* Note: Since writing this, I have seen Chaol spoilers for QoS, but I don't care, I'm posting it anyway!
I am Team Chaol. I have been Team Chaol from book one. I will continue to be Team Chaol till the end of the series. Even if he isn't end game. Even if Sarah J. Maas kills him off. I will always be Team Chaol. I adore Dorian as a character, but I just don't see him with Celaena. I think it seems obvious that he isn't the end goal for Celaena. Then we have Rowan... Just, NOPE! I don't want to see it and I will refuse. I am scared for Queen of Shadows, I feel it's going to be gearing more towards Rowan and Celaena. But that guy is hundreds of years old, and he has already had his mate. Celaena is like a newborn baby in comparison to him. An idea of a romance between them just creeps me out. Why can't Celaena have him just as a friend!?! I don't want to see her get in to romantic relationships with every single male she comes across - Sam, Dorian & Chaol. Can we please avoid adding Rowan to that list! SPARE ME, MAAS, SPARE ME!!! And then we have Aedion, who I still feel slightly worried about. But he's technically her cousin, so I'd like to assume that is not going down the romance route.
So that always leaves Chaol for me. And I am just going to say it... CHAOL WAS CELAENA'S END GAME! He was. 100% But, the thing is, he's not Aelin's. He just isn't. He would have been the person Celaena went back to. The person she would happily have gone to live her life with when she gained her freedom. When she could run far away and do what she wanted, where she had no responsibility. But Aelin isn't that same person. She is someone who is willing to remember her birthright and fight for it. She won't have the freedom to do what she wants. She'll fight to free her lands from the King. And then, if she succeeds, she will have to rule them. That isn't the life that Chaol wants, he abdicated his own title. But I think he would have taken on that if he could be with Celaena. But he's not who Aelin seems to need or want.
The reason I have always been a Chaolaena shipper is that the two always had chemistry. But that they also gained real true feelings for each other. Dorian never even registers for me because Celaena never has any feelings for him. She is attracted to him and kisses him for distraction, but she never has any deep feelings for him. But she does for Chaol! So many in Crown of Midnight that it makes me want to weep because I am so certain Maas has no intentions for him to get Celaena in the end. In fact, I'm a little scared she might kill him off!
Let me just get to my favourite quotes that proved why Chaol and Celaena were endgame! (And why they still should be... DAMN YOU, AELIN!!!! >.<)
"That man cares for you more than either of you realize,"
"If she picked Roland over you, that makes her the greatest fool who ever lived."
Her heart beat so quickly, and yet she felt utterly calm- as if she could have stayed there forever and not minded, stayed there forever and let the world fall apart around them.
"I know you can look after yourself. But I worry because I care. Gods help me, I know I shouldn't, but I do. So I will always tell you to be careful, because I will always care what happens."
She looked to her left, as if she'd somehow known, even in sleep, where he was.
And somehow, she had wound up exactly where she knew she'd be safest.
So Celaena looked at her Captain of the Guard and smiled back.
She had never looked at him like that. Not once. Not even for a heartbeat.
She knew his every move and he knew hers, as though they'd been dancing this waltz together all their lives.
The rest of the world quieted into nothing. In that moment, after ten long years, Celaena looked at Chaol and realized she was home.
"I would be the greatest fool in the world to let you go alone"And then there were tears rolling down her face, and her mouth became a thin, wobbling line.He pulled back, but didn't let her go. "Why are you crying?""Because," she whispers, her voice shaking, "you remind me of how the world ought to be. What the world can be."
The kiss obliterated her.It was like coming home or being born or suddenly finding an entire half of herself that had been missing.
It somehow felt as if it had always been Chaol, even from the very beginning, even before they'd ever met.
For the first time in years, she was truly happy.
"... It's never made any difference to me when it came to you. I'd still pick you. I'll always pick you."
How could anyone read that book and not want Celaena and Chaol to work out in the end!?!?!? He makes her feel like she is finally home. She says she'll always pick him. He made her feel happy for the first time in ten years. That means that he made her happier than even Sam made her. Even Dorian admits that she looks at Chaol in a way she has never looked at him. Their love was real and it was beautiful. And I feel that Sarah J. Maas is about to blow my ship to pieces. And I love and adore her beautiful books, so I have to continue the series and deal with it. But, still...
I just feel he made Celaena a better person and they complemented each other well. I really wanted it to work out for them in the end. Especially since I felt the reason she got so mad at him and wanted to kill him was totally unjustified! I never felt like that was his fault or something she should hold against him. The girl needed to give him a break!
But then Heir of Fire happened. And my shipper heart broke! It feels like my ship is slowly sinking and I worry that Queen of Shadows will completely obliterate it. And I am not sure that I am ready for it. My ship is probably going to go down in flames, but...
If Celaena ends up picking anyone else then I will quickly point her back to the quote she made about the girl who picked Roland over Chaol. GIRL, YOU'RE THE GREATEST FOOL THAT EVER LIVED!!! I know she basically says that Celaena would have chose him, but Aelin won't. But I will continue to ship it until the final page of book six. Or Chaol's death... which I am still fearing will come. I will never ship her with Rowan. I am so fed up of the ancient old man ending up with the teenager. IT'S CREEPY... AUTHORS, PLEASE STAAAAHP!!!!
The only character Maas has guaranteed survives till the end is Fleetfoot. I am really happy about that, but it means that anything could happen to the others. I AM SCARED!!!!
But then Heir of Fire happened. And my shipper heart broke! It feels like my ship is slowly sinking and I worry that Queen of Shadows will completely obliterate it. And I am not sure that I am ready for it. My ship is probably going to go down in flames, but...
If Celaena ends up picking anyone else then I will quickly point her back to the quote she made about the girl who picked Roland over Chaol. GIRL, YOU'RE THE GREATEST FOOL THAT EVER LIVED!!! I know she basically says that Celaena would have chose him, but Aelin won't. But I will continue to ship it until the final page of book six. Or Chaol's death... which I am still fearing will come. I will never ship her with Rowan. I am so fed up of the ancient old man ending up with the teenager. IT'S CREEPY... AUTHORS, PLEASE STAAAAHP!!!!
The only character Maas has guaranteed survives till the end is Fleetfoot. I am really happy about that, but it means that anything could happen to the others. I AM SCARED!!!!
Any other Chaol shippers out there? Anyone who wants her with Dorian? Or any Rowan shippers? Or anyone else just on Team Celaena/Aelin?
You don't understand how scared I am for QoS. Like I'm excited that it's out and everything but I"m so scared that Chaol isn't going to be endgame even though I know he is in my heart because IT'S FREAKING CHAOL WESTFALL. I think you forgot one thing about why Chaol is right for her... because he's so amazingly gorgeous and hot! He will always remain as my number one book boyfriend *oh well Will Herondale comes first always but that doesn't count because he's not in this book*. I just hope that Sarah loves Chaol as much as we do and we are able to see what happens. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on QoS if you're thinking about doing a review close to the publication date because I won't be getting mine till the 5th. I'm on vacation and I've heard word that the package is home already. But I ordered from Book Depository and they always bring in the books early. Can't wait to read it and then we should totally fangirl about Chaol together!! OMGG We could like mmake up stories for him with Cel. Oh it's so wonderful!
ReplyDeleteAlex @ The Book's Buzz
Yes. I was so scared too. And a little devastated when I read it. But then I got over it. Mostly because they weren't the same people any more. I am still team Chaol though. I am Chaol all the way. I LOVE that guy!
DeleteYES! EVERY WORD IS TOO CONCISE FOR MY OWN LIKING I AM STARTING TO FEAR WE'RE TWINS LOL
DeleteYes
DeleteI ship Chaol and Celeana sooooo much! As far as I'm concerned there is no Dorian and Celeana. They never struck me as a couple. I just them to be together in Queen of Shadows!Argh! I can't believe how soon Queen of Shadows comes out! I'm not sure if I'm ready. I really hope she doesn't kill Chaol or Dorian off but there are still two books left so . . . Awesome post! Love the quotes! Is this not proof that Chaol and Celeana are meant to be?
ReplyDeleteI know. It totally is proof!!! >.<
DeleteOh yes, I know these feels incredibly well. I don't have a ship for this novel YET but I will once I have read it. But this post has definitely inspired me because well, I ship a lot of characters. And more often then not the characters I choose to ship together... never work out. The get killed off. She chooses the other guy. Whatever it is, it always ruins my ship and it bothers me! But whatever, I ship them anyway and there is a dream ending in my mind where they end up together forever and always ^^ (I am so thinking about Katniss and how my ship ended there.)
