Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

Published 2018 · 271,338 words · about 19 hours at an average pace · Fantasy, Romance

How hard is Kingdom of Ash to read?

Kingdom of Ash scores 55 out of 100 for difficulty on ReadingRate, making it quite demanding. The score is a weighted composite of nine measures: four of how hard the prose is to parse, five of how hard the meaning is to extract.

Vocabulary: 48 out of 100
The book employs a fairly standard fantasy vocabulary, with some invented place names and titles (Terrasen, Allsbrook, Valg). While not overly complex, the language is descriptive and evocative, fitting the genre. Compared to *The Great Gatsby*, the vocabulary is less elegant but more specialized.
Sentence structure: 50 out of 100
The sentences are generally of moderate length, with some complex clauses and descriptive passages. While not as straightforward as *1984*, the syntax is not overly convoluted, allowing for a relatively smooth reading experience. The book uses a mix of dialogue and exposition, contributing to a balanced syntactic structure.
Abstraction: 55 out of 100
The book balances concrete narrative with explorations of themes like loyalty, sacrifice, and the nature of good and evil. While the plot is action-driven, characters grapple with moral dilemmas and philosophical questions, raising the abstraction level. This is similar to *The Great Gatsby*, which explores social observation through its story.
Information density: 60 out of 100
The book presents a moderate amount of information per page, balancing plot development with character interactions and world-building details. While there are multiple plotlines and a large cast of characters, the information is presented in a way that is generally easy to follow. This is slightly higher than *The Great Gatsby* due to the fantasy world-building.
Narrative indirection: 58 out of 100
The narrative relies on a mix of direct exposition and indirect implication, requiring readers to infer character motivations and the significance of events. While the plot is generally straightforward, some details are left ambiguous, encouraging interpretation. This is similar to *The Great Gatsby*, where Nick's bias shapes the narrative.
Symbolic density: 68 out of 100
The book employs a number of recurring motifs and symbols, such as fire, darkness, and certain objects, to represent larger themes and ideas. While not as dense as *Moby-Dick*, the symbolic elements add depth and complexity to the narrative. The use of these symbols enriches the reader's understanding of the characters and their struggles.
Ironic distance: 40 out of 100
The book maintains a relatively low level of ironic distance, with the author generally conveying sincerity and emotional engagement. While there may be moments of humor or satire, the overall tone is earnest and heartfelt. This is similar to *Moby-Dick*, where Ishmael's humor is amid tragedy.
Resolution withholding: 60 out of 100
The book withholds some resolutions, leaving certain plot threads open or ambiguous. While the main storyline reaches a conclusion, some character arcs and mysteries remain unresolved, inviting speculation. This is similar to *The Great Gatsby*, which has a closed plot but open meaning.
Structural complexity: 50 out of 100
The book follows a generally linear timeline, but incorporates multiple points of view and occasional flashbacks. While not as experimental as *Ulysses*, the shifting perspectives add complexity to the narrative structure. The use of multiple POVs allows for a broader understanding of the events and characters.

How Kingdom of Ash is regarded

Kingdom of Ash holds a literary regard score of 20 out of 100, weighing its place in the canon, its critical reception, its influence on other writers, and the standing of its author. Regard is measured separately from difficulty: a demanding book is not necessarily an admired one.

Where Kingdom of Ash sits in Northrop Frye's Anatomy of Criticism

Placed by a full reading of the text (556 passages), not from reputation. Each verdict quotes the passage that earned it. On the axis from myth to irony, Kingdom of Ash scores 24 out of 100. A second mythos, tragedy, pulls at it with a weight of 0.2. About the map of stories.

Mode: Romance
The Fire-Bringer someone whispered down the battlements.
Symbol: Mythical (Archetypal)
A place that was not a place, in a chamber of many doors.
Mythos: Romance iii (romance iii)
She was no lamb to slaughter. No sacrifice on an altar of the greater good.
Genre: Romance + Novel
Once upon a time, in a land long since burned to ash, there lived a young princess who loved her kingdom

Where the story of Kingdom of Ash takes place

  • Terrasen and Orynth, Erilea, winter siege and coronation, the main setting
  • Anielle, the Silver Lake and the White Fangs, siege and flood
  • Maeve's island temple, Doranelle and Akkadia, captivity and the search
  • Morath fortress, Dorian's infiltration
  • The Wyrdgate crossroads of all worlds

6 things that are true of Kingdom of Ash, with the passage for each

  1. The book opens with a prince hunting for his captured mate, whose chapter is titled The Prince.

    He had been hunting for her since the moment she was taken from him.

  2. Dorian destroys Morath by cracking its foundations from within.

    Dorian smiled and brought Morath’s towers crashing down.

  3. The twelve other Thirteen witches die with Asterin when they blow up the witch tower.

    As she and the Thirteen Yielded completely, and blew themselves and the witch tower to smithereens.

  4. Gavriel dies defending the western gate of Orynth with his throat ripped out.

    His tattooed throat ripped out. His sword still gripped in his hand.

  5. Yrene kills Erawan with her bare hand through the magic of healing.

    Until she squeezed her fist, one final time, and that dark flame snuffed out.

  6. The novel's last image is the kingsflame blooming across the Plain of Theralis.

    For across every mountain, spread beneath the green canopy of Oakwald, carpeting the entire Plain of Theralis, the kingsflame was blooming.

Scenes in Kingdom of Ash that Frye would name

75 sightings of Frye's terms in the text. The strongest:

Lyric, untitled
Once upon a time, in a land long since burned to ash, there lived a young princess who loved her kingdom Aelin's recurring song-story, recited like a refrain.
Anagnorisis, untitled
“Maeve is a Valg queen?” he breathed. Rowan's court learns the truth of Maeve's nature.
Pathos, untitled
Then the green-eyed demon twins, laughing as they went. The Thirteen fall one by one in their final charge.
Sparagmos, untitled
As she and the Thirteen Yielded completely, and blew themselves and the witch tower to smithereens. The Thirteen's bodies and the tower are destroyed in one blast.
Katabasis, untitled
A place that was not a place, in a chamber of many doors. Aelin and Dorian enter the Wyrdgate.
Pathos, untitled
His tattooed throat ripped out. His sword still gripped in his hand. Gavriel dies at the western gate.

Books that share these scenes with Kingdom of Ash

About the author

Sarah J. Maas