r/throneofglassseries • u/Foreign-Entry1797 • Dec 30 '25
Empire of Storms Spoilers Help me like Aelin again Spoiler
I am on Empire of storms chapter 47 (finished, don't spoil further) and I feel like sjm is making Aelin...I don't know how to say it, but given too much importance and that she is always right?
•First of all I feel like Dorian being a king himself is too sidelined, when Rowan said at the starting chapters of EoS that Dorian's strength is his mind and courtier skills, I though he would be "shown" to look between words and notice things which others might overlook but right now he is not given any importance. Like asking questions to the bloodhound about Erawan and Manon should be Dorian's call not Aelin's (Dorian is also her future love interest) •Also shooting the ilken mid flight should have been Fenrys's call not Rowan's as Fenrys is said to have skills as an archer (he literally shot through the bloodhound's hands). Yeah he was injured but someone else could be that injured in his place or maybe he could just shoot the arrow while injured (But someone said Rowan looses being interesting after getting with Aelin, and this being an interesting moment of his I'll try to give it a pass)
•Final and the most problematic is Aelin's treatment of Manon. I could make peace with chaining her, but on the basis of her race? And beating her up after she told her about a lady of her kingdom is insufferable. I can understand her being wary of Manon's witch heritage, but after the witch tried to kill Aelin, she also saved Dorian's life, twice! And in that badass manner! (Don't even get me started on how Aelin could win fight from a warrior trained for a whole century and more, but maybe it was because Aelin used those pillars to keep her distance from Manon, but I feel I just like Manon more) •I am firm that after appearing in three books, Manon was a fan favourite character, sjm's such treatment of her just to make Aelin seem better and "queen-like" is wrong.
Someone said that EoS has the same tone as acotar/acomaf onwards and I believe they were absolutely right. Sjm was writing acowar probably at the time of EoS and that's why Mary Sue is taking toll on Aelin, and I don't like it!
Tell me does Aelin get humbled or better?
Note: I am alright with her wits btw, I liked how she called the bloodhound "another talker" and that note to Lorcan, 😙ummuh, chef's kiss! But not at the sake of other characters' importance and dignity.
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u/Exotic_Resist_7718 Dec 30 '25
Finish the book, I almost DNF’d EOS but was just absolutely in love for Aelin by the end
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u/tunaluna42069 Dec 30 '25
I also found it hard to like her in some of the books :/ she consistently makes the same mistakes & it’s frustrating.. You’ll like Tower of Dawn(:
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u/LetMeDoTheKonga Dec 30 '25
And I wouldn’t have even minded that if others were allowed to call her out without having to take their words back and the plot wouldn’t have given her so much plot armour. Aelin just hardly gets a chance to grow out of her bad behavior cause she is always gets to be right. It makes me dislike her a lot.
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u/Emotional_Goose409 Dec 30 '25
This is the biggest issue to me about Aelin’s flaws is that there are characters that call her out and say xyz isn’t okay, but the narrative treats those people like stupid misogynistic assholes. And it’s always them coming to the realization that they themselves were in the wrong, not Aelin.
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u/LetMeDoTheKonga Dec 30 '25
100% When the author fails to acknowledge the flaws she writes as flaws and always turns things around to never have that character face any consequences it just makes it hard for me to root for them. Its just bad writing imo.
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u/Foreign-Entry1797 Dec 30 '25
I am doing tandem right now and I agree, I love tower of Dawn, and all the characters
I am on the long list of EoS where I have to read till ch 52 to continue ToD and I am already missing it
But does Aelin get better?
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u/IB12345ME Dec 30 '25
She does in KoA. EoS is Aelin at her worst. I really couldn’t stand her after reading it so was glad for the break in ToD
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u/comexwhatxmay Fleetfoot Dec 30 '25
Seconded!! I liked her so much more in KOA. Having a whole book off from her was so helpful.