ReplyDeleteHAHA! Sorry. I was ALWAYS team Peeta! <3 You've got to love that guy ;) haha
DeleteI completely agree with you about Chaol being endgame for Celaena, but perhaps not for Aelin. No matter what happens, I will ship Chaol/Celaena, but Aelin is her own person. I trust Sarah to do what is right for Aelin, and that's all that matters for the series - I only want Aelin to be happy!
ReplyDeleteMe too. It's hard replying to these comments now, seeing as I have read QoS and know how it ends for them.
DeleteI love Chaol as well, and yes, he is right for Calaena. So many great quotes in Crown of Midnight make that obvious. But in Heir of Fire…I started to get really worried. There are a couple of scenes where it just does not look good for them. Honestly, Dorian probably is right for Aelin, just when it comes to ruling together, but not for love. Come on, Chaol is HOME for her. That says it all. I haven't read any spoilers for Queen of Shadows, I'm trying to avoid them, but here's hoping it works out in the end (but there's still 2 more books after Queen of Shadows)! And I agree with you…does every single guy Celaena gets close to have to be a romantic interest? I did not ship Rowan for her AT ALL and I didn't get that romantic vibe from either of them, to be honest. And yes, Celaena will be the biggest fool if she lets Chaol go. This series is very stressful!!! ~Pam
ReplyDeleteThis series is so stressful. It is far too hard to reply to these comments now that I have read QoS!!! Damn you, Maas!
DeleteLOOOL! I didn't like Throne Of Glass and haven't read yet Crown of Midnight, but your post made me tear up. I'm team Celaena X Chaol, all thanks to you. But more seriously, even in TOG I felt, Dorian and Celaena didn't have much of a connection. The only thing that attracted Celaena to Dorian is his beauty and the thrill of it, but there wasn't any deep feeling. However, with Chaol it was a completely different story. I do think that eventually Celaena and Chaol will get together. Maas just love playing with her readers' feeling.
ReplyDeleteYES SHE DOES! I JUST WANT TO CRY! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!
Delete*breaks down in tears* YOU KNOW WHERE I STAND ON THIS TOO. Omg. The thing that's killing me the MOST is all that stuff Celaena said to Chaol. "I'll always pick you".. WELL THEN. WHY AREN'T YOU!?? It makes Celeana a liar. It totally does. And my respect for her kickassery has really dropped, sadly. Because now I feel like she's a liar. And lying ticks me off so much. :( I also didn't notice that until you pointed it out...but yes. Celeana IS falling in love with very main-character-ish dude who comes along. Omg. 0_0 That's not very good. That makes Celaena's feelings seem less deep, doesn't it?!
ReplyDeleteAnyway. I LOVE DORIAN. But I don't ship him with Celaena. *wails because Sorcha* And I think Rowan is cool, but it's a broship. And I think I dislike him a lot because I think him and Celaena are gonna be MORE and I don't want that. So as a character I could've liked Rowan. But since Celanea spurned Chaol, I just...eh to Rowan.
Anyway. I AM SAD. This series is in a downward spin for me and I'm not happy. Which is HORRIFIC considering the first 2 books + the novellas = my favourite books in the universe.
SHE IS! She's basically had a romantic storyline with all the main guys. Except her cousin. FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. GAH.... ANNOYING >.<
DeleteI could've liked Rowan a lot more if the broship had continued. The romance felt WAY TOO FORCED. NOT A FAN >.<
I do not ship Rowan and Celaena/Aelin at all. I'm definitely Team Chaol. I'm also Team Dorian - as in, I'm Team Dorian for myself. But literally, all of Sarah's characters need to be wrapped in blankets, given hot cocoa, and kept away from her.
ReplyDeleteI know, she does such evil things to them all. MY PRECIOUS BABIES!!!
DeleteI began rooting for Chaol from the moment Celaena stepped into the ball with her silver white gown. I loved that scene and everything that happened between them on "Crown of Midnight"! I believe that if the unthinkable happens on QoS, Sara J. will lose some of her readers. You can't write a series, make your readers love the characters so much, even in their anguish and then kill them!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same about other YA series, like "Falling Kingdoms" by Rhodes; that one is the YA version of "Game of thrones"!
But anyway, after what happened to Dorian on HoF, which still makes me cry, I doubt Celeana Dorian will be something more than friends. Despite the ideas I've seen about him ending with the witch (which is creepy) I think Dorian will lose the sense of falling in love.
Excellent post! And thank you for sharing your thoughts!
EXACTLY! AHHH I LOVE THEM TOGETHER!!!! I find it far too hard to write back to these comments now, having now read Queen of Shadows.
Delete#TeamChaol
ReplyDeleteI so shipped Chaol and Celaena from the start!
There chemistry is just so perfect!!! I have just started reading Queen of Shadows and i am so scared!!!!
Love this post as it keeps me hopeful for Chaoelena!!
Jodie x
AHHH! I love Chaolaena so much. Find it so hard replying now that I have finished QoS. THE PAIN IS REAL.
DeleteYes, yes, yes to all of this. I've been discussing with a friend about this since the spoiler leaked earlier this month, and I am certifiably heartbroken. I will ALWAYS be Team Chaol. Forever and ever, and I refuse to get on board with Rowaelin.
ReplyDeleteChaol was the perfect match for Celaena. He balanced out her personality differently. And even though she's Aelin now, she's still the same person deep down. She might have different dreams and goals now, but that doesn't change how you feel about someone!! People are always ripping on Chaol for everything he said and did in CoM and HoF, but he's not perfect and neither is Celaena. He learned from his mistakes and by the end he was ready to accept everything! Rowan and Aelin are too alike. There is no one to check or temper the other. Like and like does not work. There's no give.
"But that guy is hundreds of years old, and he has already had his mate." I know right?! He's like 300+ years older than her, and he's immortal. And he made a big deal about finding his one true mate and suffering ever since her death. Whoops guess not ever since Aelin's here now!
Chaolaena had so much chemistry, and you can't ignore what happened in book 2. All of those quotes are a testament to everything they've gone through together. How can you fall into and out of THAT type of love?! That's so much stronger than what she had with Dorian, and I'm so annoyed how Celaena/Aelin keeps going through literally all the guys. I'm not hating on her, I just wish she'd make up her mind!!
I'm going to try to not let this affect my views of QoS, but it'll be so hard. Romance is just another aspect of the book that I always account for in my ratings. Same goes for character (development), plot, etc... I just don't know how I can possibly enjoy this book when something so out of the blue and nonsensical like this happens!
Chaol totally grounded and made Celaena a better person. They just complement each other so well. And blaming ____ death on him was pure BS. That is not his fault! What about the person that actually killed _____. It's the assassin's fault for _____ death, not Chaol. -_-
"Celaena would have chose him, but Aelin won't." I am sick and tired of Rowaelin shippers throwing this line to me. In the end Aelin/Celaena will choose who she loves. Just because situations change doesn't mean her love should too. :(
I have a feeling SJM is going to kill of Chaol. She clearly favors Rowan (said so in an interview), or she'll have something even worse happen to Chaol.
"I will never ship her with Rowan. I am so fed up of the ancient old man ending up with the teenager. IT'S CREEPY... AUTHORS, PLEASE STAAAAHP!!!!" YES TO THIS. It is DISGUSTING when they latch an old guy who looks young to a young character. STOP. It's gross.
Well at least there's always Fleetfoot! I'm just really confused by what SJM chose to do. How does this make any sense at all?! I REFUSE to get on board.
Amazing post, Charnell <3
Rachel @ A Perfection Called Books
I know. I still feel like Rowan and Aelin make 0 sense together. Part of me wants Rowan to be killed. Is that bad?!? That's bad! But, my god, their relationship bugs me SOOOOO much. IT FEELS SO FORCED. NOPE. I AM FED UP OF IT ALREADY. PFFFT!
DeleteI hate that she blames Chaol for EVERYTHING. WHY IS EVERYTHING HIS FAULT?"!?!?! GAH. That girl can be annoying as hell.
AMAZING POST! This is pretty much all that I have been thinking about since Heir of Fire. Things changed so much between them in that book, even though they were far away from each other. Things even started to change at the end of Crown of Midnight. And that's why I'm so scared for Queen of Shadows. I've been shielding myself from spoilers, because I want to experience all of it first hand.
ReplyDeleteChaol truly is the best one for her. I personally think, deep down, that they still are perfect for each other. Even though they've changed, especially Aelin, feelings like that can't change overnight! Aelin, as Celaena, admitted that being with Chaol felt like coming home and being complete. I know with everything in CoM things sort of deteriorated, but they still thought about each other. I think (want) that they could work things out. Aelin is still Celaena, just slightly different dreams. IT HAS TO WORK OUT.
