Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas Book Review
Updated: Jan 25
Kingdom of Ash
by Sarah J. Maas
Published by Bloomsbury
Book 7 in the Throne of Glass series
Aelin Galathynius has vowed to save her people ― but at a tremendous cost.
Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. The knowledge that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, but her resolve is unraveling with each passing day…
With Aelin captured, friends and allies are scattered to different fates. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever. As destinies weave together at last, all must fight if Erilea is to have any hope of salvation.
Years in the making, Sarah J. Maas's New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series draws to an explosive conclusion as Aelin fights to save herself―and the promise of a better world.
RATED: 18+ CATEGORY: MOOD:
Violent #Fantasy Thrilling
Steamy #NewAdult Emotional
Kingdom of Ash is the seventh and final book of the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. It goes back and forth from several characters perspectives: Queen Aelin Whitethorn Galathynius of Terrasen, Aelin's mate and consort Prince Rowan Whitethorn Galathynius. Aelin's court members: Prince Aedion Ashryver, Aelin's cousin and leader of the Bane, Lady Lysandra, Lady of Caraverre, Aelin's best friend, shifter, and spoiler ahead --------->mate and future wife of Aedion<---------, Lady Elide Lochan, Lady of Perranth and -------->mate and future wife to Lorcan<---------. We also have Rowan's cadre ------->and Aelin's future court members<---------, Fenrys Moonbeam, and Lorcan Salvaterre, known as the most powerful demi-fae in existence, and former Commander of Maeve's cadre, -------->and future husband to Elide and Lord of Perranth<---------. We also get POV's from King Dorian Havilliard of Adarlan, powerful wielder of magic, Lord Chaol Westfall, former Captain of the Royal Guard, now Hand to King Dorian, and married to Yrenne Westfall, a powerful healer who is also a main protagonist. Manon Blackbeak, a half Crochan, half Ironteeth witch, and the last Crochan Queen. She is now allied with Aelin, and is King Dorian's lover. Nesryn Faliq, former Captain of the Guard for King Dorian, and now future Empress of the Southern Continent, and a few small POV's from Lady Evangeline, Lysandra's ward.
Whew. That's a lot of characters, and it's not even the tip of the iceberg. I'm not even bothering with a book description like I usually do. Let's just say, it picks up after the events of Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn, and it's time for the final battles of war, and everyone has a part to play.
Kingdom of Ash was an excellent finale to the series, that answered a lot of questions, and did a good job of not romanticizing war. It was brutal, often dark, and emotional. It's a big book, and I cried more than once throughout. Sarah Maas did a great job writing battle scenes, making them easy to picture. Despite there being so many main characters in play, all their stories flowed really well together, making up a book that I couldn't put down. This series as a whole really showcases Sarah Maas' growth as a writer, starting from the first book that wasn't my favorite, to the rest of the series, that only gets better and better. I still maintain that this book is New Adult, despite it being labeled as Young Adult. Whatever age this book/series is aimed for, the writing is wonderful, the story is imaginative (despite it feeling a bit Game of Thrones-ish at times ... but I think that's going to be the case for any fantasy that involves kingdoms and war), everything is well-thought out and consistent. I can tell and appreciate the amount of work and heart Sarah put into it.
The characters are great in this book. Sarah is great at writing deeply flawed characters that you can't help but root for. She humanizes her characters in that way. No one is perfect in this series, even our star character, Aelin. If anything, she might be the most flawed of them all. It makes the series a bit more interesting when you go back and forth between loving, and disagreeing with a character. Not to mention, this whole series doesn't hide from issues like depression and PTSD, and is a prevalent and consistent battle that many characters suffer through, which makes sense considering what is going on throughout the series. Best of all, by the end of the series, these characters are continually working on themselves, for the better.
Kingdom of Ash is a HUGE book, at almost 1000 pages, so I'm going to do my character evaluations differently than usual, especially considering HOW many characters there are. Below, the characters I feel like mentioning are below, with a short little blurb of what I liked about their arc throughout the series. Any spoilers, will be pointed out by the arrows, and you will need to highlight the text if you want to read them.
