, Celaena is queen.

But since Chaol isn’t that much into being a king, he’s the captain of the guards ofc.

Celaena as well isn’t that into being queen and dealing with the responsibility so she becomes the messenger.

She makes sure Adarlan is on good terms with Eyllwe and Terrassen.

Manon becomes queen ofc with her waifey Elide.

Manon and Celaena are bros.

Aedion is with Aelin, as in her right hand man(NO FUCKING ROWAN)

Lysandra(still makes up with Celaena ofc) and Evangeline recieve lots of money, so they go travel around the world(no romantic relationship with anyone)

Fleetfoot is happy and pees on Dorian’s important documents, Celaena finds it funny every time and Chaol tries to hide that he’s laughing.

Lorcan who?

Sorcha is alive ofc.

Hollin is taught proper manners by Calaena and Chaol aka tormenting him.

Chadorena play rock, paper, scissors on who’ll be the ruler of the day. Rifthold catches fire once in a while.

Nesrene ( the Yrene x Nesryn ship right? heck yeah)

Don’t worry guys Aelin becomes a good ruler. No rowboat to butcher her character.

(add whatever you like)((except Rowboat, Lorcan etc))

Sam’s grave gets transferred to the castle’s garden so Celaena can go see him everyday.

[batfam4eva]

Rereading TOG series again so prepare for all those posts... sorrrry not sorry

[resident-of-idris]

YOOO GUYS I finally finished the TOG series a couple days ago and it was soo good!! I have my finals in 2 weeks and I should’ve been studying for them but nope. This obsession took over my life and I literally could not stop reading this. Anyway I highly recommend this series to anyone and everyone, pls do give this a try!