The whole Rowan thing creeps me out. Rowan is still not over the loss of his mate so I'm not sure how well things could work between the two of them. Maybe it will stay platonic? I haven't seen spoilers (THANK GOD), so I don't know what happens. I just really hope that SJM doesn't choose him or kill Chaol. Not my precious Chaol!!
Also the Fleetfoot thing was kind of painful. Like... I LOVE when animals survive, but to say that the dog will live and not any of the other characters... I am just terrified. Let me just curl back up into fetal position.
Again, FANTASTIC POST!!
Lizzie @ Big Books and Grande Lattes
I know. I am so nervous for all of my precious characters. I DON'T WANT THEM TO DIE! *CRIES*
DeleteI love Chaol. I will still be Team Chaol forever. Despite EVERYTHING that happens in QoS. I am Team Chaol forever.
THIS POST MADE MY CRY. LITERALLY. *Go sobs in a corner*
ReplyDeleteI love Chaol so much! And he and Celaena was perfect together! Scratch that, they ARE perfect together. I just don't understand why in the world SJM decided to break the ship. When I read Crown of Midnight, I was so in love with their romance, when everything was so beautiful and perfect. But then, to see everything go downhill. *sniffles*
And I never considered the possibility that Chaol might be killed, but it won't be surprising if it happened, huh? I just can't handle all of this. I want the Celaena and Chaol from ToG and CoM back!
I am so scared for the last two books after reading QoS. I don't know if Chaol will ever be safe. I am still Team Chaol. I don't care if he ends up will Aelin, she's a bit of a bitch, but I want good things for Chaol.
DeleteIn all honesty I told you I couldn't read this before QoS and I definitely can't read it after reading QoS. My heart is still in pieces. Even though I know my small bit of hope was unrealistic, I still held on to it going into QoS.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing wrong with Rowan. I really like him. But he's not Chaol. I feel lied to. Mislead by Maas. I have so many angry feelings right now that I don't see going away anytime soon. I loved QoS. There's no way I wasn't going to. BUT MY HEART!
Happy reading!
Brittany @ This is the Story of My(Reading) Life
I KNOW. I am angry and sad and hurt. MY HEART CAN'T TAKE IT!!! *CRIES*
DeleteThis post is utterly fantastic, Chaol will always be endgame (for Celaena AND Aelin), and I have a lot more I could say, but I'll just stop here: brb crying.
ReplyDeleteI'M CRYING TOO! DAMN YOU QOS!!!
DeleteTEAM CHAOL ALWAYS!!! I think that sums up about how I feel about your post. :D <3
ReplyDeletePREEEEAAAACH!
DeleteYES! Let's do it! QoS was pain. TRUE PAIN!
ReplyDeleteI was team Choal. but like you said he was perfect for Celaena but not Aelin. Unfortunately, Celaena will never be able to look past what happened with Nehemia and the fact that Choal didn't warn her. Yes, I agree that it wasn't his fault, but he withheld information from her and chose the king over her in a way. And after rereading the series this summer, I think Choal has a serious issue with Aelin's true nature. I think Dorian put it perfectly when he told Choal that if he loves her then he would need to love all of her. It just seems to me that he isn't able to love all of her.
ReplyDeleteI have been team Rowan from his introduction, I know he is like super old and already had his mate, but why can't he have another mate?! And he looks young enough so I'm not bothered by the age difference. I think the biggest thing about their relationship is the fact that they discover they are caranam and he swears a blood oath to her, those two things felt like a sealed deal to me, and I'm ok with that.
Emily @ Follow the Yellow Book Road
I just felt like Rowan and her had a perfect friendship, I didn't feel the need for it to be romantic. Maas has kind of made Celaena have a romantic relationship with every important male character - Dorian, then Chaol, then Rowan. It just makes them all feel less important. I don't know, I wasn't sold on the Rowan romance and I still aren't. I felt it came out of nowhere and went from 0-100 in QoS. It just doesn't work for me. Maybe it will in further books, we shall see.
Delete
ReplyDeleteI contacted Great zula in regards of getting my lover back. my lover stopped talking to me. He was interested in working out his marriage with another girl, after begging and pleading with him I realized that nothing was working out, he left me. when i came across this spell caster, i read how he helped many people to get their lover back, After discussing the resolution with ZULA, so I asked for a reunite love spell to help me get my lover back and I also asked for a marriage spell so that we could get married too, after the spell was cast i saw result I never expected, I cant say how much I’m grateful i came across this spell caster greatzula@ yahoo. com, My lover not only came back to me, but left his other lady and now we are engaged, we are getting married next month, I don’t know what I would have done without Zula, this spell caster does his job so well organized and highly functional, i believe he is the best spell caster i can count on when it comes to love spell, I was floored that both spells worked.
OH MY! HAHAHAHA
DeleteStarted with QoS, but before I read too far in it, I just felt like searching if anyone else is annoyed by the who Chaol plot. After reading your brilliant post, I felt like I'm home and can let this all out. Sorry for the too long comment >.<
ReplyDeleteThis is how I see it; Maas made only one person who loved as a human. And it’s not the love Terrasen warriors have for Aelin, or Celaenas love for Nehemia, nor Rowans love for Aelin or hers for him, definitely not Dorians love for random girl (her first reaction to his magic is = lets make something to suppress it - this person warms his bed, while Chaol is the one who doesn’t accept his magic - contradicting much) So no, at the very end, the only person who loves truly and honestly is Chaol, with all the quirks and holding himself back and taking time to accept changes. The writer, maybe knowingly, made him so, his actions, his protectiveness, his sacrifices, saving the lives of the people he loves. That is how a human being loves, our love and lives are the only sacrifice we have to give. And that is one thing Chaol has going on for him, love and forgiveness.
What angers me (maybe I take to liking the underdog) and makes me prefer Chaol, is that his character has been degraded, which makes him look indecisive. He gives all he has and damn, it’s not as much as some ancient fae-princ or Dorian with raw magic or Aedion (will not mention the hint at incest here - yuck), but he gives it anyway. Maas makes him the one person that loves, but then deems him unlovable, because apparently he isn’t choosing sides (he chose a side, his side is to help two rulers coexist and rule in peace) The writer contradicts herself with Chaol (Maas prefers her new Rowan character, so she butchers Chaols bond, to make room for him - talking about building something with your hands and destroying it with your behind.) from the moment she makes him “responsible” for Nehemias death (self-orchestrated so neither of them could save her). Because he is that non-magical creature, beaten down for not being special, marked as non-acceptive. In HoF he tries to 1. help the resistance so they can build Aelin an army and 2. free magic, so Dorian can use and control his for some greater good. His actions spoke, but Mass felt like she needs to throw in some "conversations-in-my-head-about-how-im-not-sure". Actions speak louder than words.
Chaolin ship? I don’t think I care if it sinks anymore, because Maas decided to tear Chaol down no matter what (even if she sacrifices Aelins integrity with it) I don’t care if it sinks, because if this is what the author is trying to show the people who read the book - that if you’re a bit “special”, you are entitled to judge the actions of others who, by your standards are not? That purity is the bomb (Chaol + ordinary guard girl=human, Aelin + raunchy Rowan = Fae…) and that therefore, a mere, flawed human does not deserve the love of an immortal. If so, then go ahead and I’m out and will heal my heart with Aragorn and Arwen.
But for me, Chaol will always be end game - with just one magical power of his own, love. In the battered, hopeless, indecisive HUMAN way that we can give.
Chaol will always be end game. To someone who deserves his love! Celaena lost the right for his love, when Maas decided Celaena could just simply kill him. You think you could kill the person you love because they weren’t able to help you protect your friend? Be enraged, brake it off, sure, but kill them? Srsly?
No worries about the long comment, I could discuss my Chaol love for eternity! I don't get how anyone could not love that guy. I think you really sum up Chaol as a person. Yes, sometimes it feels like he makes mistakes, but he always tries his hardest. He is loyal and loving, and sometimes he makes mistakes.
DeleteI feel like Maas liked Chaol to begin with and made a great character who had CHARACTER GROWTH, but then wrote Rowan and fell more in love with him. I felt she purposely sabotages Chaol's character in order to make sense of the out of nowhere romance between Aelin and Rowan. Actions definitely speak louder than words. I felt he was ALWAYS loyal, he was just loyal to Dorian over Celaena. Not a bad thing. Dorian is his childhood friend, his future King. I felt that showed the strength of his character, he didn't give up Dorian just because he had fallen in love.
