Kingdom of Ash is the seventh and final book in the incredible Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas.

TRIGGER WARNING: torture, suicide, murder

There are six previous books in the series, and this review will include some spoilers for earlier books. You can find reviews for the rest of the series here: Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, Heir of Fire, Queen of Shadows, Empire of Storms, and Tower of Dawn.

The final battle is here.

Aelin Galathynius has vowed to save her people — but at a tremendous cost. Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. The knowledge that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, but her resolve is unraveling with each passing day …

With Aelin captured, friends and allies are scattered to different fates. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever. As destinies weave together at least, all must fight if Erilea is to have any hope of salvation.

In this book, the series draws to an explosive conclusion as Aelin fights to save herself — and the promise of a better world.

All of the major players appear in this book, which is full of action from start to finish. As Aelin is captive and subject to the brutal whims of Queen Maeve and Cairn, each of her allies has a vital role in the story. Rowan, Gavriel, Lorcan, and Elide are searching for Aelin, collecting allies during their journey. Aedion and Lysandra are fighting for Terrasen, as Morath’s armies converge. Dorian and the Thirteen are at odds, with the Thirteen working to create an alliance with the Crochan witches, while Dorian needs to find the final Wyrdkey. As Dorian’s powers and abilities get stronger, Manon is on a journey of her own. She’s questioning everything she was taught, and everything she believed, only to be forced to walk through uncharted emotional territory. Chaol, Yrene, and Nesryn are making their way north with the Khagan’s troops.

Even though this book was the longest one in the series, it held my attention fast through the duration of the book. The action starts early, and even with a cataclysmic war approaching, there’s still sprinkles of humor and romance throughout. Each of the characters grows and changes even more throughout this book, including Aelin.

“Death had been her curse and her gift and her friend for these long, long years.”

I loved everything about the story. It was beautiful to finally see how all of the plot points throughout the entire series came together in a shattering conclusion. I was blown away by the depth and breadth of the story, and how far everyone in it had come. It’s the best of the Throne of Glass books, and completely worth the read.

People who have sat around with me while I’m reading, especially when there’s a surprising reveal, a shocking plot twist, or an unexpected event often look up in alarm when I gasp audibly. The gasp factor is directly related to the number of times I audibly gasp during a reading, and there isn’t an upper limit.

Gasp Factor: 27