The Laughing Listener
July 2018
Format: Paperback

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

Ugh, I made it. Thank god, it's finally over. Oh wait... that sounds like I didn't like this and I really did! But MAN was it hard to motivate myself to read it. Prequels really aren't my thing and I don't do well with them. Knowing a tragic end is coming to a character I love is NOT a good way to get me to read something. I've been through this agony with [b:Heartless|18584855|Heartless|Marissa Meyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1477740245s/18584855.jpg|26322524] and Assassin’s Blade was no different. But DAMMIT. I’M HERE. And my heart is sort of maybe in tact mostly.



The first three quarters of the book were SO AWESOME. I absolutely LOVED seeing where our girl Celaena came from and watching her adventures with Sam. Since I’ve read up through [b:Heir of Fire|20613470|Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3)|Sarah J. Maas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460846511s/20613470.jpg|25128502], this book really shed some light on her character arc and showcased how much she’s really grown. It was so heartbreaking watching her relationship with Arobynn and seeing her yearn for that paternal affection. My heart ached for Celaena and made me love her all the more. Plus, it added another layer of meaning to [b:Throne of Glass|7896527|Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)|Sarah J. Maas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1495278054s/7896527.jpg|11138426] that I didn’t have the first time around and now I almost want to read it again.

And of course, Sam was too precious for this world and DESERVED BETTER.



When he confessed his love to Celaena and they finally kissed, I think I melted into a puddle on floor. Only Sarah J. Maas could write a love confession scene in a damn sewer and make it romantic.

“My name is Sam Cortland… and I will not be afraid.”

OH GOD WHYYYYY?!?!?! *Hysterical ugly crying*

My only problems with this are centered around Sam’s death and are harder to articulate. It just felt like something was missing??? I know some people are reading Assassin's Blade that haven't read the other books yet, so maybe this wouldn't be an issue for them. But for those of us who have, this entire book is just a giant lead up to Sam's death. That's what I was waiting for the ENTIRE book, so when it finally happened it all felt kind of... rushed?? The problem is that I don't know what could have been done differently. Adding more details into how Sam died would have been AWFUL because he was tortured. And who the hell wants to read about that?? Ugh. But it was just so fast! One minute Sam is there, off to complete an important mission and the next he's dead. It was like I blinked and he was gone. And maybe that's the point?? I don't know, but something about the way it went down felt so anticlimactic after waiting the whole book for his death scene.

FINAL WORD

This was wonderful and I loved the added perspective it gave me into Celaena’s character! The ending pretty much ripped my heart out, but it’s Sarah J. Maas, so I loved every second.

#0.5 ↦ The Assassin’s Blade ↦ ✦✦✦✦✧
#1 ↦ [b:Throne of Glass|7896527|Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)|Sarah J. Maas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1495278054s/7896527.jpg|11138426] ↦ ✦✦✦✧✧
#2 ↦ [b:Crown of Midnight|17167166|Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2)|Sarah J. Maas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1391580481s/17167166.jpg|21581860] ↦ ✦✦✦✦✧
#3 ↦ [b:Heir of Fire|20613470|Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3)|Sarah J. Maas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460846511s/20613470.jpg|25128502] ↦ ✦✦✦✦✦
#4 ↦ [b:Queen of Shadows|18006496|Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass, #4)|Sarah J. Maas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1441230104s/18006496.jpg|25272067] ↦ ✦✦✦✦✦
#5 ↦ [b:Empire of Storms|28260587|Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass, #5)|Sarah J. Maas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1463107108s/28260587.jpg|25272004] ↦ ✦✦✦✦✦
#6 ↦ [b:Tower of Dawn|31450852|Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, #6)|Sarah J. Maas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497973101s/31450852.jpg|51681900] ↦ ✦✦✦✦✧
#7 ↦ [b:Kingdom of Ash|33590260|Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #7)|Sarah J. Maas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1531922609s/33590260.jpg|25272014] ↦ ✦✦✦✦✦