The Shadow Throne
by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Published: February 25, 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade
Format: eBook (336 pages)
Source: Purchased
One war.
Too many deadly battles.
Can a king save his kingdom, when his own survival seems unlikely?Jaron's friends are flung far and wide across Carthya and its neighbouring lands. In a last-ditch effort to stave off what looks to be a devastating loss for the kingdom, Jaron undertakes what may be his last journey to save everything and everyone he loves. But even with his lightning-quick wit, Jaron cannot forestall the terrible danger that descends on him and his country. Along the way, will he lose what matters most? And in the end, who will sit on Carthya's throne?
Spoiler free even if you haven’t read the first book in this series.
The ending of The Shadow Throne went out with a bang. If you love adventure stories that have nail-bitter endings, then you need to read this series.
The main character, Jaron, is the best part of this series. This is the story of how a liar, a thief, and an arrogant boy was a good king because he loved deeply. Jaron is just as sarcastic as ever and his way of ruling a kingdom seems the exact opposite of what a normal person would do. His unpredictability gives him and his story a lot of charm. Most of the time, Jaron is arrogant but he does know how to be humble. I kind of admire how demanding he is since it goes hand in hand with his determination to do the right thing and never give up. Here’s one of my favorite quotes that shows Jaron’s great sarcasm and arrogance. Jaron is saying this to the king who wants to take over his kingdom.
“By the end of today I will be Carthya’s king. This outfit offends me!”
“Carthya is honored to offend you,” [Jaron] said.
-Jennifer A. Nielsen, The Shadow Throne (p. 289)
And honestly, Jaron’s character would be a little much if it wasn’t balanced out by how much he cares for his kingdom and his friends. He even gives excellent advice occasionally.
Nobody gives you respect in this life. You must take it, you must earn it, and then you must hold it sacred, because no matter how hard respect is to attain, it can be lost in an instant.
– Jennifer A. Nielsen, The Shadow Throne (p. 43)
His talent for making people mad is quite hilarious. Jaron inspires me to stand up a little more for the things I believe in.
Besides the main character, I loved the attitude towards women in this book. They are respected and included in the war. This is by far one of my favorite quotes from the book. This is enemy commander speaking to Jaron.
“I could send my nursemaids out here to fight those men.”
“I’m sorry you have such little value for your nursemaids. We invite them to become Carthyan citizens.” [Jaron said.]
– Jennifer A. Nielsen, The Shadow Throne (p. 209)
Overall, this was a great ending to one of my favorite series about an arrogant teen king who never gives up trying to save his kingdom while being sarcastic and hilarious along the way.
Content Rating: Mild, for some very mild violence.
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About Jennifer A. Nielsen
Jennifer lives at the base of a very tall mountain in Northern Utah with her husband, three children, and a naughty puppy. She loves the smell of rainy days, hot chocolate, and old books, preferably all at once. She is a former speech teacher, theater director, and enjoyed a brief but disastrous career as a door-to-door pollster. In her spare time, Jennifer tends to panic, wondering what she has forgotten to do that has allowed her any spare time.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
My name is Jessica. I love to read Young Adult and classic literature. I’ve been a book blogger for six years and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet. I’m a very curious reader. Writing about all the questions and thoughts I had while reading a book is the best hobby ever.
I need to read this series. Glad to hear it ends well.
This is the very first book I’ve ever read and it made me read even more.