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Stories that Shape Us: How Queen of Shadows Teaches You To Step into Your Power Pt. 1
13 Plays2 months ago
In this episode of Growing With Sol, my bestie Priscilla and I dive deep into Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas, exploring the transformative journeys of its female protagonists.
🚨 Major spoiler alert! 🚨
If you haven't read Queen of Shadows (or the entire Throne of Glass series), proceed with caution as we discuss critical plot points and character developments throughout.
We break down Aelin's journey toward emotional maturity and vulnerability, analyzing how she confronts her past relationships, especially with Arobynn, and begins to embrace her true self. Her interactions with Rowan, Lysandra, and others reveal her growth from the cocky assassin we first met to a woman ready to step into her power.
We also explore Manon's fascinating character arc as she questions everything she's been taught as a witch and heir to the Blackbeaks. Her transformation from darkness to light represents one of the book's most compelling journeys.
This book showcases incredible female relationships, from enemies to friends, and the power of women supporting each other. If you've struggled with self-acceptance, vulnerability, or stepping into your power, this conversation is for you.
What did Queen of Shadows teach you about growth or reclaiming your power? Share in the comments!
About my bestie Priscilla:
Priscilla De Lara is originally from California now living in Milan, Italy working in international education. She is a lover of food, traveling, and reading! Fun fact: Priscilla was a college radio DJ.
Connect with Priscilla on TikTok @priscillainitaly
💬 LET'S CONNECT:
Send in questions: contact+podcast@marisolmoran.com
We might just have the same taste in books. Check out my Book List.
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Transcript
Introduction to Marisol and Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Hello beautiful souls and welcome back to another inst installment of Growing With Soul. My name is Marisol Moran and I am a certified life coach specializing in self-esteem and confidence. The Growing With Soul podcast focuses on continual growth and healing, especially in the small steps that we take every single day. If you're looking to heal, to grow, to connect with your true self, this is the podcast for you.
00:00:25
Speaker
Additionally, i am currently accepting clients. So if you would like support in reaching your goals or building self-esteem, click on the link in the show notes to schedule your very own discovery call. Additionally, this is another installment of Stories That
Book Discussion Introduction and Spoiler Warning
00:00:39
Speaker
Shape Us. Today, we are going to be taking a deep dive into Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Moss.
00:00:46
Speaker
So if you have read up to this point, fantastic. I do want to say major spoilers if you have not. Additionally, we are going to be talking about possibly even referencing the majority or the entire series.
00:01:03
Speaker
So if you have not read the whole series, Just definitely know there might be a spoiler here or there. So perhaps read the whole series and come back.
Guest Introduction: Priscilla
00:01:12
Speaker
If you've not read Queen of Shadows, you can read Queen of Shadows and come back.
00:01:15
Speaker
Because a whole lot of spoilers for that one. i also do want to give a little bit of content warning. Again, we don't have anything too spicy in Queen of Shadows.
00:01:26
Speaker
Not yet, anyway. But also... I mean, we might reference it because my main man is featured in this book. So, you know, Priscilla, you're giggling because, you know, I'm talking about Lorcan. I'm sorry.
00:01:45
Speaker
Lorcan Salvatare is my book husband, so if you catch me drooling, is that that's why. But additionally, i do have my bestie Priscilla here. Priscilla, would you like to introduce yourself?
Synopsis and Main Character Journey
00:01:58
Speaker
Oh, hello. my name is Priscilla, and I like to read and to discuss books with Marisol, which is why I'm here. And I basically have very strong opinions, so just be ready for that.
00:02:13
Speaker
You do have very strong opinions and they tend to differ from my own, which is great because I'm just like, how would you possibly think that? and And they tend to be about Kale. But we do agree on more than, that's all that matters. well I mean, at this point, yeah, because Kale can go off and, you know, do his own thing, be with Irene.
00:02:34
Speaker
um Anyway, to begin, i am going to give my standard synopsis of Queen of Shadows. if it's been a while since you've read it, this is a quick rundown. In Queen of Shadows, we find Ailingal Athenius back in Rifthold, but this time without the sexy Fey warrior prince, Rowan Whitethorn, and without resources.
00:02:50
Speaker
She quickly discovers the situation is the worse than she could have ever imagined. Kale is no longer captain of the guard. The guards are actually Velg. Dorian is basically Velg.
