Kingdom of Ash: LIVE REACTIONS + Review

[@pmk647]

“Did Rhysand wave at her?” Best part😂

[@daianasolpegoraro1809]

Not enough people noticed this and I think is because of the order of the series. People that read it as they came out I fell like... forgot? about that detail

[@krati.]

i would have loved your indepth hour long review of this series! this was good.

[@harleyallison4881]

So my partner and I last year did a series swap, where I had to read one fantasy series he adores and he had to read one of my favorites. He gave me the mistborn series, (both gen1 and gen2) and I gave him TOG. I say this with all of the SJM superfan in my heart - you're so right. The last 100ish pages of Vin and Elend and Sazed and everyone else saving the world blew KOA out of the water in terms of plot, the swings between unabashed joy and screaming in the car by myself stress, getting to watch all of the puzzle pieces fall exactly into place, all of it. But. BUT. I think the one thing SJM really excels at by leaps and bounds that no one really discusses is, ironically, her platonic relationships. The 13. The moment where Chaol, Dorian, and Aelin all go their seperate ways. Yrene and Kaltain always remembering her kindness. Hell, even going to the ACOTAR series, the brotherhood between the bat boys. Nesta and the valkyrie. While I deeply loved and cared about how Saze felt about Vin, or how Wayne loved Wax in his own ways, they never got me the way the interconnection between characters in her books have.

[@BS0711]

The way you explained it was perfect! I’ve seen so many people say KOA was the best book they’ve ever read, and while I absolutely love TOG as a whole, KOA wasn’t even my favorite book in the series. Queen of Shadows was by far the best, in my opinion. That was an immediate and definite 5 stars for me, KOA I think is a 4.5. Mostly because I thoroughly enjoy any of SJM’s writing.

[@daianasolpegoraro1809]

I totally agree with you about the length and "disappointing" (not really, but you know what I mean) ending, so I always recommend getting the audiobooks for this one. That's how I got to them to begin with, and is so easy to lost yourself in the narration, specially from book 2

[@brittanygarrison13]

I completely agree with your review. Your dead on with the plot and wrapping up the ending. It just wasn't done as well as it could have been. She is great with relationships which is probably why people love reading her books. I know thats my reason.

[@bbrruuccee2]

I will never tire of you wiping away tears-- the sadist in me I guess. Yet another thoughtful, reasoned and entertainingly refreshing review. Takes a skilled evaluator to both be so emotionally moved yet critically rigorous to maintain the editorial distance to be a reliable source. You thread the needle like a prized embroider. Great job

[@AnnaFléglová]

OKEY…i mean i loved how you described it! its exactly how i felt about it and i thought im the only one

[@bfebruary]

Factor in that SJM was 16 when she started writing ToG.

[@Atabei]

Just in case you weren’t kidding re Lorcan… Chapter 87, after he carries her to the cot.

[@ryanhill3432]

I agree with you 100%. I think for me I went into it a little shook at the fact that she came up with the concept for this series in high school. The "short stories" that make up Assassin's Blade were started when she was 16. All that to say, there should be better structure and more cohesiveness to the plot because she did write/complete the series when she was older. Would this series go down with some of the great epic fantasy novels, no. But it was entertaining and it got the emotions going. And like you I read it after ACOTAR. You're joking about the Lorcan thing, right?

[@blakey1015]

I 100% agree with you! If I’d have read ToG first I don’t think I would have gone and read ACoTaR. I’m glad I read ACoTaR first. Empire of Storms is the best book in terms of plot, character set up and relationships. I felt like it had all the right elements of the epic fantasy SJM wanted for the series, but KoA just didn’t hit the mark the way it should have. It was a great book and series but I would also rate it along the 3.5- 3.75 score.

[@Atabei]

I love ToG but if I’d started with this series I may never have read ACOTAR or CC. I read chronologically and her writing style in TAB was not my favorite - having enjoyed ACOTAR & CC was what kept me going, it gave me hope that it would get better and it did 😊

[@Nickel1562]

Rowan couldn't have saved Lorcan... like he's going to carry him off with his tiny wings?