YES!!! OH MY. ARAGORN AND ARWEN... IT CAN WORK! Gah, you make so much sense and you have made me even sadder about the whole thing. *CRIES*
I know. It pissed me off when she went from loving him to hating him so easily. Pfft. FICKLE GIRL >.<
I very much agree with the above post I feel the character of Choal is being mistreated and sabotaged in favour of the new Aelin / Rowan dynamic, even when doing so harms the integrity of all three characters. (can’t say yuck!, enough) I can’t stand Rowan as anything more than a friend to Aelin. You have said it so perfectly, I hope all people read your comment.
Delete(This comment above ^^, YES 100 times, YES! I totally agree. I have kinda started to DESPISE Aelin because of this.)
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading QoS and it is just breaking my Chaol loving heart :( I hate this whole Rowan and Aelin ship and I cannot get behind it all! I don't understand how ANYONE can get behind it after the way Maas wrote Chaol and Celaena's relationship. I'm just glad to have found a little corner of the internet where others intend on going down with this ship like me hahaha.
ME TOO! She got it spot on and her comment has just made me love Chaol even more. I can't either. I just felt like it came out of nowhere and went from 0-100 in QoS and I don'#t approve. Aelin was more concerned with romance in that book than by the serious situations going on around her. I was not pleased.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI posted my comment to this AMAZING post at this link:
ReplyDeletehttp://ashleydonn.blogspot.com/2016/01/in-response-to-why-i-am-team-chaol-and.html
I am new here and don't know how to use the comment 'pane' for HTML and the like... so I figured I'd post it on my own blog and leave the link here. Please read and tell me your thoughts!!! Thank you for this AMAZZZING post.
I am so happy so many people love this post and what I had to say. Also so happy to find other Chaol fans out there. Even now that the ship is dead, dead, dead, dead, DEAD; I still root for Chaol and don't buy the forced romance between Celaena & Rowan.
DeleteYes!! You just MADE my morning; thanks so much for taking the time to read my comment / post! I'm SO excited to discuss, and very much looking forward to your response!
ReplyDeleteI'm just as stoked to explore your blog further - given the complete accuracy and detail in your 'Team Chaol' post, I imagine I'm going to thoroughly enjoy the rest of your reviews.
I am so happy to hear that and I LOVED your response post, it was perfect!
DeleteOh! I am so glad I came across your blog! I'm not so willing to let my ship go down so easily! I still hope that it's Rowan that dies, somehow saving his 'caranam' and then he can go and be with his true mate. Aelin hasn't mated yet, and I can almost guarantee that we will! And I don't think she can mate with someone who has already mated? AND they made a huge point in HOF to say that you could mate with someone you had already been with ... so I still feel like there is a possibility that something big will happen that will throw Aelin and Chaol back together and maybe, just maybe they will mate! And then my little shipper heart can be happy :-)
ReplyDeleteThe best part of Chaol is his character growth throughout the whole series. He is the only main character without magic and so he has to fight like hell to keep up. He is fiercely loyal and he loves so SO deep. And honestly, with a few comments he made in his head during QOS i think he's just hurt that Aelin went away loving him and came back so dang indifferent to him. That would be the absolute worst! And my heart breaks for him.
And I'm just not a fan of him and Nesryn. I feel like she was a throw in, a place holder, something to make Chaol fans happy, but it doesn't work! At all! She reminds me of Sorscha! (And don't get me started on Sorscha.)
Anyways, I'm still hoping for Rowan to be killed off in some huge valiant act and for Chaol and Aelin to end up together. :)
I feel very much the same on Nesryn, I don’t hate her (and I don’t think you do ethier) she just seems like such a placeholder as you mention. And I recommend that you read;
DeleteTen Years Later by justanotherthroneofglassfangirl if you haven’t http://archiveofourown.org/works/4947415/chapters/11356816
there is a nice (not nasty) little bit in a very shippy Celaena / Choal fic in regards to her ☺
And don’t you or anyone who wants it, ever feel bad about wishing Rowan bumped off.
Personally I’d like to see him sealed in a crate and put into storage; ala end of ‘Raiders Of the Lost Ark’; with a sign on the side “Do Not Open Under Any Circumstances, Under Pain Of Death Or Torture” and that’s when I’m being only slightly unkind to him, you’d hate to see what my real nasty to him would be.
I love that I have found so many Chaol fans out there. And those who don't buy the romance between Aelin and Rowan. Even now, having read Empire of Storms and all that happens there. I still don't buy it. It feels so very forced. I wish they had ended up being mates too, it bothers me that the author made it Rowan. It was all so convenient and feel like she changed her mind about the direction of the romance when writing it.
DeleteMine too!!! I really felt he was just so confused as to how her love for him had just disappeared. I don't like his relationship with Nesryn either, it feels very convenient yet again. I agree, definitely reminded me of Sorscha too.
I am just not confident that Maas knows how to handle her romances. She put in all these love interests and now spends her time trying to appease fans, whilst also going with the character she admits that she herself fell in love with when writing.
I am a Rowaelin shipper (despite going through many VERY convincing Doraelena and Chaelena posts out there), and simply it's because S.J. Maas commands it. Every passage, every word could or could not be there simply AT THE AUTHOR'S WHIM. Or where she wants the story to go! We're all manipulated by the words and wording choices! I REALLY admire non-canon shippers, because they find hope in words that are no longer there. My one venture out into the non-canon world is Thorneder. Thorne and Cinder had SO much chemistry!
ReplyDeleteYes. But I feel like a lot of people don't buy the Rowan romance because it seems forced and convenient. The author has admitted to falling in love with the character of Rowan when writing him. But I don't think he was the original choice of love interest. Hence why everything was SOOOOOOOOOOO platonic in Heir of Fire, and then all their romantic feelings just came out of nowhere in Queen of Shadows - at least that is how it felt to me. I also don't get how Rowan couldn't tell that his first mate wasn't his real mate. Obviously the story will go the way Maas wants, but fans can be unhappy if it seems she is changing her mind as she writes it, meaning past things no longer make sense. She just doesn't seem the kind of storyteller who can plan well in advance and know where her story will go - like J. K. Rowling did with Harry Potter.
DeleteThis post and comment section sums up most of my feelings for this series and the relationships in it. I believe S.J. got lost along the way. You can tell by how she tries to undermine and weaken every single action Chaol does. She built him up and created a deep, well-rooted character, worthy and capable of so much love and loyalty, only to destroy him and bring him down with petty actions and non-worthy lines. It is obvious S.J. considers the fae prince a better match for Aelin on paper.
ReplyDeleteNonetheless, I consider Chaol the best character in the series (specifically in books 1 and 2 where you could see the purpose and the impact of his relationship with C. - ground her, complement her, bring out the best in her), but now, well...let's just hope these books turn out to be unpredictable and give the girl a change to stay with the guy that makes her feel home and safe. Not just her equal match in power. But a true companion.
Additionally, I am disappointed in how S.J. makes Aelin such a fickle girl. There is no need to have a romantic relationship with every male character who she spends more then 5 days with. Sam, Dorian, Chaol, Rowan, Aedion (strong bond, not romantic, but weird nonetheless), what's next S.J.?!
I wish her character had more will power and tenacity. To love fearlessly and truly, and not fall for every guy she meets. I don't throw shade at her for trying it out with different guys, but the way she seems to love them all so profoundly and then leaves them like nothing... is worrying.
Let's see what happens in the upcoming books, I am still excited and look forward to see how the story concludes, but the Chaol subject is a sore point in an otherwise thrilling series.
Chaol is end-game!!! Anyone who doesn't choose him is a complete fool! ;) Even the author thinks so :P
Though of course I must applaud S.J Maas, for making us feel for her characters. You to have hit the nail on the head, I also feel that S.J Maas has become a bit lost. And agree with you that Chaol perfectly grounds, complements and brings out her best, he is a true companion to her.
DeleteYes, that sums up my feelings about Maas. She became lost. She fell for her own character, but I don't think she started the series with any intention of him being a love interest for Celaena or her eventual mate. Hence why he already had a mate, oh no... she wasn't really. Because apparently even though it should be this incredible bond... he couldn't tell that she wasn't his real mate. SMH
DeleteI know, she started to try and undermine his character but also things she has put into her own series. Urgh, so frustrated.
I am kind of glad he was left out of Empire of Storms, I couldn't watch SJMaas destroy his character anymore than she has already tried.