00:03:01
Speaker
And oh yeah, she needs to infiltrate the castle to rescue Adian. And did it mention that she left Rowan in Mistward? While she pulls off the impossible, Aelin is being hunted by my book husband, Lorcan Salvatare.
00:03:14
Speaker
She discovers word hounds, rescues Alcantara from a wretched fate, frees magic and Dorian. And then Dorian kills the king, his dad.
Aelin's Relationships and Emotional Growth
00:03:23
Speaker
And while all that's happening, we also do have ah Men on Blackbeak going through her own very journey, which we are going to get into as well.
00:03:34
Speaker
So to begin, i do want to hit like the main points first in terms of analysis and relationships. Obviously, we're going to be focusing Aelin because she is the female main character.
00:03:47
Speaker
i would also argue that like a secondary female main character Menon. So I do want to focus on her journey as well because I do think... I think it's one that isn't discussed as much in like the fandom. Like people love Menon, obviously.
00:04:05
Speaker
But i in terms of like the the journey that she went on to get to where she is in Kingdom of Shadows, not Kingdom of Shadows, Kingdom of Ash. I feel like that part isn't talked about enough. So I want to talk about that here as well.
00:04:18
Speaker
But definitely beginning with Aelin. I definitely see Aelin's journey in this book particularly a little bit more steady. i feel like it wasn't as tumultuous as in other books, especially Assassin's Blade.
00:04:32
Speaker
But I feel like in this particular book, her journey is more so leaning into emotional maturity and really owning who she is and how she feels about the people in her life.
00:04:45
Speaker
But what do you think? What were your thoughts on her journey? I definitely agree. i think she was so much more mature. for me, how she handled my the bane of my existence when it comes to these books, Kale, really showed the difference in development between her and him specifically.
00:05:06
Speaker
Just the way that she handled things, the way that she was healing, that was she was making peace, really self-reflecting. And not being scared of the future. Like, obviously she was scared, but she wasn't scared of getting to the point where she needed to do what she needed to do Whereas before she was like this cocky 18 year old wearing a mask.
00:05:30
Speaker
So lot more vulnerable. That's a such a good point. Definitely a lot more vulnerable. And i I think that when it comes to, again, to like take them, take it out like a little bit more, like zoom out when it comes to relationships in general. Like I feel like with people like that vulnerability aspect of it.
00:05:52
Speaker
is something that people can either really fake or have a difficult time with. And the fact that we see her in this book really owning who she is, who she's meant to be, and how she feels, eight it's this... like She's already, terms of the plot, in a very scary situation, dealing with so many scary things.
00:06:17
Speaker
But as a reader reading her journey, you're also scared because she's being so vulnerable with all these people and beginning to be vulnerable about how she feels about Rowan with Rowan, like bit by bit.
00:06:31
Speaker
And I mean, it definitely helps when... your maids and you can speak mind to mind, but we'll get to that. So, but yeah, i I do want to start off with kind of just like to bookend her previous relationship with Sam Because we do kind of see him in this book.
00:06:50
Speaker
And i think that it was cathartic for her, but also cathartic for the reader to visit his grave. And what really stands out to me is just how... like how respectful even, like, Rowan is of that whole situation.
00:07:12
Speaker
And then also... The growth that we see in her in that and that portion as well. Because like she says, she tells like him speaking to his grave that he would have been a great king, that everybody would have loved him, probably loved him more than they loved her.
Aelin's Manipulative Relationships and Liberation
00:07:30
Speaker
And then on top of that,
00:07:33
Speaker
As a person who is constantly like taking things on and accepting responsibility for things that she shouldn't have to she's able in that moment to acknowledge that his death was not her fault, even though she felt like it was for such a long time.
00:07:50
Speaker
Right. And I think she hadn't really processed it until that moment because I, when rereading it and just remembering the state that she found his body and how old she was,
00:08:03
Speaker
That was really, think I know she's a killer, but like to see that person that she fell in love with be carved up, super traumatic. Then there was that moment though, correct me I'm remembering it wrong though, at the flower market when she's showing Rowan around.
00:08:21
Speaker
Where um he gets triggered and i think I think he mentions like he didn't deserve her and like she's like, well, I didn't deserve Sam either or am i Oh, yes. Because it because i'm was it Lyria?
