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Aelin's Early Throne Of Glass Romance Wouldn't Have Lasted, But I'll Never Forgive How Queen Of Shadows Ended It
Celaena Sardothien — or Aelin Galathynius — goes through a couple of love interests before winding up with Rowan in Throne of Glass. And while her early romance in the first two books never would have lasted, I’m still disappointed by how it ended. The Throne of Glass books do a great job of building individual character arcs, but they don’t always give the connections between characters the attention they deserve. The first few books make questionable choices in that regard, from killing off Nehemia, one of Throne of Glass‘ best characters, to throwing away Aelin’s initial romance without much fanfare.
Much of the tension in the early Throne of Glass books stems from Aelin’s secret identity, which Chaol and Dorian don’t know about when she becomes the king’s royal assassin. Both form connections with her, not realizing she’s the lost princess of Terrasen — and Chaol even begins a romance with Celaena. He realizes the truth when she leaves Adarlan behind at the end of Crown of Midnight, but it’s an underwhelming revelation. And it’s made more so by the fact that Queen of Shadows barely addresses their break-up, something I’ll never forgive the series for.
Aelin & Chaol Were Wrong For Each Other, But Throne Of Glass Handled Their Break-Up Poorly
Queen Of Shadows Barely Acknowledges Their Relationship Or Its Ending
Although Chaol and Celaena’s unexpected relationship in Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight is easy to root for, there’s never a real chance of the two characters ending up together. Chaol is unquestionably loyal to Adarlan throughout the books, and even his turnaround in Tower of Dawn and Kingdom of Ash isn’t enough to make him right for Throne of Glass’ lead. He doesn’t understand what Celaena has been through, and as Dorian notes, he’s incapable of loving even the darkest parts of her. Additionally, he’s not Fae, and cannot be her mate.
Although Tower of Dawn gives readers his thoughts about the situation, it’s too little, too late.
Even so, the series could have given readers a more dramatic ending for the characters, especially after building up their bond for multiple books. After Chaol realizes who Celaena really is, the two don’t reunite until Queen of Shadows, a full book later. By that time, Aelin is already with Rowan — and she and Chaol barely acknowledge what happened between them. Although Tower of Dawn gives readers his thoughts about the situation, it’s too little, too late. Aelin and Chaol deserved a proper break-up.
Why Queen Of Shadows’ Aelin & Chaol Relationship Was So Disappointing
In addition to not doing the romance of Throne of Glass‘ first two books justice, it’s disappointing that Chaol and Aelin don’t break up on the page — or even have some emotional falling out after they reunite. Chaol is angry with Aelin for lying to him and leaving him for Rowan, but you wouldn’t know it from Queen of Shadows. Likewise, Aelin works through her feelings separated from him, barely reacting when they come face-to-face again. For Throne of Glass fans hoping for closure, it’s underwhelming, especially after waiting for multiple books to see how they’d react to Celaena’s secret coming out.
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Celaena Sardothien, Dorian Havilliard, Rowan Whitethorn, Chaol Westfall, Manon Blackbeak, Nehemia Ytger, Aedion Ashryver, Lysandra, Elide Lochan
Summary
The Throne of Glass franchise is a high fantasy series centered around Celaena Sardothien, a young assassin with a hidden royal lineage who embarks on a journey of self-discovery, power, and rebellion against oppressive forces. The series, written by Sarah J. Maas, spans eight books, including prequels, and has garnered a large following for its complex characters, intricate world-building, and epic storyline.