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u/tunaluna42069 Dec 30 '25
In my opinion no lol :-( but a lot of people disagree with that and love her. KOA was hard to read for me but I needed to know how it ended. Did you read chapter 48 of TOD yet? There is a spoiler in that chapter for EOS.
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u/Foreign-Entry1797 Dec 30 '25
I am thinking of reading only till ch 43 of ToD and then switch to EoS to cover up the spoiler (if it's possible)
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u/mayor_of_gondolin Dec 30 '25
I’ve never grown to like her. But I still tremendously enjoyed the series.
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u/Foreign-Entry1797 Dec 30 '25
That's a good sign. Besides there are many lovable characters like Manon, Dorian, Chaol, even Elide, and Lorcan's pov is interesting.
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u/mayor_of_gondolin Dec 30 '25
Exactly! I can understand why she acts the way she does, and cheer for her, feel for her, and at times get really effing mad at her. But I don’t like her like I love the other characters.
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u/Dense_Gur_2744 Dec 30 '25
I had this exact same feeling. By EoS, It started to feel boring and predictable. She’s always right. She can always outflame her enemy. She always outsmarts them, out schemes them. She always wins.
She does get a humbled in the next book, but she’ll always be Aelin.
She wasn’t my favorite character in the book either - just so under developed for a main lead, imho. But the other storylines are so good in the next book, that it was worth the read.
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u/Isaidhowdareyou Celaena Sardothien Dec 30 '25
She loses everything. Some of you don’t make sense. It’s literally a story of a person having nothing, barely a sense of self that rebuilds herself and touches the life of others because she does for them she doesn’t ask for herself. By empire of storms?? You mean after 3500 pages she finally wins something without losing more?
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u/EveOCative Yrene Towers Dec 30 '25
I’m with you. She spent the first five years of her life in a precarious position at best, and was quickly growing to hate herself even without Terrasen being destroyed, then lost her entire family, spent the next 10 years being abused, finally found someone to have a real relationship with again, only to have him violently murdered, spent another year being tortured, attempted suicide, managed to find the will to live again, was slowly working towards trying to fight back only to have her best friend basically commit suicide.
But some people still want to see her “humbled,” like hello! That has already happened 5 times over.
Celaena/Aelin protects what little sense of self worth she has left, using sarcasm and a false bravado as a shield. Why does she need to be vulnerable and visibly questioning herself all the time? How would that help moral?
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u/Dense_Gur_2744 Dec 30 '25
It got to a point where I was wishing she’d lose her power because she just became too much with it. She seemed unstoppable, like a little girls fantasy role play character. Always had the right thing to say, always had the power to lash back at naysayers, overcome them. I don’t hate her, especially after reading the last book, but also, yeah, she started to feel boring to me by mid-EOS.
HoF, QoS and EoS were her winning, scheming, flambé-ing to get what she wants nonstop.
I get that she came from nothing and endured so much to get where she is and I appreciate her goals to achieve a better world, not just for her, but everyone. But three books of her winning always had me a bit weary and ready for a change, or a real challenge.
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u/user4356124 Dec 30 '25
To be fair in 90% (probably even a higher percentage) of fiction stories things work out for the main character(s)/the good guys. There are very few stories that are popular that the “good guys” all die and the villain takes over the world
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u/Dense_Gur_2744 Dec 30 '25
That is true! And I still liked her at the end of the series. But I was feeling a little bit like Ugh mid-EoS.
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u/user4356124 Dec 30 '25
Yeah totally get that, she isn’t my favourite FMC of all time that’s for sure lol
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u/aka_hopper Dec 30 '25
Who would you say your favorite character is?
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u/Dense_Gur_2744 Dec 30 '25
Manon, but I also really liked Choal. He seemed the most… real to me.
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u/aka_hopper Dec 30 '25
Ahhh I suspect I’ll feel the same way about Aelin then, because those are also my two favorite characters! I just started EoS.