00:08:33
Speaker
like who he thought was his mate? She sold flowers. i think that she was like a florist. So it reminded him of that and he felt like he didn't deserve her. Yeah. And then, yeah. They definitely have that shared pain of like their previous relationships that they were able to bond over as well.
00:08:51
Speaker
But that was definitely a painful moment to think that like, oh, like I didn't deserve my own mate, which obviously not his mate. Right. But yeah, no, that was a really nice moment too where they were able to like talk and bond about that.
00:09:07
Speaker
One of the other things that I really wanted to touch on in terms of Aelin's relationships is Lysandra. And this is different because I know we tend to talk about romantic relationships. But i the first time that I read Queen of Shadows, I was like, fuck yes.
00:09:24
Speaker
Girl boss era. Girl power. This is girl's girl book. Like the women are out here fucking shit up in the best way possible. And ah definitely focus on that a little bit more this time and definitely saw and ah appreciated relationship.
00:09:41
Speaker
the journey that Aylan and Lysandra went on and their relationship and their friendship blossoming. Because I think it was super necessary, especially because she was always surrounded by men her whole life.
00:09:54
Speaker
And then we see that the one girl her own age... is her enemy for so long. They're able to move past that and then become BFFs.
00:10:06
Speaker
It was the best like enemies to friends arc that I've read in a while. And she compared her to Nehemia, like her friendship with Nehemia when she finds out that she's a shapeshifter.
00:10:19
Speaker
And I think her response, her response before in the earlier books would have been completely different than how she responded. so she did grow a lot. Like I think she would have completely gotten upset, saw red, overreacted, and her response was so calm that was really surprising because it's not what you would expect from years of competing for attention and being pitted against each other.
00:10:50
Speaker
Yeah, and I think part of that was both of them realizing the game that Erebin was playing and pity them against each other because it was it was all of his, like, machinations. Like, he was the one doing that, especially when he, like, used all of Aelin's money that she paid him for her freedom and used that to basically buy Lysandra for her, like, debut.
00:11:12
Speaker
Like, it was never actually Lysandra or Aelin, like, being the... making that like conscious decision necessarily to be the one to like hate the other. it was always somebody who ah had more power than them using them as puppets to hate each other.
00:11:29
Speaker
yeah So at their friendship was amazing. And then also Lysandra, I need to mention it, killing Erebin. It was anticlimactic, but I understand how when you're looking at it through a different lens, him dying so silently,
00:11:47
Speaker
and just helpless, like it wasn't a a death fitting for him. Like he wouldn't want to die the way that he did. He would have wanted to die, i don't know, in action, like doing something but instead he died in bed.
00:12:04
Speaker
Right. Like if you put it like from like his perspective, he was murdered in bed by like a woman and a woman that he paid for yeah like like that's like the lowest of low for him it's what a slap in the face to yeah you of himself and
00:12:33
Speaker
one thing that i did not catch the first time i read it was but so this time around was that
00:12:40
Speaker
When Aelin, like, sees his body, she does make a reference to, like, how it looked and how, like, obviously, Lysandra's untrained. So when she, like, sliced his neck, like, it was, like, jagged and, like, mangled and, like, messy.
00:12:57
Speaker
It wasn't, like, a professional hit, obviously. no So at least there's that. It wasn't a violent death, but I'll take it. So good for that.
00:13:07
Speaker
Anything else on Lysandra before we move on? um Not in this book. Okay. Fair enough. But I really liked her as well. but The fact that she was taking care of the the girl as well showed her her true self. Or with Evangeline. Yeah.
00:13:28
Speaker
Whichever. I think. Oh, go ahead. know I like that, the like you mentioned, like it was very woman-centered, this book, with a strong women. And the fact that she was she was trying to save this little girl and showing multi-generational women taking care of women.
00:13:48
Speaker
Yeah, that's so true. i definitely think that like she that Evangeline was also a factor in
00:14:01
Speaker
One, a factor in Lysandra's growth, but also a factor in Aileen changing how she viewed Lysandra. Oh, definitely. So she was like, yeah, so she was like, oh, that you actually have a heart and like you're helping someone who's in a, you know, a lesser position than you. Like, okay, like she can wrap her mind around that.
00:14:21
Speaker
So the next thing that I did want to touch on was Aelin's relationship with Erebin. Because I think that in this book, obviously, like, it ends because he dies. But I also feel like it really comes to a head where you're in that moment.