I KNOW!!! Not sure why she gets romantically involved with every guy. Yes. I feel like young people do have more than one romance. But she makes out like they are the 'one' but then so easily moves on. It is weird.
She did think so. Clearly she changed her mind. And after reading Empire of Storms I am sad he isn't end game. And still wish Rowan would die.
I have 10000000% been Team Chaol since book 1, as you have, and I physically could not finish Queen of Shadows. The Throne of Glass series had been my favorite series for quite some time, and the first novel is still one of my favorite books, but it has fallen quite some levels since Rowan came into the picture. I totally agree with the "she falls in love with every guy" because I don't think I have ever read a series where the love interest has changed so much and so quickly. Rowan is fine and all as a person, (or Fae, should I say), but he is NOT the person I want to end up with Celaena/Aelin...I guess that's where the distinction is. I don't like Aelin. I love Celaena. I think what I loved most about Celaena as opposed to Aelin was that she wasn't perfect. She was darn near close, but she was still quirky and funny and relatable. Aelin demonstrated very few of those qualities and was far too serious for more liking. Honestly, I wish Aelin and Celaena could just separate off into two different people and Aelin can rule Terrasen with Rowan or whatever, and Celaena can run away and drop off the map and live happily ever after fighting crime with Chaol.
ReplyDeleteAAGH SARAH WHY
I am the same. I LOVED this series. I considered it my favourite series since Harry Potter. But I hate how Sarah J Maas has handled her story and her characters. She doesn't seem like a skilled storyteller in the way that J.K. Rowling is, how she planned out her series from the very first book. Dropping hints and clues that would be important later on. Sarah J. Maas seems to have allowed her plans to be thrown off because she started to like a character more than she originally planned. It is very weird to me.
DeleteOMG YES! Like if she could just suddenly turn into two people that would be perfect.
OMG, it's 2021 and every thing you said its What I think about It!! I wish Aelin was another character!!!
DeleteIn my mind Aelin and Celaena are the same person! Its still her just under a different name. Like she does not have two identities. I hate how shes like "Celaena is dead and I am Aelin" like she does not have multiple personalities! Whatever things she did as Celaena and whatever things she did as Aelin was all one person. I can not go change my name to Ashley and go rob a bank and say no I am not Ashley anymore so that was not me. Its that idiotic. I hate how mistreated Chaol was and it physically hurts my heart. If someone is claiming that Aelin and Celaena are two different people then I want Celaena back. I dislike Aelin very very much.
ReplyDeleteI too am actually starting to find that I’m beginning to dislike Aelin more than Celaena, this whole ‘I’m Aelin now’ is wearing thin fast and starting to annoy me.
DeleteYES!!! This is me. I don't get why Maas thinks her readers will just be totally okay with this complete change of personality. It makes NO sense. NONE AT ALL!!! Glad I have found sooooo many people who feel the same way, it makes me so happy.
DeleteI'm hopeful, especially coming to this series after the Court books. With ACTR, I was uncomfortable with the central relationship, but realised that the problems I had were exactly what Maas intended when I read ACMF. I suspect that the same thing's happening here, and my suspicions are heightened because we still don't know what The message Chaol left with Mort was, and QoS touched on that twice with Dorian and with the rockfall. I think it's going to be pivotal.
ReplyDeleteI feel like now I have read Empire of Storms there is no hope at all. Which I kind of knew was coming. Still hard for me as I don't buy the Rowan relationship at all, feels very forced since Queen of Shadows.
DeleteI am SOOO glad I found your blog because Chaol/Celaena annihilated every other ship in my list and after reading QoS, I find that Rowan's character is a bit of a cheat in the plotline.
ReplyDeleteI figured (before QoS, of course) that Celaena and Chaol's relationship would twist and turn but still come back to the part where she's supernatural and he's just human, and I was so stoked there was a 'forbidden-love' element to the romance but then Rowan came along and completely stowed that possibility away.
Rowan could act as her most loyal knight, or her Hand/Aide but as a ruler and as her lover, Chaol fits right in. In fact I would have embraced the cliche of Chaol turning out to be supernatural much less grudgingly than a *perfect* character stealing the spotlight.
The thing I loved about the Throne of Glass series was its transparency about the insecurities and deficiencies of its characters. One accepts Chaol's fatal mistake simply because in his shoes, one might have done the same thing. After all he didn't warn Nehemia about the threat because he was paranoid that the king knew of his relationship with Celaena and was trying to throw a wrench in it.
But Rowan's character is so impeccable, his arrival so coincidentally timed that it emerges as surreal. I'm still hoping that the next book will wreck Rowan/Aelin enough for me to see how Rowan recovers and maybe decide whether I like him.
I know, I felt Rowan was such a convenience to the story. I just don't understand what Maas was doing in the build up of the romance
DeleteAnd Celaena seems to just ignore the fact that Nehemia planned her own death. It bugs me so much.
I'm Team Chaol from the beginning, and to whatever end. Aelin or Celaena, Chaol was supposed to be the endgame for her. She said she'd pick Chaol no matter what. Whether she was Celaena or Aelin! That was until Maas changed her mind and make Aelin pick Rowan instead because the author herself has an obsession with Rowan. Maas even admitted Rowan wasn't even planned from the beginning. I honestly can't stand that old stinking guy and I hope he dies later. Aelin can go with him if she wishes to because it's hard for me to bring myself care for her. I felt like I hadn't known her before while reading QoS. And I'm pretty sure they are a lot of parts of the book I've missed because I can't stand Rowan, especially when Aelin was in the same page.
ReplyDeleteI know, and she admitted she fell for Rowan when writing him. Personally, I just found all of that a bit weird. I don't like Rowan either, I did when the relationship was platonic. Now I just see this ancient old man with a teenager and it creeps me out. Urgh!
DeleteQoS broke my heart into a million pieces. I too feel misled by Maas. But despite all this I am still holding on to that tiny spark of hope for a Chaol/Caelaena endgame. I can't even begin to put into words how I feel. Damn this series and making people so invested in it. Ok, time to go cry again.
ReplyDeleteI KNOW!!!! Urgh. I hate Empire of Storms for ruining all hope.
DeleteOh, my Good Lord; I've loved Chaol since we met him the first time, when he led Celaena to Dorian, her still being in Endovier. I swear to God, if Celaena picks ANYONE BUT CHAOL, my life is OVER. I love him soo much, and in the end of the first book, when Cain messed with her in the final "Test", and Chaol kneeled in front of her, I lost it. I cried my eyes out, and I will do the same if she doesn't end up with him. After all the emotions between Chaol and Celaena Maas has shown us, she can't make Celaena give her heart to someone else. My God, I have a problem.
ReplyDeleteMe too. I was rooting for him from the very beginning. I loved their relationship progression so much. YES!!! When he is outside the circle telling her to get up, it was beautiful. I hate Empire of Storms, it destroyed all hope of them too.
DeleteOn QOS, Chaol said, 'Once
ReplyDeletemagic is free, who is to stop the
monsters fromcoming out. Who is to stop you?' I cannot believe he said that after all he and Aelin have been. If he really loves Aelin, he would not stay that and have proven in his actions that he really has chosen Aelin's side. What's the use in joining the rebels when he can't make up his mind about freeing magic? Chaol said to Aelin and he said he wasn't sure if Aelin is the one to be blame for the fall of the kingdom... and he made me think when he asked 'Where were you when...' that he thought Aelin sat her ass off. I really think Rowan and Aelin are good for each other. Because like Dorian said to Chaol, 'you have no right to wish she were not what she is'. And Rowan accepts her for her magic and all even at the start where he met her. Didn't even think to be afraid of her when they met. I think the just pulls it off and makes Rowan and Aelin perfect for each other.������
I know, but I also feel like it felt forced. I don't feel he would have said that before Maas decided she no longer wanted Celaena with Chaol. I feel Rowan and Aelin feel very forced. They were completely platonic the whole of Heir of Fire, then suddenly ultra romance like in QoS. Came out of nowhere.
DeleteFirst time poster, here, or anywhere on blogger at all. So this is the first ever.
ReplyDeleteFirst I’d like to say that I’m very much relieved to find that I’m not alone here.
Now I’ll warn you that I don’t usually talk much, I’m not very good at public speaking and can tend to ramble on and on when I do talk, so if I do so I apologise. In short be forewarned this post will be a big one.
