Crown of Midnight: Sarah J. Maas: 2 (Throne of Glass)

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She straightened as the guards gave hesitant smiles. "If I recall correctly, you complain about every time I wipe the floor with you when we spar." One thing I found whilst reading Crown of Midnight was that my opinions on the characters had changed from Throne of Glass, as true colours began to show and characters started to unravel. Chaol, Calaena’s love interest in the novel is someone I very much championed for in Throne of Glass, because he had this sense of simplicity and warmth about him that made him highly attractive. However, Chaol really seemed to struggle with who Calaena really was in this novel which left me wondering whether he was the one? Dorian, the Crown Prince and a close confidante began to mature and grow as a person - this somewhat brought him and Calaena closer together. Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.

Celaena goes to visit Baba Yellowlegs to talk about the second riddle. Yellowlegs threatens to tell her what Dorian came to ask her, so Celaena realizes she has to kill the witch. But first, answers. It turns out the three things in the riddle are three Wyrdkeys to open the Wyrdgate (to other realms). All realms have a foundation in the Wyrd, and ages ago, three demons slipped through, the Valg. Thse Valg destroyed part of the Gate to create three keys, which meant they could control the evil within. The Fae found out, and they hid the keys. According to the witch, the King of Adarlan has at least one key, which makes sense because how else could he have destroyed magic? The witch then ruins everything by trying to kill Celaena, but Celaena manages to cut off her head. She avoided the urge to stare at Chaol’s face as he gave her the letter, though his gloved fingers grazed hers before he let go. Keeping her features neutral, she looked at the paper. On it was a single name: Archer Finn. The king waved a hand at her, the obsidian ring on his finger gleaming in the afternoon light. “Is it done?” Celaena’s story continues in this second book in the #1 bestselling Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. The king drummed his fingers on the arm of the throne, still playing with Nirall’s ring in his other hand. “There are several people on my list of suspected traitors, but I will only give you one name at a time. This castle is crawling with spies.”Silent and smooth as a wraith, she moved down the hall. Lord Nirall’s bedroom door swung open with a slight groan. She waited until the next rumble of thunder before easing the door shut behind her. Singer Rena Goldsmith performs at the castle, but she sings a song about magic and Fae and she gets killed by the guards. She doesn’t care though, because all her family members have been murdered because of magic. It’s all so damn tragic. Celaena's story continues in this second book in the #1 bestselling Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas.

Chaol searches Celaena’s rooms and finds her will, which states that she’ll leave everything to him when she dies. Celaena shows up and tells him she’s not going to change the will. Chaol cries. Celaena learns that Lady Kaltain, the one who poisoned her during her final battle in Throne of Glass, is imprisoned and she goes for a visit. Kaltain says that something is coming and that she hears the sound of wings in her dreams, and she seems to have lost it a little, but Kaltain also wonders whether the King and Perrington brought her to the castle not just to marry Perrington, but for a bigger purpose. Later, Celaena finds out that Kaltain’s family used to have magic, or at least some kind of power, and that that might be the reason the King has brought her to Rifthold. Chaol gets Celaena chocolate cake. This is an important detail. Also, there’s a threat to Nehemia’s life and the king is a little threatened by her as well, but Chaol doesn’t tell Celaena about this because he doesn’t want the king to question where his loyalties lie. However, Calaena is being driven by her own personal agenda. One that requires unearthing all the dark secrets the king has tried so hard to bury and facing her past. When Celaena is released, she is completely numb. Her only plan is avenging Nehemia’s death and murder her assassin. From the way Nehemia was butchered, she figures out she was killed by Grave, the asshole assassin she beat in the finale of the Champion competition. She goes to find Grave and slaughters him, but not before learning that Minister Mullison, whose Champion he was, paid him to kill Nehemia, because she was against his idea of making more room for more slaves in the salt mines of Calculla. Celaena brings Grave’s head to Minister Mullison, and he is imprisoned by the King.

Goodreads Summary:

Then, one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena’s world shatters, she will be forced to decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie . . . and what she is willing to fight for. After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Dorian goes to the witch and asks her about magic. Bad idea, Dorian. Yellowlegs claims that some kinds of magic have disappeared, but others haven’t. Then, one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie . . . and what she is willing to fight for. Chaol and Celaena get closer and closer. Thinks are a bit awkward with Dorian, but Dorian later decides to let Celaena go. They would never work out for spoilery reasons (see the end of this recap) but also it’s pretty damn obvious Celaena and Chaol are in love with each other. Chaol stiffened at that, but the king waved his hand and the captain approached her, his face still blank as he extended a piece of paper to Celaena.Then, one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie ... and what she is willing to fight for.