00:14:40
Speaker
Where like she sees him for who he really is. She recognizes the game that he's been playing. She's in a position where she's surrounded by people who love and support her.
00:14:53
Speaker
And she's at that point where like you're finally going to break free from your abuser. And that is a fucking scary place to be.
00:15:04
Speaker
So I feel like with Arabin... And one of the things that really stood out to me, especially in this book, were as a reader, we can't even like...
00:15:15
Speaker
We can't deny who and what he is, especially in this book. Which, like, I don't know if you have seen TikToks. I feel like I'm on TikTok a lot more than you. and I don't know if you've seen the TikToks where, like, there are a lot of girls and, like, women in the fandom who love Arabin.
00:15:34
Speaker
What? I've never seen that, and I do not want to see that. I have seen a few TikToks where there is Arabin thirst. What? I mean, you can... see you can right you can agree we can agree that he was good looking because of the way that he was that he was described as obviously i mean yeah he's like a 36 year old man yeah exactly so but for them to be thirsting over that it's questionable but just like serial killers or like
00:16:07
Speaker
evil men, evil characters that are beautiful and ugly inside. But then for them to be creating thirst TikToks, that's, that's gross. I haven't seen many. I've seen maybe like three, but then also like, it's like you see the TikTok and then you go to the comments and it's like, everybody in the comments.
00:16:30
Speaker
And it's like, all of you therapy. All of you therapy right now. I mean, in this book, though, when he and Aelin reunite and he obviously is lying and trying to manipulate her and saying, like, aren't you? I think the line was like, you you changed. Why can't I? something like that's very manipulative. But I can see how someone might think that he changed in that book. But then you read the whole thing and now he didn't.
00:17:00
Speaker
I mean, like someone that's naive and doesn't see the manipulation. But there's no reason. I mean, obviously by the end of the book, like like the reader should have seen this. But also as someone who experienced this type of abuse, it's like, yeah, I get it. Like you think, oh yeah, like you can totally change too.
00:17:17
Speaker
yeah And um chances are that no. and No, they can't change. But with Erebin, we do like it being on the page, like we definitely see it.
Rowan's Internal Conflict and Relationship with Aelin
00:17:30
Speaker
And I feel like one of the ah conniving things about this type of relationship. is how intimate it is.
00:17:41
Speaker
Like, it's how, and I don't just mean intimacy in, like, the romantic sense. I mean intimacy in, like, when you just know someone, you know someone so well, you can't deny the connection that's there when somebody knows you that deeply.
00:17:56
Speaker
And obviously, creepily, because he raised her, he's going to know her that well. So there's going to be that type and level of intimacy. But again, with him, it's even more twisted because, like,
00:18:08
Speaker
He was attracted to her as well, which is so gross. Yeah, he was grooming her and hoping that... He was grooming her. Yeah. and i wouldn yeah
00:18:19
Speaker
Oh, so nasty. But, like, one of the moments that stood out to me where, like, I feel like that really... was evident was when he he fixed her suit like the black like spy suit that he had made for her and then also for sam where he like took it and made improvements to it and in one of the one of the things that aila notices when she wears it which is crazy crazy that she wore it again But anyway, she notices that he like put reinforcements on like her knees where she always has like pain so that like she wouldn't have pain there. And it's just like how well you have to like know someone to know that like their left knee sometimes like has twangs of pain. So I'm going to put like reinforcements there.
00:19:06
Speaker
And it just shows. in it I mean, yeah. And like, I feel like that was on purpose so that he could plant these seeds without like, no, I actually do care about you. I'm thinking of you and your well-being even after you left.
00:19:25
Speaker
Right. That's exactly what it is. He's planting those little seeds for like future manipulation and for future ownership. I definitely, if there's one thing, if there is one thing i want people listening to this to know about Erebin is that he just did everything for ownership.
00:19:41
Speaker
hu Like he wanted to own Aelin. He wanted to tear her down because he knew who she was from the very beginning. So if she ever rose to power, he would be by her side.
00:19:56
Speaker
He was doing the long con. And it goes back to like them the ownership part that you mentioned, the oil. Like him wanting. Yeah. Creepy.
00:20:09
Speaker
Like a body oil. Like what did he plan to do that night?
