Kingdom of Ash (audiobook) by Sarah J. Maas
Bibliographic Information
Title: Kingdom of Ash (Book 7 of 7, Throne of Glass) (unabridged)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Narrator: Elizabeth Evans
Publisher (Audio Version): Audible Studios
Publisher (book): Bloomsbury Publishing
Copyright Date: October 23, 2018
ISBN: 978-1639731077
ASIN: B07J66Q8BM
Length: 33 hours and 11 minutes
Genre
Fantasy, Romantasy
Reading Level/Interest Level
Grades 10-12 (Amazon)
Plot Summary
Aelin Galathynius, the heir to the throne of Terrasen, is still locked in iron and enduring torture from Maeve, the Queen of the Fae, when the book opens. She endures daily torture for months to the point where she questions what is true and what is imagined. Aelin’s strength that has been so evident in the first six books of the series is beginning to falter. Rowan, her mate, Lorcan, Gavriel, and Elide are searching for her.
Meanwhile, her other allies and friends from the first six books are spread across Erilea and the Southern Continent, working on their own side quests, trying to build armies in an effort to defeat Erawan, the Valg King, or find the remaining Wyrdkeys to open the other dimension and send Erawan and the Valg back.
Author Background
Sarah J. Maas is a bestselling author of three fantasy series, The Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City. These series have sold more than 38 million copies in English worldwide and are published in 38 languages (Maas, n.d.).
Critical Evaluation
I listened to the entire Throne of Glass series on audiobook. I grew attached to the characters, enjoyed the world building, and followed the twisty plot well enough. However, it took me four weeks or so to listen to this entire book, and I often had to rewind because I got confused on all the minor characters side plots and adventures. I loved that the series had an actual finale, but I didn’t actually love that almost all of the characters got matched up with love interests. It felt a little too tied up with a bow for me. Overall, the series didn’t explicitly include any LGBTQ characters that I remember, and there was only one person of color, which was much earlier in the series, so I was kind of looking for that in this last book, but it was absent here, as well. The quality of the audiobook was good, and I enjoyed listening to the narrator.
“A worthy finale to one of the best fantasy book series of the past decade”
SO many amazing women in this series!
Creative Use for a Library Program
Invite teens for a Sarah J. Maas party. They can celebrate their favorite characters (in any of her books) by dressing up and play trivia games that they make up the questions and answers to.
Speed-Round Talk
Aelin Galathynius is still locked in an iron coffin and being tortured by Maeve when book 7 opens. Rowan is still searching for her, but there is an epic war brewing in Erilea, and her people need her to defeat Erawan. Will she survive the endless torture and find Rowan? And if she does, will she have enough strength or any power left to defeat Maeve and Erawan?
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation
There is violence (it’s a book about a war) and some brief sex scenes. The book is primarily about character development and how they make alliances with other characters., though. There are romantic relationships, but the sex scenes are all consensual. Teens who have read the rest of the series will definitely want to read this book to see how the series ends!
Reason for Inclusion
The Sarah J. Maas universe is wide, and the books involve a lot of world building that some teens really enjoy. It’s a long and epic fantasy series. Some people (ahem, myself), enjoy a series because when a book ends, it can be hard to pick up another book. We want to keep going. We want to enjoy the familiarity of the characters, and dive deeper into the plot.
*I know this book was originally published in 2018 and is outside of the 2020 and newer frame of reference, but it was reissued with an updated cover in hardcover and paperback in 2023, and the series still remains popular among young (and older) adults in most libraries.
References
Maas, S. J. (2023). Kingdom of ash: A throne of glass novel. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Mccluskey, M. (2018). The 10 best fantasy books of 2018. Time. Retrieved October 14, 2024 from https://time.com/5476044/best-fantasy-books/
Maas, S. J. (n.d.). About the author. Retrieved October 16, 2024 from, https://sarahjmaas.com/about/
Maas, S. J. (n.d.). About the author [photograph]. Retrieved October 16, 2024 from, https://sarahjmaas.com/about/
The Spanish Princess [@thespanishprincess]. (2020, October 8). Women Queen GIF by The Spanish Princess [GIF]. Giphy. https://giphy.com/gifs/thespanishprincess-starz-spanish-princess-fight-like-a-woman-kcxYxBX2tQP0a4ZL7j
*Book cover image is property of Bloomsbury Publishing; taken from Amazon