Aelin - went from an assassin hiding who she truly was, to a Queen worthy of the name. Strong in so many ways. She is one of the characters who suffers from depression, and considering everything she goes through and suffers, it makes complete sense. -------->After the events of Kingdom of Ash, she admits to herself that she will always have the stain of what Mauve did to her, and shows signs of PTSD, especially when it comes to being caged. The fact that she realizes this, but it doesn't ruin her happiness, shows a lot of growth, considering way back in Heir of Fire, the book starts out with her drunk on a rooftop, essentially giving up on her quest and life.) I also appreciate the fact that she ends of losing most of her magic. While certainly handy, she doesn't need it to rule.<----------.
Rowan - went from a depressed, angry warrior who was ordered to train an equally depressed, angry, and just as hard headed Aelin, to a male who has devoted his life to his mate, his wife, and his Queen, Aelin. Now that he learned the truth about Aelin being his mate in the last book, Rowan's character remains pretty consistent in this book. His arc throughout the series though is a great one, especially considering Aelin and him work together to heal from depression.
Aedion - went from the "whore of Adarlan" to --------->blood sworn to his cousin and queen, Aelin. Which was his dream.<-------. His perspective in Kingdom of Ash was brutal, but the ending was superb. Some of my favorite moments in this book, he was in them. ----------> And just like I suspected, he acknowledges that Lysandra is his mate, and their future marriage, on top of him finally being blood-sworn to Aelin, is awesome. His father's death, right after he decided he wanted to get to know him though ... ugh ... brutal. Fucking brutal.<-------.
Lysandra - her character has been pretty consistent since Queen of Shadows, since Aelin and her decided to become friends, and Aelin made her a Lady of her Court. Loyal to a fault, and brutally so. -------> I love that she is getting her happy ending with Aedion. <----------
Lady Elide - Elide, despite her injury, is a fighter, and incredibly intelligent woman. She doesn't let people walk all over her. A great example of a female character that doesn't need magic to be a loyal and strong person. -------->Lorcan and Elide's relationship was my favorite of the book. She brings out a whole new side to Lorcan and I am all for it.<----------.
Lorcan - I make no secret of loving cranky, angry characters, so I have a soft spot for Lorcan. He remains himself, but -------> his love for Elide gives his character more depth. I suspected they were mates, and I suspected he would give up his immortality to tie his life with her's, and I was right. And I. Love. It. <---------
Fenrys - Kingdom of Ash really fleshed out his character to whole new levels. ------> The bond him and Aelin build while they are both Mauve's prisoners is amazing, and heartbreaking. His sacrifice to save Aelin, and her gift to him to save his life, is one of my favorite moments in the book. The fact that they have one another to lean on when healing is perfect. And the fact that Aelin lets him get his shot at vengeance ... awesome. I suspect much like Aelin though, he will always suffer from some level of PTSD<-------- .
Dorian - Dorian is one of those characters who has shown a lot of growth throughout the series. He goes from a playboy prince, who is scared to stand up to his father, to a King who is willing to sacrifice anything for those he loves, and his Kingdom. He is another character who has suffers from depression, and he really ------->only begins to see life worth living by the end of Kingdom of Ash, when Manon hints that she is willing to one day marry Dorian. Which in my opinion, is amazing, because Manon seems like his perfect equal. <--------.
Chaol & Yrene - I loved his arc this series too, but I feel like Tower of Dawn really finished off his characters growth. In Kingdom of Ash, he really maintains that growth, and -------> his dreams really came true. He has the perfect wife for him, and he is going to be a father. Amazing.<-------.
Nesriq - Just like Chaol, her character's arc really finished up in Tower of Dawn. The small bits we get of her in Kingdom of Ash is really to just confirm what we have learned of her character in the last book, and to see how the ruksin fare in the war.
Manon - Manon's character, I feel like, had the most growth in the book. She embraces her heritage in Kingdom of Ash, and -------> her actions prove her intentions to the Crochans, who end up being vital in the war. <--------. By the end of the book, Manon is a changed woman in more ways than one. Whereas Dorian has begun his journey of healing, Manon is only really beginning hers, --------> Now that she is without her Thirteen after that brutal sacrifice <--------.
Kingdom of Ash, despite being almost 1000 pages, didn't FEEL as long as it was. Every page is worthy of the time put in to read it. Nothing is filler. It's brutal, and raw, and by the end of the book, everything good that happens still feels bittersweet, considering the war and how many good people died. The series of the whole is a wonderful read, and Sarah J Maas has made me a lifelong fan.
That being said, I'm ending this review with something I haven't done before. Questions I am left with. I know this is really left to readers imaginations and hopes, but I am curious, what do you think happens afterward? Let me know in the comments!