00:20:15
Speaker
Well, he was going to basically assault her. yeah Because also very triggering for me when I first read it. But like when he puts the ring on her.
00:20:29
Speaker
And then like she acts like, oh, like he owns her now. like It was all farce. But like he basically like gropes her and like sends her on her way. and it's just like it doesn't take much imagination to see what he ultimately wanted.
00:20:45
Speaker
oh for sure. Like later that night. see what Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. But like, ah but I, I also do want to point out that like, it wasn't.
00:20:58
Speaker
I also like, this is one of those things where like other people can see what's going on even though like, they might not see or do something. But when she was talking to like the dance instructor when she was going to rescue Aiden. Yeah.
00:21:12
Speaker
the dance instructor like told her like i always wondered why arabin like where he found you and like why he wanted to keep you around and like why i have the quote right here it's like she tells her why he took such pains to break you to his will more so than the others and it's exactly that point where like he wanted to own a queen and then potentially eventually he would become the king of terrison yeah
00:21:41
Speaker
But also, before we move on, like, total W for Rowan for wearing the almond oil. I love Rowan and the fact that he was so petty.
00:21:53
Speaker
Just reinforced it. Mm-hmm. 100%. And, like, their scenes together. i know we'll talk talk um about that. them together.
00:22:03
Speaker
so we could definitely talk about Rowan and them now. Yeah. It was just like the second time around, like I think this might be my top two of the whole series because it was so nice to see their relationship shift.
00:22:21
Speaker
And especially when he first got there and her reaction to him and not hiding it. And then like the fact that she, it wasn't even a question like you're going to sleep in this room with me.
00:22:35
Speaker
and she was like, tell me, you know, you don't agree. and of course he didn't. So it was really nice to see that frustration and that slow burn.
00:22:46
Speaker
hmm. It was definitely, I feel like part of the, like, reticence on his part was the fact that he already thought that he had his mate.
00:22:58
Speaker
So he was just like, this can't, like, this possibly can't be that. Even though, as someone who's fae, and has spent his entire bajillion of years of life as fae, like, he would know what the signs are of someone who's mated.
00:23:13
Speaker
and like, But we don't know what Maeve did to him like in terms of tricking him with the mate bond. So maybe it just added, I don't know, like like fog.
00:23:28
Speaker
I think it's definitely that and like the trauma from that because obviously like once you experience that and you recognize yeah that like you had this traumatic experience of not being there for your mate when she was being murdered, so that you would be in denial yeah of something even close to that happening again.
00:23:48
Speaker
Especially i feel like since their connection, like, like, Ailyn and Rowan were never casual. And I feel like that's one of the things that people talk about, like in the fandom, where like, they were always so serious about each other.
00:24:00
Speaker
yeah So when I feel like you have that level of like, not formality, but that level of seriousness, for lack of a better word, that it's intense. And when you have that level of intensity, you're almost like in denial of it actually put like being a real thing.
00:24:16
Speaker
Since the last time you had something that intense and real, well, quote unquote real, yeah it ended so horribly.
00:24:25
Speaker
I don't know, there was a lot of denial like because there were so many signs.
00:24:31
Speaker
But I guess like a lot is going on too, so it's like they don't really have time to... To really delve into it. But the fact that they were like speaking to each other.
00:24:43
Speaker
like how do they not realize? That's why I say it's more so a denial of on Rowan's part than Aelin. Because Aelin spent the most but majority of her life as human.
00:24:57
Speaker
So her not recognizing it right away. i feel that. Like that makes sense to me. But she is the one to really notice that their mates, ultimately, like, between the two of them first, but ultimately second, because Aiden clocked it with a quickness. Aiden knew they were mates so fast from the moment he saw Aelin again for the first time.
00:25:18
Speaker
So... Aiden in this book, love him. Right, the sense. He was like, there's a masculine scent mixed in with hers. Hmm. And then when Rowan shows up, he's like, oh, this is what that is.
00:25:32
Speaker
Shady. Not shady. I think that's actually respectful because like, I think that he could tell that like their relationship was like going that way. Yeah, like it wasn't like solidified.
00:25:45
Speaker
So he was just like, not my business. I'm gonna keep this to myself. Let them figure themselves out. But like, I know that weren't they supposed to potentially like marry even other cousins?