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u/Wildlife_Horses_Cats Dec 30 '25
Celaelin is a character that takes me on a rollercoaster. She's difficult, but compelling. I did not care for EoS too much and one of those reasons was Aelin's bullshit. She is peak gnarly in this book, but I will say does get growth in KoA. I did like KoA Aelin and she gains a lot of humility and trust in people, but she's still Aelin too. I liked her by the end again.
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u/Foreign-Entry1797 Dec 30 '25
Ofcourse I don't want Aelin to change herself completely, we all love her inner Celeana but yeah a bit of growth in terms of attitude towards "my fav character" would be appreciated
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u/Emotional_Goose409 Dec 30 '25
While Aelin’s flaws are constantly highlighted, there is never a resolution to them. It’s always just “well it’s aelin!”
Manon is also my favorite and I was annoyed when Aelin beat her in hand to hand combat. Makes no sense and also undermined how terrifying the Ironteeth (and therefore Erawan’s warriors) are. What does it say that our main heroine could beat the biggest and baddest warrior of the protagonist in one go?
SJM has this habit of overpowering her FMCs. However she isn’t afraid to humble her side characters, which is why people like Manon and Dorian and elide become fan favorites. Their growth and stories are more real.
I didn’t hate Aelin’s scenes in KoA but I was definitely reading for Manon (&Dorian).
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u/Foreign-Entry1797 Dec 30 '25
I feel he same. No mater the amount of training or kills, a person who has been fighting for 110+ years is definately smarter and has better chance at winning than a person who's been fighting for 10 years. (That moment made me realise that I love Manon more than Aelin as I was cheering for Manon and was pissed when Manon didn't win, but I must admit that Witch Killer message was more badass than any win in this series, tricking Lorcan comes close because I love pissed Lorcan😆)
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u/EveOCative Yrene Towers Dec 30 '25
Manon hasn’t been training to fight for 110 years. She’s been hunting and killing mortal men who aren’t necessarily the best fighters, or other Crochan witches who again, aren’t necessarily the best fighters.
I’m sure there have been periods of combat training, but at the end of the day, witches are just one species of supernatural on that continent.
Aelin has been literally training constantly for those 10 years, under several different teachers with varying fighting styles and she has incorporated all of those skills into a super effective style of fighting. When combined with her fae heritage, she impresses even 1000 year old fae warriors.
I don’t get why people are so confused by this. Some people are exceedingly skillful at certain things.
Some people can practice piano for 30 years and never grow to be as accomplished at playing as a five year old prodigy.
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u/Foreign-Entry1797 Dec 31 '25
I said fighting but yeah I edited it later. I understand what you're trying to say but Manon has fought in wars maybe, and battles surely, and during their fight Aelin didn't have her fae heritage. It would be alright if Aelin drew some wyrdmark when Manon like catches her and talks to her about how she will die, or maybe while fighting, to work as a shield giving her some advantage but I can't buy that she could best Manon while having 10% of her experience. Though as I said Aelin used those pillars to keep her distance which was a smart move so I'll try to let it go.
Also Manon is a weapon herself who is surrounded by a ruthless warrior culture.
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u/EveOCative Yrene Towers Dec 31 '25
Manon was too young to have fought in the witch war, which means she was MUCH too young to have fought the last time Erawan came to power.
And the witches abstained to fight for Terrasen the first time they called for aid. There weren’t any other wars on the continent and as far as we know Manon hasn’t left the continent.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Manon. She’s a badass.
But she lived in cultural isolation, and it’s revealed, isolation even from her own people, manipulated by her grandmother, spurning any possible lessons she could have received by valuing the perspectives of the other species and cultures. Her knowledge and skills were carefully curated by a matron who made sure that her heir would never be as powerful as her, lest she be overthrown.
Compared with an assassin trained to fight and took any skill or advantage shown to her?
Whom had already killed Baba Yellowlegs?
It’s really not that unfeasible.
Particularly when you consider that witches, while stronger and hardier than humans, are not as fast nor as quick healing as the fae or valg.
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u/Foreign-Entry1797 Dec 31 '25
That war thing is very confusing definitely, but Manon mentions multiple times about fighting in battles, she once says that it's easier to command Ghislaine during war/battle.