Questions I am left with after the series ended: (spoilers below, be careful!)
Do Aelin and Rowan eventually have children? I assume that the dream they both had of them with 4 children, about to be 5, is a real look into the future.
Is Aedion immortal? If he is, will he tie his life to Lyssandra's? I assume shifters are not immortal, due to Her uncle's aging after his bargain with the spider.
Does Elide choose to go through the painful ordeal of having her foot healed? Do her and Lorcan ever have children?
Does Fenrys ever find his mate? He has a rough time in this series, and I want happy things for him.
Do Dorian and Manon marry? It's hinted that they both want to be with the other long-term, despite Dorian worried about Manon feeling caged. They seem to be really well-suited for each other. I think the only issue would be in terms of heirs, since witches have a low pregnancy survival rate.
Does Aelin manage to introduce democracy to her Kingdom?
Where to Buy
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Throne of Glass Box Set (Chapters/Indigo)
Lysandra: "It was real, Aedion. All of it. I don't care if you believe me or not. But it was real for me."
Crochan: "And who, exactly, are you?"
Dorian gave the witch one of those charming smiles and sketched a bow
Dorian: "Dorian Havilliard, at your service."
Crochan: "The king."
Dorian winked
Dorian: "That I am, too."
Manon: "You killed the spider."
Dorian: "She was a threat."
Manon: "She could have killed you."
He gave her a half smile
Dorian: "No, she couldn't have."
Manon: "I'm tired of talking."
Good. So was he.
Dorian: "Is there something you'd rather do instead, witchling?"
Her only answer was the slide over him, strands of her hair falling around them in a curtain.
Manon: "I said I don't want to talk."
She lowered her mouth to his neck. Dragged her teeth over it, right through that white line where the collar had been.
Dorian groaned softly, and shifted his hips, grinding himself into her. Her breath became jagged in answer, and he ran a hand down her side.
Dorian: "Shut me up, then."
Chaol: "Yrene is the finest healer of her generation. Her worth is greater than any crown."
Yrene: "You don't need to bother proving my value to him. I know precisely how talented I am. I don't require his blessing."
He had killed his way across the world; he had gone to war and back more times than he cared to remember. And despite it all, despite the rage and despair and ice he'd wrapped around his heart, he'd still found Aelin. Every horizon he's gazed toward, unable and unwilling to rest during those centuries, every mountain and ocean he'd seen and wondered what lay beyond ... It had been her. It had been Aelin, the silent call of the mating bond driving him, even when he could not feel it.
They'd walked this dark path together back to the light. He would not let the road end here.
Vesta: "You could be sparring with Lin right now."
Dorian: "I just watched Lin nearly knock Imogen's teeth down her throat. Forgive me if I'm in no mood to get into the ring with her."
Vesta arched an auburn brow
Vesta: "No male swaggering from you, then."
Dorian: "I like my teeth where they are."
Manon: "You are not a cold person."
He arched a brow
Dorian: "Is that your professional opinion?"
Manon studied him
Manon: "You can descend to those levels when you are angry, when your friends are threatened. But you are not cold, not at heart. I've seen men who are, and you are not."
Dorian: "Neither are you."
Manon: "I am one hundred seventeen year old. I have spent the majority of that time killing. Don't convince yourself that the events of the past few months have erased that."
Dorian: "Keep telling yourself that."
Dorian: "Is it so bad, to care?"
Manon: "I don't know how to."
Dorian: "You do care. You know it, too. It's what makes you so damn scared of all this."
Her golden eyes raged, but she said nothing.
Dorian: "Caring doesn't make you weak."
Manon: "Then why don't you heed your own advice?"
Dorian: "I care. I care about more than I should. I even care about you."
Aelin: "The guards talk when you're gone, you know. They forget I'm Fae, too. Can hear like you."
Cairn said nothing
Aelin: "At least they agree with me on one front. You're spineless. Have to tie up people to hurt them because it makes you feel like a male."
Aelin gave a pointed glance between his legs.
Aelin: "Inadequate in the ways that count."
A tremor went through him
Cairn: "Would you like me to show you how inadequate I am?"
Aelin huffed another laugh, haunty and cool, and gazed toward the ceiling, toward the lightening sky. The last she'd see, if she played this right.