*takes deep breath*
Now I’ll tell you a little something about myself; I’m an avid reader of books of several different genres; Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Historical Fiction etc, and am thus a bit of bookworm; not so unusual until you become aware that I have been told on numerous occasions how much I look like a biker or bigger Ned Kelly, lol ☺. (Although yes I am a big bikie looking bloke; I only ever let my beard grow Ned Kelly long the one time just to see what it looked like; and I am not a biker and although I may at times look threatening from a distance to those who do not know me; I am actually described by friends as a big softy, even at times a hopeless romantic in secret. )
I like to take walks and listen to books on tape, on my old (very, very old lol) I-Pod Touch. Sometimes these are on youtube (bad I know, but anyway), one of these is how I stumbled upon Throne of Glass.
Now I wasn’t looking for a shippy book, but, quickly fell in love with the idea of Celaena and Chaol together they complement each other so well, and was enjoying the story so far and was thinking of going out and getting the actual paperback copies of these books for myself.
When I mentioned the book I was enjoying and that I was thinking about going out to buy them to a female friend she said she knew about it and had some of the books, up to Queen of Shadows, but said that she was going to wait until the series was finished before buying any more at this point because she felt it was starting to perhaps be going down hill from Heir of Fire, and advised I do the same. (This was about a month ago, btw, and yes I’m afraid she kind of spoiled me a bit by telling me what happens, I don’t tend to usually get to worried about that type of thing though, if the story is still good.
DIDN'T FIT THE FIRST TIME HERE; LEAVING THE SECOND PART HERE IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIT IT IN:
DeleteThough my reaction to the quick discarding of Choal for Rowan and the blaming of him for something that was almost more akin to suicide depending on how you look at it, tended toward, perhaps, some over reaction with my response to the continuing plot, when I face-palmed, shook me head, rubbed my eyes and muttered something along the lines of “oh, the ‘clucking’ idiocy!” This made my friend laugh, but I was serious. ☺ )
Anyway I had a look at her copies of them, though I admit I did not read them all cover to cover (my shippy heart just couldn’t quite handle it), I think my feelings are on par, with hers and others here and am going to make a brief list of those people’s posts who are I feel are closest to my feelings and recommend that all read them and the replies to them, as I think that they say so many of the things I am thinking and feeling far better than I ever could. I’d like to use said list to be my reply to these posts as well, as I am terrible at such things anyway.
(Although I want to make it clear that I think all posts here share merit and should be read, these are just the ones closest to my own thoughts/ feelings)
Where do I start;
I very much agree with Tjasa Majdic ( Tjasa Majdic: 24 Nov. 2015) I feel the character of Choal is being mistreated and sabotaged in favour of the new Aelin / Rowan dynamic, even when doing so harms the integrity of all three characters. (can’t say yuck!, enough) I can’t stand Rowan as anything more than a friend to Aelin. You have said it so perfectly, I hope all people read your comment.
As Chandlini Y posted above; (Chandlini Y: 2 June 2016) ; I too am actually starting to find that I’m beginning to dislike Aelin more than Celaena, and this whole ‘I’m Aelin now’ is wearing thin fast and starting to annoy.
(Megan: 20 Feb 2016); I feel very much the same on Nesryn, I don’t hate her (and I don’t think you do ethier) she just seems like such a placeholder as you mention. And I recommend that you read; Ten Years Later by justanotherthroneofglassfangirl if you haven’t http://archiveofourown.org/works/4947415/chapters/11356816 there is a nice (not nasty) little bit in a very shippy Celaena / Choal fic in regards to her ☺
And don’t you or anyone who wants it, ever feel bad about wishing Rowan bumped off.
Personally I’d like to see him sealed in a crate and put into storage; ala end of ‘Raiders Of the Lost Ark’; with a sign on the side “Do Not Open Under Any Circumstances, Under Pain Of Death Or Torture” and that’s when I’m being only slightly unkind to him, you’d hate to see what my real nasty to him would be.
(Debbie: 1 April 2016) Though of course I must applaud S.J Maas, for making us feel for her characters. You to have hit the nail on the head, I also feel (as you can tell by the ‘clucking’ earlier) that S.J Maas has become a bit lost. And agree with you that Chaol perfectly grounds, complements and brings out her best, he is a true companion to her.
Ok I’ve Rambled way to long going to try to post this now (btw, I am slow a typer and it takes me ages to put my thoughts together, so this took about 3 hours, so….. “PLEASE, PLEASE, FORGIVE THE LENGTH OF MY NONSENSICLE RAMBLINGS!”
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThough my reaction to the quick discarding of Choal for Rowan and the blaming of him for something that was almost more akin to suicide depending on how you look at it, tended toward, perhaps, some over reaction with my response to the continuing plot, when I face-palmed, shook me head, rubbed my eyes and muttered something along the lines of “oh, the ‘clucking’ idiocy!” This made my friend laugh, but I was serious. ☺ )
ReplyDeleteAnyway I had a look at her copies of them, though I admit I did not read them all cover to cover (my shippy heart just couldn’t quite handle it), I think my feelings are on par, with hers and others here and am going to make a brief list of those people’s posts who are I feel are closest to my feelings and recommend that all read them and the replies to them, as I think that they say so many of the things I am thinking and feeling far better than I ever could. I’d like to use said list to be my reply to these posts as well, as I am terrible at such things anyway.
(Although I want to make it clear that I think all posts here share merit and should be read, these are just the ones closest to my own thoughts/ feelings)
Where do I start;
I very much agree with Tjasa Majdic ( Tjasa Majdic: 24 Nov. 2015) I feel the character of Choal is being mistreated and sabotaged in favour of the new Aelin / Rowan dynamic, even when doing so harms the integrity of all three characters. (can’t say yuck!, enough) I can’t stand Rowan as anything more than a friend to Aelin. You have said it so perfectly, I hope all people read your comment.
As Chandlini Y posted above; (Chandlini Y: 2 June 2016) ; I too am actually starting to find that I’m beginning to dislike Aelin more than Celaena, and this whole ‘I’m Aelin now’ is wearing thin fast and starting to annoy.
(Megan: 20 Feb 2016); I feel very much the same on Nesryn, I don’t hate her (and I don’t think you do ethier) she just seems like such a placeholder as you mention. And I recommend that you read; Ten Years Later by justanotherthroneofglassfangirl if you haven’t http://archiveofourown.org/works/4947415/chapters/11356816 there is a nice (not nasty) little bit in a very shippy Celaena / Choal fic in regards to her ☺
And don’t you or anyone who wants it, ever feel bad about wishing Rowan bumped off.
Personally I’d like to see him sealed in a crate and put into storage; ala end of ‘Raiders Of the Lost Ark’; with a sign on the side “Do Not Open Under Any Circumstances, Under Pain Of Death Or Torture” and that’s when I’m being only slightly unkind to him, you’d hate to see what my real nasty to him would be.
(Debbie: 1 April 2016) Though of course I must applaud S.J Maas, for making us feel for her characters. You to have hit the nail on the head, I also feel (as you can tell by the ‘clucking’ earlier) that S.J Maas has become a bit lost. And agree with you that Chaol perfectly grounds, complements and brings out her best, he is a true companion to her.
Ok I’ve Rambled way to long going to try to post this now (btw, I am slow a typer and it takes me ages to put my thoughts together, so this took about 3 hours, so….. “PLEASE, PLEASE, FORGIVE THE LENGTH OF MY NONSENSICLE RAMBLINGS!”
Not sure if anyone here is into the fan fiction type of thing but I've read some of those stories and they have helped my shippy heart feel a little bit better, and wanted to recommend two Chaol / Celaena works that I think are good and deserve recognition;
ReplyDeleteTen Years Later by justanotherthroneofglassfangirl on Archive of Our Own
The Assassin's Desire by Hatiah Begum (beguh003) on wattpad
Thank you for your time.
Yay! Thank you for the long comments. Happy you enjoyed the post and feel the same. Will try to reply to as much as possible.
DeleteSo happy to find you on here, a grown adult male reader. I have been to two Sarah J. Maas events now and you are a rare breed there, which is such a shame. I haven't actually listened to a whole audiobook before. I have tried on numerous occasions but always get put off by the narrators voice. I haven't managed to find one that I like yet, which is a shame.
I totally feel the series went downhill after Heir of Fire, Crown of Midnight will always be my favourite book. I agree that Rowan was much better as a platonic friend to Celaena, I just feel their romance was so forced in Queen of Shadows. Maas is mistreating her characters and undermining them, it harms their integrity for sure, as well as the story itself.
So agree with the Aelin being different from Celaena thing, it is the stupidest thing I have seen in a while in a book series. I HATE IT!!
Thanks for the comment, sorry it has taken me so long to see and reply to it.
