“If you can learn to endure pain, you can survive anything.”

The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J Maas is a collection of five novellas that give us a look into Celaena’s life before she was sent to Endovier. 

I chose to read the romantic route, so this read came right after Heir of Fire. I felt like I was so much more attached to Celaena and Sam in a way I don’t think I would’ve been if I read it first. I also loved getting to hear the full story behind things that have been mentioned in the series, like freeing the slave ships and stealing the Asterion horses. 

I loved the linear flow of the novellas and thought the individual stories were really well crafted. I think The Assassin and the Desert was my favorite — the Mute Master was so kind and I wonder how Celaena’s life would be different if she stayed there instead. 

I knew exactly what was going to happen to Sam going into it, but somehow Maas made sure to still make it HURT. Seeing Celaena so happy and optimistic while knowing the world of pain and trauma waiting for her was difficult. 

The reveal right at the end as to who was behind it all didn’t necessarily shock me, but I, like Celaena, didn’t think they were capable of it. 

All important elements of Celaena’s history that I hope come into play in the future (I do not believe Ms. Maas is done with Ansel’s character…). This is a great prequel that gives insight into Celaena’s character and continues the epic world building.