Aelin: "Oh, I know there's not much worth seeing in that regard, Cairn. And you're not enough of a male to be able to use it without someone screaming, are you?"
At his silence, she smirked
Aelin: "I thought so. I dealt with plenty of your ilk at the Assassins' Guild. You're all the same."
A deep snarl
Aelin only chuckled and adjusted her body, as if getting comfortable.
Aelin: "Go ahead, Cairn. Do your worst."
Aelin: "I didn't break."
His heart cracked at the words.
Aelin: "I didn't tell them anything."
Rowan: "I knew you wouldn't."
Aelin: "You should have gone to Terrasen. It needs you."
Rowan: "I need you more."
Lorcan: "How much longer am I supposed to atone?"
Elide: "Are you growing bored with it?"
He snarled
She only glared at him
Elide: "I hadn't even realized you were even atoning."
Lorcan: "I came here, didn't I?"
Elide: "For whom, exactly? Rowan? Aelin?"
Lorcan: "For both of them. And for you."
Lorcan: "On that beach, my only thought was to get Maeve to forget about you, to let you go -"
Elide: "I don't care about me! I didn't care about me on that beach!"
Lorcan: "Well, I do. I cared about you on that beach. And your queen did, too.
Manon: "I care. I care if we lose this war, I care if I fail to rally the Crochans. I care if you go into Morath and do not return, not as something worth living. Now do you wish to tell me that caring is not such a bad thing? Well, this is what comes of it."
Aelin: "I'm your mate. And you are mine."
Rowan: "Do you know what I wish? I wish that you had told me. When you realized it. I wish you had told me then."
Aelin: "I didn't want to hurt you."
Rowan: "Why would it ever hurt me to know the truth that was already in my heart? The truth I hoped for?"
Aelin: "The male I fell in love with was you. It was you, who knew pain as I did, and who walked with me through it, back to the light. Maeve didn't understand that. That even if she could create that perfect world, it wouldn't be you with me. And I'd never trade that, trade this. Not for anything."
He extended his hand. An offer and invitation.
Aelin laid hers atop his, and his callused fingers squeezing gently.
Rowan: "I wanted it to be you. For months and months, even in Wendlyn, I wondered why you weren't my mate instead. All this time, I wanted it to be you."
Rowan: "We'll face it together. And if the cost of it truly is you, then we'll pay it together. As one soul in two bodies."
Rowan: "You're my mate."
Aelin tipped back her head, baring her neck to him.
Aelin: "You're my mate. And I am yours."
Aelin: "Do you plan to sail with us to Terrasen?"
Lorcan: "Yes."
Aelin: "And you plan to join us in this war?"
Lorcan: "I'm certainly not going there to enjoy the weather."
Fenrys: "If I tell you he's a prick and a miserable bastard to be around, will it change your mind?"
Lorcan snarled, but Aelin snorted.
Aelin: "Isn't that why we love Lorcan, though?"
Manon: "There is a better world out there. And I have seen it. I have seen witch and human and Fae dwell together in peace. And it is not a weakness to do so, but a strength. I have met Kings and queens whose love for their Kingdoms, their peoples, is so great that the self is secondary. Whose love for their people is so strong that even in the face of unthinkable odds, they do the impossible."
Manon lifted her chin.
Manon: "You are my people. Whether my grandmother decrees it so or not, you are my people, and always will be. But I will fly against you, if need be, to ensure that there is a future for those who cannot fight for it themselves. Too long have we preyed on the weak and relished doing so. It is time that we became better than our foremothers. There is a better world out there. And I will fight for it."
Rowan: Shall we?
Aelin scowled and took his hand, letting him haul her to her feet.
Aelin: So pushy.
Rowan slid an arm around her shoulders
Rowan: That's the most polite thing you've ever said about me.
The young queen let out a broken laugh of joy and flung her arms around his neck. Pain lanced down his spine at the impact, but Chaol held her right back, every question fading from his tongue.
Aelin was shaking as she pulled away.
Aelin: "I knew you would. I knew you'd do it."
Gavriel: "Aedion is my pride."
Aelin: "Lorcan Salvaterre, formerly or Doranelle, and now a blood-sworn member of my court."
As if that weren't a shock enough, Aelin winked at the imposing male. Lorgan scowled.
Aelin: "We're still in the adjustment period."
Aelin: "Fenrys ... You know, I don't actually know your family name."
