Tower Of Dawn: Throne Of Glass 6

Tower of Dawn is my second favorite book that Sarah J. Maas has ever written! And it is, hands down, the best installment in the Throne of Glass series, in my honest opinion. I completely and wholeheartedly loved it. This is easily one of the best books I’ve read in 2017.

The first part of this review is spoiler free for Tower of Dawn, but it does have minor spoilers for the rest of the Throne of Glass series!

Also, before I even start this review, I just want to say that I actually think Sarah has been listening to her readers and this book truly proves it. First off, we have a very predominant queer side character, who clearly states this from the beginning and is written very believably and seamlessly. Next, we have a full diverse cast of characters, besides Chaol, in this novel. And lastly, and the thing I was most concerned about going into this book, Sarah respectfully writes about Chaol’s disability, without ever making it seem like he must be “fixed” in order to have self-worth. (But please be aware that this review is coming to you from a white, able-bodied woman, so I am not the voice you should be listening to for the last two representations.)

I also think Sarah unfortunately listened to the backlash about her “young adult” books having so much sex in them, because there is totally less sex in this book than in EoS, ACOMAF, and ACOWAR. There is still amazing angst and build up to sex, and there is one actual sex scene, but nothing near as graphic or even as descriptive as her previous works. Me, being the perverted person that I am, was a little disappointed by this, especially with how much I love Chaol.

I should also preface this review by telling those of you who do not know that Chaol is my favorite character in ToG, well, besides my queen, Manon Blackbeak! I’ve never been the biggest fan of Celaena/Aelin, and I think this story (and the rating I gave it) probably really benefited from that.

The last thing I will say before I actually start this long-winded review is that I cannot stress enough how important it is to read The Assassin and the Healer novella from the novella bind up, The Assassin’s Blade, before you read this book!

Tower of Dawn is a story that is running parallel with the events that took place in Empire of Storms. While Aelin, Dorian, and the rest of the gang are trying to unite empires and bring them together to fight the greater threat at hand, Chaol and Nesryn left for Antica, located in the southern continent, to convince another strong empire to join them in the battle that is inevitably coming, while also seeing if the healers at the Torre can heal Chaol’s paralysis.

Also, the southern continent is way more advanced than Erilea could ever hope to be. Magic is not only thriving here, but it’s celebrated. And healing is one of the most prized powers of all. And one of the three points of view in this book, besides Chaol and Nesryn, is a very talented and powerful healer named Yrene Towers.

I would say the point of views are definitely equal seeming between the three, but there are two big story lines going on. The first being Chaol’s healing, and how he is hurting a lot more than just physically. Chaol is struggling with his self-worth, but I believe he’s also struggling with PTSD. He feels very guilty and that he is to blame for Aelin, Dorian, his family, his guardsmen, and also his disability. This book really showcases and highlights how mental pain and disabilities are just as hard to overcome as physically pain and disabilities, and Chaol for sure learns this lesson in true Chaol fashion: the hard way.

And the second storyline is a big mixture of different ways Chaol and Nesryn are trying to sway the current khagan, Urus, to their cause. Urus has six children and when he passes on one of them will rule, because in this kingdom it is not automatically given to the first-born heir. No one knows who the ruler will be, so this can make siblings rather blood thirty for one another, and once one is chosen to rule, the others must submit or things can get really bloody. This also makes the task of winning them all over a little difficult for Chaol and Nesryn.

“Your city is the greatest I have ever laid eyes upon, your empire the standard by which all others should be measured. When Morath comes to lay waste to it, who will stand with you if we are all carrion?”

Urus’ six children:
➽Arghun – oldest child and enjoys power in knowledge.
➽Sartaq – second oldest and commands the Rukhin riders.
➽Hasar – third oldest and amazingly queer.
➽Kashin – fourth oldest and most loyal.
➽Duva – fifth oldest, who is married and carrying the first grandbaby right now.
➽Tumelun – the baby, and the cause of an underlying mystery.

All of these side characters are very impactful to not only this book, but the greater arching story at hand, too. These characters also put a big emphasis on family for this story, and the amazing lengths we are willing to go for the people we love.