00:25:59
Speaker
Potentially, yeah. And it it was definitely one of those things where like... It was like borderline incestuous sometimes, like his thoughts about her. And like, I guess kind of vice versa.
00:26:10
Speaker
But its i feel like it's one of those like royalty, like nobility type things where like you'll get married with your cousin because and genetics it's a smart match.
00:26:24
Speaker
Yeah, but like it'll just be like a good match for like the kingdom. But that, yeah, and it would have been accepted because I mean later on, spoiler alert, spoiler, spoiler alert.
00:26:35
Speaker
Like the fact that later we find out like the backup plan with Ruthandra shape-shifting to be her and then having kids, so. Yeah, which I am looking forward to reading that again.
00:26:51
Speaker
Because as much as I disliked Aideon after that whole thing, I've seen other people break down that whole dynamic. And like, I feel like I'm going to come to it with a new perspective and like a new critical eye. So I'm i'm looking forward to reading and revisiting that chapter of Aideon's story.
00:27:14
Speaker
But to go back to Rowan and Aelin, I definitely think that like,
00:27:21
Speaker
I think their relationship is just so beautiful. and When we're looking at obviously fictional relationships, I feel like their relationship is one of the healthiest, if not the healthiest relationship that we see in fictional books and especially in the mass verse.
00:27:42
Speaker
yeah Which is crazy to say it because it's like in the very beginning he punches her like in air of fire. But that was a little warranted. Given the context though, the fact that they're not human,
00:27:56
Speaker
Yeah, of course. Obviously, it's not okay, like IRL, but I mean, it's true enemies to lovers.
00:28:07
Speaker
And it took a long time. Because some um enemies to lover books, like three chapters, and then it's like, oh, I have feelings for you. They had whole book and like a third or like a half of another book before they finally...
00:28:25
Speaker
Before they finally start to acknowledge like their attraction for each other. Because even by the end of this book, it's not like a solidified, we're like in a relationship. like this is like They don't but directly acknowledge it. They have a commodity. They have a friendship, mutual respect, everything that would come from hopefully going through what they did beforehand.
00:28:47
Speaker
So I think it shows, and it showed them both how much they needed each other. even if they weren't lovers because they both missed each other mm-hmm so yeah that was it was really sweet and again ah was telling you before my favorite scene of his whole damn book is when he when he cut his hair and she finds out and yeah and like it was cute to see them joking around like she asks him if his hawk form is plucked now oh
00:29:23
Speaker
That was hilarious. And the other line when like, because she was crying so much when he showed up like in the alleyway. and he was just like, why are you crying? i think she tells him was like, because you stink so bad.
00:29:36
Speaker
And he just like laughs. And he's like, well, what do you expect? I've been on a ship for like, well, like a month or something. And it's just hilarious. all It made it more real because I think when it comes to fantasy books, like we don't think that characters like...
00:29:51
Speaker
smell or go to the
Manon's Transformation and Journey
00:29:53
Speaker
bathroom. You know, so that was really, really funny. i still don't understand why he had to cut his hair. He said, like, I might be fighting a lot, but, like, dude, you're warrior and you've had long hair.
00:30:05
Speaker
i don't know. I just, I like the fan art of him with long hair. That's all I'm going to say. The fan art is pretty good. Anything else before we move on and talk about Minon?
00:30:17
Speaker
i like, I know we only see a little bit of it, but I like... Rowan and Larkin's relationship. Like, frenemy bro. Romance.
00:30:29
Speaker
Definitely. Like, I think it is in this book where, like, he references, like, maybe not being, like, friends with him, but how, like, they've done a lot together.
00:30:41
Speaker
yeah and like, one of the things... They're women. Yes! Like, these fictional women were living the life. Yeah. Yeah. Like, Rowan and Lorcan? Like, the two the popular best fey warriors in the entire realm.
00:30:57
Speaker
Girl. But also, who were these women that caught their attention? Because they don't seem like the type to just like go with anyone. i don't know. These fictional women were lucky.
00:31:09
Speaker
But I know when he saves her from Lorcan, I thought it was hilarious. I don't know. Aylan was so funny in this book. um The fact that she tricked him into like the sewer. Yeah.
00:31:22
Speaker
and like yeah like how many were there three he's like no there were seven
00:31:30
Speaker
but then he kind of gets back at them because he didn't actually end up killing any of the word hounds um which bit him in the ass later on because he helped out trying to like you know yeah but he was trying to be clever but but that that part was really really funny Yeah, and also the part where like he ends up finding her and like...