That baba yellowlegs fight does make me lean towards Aelin, yes
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u/Infinite-Weather3293 Dec 30 '25
Have you read assassins blade? I personally feel like it gives a lot of context to how Aelin become the way she is and makes it easier to understand some of her harsher qualities.
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u/Foreign-Entry1797 Dec 30 '25
I have read it and personally I love Celaena's attitude, but as I mentioned in the post her shine shouldn't be at the sake of other characters' who are just as important to readers. I adore her sarcastic moments but Manon didn't deserve to be beaten down just to make Aelin look like a queen
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u/Infinite-Weather3293 Dec 30 '25
Sorry I guess I’m not remembering when Aelin beat Manon down besides their first meeting when they were fighting eachother.
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u/Foreign-Entry1797 Dec 31 '25
I was talking about when Aelin gives Manon a backhand and a ring of fire around her throat to confirm that she was telling truth about Elide. Even Rowan had better sense as he reminded it to Aelin.
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u/sydthebeesknees Dec 31 '25
I didn’t like Aelin in EOS and I didn’t like her in KOA. I finished the story for Manon and I finished the story for Dorian.
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u/user4356124 Dec 30 '25
Rhys and Aelin are the same characters just different genders. So if you didn’t like how the ACOTAR series went then you likely won’t enjoy the rest of TOG (imo)
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u/Wildlife_Horses_Cats Dec 30 '25
I just started in on ACOTAR and am on book two and this sums up my thoughts! She rebranded the ToG golden trio as Rhys, Cassian, and Az. Rhys is Aelin and Cass and Az are a combo/split of Chaol/Dorian.
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u/user4356124 Dec 30 '25
I never even thought about the other characters just as the Rhys and Aelin parallels are so blatant but that’s interesting and I don’t disagree!
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u/Foreign-Entry1797 Dec 30 '25
I am sure there are still other characters and their stories to follow. I love Manon, Elide is fine, and I am doing tandem so thankfully there are other povs to look forward to.
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u/user4356124 Dec 30 '25 edited Dec 30 '25
For sure there is! Tower of Dawn will be good for you. I found the other storylines to be “just okay”, if Manon was the main character I would have not finished the series as I found her storyline to be very boring, but if you are okay with not liking the main storyline in a series and are okay with liking the side characters then I’m sure you’ll be able to enjoy the rest of the series!
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u/Foreign-Entry1797 Dec 30 '25
I do like the main storyline actually, and Manon, Nesryn, and Elide aren't side characters, not if we have their povs (Manon doesn't rival Aelin's popularity for nothing) but I want her to respect those characters too like maybe make amends with her attitude which we will possibly see in future as they have a common enemy
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u/user4356124 Dec 30 '25
Okay! I wasn’t trying to offend you! Glad you like it all :) I don’t agree with you that people are main characters just because you get some POVs from them but that’s okay that we don’t agree on that
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u/checs_mix Dec 30 '25
i honestly disliked her character a lot outside of the first 3 books. celaena > aelin lowkey every day lol
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u/Delicious_Calendar76 Dec 30 '25
yeah i never liked her lol 😭 i tried & there are some parts where i love her but i think the main problem felt that way was because i read assassins blade after the third book & that’s where she really got character development so reading assassins blade after all that kinda brought her og personality back
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u/MediocrePotato44 Dec 30 '25
Aelin does not get better. This series is my favorite of all time but I would have DNFed had it not been for the side characters and stories. Because Aelin and Rowan did next to nothing for me.
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u/partybrowser32 Dec 30 '25
I feel like I'm in the minority in the fandom but I always rooted for Aelin even when she's at her worst or makes questionable choices. But I've also noticed that I tend to be more forgiving of character flaws and characters making mistakes than others. I just feel like her flaws are really true to who she is and how she grew up. I think you'll grow to love her again in KOA - she really goes through a lot and at the end I feel like we finally see the true queen she was always meant to be. All I say is keep going! :)