Tower of Dawn not only introduces a vast array of new characters, and it also helps showcase that this book feels like a love letter to being young and finding yourself. Yet also, finding what you truly want in your life. I mean, these characters are all in their early 20s, it’s not plausible that they are all going to know what path they want to take, or that they all choose to take the path that was set for them by others. I love that this book realistically depicts that your first love won’t always be your last love, and how normal and okay that truly is. Finding yourself, and what you want from this life, is a truly beautiful story in and of itself.

There is a vast amount of world building and character development within these 700 pages, and I truly believe this is such a wonderful addition to this series. Before I get into the spoiler section, I will say that there are trigger warnings for talk of suicide, grey area cheating, war themes, and violence. I will also say that the epilogue of this book will probably shatter your soul. Like, is it Fall of 2018 yet? But I loved this and it was such a wonderful and important installment in the Throne of Glass series.

“The heart he’d offered and had been left to drop on the wooden planks of the river docks. An assassin who had sailed away and a queen who had returned.”

Ich liebe die Stories, das Setting und die Vibes dieses Teils am meisten. Es lohnt sich!

Sarah J. Maas is by far one of my most favorite authors I’ve ever read, and she’s my top favorite Young Adult author. Anything she writes is gold. Before embarking on a new read from her, I always contemplate and wonder how Maas will top her previous book. Yet, she always does. However, I must admit I was nervous for this book. It’s not a direct sequel to Empire of Storms, but a companion novel. The events of this book are said to be simultaneously happening as the events of EoS. This book is all about Chaol, one of my least favorite characters. Maas turned many readers off from Chaol when she spent a lot of time portraying him as whiny and one-dimensional, once he no longer was Aelin’s love interest. Yet Maas has just published a whole book about him and his adventures. This was a very risky move on her behalf, but let me be the first to tell you when I say, it is paying off! 

Chaol sets off to appeal to those who rule in Antica, the infamous and flourishing Khaganate empire that many have admired of decades. Maas spent a lot of time researching Ghengis Kahn. While research shows him to be a “villain” in history,  his empire was established on the acceptance of all religions. This was very progressive for it’s time. Maas has recieved plenty of criticism for her Throne of Glass series and for this book. I love to include all opinions in my reviews in order to give my review a well-rounded feeling to it. Many critics have felt like Sarah appropriates culture without doing proper research. For the record, Sarah researched extensively and it shows. She also credits Ghengis Kahn at the end of her book. Critics have also complained about the lack of diversity within her work, but ironically enough, Chaol is the only white person in this installment. The new cultures introduced were very refreshing to see, and Maas portrayes them accurately, without being insensitive. I don’t believe she culturally appropriates. She pays homage. Her researched and careful portrayal depict this. There’s a difference. 

Maas spends a large amount of time world-building and introduces us to vital new characters that will play a major role in the next installment in the book series. The depiction of the Khagan family, particularly the Princes and Princess, were so overwhelming fantastic. They created such an interesting dynamic to the story and each character was so different from the next, despite being related to each other. With the introduction of the Khagan family, also comes the ruk-riders. I don’t want to reveal too much, but we can see a clear foe for the Ironteeth witches and their Wyvern mounts in the ruk-riders. The inevitable battle between these two groups is definitely one to look forward to.

Chaol hopes to convince the ruler of the Khaganate to ally himself along side King Dorian and those that fight against the evil Valg King, Erawan. But that’s not all that drives Chaol to the Southern Continent. Chaol has also come to seek out Antica’s famous healers. At the end of Queen of Shadows, Chaol suffered from a devastating spine injury, which has left him paralyzed from the waste down.