I just started reading the throne of glass series last week, and I am already done with the first two. I instantly fell in love with chaol, more than the plot I loved chaol and I loved celeana and chaols relationship and that relationship when intensified in the second book I was all too happy. But I was soon let down by the end of the book. What hurt and outraged me more than their split was sarah j maas's attempt on sabotaging chaol's personality. All of a sudden chaol became unsupportive and closed off, didnt accept her for who she really was which was A Fae! I mean what the hell chaol cane to terms with her being an assassin why wouldnt he accept her for being a fae but this is what sarah j maas wants she wants to clear a path for Rowan she wants to justify celeana and Rowans relationship thats why she made chaol someone who isnt ready to accept her. They obviously were two opposite poles from the beginning celana was an assassin and chaol captain of guard his loyalty was obviously going to be towards the king and thats exactly why sometimes he becomes rigid and not understanding, and sometimes cant trust celeana but they still loved each other they could work it out chaol was ready to live with her leave his position just for her what else does she want! But sarah wants to depict him like this she is sabotaging him because she wants us to accept Rowan with celeana she wants us to think they are a perfect match because Rowan understands while chaol doesn't.
ReplyDelete*cries* if she wanted to she would have made wabts more accepting and understanding but sarah wabts Rowan to be endgame.
YES!!! She totally began to sabotage his personality to fit the fact she fell for her own character. It made so little sense to me and pissed me off so much. I know, but I still don't see Rowan as a perfect match. That romance felt so very forced in Queen of Shadows, after being sooooooo platonic in Heir of Fire.
DeleteI instantly fell in love with chaol westfall and I was rooting for him. And the moments and the relationship celeana and chaol had in crown of midnight oh my that was beyong beautiful, that felt so real, they even made plans to be together forever. But all of sudden sarah j maas sabotaged his character just to place Rowan and forus to see that Rowan is rather a perfect match. What is so perfect Rowan and Celeana are the same they belong from the same region they dnt have difficulties accepting each other for what they really are. Chaol and celeana were totally different and the fact that chaol wanted to be with her and leave behind his position said everything abt his love for her. Obviously he wouldnt accept her completely and obviously not soon because his loyalty lies with the king, but he would have left behind the king and everything he worked for if only sarah j maas wanted celeana and chaol to be together but she didn't want them to be together so she started sabotaging his character started depicting him as more and more shallow with each passing day. It hurts that shes turning each an amazing character into someone who is shallow I mean no this isnt fair shes just making him look bad because she wants us to fallin love with Rowan and she eants us to believe that Rowan is a better match. Go ahead make Rowan and celeana a couple but dont make chaol look bad or shallow dont sabotage his character just because u want us to root for Rowan. He would have accepted her after a period of unacceptance he would have if only sarah wanted, if only she'd let it but she didnt she made him look shallow and is manipulating us into believing it too but I hate myself for believing it a little even if its just one percent even if I love him one percent of me still ended up thinking that he wasn't accepting and he acted shallow and i didnt likw that abt him it kind of changed his perfect image for me but thats sarah wanted us to feel wanted his image of perfection to change, and sarah is to blame for making a part of me feel like this, for sabotaging my chaol just to bring in Rowan. Chaol westfall is always going to be a tough handsome blunt caring hero,that I love more than anyone.
ReplyDeleteI know, Crown of Midnight remains my favourite in the series because of those moments.I feel if she was a skilled writer then she could have made her readers fall for Rowan, without having to sabotage Chaol. Clearly she isn't though. Urgh, I am just getting pissed off about this series all over again.
DeleteRead both you posts and agree whole-heartedly, I disapprove so much so of what I see as the deliberate sabotage of Chaol's character that following must be said and asked if i'm being honest and forward:
ReplyDeleteI think I mentioned before; I wasn't looking for a shippy book, but, quickly fell in love with the idea of Celaena and Chaol together they complement each other so well, and was enjoying the story so far and was thinking of going out and getting the actual paperback copies of these books for myself.
What I did not explicitly say before, though I'm sure I've made it pretty obvious through implication; is that while I'm keenly interested to see how the rest of the story plays out, I'm now no longer in as great a rush to go out and buy these books, I think I'll just read my friends copies, though she too has pretty much stopped at Queen of Shadows, maybe my local library will help with the rest.
And is there anyone else; in light of what happened in the past with Lithaen and Roland; that thinks / feels Chaol's, saying in Queen of Shadows how he was waiting for a feeling jealousy to come when seeing Aelin with another man, but how it didn't happen,that, that is just a little bit too convenient.
I ask the same of Chaol's injury making him paralysed?; (in my eyes; wow, what a convenient way to effectively remove Chaol from play so to speak. Now he must go off to be healed, and as I understand it is only mentioned in Empire of Storms, wonder if we will see much of him again the last book....if at all. If so, with the authors current trend towards him; I wouldn't be surprised if its either to kill him off, or at best give him a paragraph at about the second too or very last page :( )
I know. He isn't even in Empire of Storms. NOT AT ALL. Not even one little chapter. He was completely left out. Think he will be pushed into a romantic relationship with Nesryn. As she is pairing off every male and female in this book. Urgh. Annoying.
DeleteYes, Chaol would have felt jealousy for sure. This was the woman he loved and imagined spending his whole life with. How could he not feel jealousy.
Okay so... first of all, Chaol is a human, just like us, right?
ReplyDeleteThink about it.
If you were.. a maiden or whatever and you and some boy fell in love (idfk) and your relationship (even though it might not be perfect), was made out of pure love and passion and understand... would you let that boy, that boy that means the world to you, go into the hands of a old immortal granny? (Yes, this is Rowan's cue) I'' not trying to be mean or offensive towards any of the Rowaelin shippers out there but when you just point out how... clingy and unsure Chaol is about everything, you make no sense whatsoever. Chaol is a human, just like us. We aren't perfect and neither is he. He LOVED Cealena. (care to bother to even understand the word 'LOVED' means?) and Cealena was-- IS his world. She's like his purpose. So now that she's the 'mate' of an old man the author happens to love and fantasize about, that wouldn't mean Chaol being all like 'yeah it's fine, you guys are happy together'... Because humans and love do NOT work like that. Chaol isn't perfect, like I said. People don't just move on that quickly without problems. So PLEASE, get a grip on what you try to say.. because to me, that ship of Rowan and whoever this 'new girl who dis' Aelin is, does not make sense at all.
To me.. it looks like people judge too much on feelings and not on 'try to imagine.. try to feel..' situations. Because I'm pretty sure if this was a person you love more than anything, you wouldn't just smile and be like 'I'' happy for you'. So please, don't act as if you're perfect and you wouldn't do it either.
I know, he would feel jealousy and sadness. This was the woman he imagined spending his life with, he wouldn't just brush that off and be okay with it. Urgh, this gets me angry every time I think of it.
DeleteI will always be team chaol! Love that guy so much. If he is real person, I want him all for myself lol
ReplyDeleteHaha! ME TOO!!
DeleteOh my god! This post is me , my feelings exactly! I love the bond between chaol and celaena.....it was UST all the way up to chaol's birthday night😍😍 and it felt to me like their relationship only lasted a few pages and and im afraid too that maas is planning to kill chaol off. By the way, the part where celaena gets angry (an understatement, i know) when archer kidnaps chaol, that was my favourite part. Im close to finishing CoM and i was heartbroken when celaena and chaol's relationshipbegins to wither away.
ReplyDeleteOh my god! This post is me , my feelings exactly! I love the bond between chaol and celaena.....it was UST all the way up to chaol's birthday night😍😍 and it felt to me like their relationship only lasted a few pages and and im afraid too that maas is planning to kill chaol off. By the way, the part where celaena gets angry (an understatement, i know) when archer kidnaps chaol, that was my favourite part. Im close to finishing CoM and i was heartbroken when celaena and chaol's relationshipbegins to wither away.
ReplyDeleteME TOO!!! When she turns into kick-ass assassin Celaena to hunt Chaol down and kill those who took him. I LOVE IT!!!
DeleteMY HEART IS BROKEN!!! I've finished reading Heir of Fire tonight and it hurts so much T-T I'm Chaol x Celaena 99% (I also like Dorian and Celaena :embarrased:) and I feel like the author has lied to everyone. The books were SO PERFECT until the third book. SOOOOOO PERFECT. The trio Celaena, Chaol and Dorian was amazing. You just cannot write two books with deep love between three characters (mostly Chaol and Celaena) and then in the third book make like nothing happened. I just need some sleep. Or cry. Or cry while sleeping *sobs*.