00:31:56
Speaker
think I forget which part it was, but he ends up fighting her again, like some alley and like he pins her against a wall, but she takes out like a knife and like holds it basically to his cross. And she was like, are you going to lose like a large part or something or like something big that you love?
00:32:13
Speaker
So he like lets her go. And then like afterwards, Rowan was like, well what were you thinking doing this by yourself? Like he could have killed you and all this stuff. And like, and then you threatened him. And she was like, what? At least I said it was big. I could have said it was small. Your little problem.
00:32:32
Speaker
Yeah. so she she definitely had ah a much more like a bigger sense of humor this book than than in the previous one. Yeah, it was really funny. didn't remember it being this funny.
00:32:45
Speaker
That's true, yeah. I definitely see that, like the humor now more so than before. But something not as humorous, unfortunately, is Menon's arc in this book.
00:32:56
Speaker
I feel like in a way, kind of mirrored Kale where you have that radicalization process. know And in this book in particular, we definitely see Menon starting to like question everything she's been taught as a witch and as the heir to the Black Beaks, especially with her grandma being the matron and definitely like just the indoctrination that she went through.
00:33:27
Speaker
Partially because she's seen resistance through Astrin, but then also her not being in line with or agreeing with a lot of the decisions her grandma's making for the Black Beaks and for witches in general. and So seeing her really go through that arc.
00:33:45
Speaker
And then also, like one of the things I was thinking about in terms of like, Queen of Shadows as the title. And this is one of the reasons why I think Men on Blackbeak is like the second main character in this particular book.
00:33:57
Speaker
Like, I don't think the title is just referencing Aelin. I think the title might even more so be referencing Menon. Especially when you go and look at the like different like sections of the book.
00:34:09
Speaker
There is one section that's titled Queen of Light. And I think that is specifically into in reference to Manon. Because you have that section title.
00:34:20
Speaker
And then the chapter is Manon's chapter next. And also during her... um When Roland comes back. When he's Valg, basically. And he attacks them. It doesn't affect Manon and I think like three other witches. Because they I think they have more Valg blood in them.
00:34:36
Speaker
But... I have it quoted here where Manon, she like, just went into like a blind sprint, chasing after him to tackle him to the ground. Like no sword. She just like, she didn't want the sword to like kill him.
00:34:50
Speaker
And during that process when she's attacking Roland, it says light cracked around her. And then like there was his handsome face and that collar. And then like she kills him basically.
00:35:02
Speaker
no It's like there's light, light around her when she attacks him. So like, I feel like that really symbolizes even more so her development or her arc into someone who changes from being evil into finally fighting for good. Yeah, who she really is you know Exactly. But what were your thoughts on her overall development?
00:35:28
Speaker
I gotta this is a safe space. But yeah i the first time I read the series, i glossed over my nons chapters because I wasn't invested.
00:35:41
Speaker
So this time around, it was definitely different. But i I enjoyed reading, and i knew she was a strong character, but I enjoyed reading how fearless and strong she was in this book because she cowered to no one.
00:35:56
Speaker
So it did show...
00:35:59
Speaker
like it reinforced the fact that she was a leader. And we did get to see that change in her. and I really liked her and... How you say her name?
00:36:12
Speaker
Alid. Was it Astrid? Oh, Alid. Yeah. Yeah. Her and Alid. Even though it it wasn't as prominent, but... I enjoyed her more this time around.
00:36:22
Speaker
And I understood her and... i mean, we mentioned spoilers. Like, who she ends up with. It made more sense. It made more sense.
00:36:35
Speaker
Definitely. i Again, safe space. I did not enjoy reading about the witches in Erefire the first time I read it. And honestly, this time around, the second time around that I read it, it's definitely a boring part of the book.
00:36:52
Speaker
Yeah. I feel like though for Erefire, it just wasn't... Maybe the way it was written, it wasn't as engaging. Yeah. Maybe we as... Because even the second time, I already ah fell in love with Minon and the witches. So you think I would care.
00:37:10
Speaker
But I still didn't feel as an engaged as a reader with those parts. Including even in Queen of Shadows. So fair enough that you glossed over it the first time. But... 100% that Elid played a much bigger role in her development than maybe we realized the first time around.