We meet Yrene, Antica’s best healer, a girl with a troubled past with an even troubling view on Andarlan and those like Chaol, who supported it’s previous sadistic King. Yrene hates Chaol at first, and their relationship begins with a lot of fiery dialogue. Another major criticism that Maas has had to deal with is her depiction of Chaol’s disability. Very reminiscent of Veronica Roth and the backlash she had to deal with, with her character from Carve the Mark, Maas has been accused of ruining Chaol’s character and trampling all that he stood for. Chaol’s journey through Tower of Dawn is dark. I won’t sugarcoat that. He begins his journey full of hatred and he’s resentful. He spends most of the book coming to terms with what happened to him both physically and emotionally, and Yrene is the one to help guide him through the darkness. Chaol hates to rely on others and often times it was painful to watch Chaol deny the help he so desperately needed. One of the quotes that grabbed my attention about Chaol’s disability is,

“He knew—Chaol realized the guard knew just how it felt to have the chair touched, moved, without being asked.”
Maas has a firm grasp on the nuances of what it means to be disabled because it’s obvious she did her research, yet again. People are critiqued her harshly, but she has been very good at accurately describing what it means to be disabled, even if she isn’t. Maas spent months in conversationg with sensitivity readers, as an author should when writing about very sensitive characters/world. Chaol’s journey is raw and honest. The ending in particular was such a beautiful thing to watch. The way his relationship develops with Yrene is organic. It rejuvenated Chaol as a person and literally brought him back to life—and to the light. We see how Chaol has grown throughout the series and throughout the book through this quote,

“He could still speak with dignity and command whether he stood on his feet or was laid flat on his back. The chair was no prison, nothing that made him lesser.”

I won’t dive too deeply into this quote because I don’t want to spoil anything, but Chaol’s mindset is no longer disabled like his body. He finally realizes his potential and that his circumstances have not dimished the person he once was, if anything, it has made him better. Chaol learns to change his outlook and comes to understand the value and worthiness of himself. Also, if it wasn’t for those horrible circumstances, he wouldn’t have fallen in love with Yrene.  Maas and this book are not an ableist. Like Veronica Roth was not an ableist either. Book critics, be kind to who you throw under the bus, especially if you yourself don’t do your research when you’re ironically accusing the author that they didn’t do theirs. We not only see the strength a person has even while disabled, in Chaol, but the strength of Yrene who supported him through that terrible ordeal. Her strength is not one we’ve come to know throughout the series. She’s not a fierce fighter like Manon or Aelin, but she isn’t less bad-ass than they are either. Her compassion for Chaol and for others is something worthy to note. She may not have been disabled like Chaol physically, but she walked hand-in-hand with Chaol on a path towards healing and recovery. She was broken too, just in a different way. Chaol healed her as much as she healed him. It’s that kind of bond that Maas has created between these two characters that is just beyond amazing.

“If he had not broken, then she would not break—not in seeing him as anything but what he was. What he’d served.”

Maas spirits us down a path with Chaol that is rife with pain, darkness, and turmoil. We are thrust into his journey of healing and we come to love Yrene, the only one that is there to support him in his time of need. We see a love blossom in a way we haven’t seen done before in a Maas’ book. Some have stated that this book doesn’t need to be read on account of it being a companion novel and not a sequel, however I disagree. It contains one of the BIGGEST plot twists in the ENTIRE series, so PLEASE go out and read it. You will not be disappointed. 

perfecto

Originalmente postada no blog Queria Estar Lendo.

Tower of Dawn é o sexto volume da série Trono de Vidro, escrita pela rainha e salvadora Sarah J. Maas. Sei que vocês já devem estar cansados de ouvir isso, mas vou exaltar hoje e sempre: essa mulher sabe como acabar com as minhas emoções entregando um livro espetacular atrás do outro. E com esse não foi diferente.

Chaol Westfall partiu de Erilea para buscar ajuda no além mar. Acompanhado de Nesryn, agora capitã da guarda real, Chaol espera fazer um acordo com um governante de terras distantes e, assim, garantir à Adarlan mais legiões na grande guerra que se aproxima. O continente sulista é diferente de tudo que Chaol já vivenciou, e por isso um reino tão complicado de entender. Nesryn é filha dessas terras, mas nunca realmente as conheceu. Abrigados pelo khagan – o rei da cidade de Antica – ambos percebem que conseguir essa aliança se provará um desafio maior do que o esperado, principalmente com forças sombrias crescendo nesse lado do mundo também. O outro núcleo da história fica por conta de Yrene Towers, uma curandeira da Torre – e uma peça indispensável na luta contra a escuridão.

