The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas is one of uncompromising quality, intense complexity, and impeccable character development. I found this series through various social media platforms, as people could not help but rave about the excellence of such a lengthy collection of novels. 

Reading this series requires a certain level of commitment because each book averages roughly 650 pages. Maas is not one to be concise or brief, for each character is uniquely developed in great length throughout each novel. Although the size of the stories may be a con for many readers, I find that the length is one of the series’s best characteristics. Each book contains a detailed and articulate plotline that you hope never ends. Heir of Fire, my favorite book, is around 600 pages. Aelin, the main character, embarks on a journey of rebuilding herself after the intense travesties she previously experienced. If Maas were to shorten each book to a length that some might find more appealing, I believe she would be doing a disservice to the potential intricacies of the novels and the true development that the main characters deserve. Maas effectively brings each character to life while transporting you into the world she has constructed through her specific stylistic choices. 

The length also allows Maas to incorporate exemplary details and imagery. For example, starting with the novel Throne of Glass, we experience multiple perspectives from different counterparts of a war-filled world. By providing us with numerous narrations of people from all sides of the war, Maas ensures you are awarded the full scope of what is unfolding. This structure, however standard it may be, is a risky stylistic choice on behalf of the author. I have never been one to enjoy a multitude of perspectives, for it can often be confusing and demanding to keep up with. This series is one of the only exceptions I have concerning this dislike. There is no drop-off between perspectives because each narrator has a well-crafted storyline that keeps the reader interested. My one negative of this structure is that, once again, this series requires commitment. As a result of multiple narrators, you must continuously read the book, or the essential details will fade—however small they may be. These small details often make all the difference to the reader’s proper grasp of each novel’s storyline. 

The character development of those included in this series is the best I have ever experienced. The careful construction of background characters and their eventual growth into the storyline’s dominant parts is genuinely remarkable. In addition, Maas provides what I find to be the correct amount of development to secondary characters, preventing the novels from becoming too focused. By doing so, Maas ensures that the reader collects and absorbs information from surrounding characters, which helps immerse readers in the plot. A well-rounded setting and collection of characters consisting of various complexities enable the reader to, once again, have a proper understanding of each novel’s storyline. 

I would rate this series a 4.8/5, with the length of the novels and the rotating narrators being the only downfalls. I want to give this series 5/5, but I sometimes grew frustrated trying to remember details while reading. As a busybody with a full schedule, I wanted to sit down and read my book without mental frustrations. So, while it is not an earth-shattering con, it is still a negative aspect of the reading experience. Nevertheless, this series is my favorite collection of novels I have ever read, which says a lot coming from someone who reads over thirty books a year. The PV library has the entire series in stock, so I recommend checking the first book out as soon as possible. This series is worth picking up and committing to, whether during independent reading or on your own time.