Find Another Book

Book details

Crown of Midnight

Sarah J. Maas - Author

Expect a fantasy sequel built around a covert struggle with royal authority, dangerous secrets and changing loyalties. Its action and suspense sit alongside Celaena’s past and complicated relationships.

More about this book

*She is the greatest assassin her world has ever known. But where will her conscience, and her heart, lead her?* After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.Keeping up the deadly charade-while pretending to do the king's bidding-will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice. Where do the assassin's loyalties lie, and who is she willing to fight for?

Add to Compare Explore

Book Analysis

At a Glance

Discover

LoyaltyDeceptionJustice

Consider

Violence and harmRelationships and intimacyFear and suspense

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

loyaltydeceptionjusticeplot structurecharacter developmentpast

FictionNovel

Themes in Context

Cause and means

Celaena secretly resists the king while serving as his assassin, including by faking the deaths of targets.Ambiguous

How the book presents it: Her actions create tension between opposing a tyrannical ruler and using deception; the narrative raises a moral conflict rather than offering a simple choice.

Talk about: When, if ever, do you think a cause can justify deceiving others?

Secrets and revelations

Secrets are uncovered as Celaena faces her past, and revelations prompt characters to appear in a different light.Exploratory / explanatory

How the book presents it: The book presents this mainly as information or explanation.

Talk about: Which revelation, if any, changes how you understand a character?

Why It May Be Worth Reading

The book offers a way to explore how a person’s loyalties and opinions can shift as hidden motives and character traits emerge.

What Deserves Attention

Violence is graphic, including torture, dismemberment and bloodshed. Romantic relationships are significant, with sexual activity implied rather than explicitly detailed; suspense and frightening supernatural elements also feature.

A Conversation Worth Having

If Celaena’s deception serves a cause she believes in, how do you weigh the purpose against the means—and what might change your judgement?

Reading Approach

As this continues a series, consider recapping the earlier story together if needed. If graphic violence is a concern, agree beforehand on whether to pause or check in after intense scenes.

Confidence & Basis

Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.

What remains unconfirmed

Cause and means: Some details of this treatment remain unclear.
Secrets and revelations: Some details of this treatment remain unclear.

storyscanner.app

Limited information

Checked: 1 October 2026.

Relevant to: Cause and means

theguardian.com