Escrever uma resenha nunca foi tão difícil quanto está sendo! Não apenas porque Tower of Dawn foi um livro fantástico, mas também por ser uma obra gigantesca tão cheia de detalhes impressionantes e importantes para essa série.

Já começo a resenha dizendo o quanto eu amo o Chaol. Absolutamente. Ele é o personagem mais humano e real que a Sarah J. Maas já escreveu – e quer saber por quê? Porque ele erra. Ele quebra promessas. Ele diz coisas que magoa as pessoas com quem ele se importa para protegê-las. Ele se arrepende até o fundo da sua alma, e carrega mágoa e luto e dor e esconde isso para fingir sua força. Chaol é humano e por isso ele é importante para essa história; em meio a rainhas poderosas e deuses destronados, monstros saídos dos piores pesadelos e um submundo de escuridão, Chaol representa a esperança e o medo e o quanto alguém está disposto a lutar e se sacrificar, a mudar por aqueles que você ama. Tower of Dawn é isso. É o livro de um novo Chaol Westfall, um que viu a magia, viu o lado bom daquilo que foi disciplinado para temer e odiar, e se curvou diante dela. A aceitou. Viu que mesmo nas coisas mais horripilantes, ainda pode haver um ponto de luz.

Ele é o emissário de Dorian e de Aelin, mas também está ali por si mesmo. Chaol viu e viveu a tormenta do que o exército sombrio oferece, e sabe que o tempo está contado até que ele recaia sobre as terras do norte – sobre o último pilar protegendo o mundo do caos completo. Infelizmente para ele, o khagan e seu exército não podem ser dobrados com ouro e acordos, e Chaol precisa descobrir uma maneira de ganhar a lealdade desses homens e mulheres antes que seja tarde demais.

A missão de encontrar aliança no sul também converge com a de buscar uma cura para o ferimento em sua coluna. Sentenciado à cadeira de rodas, Chaol ouviu histórias sobre as grandes curandeiras da Torre, mulheres reclusas que já salvaram pessoas de doenças horrendas e condições imutáveis. Sua ferida veio da escuridão, mas a Torre pode ser a luz necessária para curá-lo. É na Torre que Chaol encontra Yrene Towers, uma figura conhecida de quem já que A Lâmina da Assassina – Sarah J. Maas nunca dá ponto sem nó, digo e repito.

Yrene foi a minha personagem favorita nessa história. Nós conhecemos seu passado sombrio, as perdas que a levaram até a solidão e finalmente a esperança de um recomeço nas terras sulistas. Ela é uma mulher forte, independente e altruísta, mas acima de tudo, uma guerreira. Não do tipo que usa espada e escudo, mas a mente e o coração. Yrene é também um prodígio entre as curandeiras, protegida pela própria Mestra. É para Yrene que o caso de Chaol é entregue, e é nos dois que nasceram as minhas interações favoritas.

Os poderes de Yrene batem de frente com a escuridão perseguindo Chaol – na mente e no corpo – e o processo de cura vai muito além de simples encantamentos. Os capítulos se embrenham em terrores individuais desses dois personagens, e a conexão entre eles nasce dos seus medos, traumas e forças. Yrene e Chaol são dois cabeças-dura com muita personalidade, muitos terrores e muita coisa em comum, para surpresa de ambos. O relacionamento que começa a socos e pontapés logo se torna indispensável para a campanha de Chaol e para o futuro almejado por Yrene; a química e os sentimentos entre eles também são de uma intensidade sem igual.

Além dele, Yrene também tem ótimos momentos com a princesa Hasar – filha do khagan e sua confidente ali no castelo. Uma personagem difícil, temperamental e que definitivamente se daria bem com a Aelin (ou brigaria com ela até a morte). Com Kashin, outro príncipe do castelo e seu admirador desde que ela pôs os pés naquele lugar, e principalmente com as curandeiras da Torre.