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to read Queen of Shadows, I don't even know how I've finished HoF. For me, everything ended with the third book of the series. Why? Because I liked Celaena even more than I liked Chaol (AND THAT'S A LOT). I liked how she always survived, how she was loyal to his friends, how she was STRONG. I understand how she felt when Nehemia got killed, but please!!!! IT WASN'T CHAOL'S FAULT.
About Rowan...
I liked him. But I felt like they had a Nehemia-Celaena kind of relationship. And that was good, wasn't it? Why has this happened? DOES CELAENA NEED TO FALL IN LOVE WITH EVERY HOT MALE CHARACTER? SHE. DOES. NOT.
AT ALL.
NOPE.*sobs*
I feel a little better thanks to your post.
A little little lil lil better.
ButChaoldoesnot.
I KNOW!!! I hated that so much, how she just broke apart such an amazing trio. I hated how Celaena treated Dorian and Chaol in Queen of Shadows, it was utterly awful.
DeleteI know, I hate how she blamed Chaol for that. When it was essentially suicide. She planned to die and would have found a way no matter what.
YES! I felt Rowan was a great FRIEND. They were better as platonic friends, rather than lovers. As lovers I find it really creepy.
OH MY GOD so I read all of the series this year and omg i actually just yes, i completely agree with you. I just feel like meeting with you and discussing this yes uh. i know this post was in 2015 but i just i needed to comment. I though i was the only one who felt this way but i am sooo happy to hear someone else say this
ReplyDeleteHAHA! Yes, I'd love to have someone to meet an discuss all of my Chaol feels with. I know no one IRL that actually reads this series, which sucks. So happy you enjoyed the post and people are still finding it even now.
DeleteOmg I've just read Queen of Shadows and I am sooo disappointed that I needed find people on the internet which feel the same.
ReplyDeleteI was never a fan of Chaol. I always prefered Dorian as a person but I had to admit that Chaols and Celaenas love scenes were written so beautiful and they belonged together. And even as someone who isn't that fond of Chaol I prefer him so much over Rowan. Rowan is ok as a character but their relationship seems a bit forced.
I don't see how Chaol and Aelin could end up together after Queen of the Shadows, but I would rather see her with anyone else but Rowan, because I simply don't buy it that he is her soul mate.
Sorry for the grammer, English isn't my first language
They really were written beautifully, made Crown of Midnight my favourite book. Rowan & Celaena definitely felt forced, especially after being so platonic on Heir of Fire. I don't buy the soul mate thing either, even if they are mates. Urgh, not happy with where the series went at all.
DeleteYou guys all feel my pain... Thank you so much for putting words to my thoughts! I am Team Chaol all the way.
ReplyDeleteChaol was and continues to be the best mate Celaena could hope for, even if Celaena and Maas refuse to see it. In choosing Chaol, Celeana had done better for herself because at that time , she was an assassin turned slave whom chaol trained to be a worthy competitor for a title.
He fell in love with her despite himself. His love was real. I liked the way Maas built their relationship so that it was grounded in real friendship and honest feeling; largely bound together with pain of loss and suffering.
That kind of love just does not disappear with the appearance of the next new shiny thing.
Am I the only one who feels Celaena is moving up with the men and has done better for herself. First Sam, a mere assassin like her; then came Chaol, a captain of the guard, stronger than her and a Lord to boot. Alongside, There was Prince Dorian who "shared" her bed, whom she then decided to boot because she felt like it (or maybe because she realized that Chaol was the stronger character).
Then came Rowan, the fae prince, (what's a human guard or prince compared to a Fae prince, right?)
What next? An angel with a legion of his own and supernatural beauty? And if he is absolutely smitten with her, would that be good enough reason to dump Rowan?
Loving somebody is not like having a job, where you can move to the next better one. Being a queen is a job. Sharing your life with the one you love is not. Celaena (Maas) has blurred the lines.
I agree with all of you who say that Maas is sabotaging her characters. In order to make room for an unlikely romance, she is destroying chaol and partly Celaena too. I liked her better when she was an assassin.
Chaol is all about integrity, honor and standing up for one's beliefs, and True Love! He still hasn't cheated on celaena with Nesryn, even in his heart, though Maas is pushing that line too.
The question now is, does Celaena deserve Chaol anymore?
ok but, now that we are a few more books down the line, what are your thoughts(you ight have addressed this already but idk where to look sooo)
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of you. Chaol is perfect for her in every way possible. At the end of Crown of Midnight, Chaol even said that he accepted her even though that she is fae or an assassin etc. Then, suddenly she turn to Rowan? I don't like characters that changes their partner very easily. Somehow I've started to hate her character development. Its a real let down for me that both chaol and celaena end up with different people. This will haunt me for the rest of my life.
ReplyDeleteYES! A 100 PERCENT ABSOLUTELY ENORMOUS NO-SHIT-INTENDED BIG FAT ALMIGHTY YES! YOUR WORDS ARE SO REALLY CONCISE I AM STARTING TO FEAR WE ARE TWINS! LOL
ReplyDeleteYES TO ALL THOSE
ReplyDeleteDid anyone know thats theres another one after empire of storms i think its called tower of dawn
ReplyDeleteYes, I’m also team chaol. But Even when they were at their happiest, I was still waiting for the bomb to drop. It was clear to me that they weren’t going to be endgame when she said to him ‘we’re never going to be just a normal boy and girl’ and he agreed to it. But it was painfully beautiful to see them help eachother grow. I was conflicted about her ending up with her first lover but the disney part of myself kept on rooting for them. I felt like they both needed to experience more before they could truly appreciate their bond.
ReplyDeleteit's 2021 and I just want you to know that I'm really glad this post hasn't been deleted. I felt hugged. I truly believed it would be the story of a forbidden love between a man from Adarlan and a Fae from Terrassen. Mischaracterizing Chaol and Aelin forgetting/ignoring him was the weirdest thing in the series... Sarah spent two books building a romance that would be the base of the story and then pretended it didn't exist. It hurt to see Celaena die to become Aelin and Chaol being treated like that to praise Rowan. Thanks for the post, my heart is lighter knowing I don't cry alone
ReplyDeleteI am coming to this party waaaaaaaaaay late. Currently reading through the series again and am on Temple of Storms at the moment, but I have to say I'm even more P.O.ed about this the second time through. At this point, I actively DISLIKE Aelin. Rowan's . . . okay. I mean, he's "the strong silent type" as written through the filter of a woman's fantasy, so he's an insanely powerful, overprotective LAPDOG who will do anything she says because she's just the special-est darned NINETEEN YEAR OLD he's ever met, and/or physically abused, in his HUNDREDS OF YEARS of living (coughpedophilecough).
ReplyDeleteAelin's reasons for dumping Chaol are all trumped up anyway. She's got: (1) Blaming him for Nyhemia's death; (2) he didn't cherish her past as a MURDERER FOR HIRE (i.e. he *judged* her); and (3) he literally looked at her wrong when she was in her fae form (i.e. could not possibly accept "who she was").
We all know that Nyhemia orchestrated her own death, and Aelin SHOULD have already known that the king was a threat to her. Anonymous rumors coming from the psychopath on the throne didn't change that. Beyond that, I JUST read a line where she tells Aelion that she doesn't blame Darrow for thinking she was a total piece of cr@p for her past. "I would have done the same, judge the same, if I were him." is the exact quote (p. 225 in my kindle version). So, she can acknowledge that killing people for money is the sort of thing that should, reasonably, be looked down upon, but Chaol is an unforgivable piece of filth for thinking it . . . and getting past it and loving her anyway. Got it.
Finally, basically every human she sees in her fae form freaks out. It's a freak-out-able thing! They've all been gone or dead for ten years and suddenly his girlfriend IS one! Oh. And she's on fire and setting everything else on fire. HOW DARE HE be scared of her for a minute?! Frankly, he DESERVES to be crippled for life. Right? I mean, he didn't adore everything about her at every moment, so clearly it isn't meant to be. Not when she can have an unimaginably powerful and vicious offering no resistance to her whims, telling her how right and special she is, fawning over her at every opportunity. But, never forget, he's a total BAD BOY. He's got a neck tattoo and everything! But he's ALSO a prince, soooooo . . .
Maas had a great, romantic relationship with fantastic chemistry and she just pooped all over it in favor of cliched, Harlequin Romance styled drivel.
At this point, I practically hope Erawan wins, because I have zero respect for our supposed hero or the author who ruined her.
I just wish I didn't love every OTHER aspect of the world she's created so darned much. Arrrrgh!!!
Team Chaol. Team Namon/Dorian all the way.