Spoilery Book Reviews

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas

Back of the book

A glorious empire. A desperate quest. An ancient secret.

Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq have arrived in the shining city of Antica to forge an alliance with the Khagan of the Southern Continent, whose vast armies are Erilea's last hope. But they have also come to Antica for another purpose: to seek healing at the legendary Torre Cesme for the wounds that Chaol received in Rifthold.

After enduring unspeakable horrors as a child, Yrene Towers has no desire to help a young lord from Adarlan, let alone heal him. Yet she has sworn an oath to assist those in need – and will honour it. But Lord Westfall carries darkness from his own past, and Yrene soon comes to realise it could engulf them both.

And deep in the shadows of distant mountains, where warriors soar on mighty ruks, long-awaited answers slumber. Answers that might offer their world a chance at survival – or doom them all.

My thoughts

This took me a long time to read (and even longer to churn out a review!). The story is interesting but not as engaging as the other book plotlines. Particularly because we leave Aelins' story on an epic cliffhanger and then go into this. It has very little overarching story progression and mostly just personal progression for the characters involved. I also feel we are often told the new plot points instead of discovering them.

Since this book focuses on Chaol in a wheelchair and his healing journey, this review is mostly focussed on what I will dub the wheelchair debacle. I would love to know a person who uses wheelchairs opinion on how this book is written. I do not, so my views are biased by this.

Firstly, I can understand why Chaol would be so angry and ashamed by the chair, but I feel that it is also offensive and insensitive to people who use wheelchairs. There is an argument that each character is allowed their freedom to feel a certain way. Chaol was previously a very active and proud man, so the new injury is sure to require some adjustment. Unfairly though, he has the option to be healed which makes his journey towards accepting his disability secondary to his healing journey. From my scant knowledge, most people who use wheelchairs their disability is permanent. I was frustrated by this miracle that allows him to walk again so he doesn't have to reconcile is attitude towards the wheelchair.

The most problematic theme was Chaol feels so strongly about being lesser in the chair that he refuses to engage in sexual activity while disabled. This issue is furthered when he chooses to engage when mostly mobile AND a character 'wows' at the positive difference when he is completely mobile, insinuating its better. I feel that is quite a damaging concept, that his sex life is worse for being disabled, that able sex is inherently better, or he can't be a 'man' while in the chair. This book toes a sensitivity line with writing about Chaol in a wheelchair.

I'm sure there are other things I can say about this book.

This one is my least favourite in the series. I wasn't invested in Chaol as a character and there was less adventure, mischief and intrigue than the stories driven by Aelin. The story drags while we delve into Chaols' insecurities and root of his self-loathing. Nesryn does go on some real adventures yet I never felt we got to know her very well. I did like Yrene and felt we got to know her well. I liked her less once she was in love with Chaol. I mentioned my frustration at the lack of singles in the previous review. No-one escapes being paired up.

Conclusion: I didn't like not following Aelins' story, especially after how the last book ended with her being captured. I don't find Chaol to be a compelling character so I was less emotionally invested and interested in this story. Chaols wheelchair use and attitudes towards it feels insensitive to wheelchair users which made me uncomfortable with the healing arc. Overall when reading the series this book is an optional extra.