Esse núcleo do livro existe para mostrar a magia e a real ameaça que a escuridão está trazendo para o mundo. O poder dos valg é uma coisa assombrosa e maior do que muitos imaginavam, muito mais abrangente e ancestral. É um arco extremamente importante porque a Sarah nunca escreve nada à toa, e garanto muitos queixos caindo em pelo menos três momentos dos arcos da Yrene e do Chaol. Eu, particularmente, deixei o livro cair no chão com uma das revelações – e comecei a rezar para todos os deuses para que a Aelin consiga aguentar o que vem por aí.

Do outro lado, temos Nesryn. É meio óbvio desde o começo que ela e Chaol seguirão caminhos distintos, até porque sua missão em comum os leva para escolhas diferentes. Chaol fica com o lado mágico, com aquilo que ele aprendeu a temer e agora precisa aprender a aceitar e respeitar, e Nesryn fica com a exploração, com a aventura inquietante em busca de ajuda real. Ela encontra isso em uma figura nova: Sartaq, um dos príncipes de Antica.

Preciso nem dizer que morri com esses dois, né? Nesryn e Sartaq formam um par interessante, ambos cheios de personalidade e desse amor pela liberdade. Ela é uma capitã e guerreira, ele um príncipe e soldado, mas os dois olham para o horizonte e o almejam com igual intensidade – o que torna suas interações muito emocionantes e criam essa aura de ansiedade em quem está acompanhando.

No núcleo da Nesryn, aliás, conhecemos os rûk, aves gigantes que servem de montaria para as legiões comandadas por Sartaq – e aqui um comentário bônus pra exaltar a existência da Kadara, minha rûk favorita no mundo todo! Quando a viagem dele leva Nesryn até terras distantes do sul, apresentando-a a tribos e rainhas-coração, a uma realidade rica em cultura e diversidade que ela não tinha conhecimento vivendo na fria e isolada Adarlan, seus olhos crescem para a possibilidade de ganhar aqueles guerreiros para a grande guerra. E é Sartaq, com sua curiosidade e simpatia, que mais parece disposto a apoiá-la.

Esse livro é imenso, gente. É difícil mesmo falar sobre tudo dentro dele sem contar demais, por isso vou me conter aqui. Ambos os núcleos entregam revelações grandiosas e indispensáveis para o conflito que está por vir; cada personagem ganha sua devida atenção e desenvolvimento, por isso uma parte da história chega a ser bastante lenta – não incomoda exatamente por ser uma lentidão compreensível. São intrigas políticas, pesquisas sobre magia antiga, lendas sussurradas na escuridão e histórias familiares ganhando novos ângulos. A ambientação é de encher os olhos; Sarah entrega um novo mundo cheio de possibilidades, com uma cultura viva inspirada em impérios orientais, distante do que nos acostumamos até agora – uma civilização mais consciente, mais tolerante, diferente das sombras e da frieza do outro continente.

Os personagens que ficaram para trás participam da trama indiretamente, e meu coração descompassou durante as menções aos meus queridos. Um arco novo, em particular, me deixou surtando para ver sua resolução no último livro. Vai me fazer chorar, eu sei que vai!

Ao mesmo tempo em que se arrasta, o livro também entrega ótimas cenas de ação. Nesryn e Sartaq protagonizaram minha luta favorita em todas essas quase 700 páginas de pura emoção. A questão dos valg e do alcance da tormenta que eles estão trazendo serve para deixar a ansiedade atacada, do tipo “socorro que a coisa é pior do que o que a gente já imaginava!”.

“O que Aelin prometeu a você?”
“Um mundo melhor.”

Tower of Dawn entregou uma trama complexa e bem desenvolvida. Abriu portas para novos nomes importantes nessa saga e definiu a força e o temor daqueles com quem já nos acostumamos. É importante e indispensável aos fãs da série, e um alento da grandiosidade que vem aí. O último volume de Trono de Vidro será colossal, e a guerra vai ser o tipo que destrói o mundo ou o muda completamente.