00:37:28
Speaker
no Especially when it comes to like adopting her as a witch and then also protecting her. And even in like conversation, because there is one key moment where...
00:37:39
Speaker
a lead like really pushes Manon to change how she views things when it comes, especially when it came to hope. Cause like as a black beak, like who cares about hope? You need to be like disciplined and like yeah ruthless and all those things. Like hope doesn't even like come into play at all.
00:38:00
Speaker
But when you want change, like you can't have change without hope. And so her really, lead really telling Manon about like, sometimes you just need hope in order to keep moving forward. Like, it really made Manon, like, stop and think about it.
00:38:14
Speaker
And then after that, her conversation with Asrin on top of that, like, it sealed the deal where we have this new version of Manon Blackbeak. Yeah. Honestly, because, and it was good because I was getting tired of the matron. Like, she was such a horrible character.
00:38:31
Speaker
Yeah. I don't fully understand what her deal was in terms of line with the king. And like, I think it's just power. I think we, we see it later. Maybe like she wanted to, she wanted power, ultimate power, which is why they like tried to exterminate the other type of witch.
00:38:54
Speaker
and hu And basically just choosing who she thought would win the war, the more powerful people.
00:39:03
Speaker
Yeah, I can see that, but like, I don't understand why she was so ready to let the witches be used as just like breeding stock.
00:39:16
Speaker
Do you think she knew? Like to full the full extent? Or did she think that at some point she could take some of the power back and like have a, like be an equal with the... To the Valg?
00:39:29
Speaker
Yeah. Like show their power and show their worth and importance, which is maybe why also Manon like didn't take any crap from any of them and and like was disrespectful and asked questions.
00:39:48
Speaker
Because even before she had changed, she asked questions and she didn't take their attitude at all.
00:39:58
Speaker
I think that might be part of it. I think part of it is like the witches just like they think highly of themselves like all of them do. I mean obviously like they're witches. They're badass.
00:40:09
Speaker
They're like great warriors as well. like i So obviously like they have a lot of power just in who they are. So they won't really like listen to or like you know heed what other people are saying especially if they're human.
00:40:25
Speaker
But like with I think I think ultimately with the matron, it was misguided because even if they gave them back the wastes and like they're able to go back and have their witch kingdom in the wastes, it was going to be pointless because you're not dealing with a human king, which I don't think they knew that.
00:40:45
Speaker
Like you're dealing with Erewhon, with a Valk king. So he was just going to take over everything anyway. and they're not going to have the wastes. Yeah.
00:40:58
Speaker
i mean, okay. Not related, but related. But I liked how they like their homeland was called The Waste. And I want to if Sarah got it from the Studio Ghibli movie, Hell's Moving Castle, The Witch of the Waste.
00:41:17
Speaker
Maybe. I didn't click until this like second time around.
00:41:25
Speaker
that's That's a good point, maybe. And then maybe like Hal was inspiration for Risa and... Exactly. yeah, but yeah ultimately, Manon, definitely feel like her journey is incredibly important.
Podcast Wrap-Up and Encouragement
00:41:41
Speaker
and i mean, obviously, I think it is to the story overall because we spend so much time with her. and I think that ultimately we can learn from it and like recognize that...
00:41:53
Speaker
There is like so much growth to be had and that it's difficult and challenging and painful. And also, again, just to go back to the to the very beginning, we're like Queen of Shadows is definitely that girl power book because who helps Manon in her radicalization to love and hope and like all things good?
00:42:14
Speaker
Women. So. Overall, fantastic book, girl power book and. I think Queen Shadows might be one of my favorites in the series. I still think Tower Dawn is my favorite, but we'll see once I revisit it.
00:42:30
Speaker
No. i Discussion for another time. Definitely discussion for another time. But for those of you listening, if you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to give it a like. Don't forget to review it as well.
00:42:44
Speaker
And to share it out with your other, you know, besties who have read the Throne of Glass series. No rating and reviewing definitely helps to spread the word and just keep the podcast growing. Additionally, like I mentioned earlier, i am accepting clients. So if you are looking for a little bit of help and assistance in the things that you are doing, maybe some accountability, you can always schedule a discovery call with me through the link in the show note.
00:43:09
Speaker
And as always, I'll be seeing you in the next one and keep growing. Bye.