Aelin's Most Annoying Character Trait In Throne Of Glass Actually Benefited The Series
Throne of Glass, Sarah J. Maas' first fantasy book series, introduces readers to one of the best fantasy book heroines the author has ever written - Aelin Galathynius. Maas is known for writing strong characters in each of her series, but Aelin's character arc throughout all seven Throne of Glass novels is truly masterful and helps elevate the series above Maas' other books. Her journey from Adarlan's Assassin to regaining her title as Queen of Terrasen isn't an easy one, and Aelin on several occasions has to make difficult decisions to accomplish her goals and reclaim her throne.
Aelin's brash and witty personality is often displayed throughout the series, and her sarcastic nature is how readers find her character so relatable. However, Maas makes sure Aelin's character isn't perfect, and many of her flaws can be traced back to her traumatic upbringing and her subsequent trust issues. This aspect of her character causes her to be quite secretive throughout the Throne of Glass books, which some characters - and even readers - have found to be her most annoying character trait.
Aelin's Secretive Nature Is One Of The Biggest Complaints About Her Character
She Keeps Secrets From Other Characters & The Readers
All throughout the Throne of Glass novels, Aelin surprises readers with her clever scheming and foresight for planning. And on more than one occasion, Aelin is able to "save the day" with a last-minute plot reveal. Her secretive nature helps to make these last-minute twists feel attainablewithin the scope of the narrative, but not everyone is a fan of this specific character trait. Not only have several Throne of Glass characters voiced their grievances about her lack of confidence in others—but many readers have as well.
While Maas lets readers see some of what Aelin is planning, she never truly reveals her main heroine's schemes until they come to fruition. This is often a surprise to both other characters and readers, and the biggest complaint is typically in regard to why she willingly chooses to keep everyone else in the dark. However, Aelin's traumatic childhood and her loss of Sam have made it hard for her to let others carry the burden themselves—and Aelin prefers the weight of responsibility on her shoulders alone.
Throne Of Glass Benefited From Aelin Keeping Everyone In The Dark
The Plot Twists Made For A More Entertaining Read
While some may have found Aelin's consistently secretive nature to be frustrating, the character trait actually helped the series build out several entertaining plot twists. Reading from Aelin's point of view, Maas could have made the decision to let readers in on her various schemes early on. However, that would have eliminated all elements of surprise throughout the series. And while readers would still have witnessed other characters' reactions when Aelin's secrets were unveiled, it wouldn't provide the same type of reading experience.
Maas does an incredible job at surprising readers and building out a story that connects beautifully from book one to the end—but many of Maas' plot twists wouldn't have held the same weight had Aelin revealed them earlier.
One of the many reasons Throne of Glass is considered to be Maas' best fantasy series is due to the fact that readers can never expect what will come next. Maas does an incredible job at surprising readers and building out a story that connects beautifully from book one to the end—but many of Maas' plot twists wouldn't have held the same weight had Aelin revealed them earlier. While never stated explicitly, rereads of Throne of Glass prove Aelin's schemes were often foreshadowed, but most readers or characters in the series are unlikely to grasp their significance until much later.
Throne Of Glass Could Still Have Found A Better Balance With Its Aelin Twists
The Foreshadowing Could Have Been A Bit More Obvious
While the series certainly benefited from Aelin's secretive nature, it could have struck a better balance between its early foreshadowing and the later reveals. Many of Maas' clues throughout are incredibly subtle and hard to catch, making it nearly impossible to anticipate any of the series' plot twists. It's a difficult balance to make in any fantasy book series, as the author has hopes to shock and wow readers while leaving behind enough clues for plausibility. But, had Maas been a bit more obvious, readers may have caught on too soon, and Aelin's impressive scheming would have lost its grandeur.
However, the best part of the reading experience is always with regard to how well an author can shock its readers—something Sarah J. Maas does incredibly well in Throne of Glass.
It's understandable that some readers would hope Aelin's character would evolve in this regard over the course of seven books, and it's possible some would have been less annoyed by her character flaw had she learned to lean on at least one other character in the latter books. However, the best part of the reading experience is always with regard to how well an author can shock its readers—something Sarah J. Maas does incredibly well in Throne of Glass.
- Created by
- Sarah J. Maas
- Character(s)
- Celaena Sardothien, Dorian Havilliard, Rowan Whitethorn, Chaol Westfall, Manon Blackbeak, Nehemia Ytger, Aedion Ashryver, Lysandra, Elide Lochan
