I'm not going to spend too much time on this post because I think we all know it's mostly going to be a rehash of my thoughts from Books 1 and 2.

For context: the novellas were the first things Maas wrote about these characters and it definitely shows. They are rough to get through. Especially the first two. I tried so hard to suspend my disbelief, but God was testing me and I hope I passed. The writing in AB was a bit juvenile at first, but cleaned up better in the last 3 novellas. I will also remind people, it reads juvenile because it was because she was a teenager and God forbid a teen write like a teen. It's fine. I'm just pointing it out so older readers go in knowing what to expect.

We all know I find Celaena... trying on my patience, so say the least. These novellas didn't help her cause, but they did make me more empathetic to her. The same theme of undeserved arrogance that makes her seem incompetent remains, blah blah blah.

BUT! But.

I think the last novella set up the potential for that whole Adarlan's Assassin exhausting repetition to actually have a very interesting twist to it. I won't say much because I could be wrong, but I really hope I'm not because I think that would be a very creative way to take it. I'm leaving the door open for Maas to make me fist pump about it is what I'll say.

Back to the novellas as a whole. The first two were so tough I almost soft DNF'd the entire book and planned to revisit it later if I ever developed a taste for Celaena as a character. I just disliked her so much that I didn't want to know more about her, so an entire book about her back story was never destined to hit immediately for me. Thanks to the SJM girlies on Threads who watched me crash out in real time while I read the book and really held my hair back while I word vomited into the void. You folks were true gangsters. You listened to me bitching and moaning and hating, but you met me with encouragement and alternative perspectives and without judgment. I think I really needed that. We made this book a group project and I owe you folks the rest of the series for your efforts.

I did actually like Novella 3. I thought that story was actually great. It showed Celaena being out of her depth, not as good as she talks, and how she's actually super deficient in a lot of essential skills. The fourth was one I had to dig deep to suspect my disbelief for, but you need to read it to get number five to work. Five was definitely the one that made me empathetic for Celaena. I thought that helped soften my hard heart against her quite a bit.

I can't say for certain if it was worth it or if reading it third was the right choice yet, though. I will revisit this post and this book once I'm done with the series. Until then, on to Heir of Fire.

Not "air fryer" like the unfortunate caption on my video.