Fenrys threw a roguish wink at the queen.
Fenrys: "Moonbeam."
Aelin: "It is not."
Aelin hissed, choking on a laugh.
Fenrys laid a hand on his heart.
Fenrys: "I am blood-sworn to you. Would I lie?"
Aelin gave Fenrys a vulgar gesture that set Hasar chuckling, and faced the royals.
Aelin: "Their barely housebroken. Hardly fit for your fine company."
Aelin: "Shall we discuss where you all plan to march once we beat the living shit out of this army?"
Falkan: "The threads of fate weave together in strange ways."
Aelin: "What's so funny?"
Rowan smirked
Rowan: "That for once, you are the one who gets knocked on your ass by a surprise."
Borte had gone back to studying the Fae males. Not their considerable beauty, but their size, their pointed ears, their weapons and elongated canines.
Aelin: "Make them roll over before you offer them a treat."
Borte: "You look just how Nesryn said."
Aelin: "I hope you only said horrible things about me."
Nesryn: "Only the worst."
Aelin: "I was her captive until nearly a month ago. When I got free, they found me again."
Hasar: "We'll make the bitch pay for that, won't we?"
Aelin: "Yes, we will."
Aelin: "I don't know what to do."
Rowan: "You fight. We fight. Until we can't anymore. We fight."
Rowan laid a hand on her chest, right over that burning heart.
Rowan: "Fireheart."
A challenge and a summons.
Aelin: "We fight."
Elide: "I don't see why you're so shocked. Even with her being immortal and cold, you loved her. You must have accepted those traits. What difference does it make what we call her, then?"
Lorcan: "I didn't love her."
Elide: "You certainly acted like you did."
Lorcan snarled
Lorcan: "Why is that the point you keep returning to, Elide? Why is it the one thing you cannot let go of?"
Elide: "Because I'm trying to understand. How you could come to love a monster?"
Lorcan: "Why?"
Elide: "Because it will help me understand how I did the same."
Sartaq: "Come to bed."
Nesryn: "We've a battle to launch tomorrow. Again."
Sartaq: "And a day of death has made me want to hold you. And do other things with you."
Chaol: "I know."
Yrene: "Know what?"
Chaol interlaced their fingers. And then laid their hands atop her still flat abdomen.
Yrene: "Oh. I - How?"
Chaol: "It's true, then."
Yrene: "Do you want it to be?"
Chaol slid a hand against her cheek
Chaol: "More than I ever realized."
Yrene's smile was wide and lovely enough to fracture his heart.
Yrene: "It's true."
Chaol: "How far along?"
Yrene: "Almost two months."
Chaol: "You didn't tell me, I'm assuming, because you didn't want me to worry?"
Yrene: "Something like that."
He snorted
Chaol: "And when you were waddling around, belly near bursting?"
Yrene whacked his arm
Yrene: "I'm not going to waddle."
Chaol: "You'll waddle beautifully, was what I meant to say."
Yrene: "You'll be a brilliant father. The most brilliant one to ever exist."
Chaol: "High praise indeed, coming from a woman who wanted to toss me from the highest window of the Torre a few months ago."
Chaol: "I need to introduce Aelin to my father. Before they run into each other."
Yrene cringed, though amusement sparked in her eyes
Yrene: "Is it bad if I want to join you? And bring snacks?"
Chaol's father looked over the warrior-prince at her side. Then he turned his head toward Chaol
Lord Westfall: "I assume they met in Wendlyn. After you sent her there."
Aelin clicked her tongue.
Aelin: "Yes, yes, let's get all that out of the way. Though I don't think your son really regrets it, does he? I think he made out rather well for himself."
She frowned up at her consort.
Yrene: "Yrene, at least, doesn't seem like the sort to hog the blankets and snore in one's ear all night."
Yrene coughed as Prince Rowan only smiled at the queen
Rowan: "I don't mind your snoring."
Aelin: "On that lovely parting note, we're going to finish up our dinners. Enjoy your evening, we'll see you on the battlements tomorrow, and please do rot in hell."
Manon: "I'm surprised you're not groping yourself.
Dorian: "Who says I haven't already?"
Dorian: "Tell me to stay. Tell me to stay with you, if that's what you want. But you won't say that, will you, Manon? Do you know why?"
When she didn't answer, Dorian let one of those phantom talons dig in, just slightly.
She swallowed, and it was not from fear.