Celaena Sardothien

Lore & Background

Celaena Sardothien is an 18-year-old assassin in the Kingdom of Adarlan. She is introduced as an orphan who was raised and trained by an assassin. When she was young, her parents were murdered, and she trained to become an assassin. She is also known as Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, the main protagonist of the series. Sarah J. Maas has stated that she was inspired by the heroism of Éowyn from The Lord of the Rings, and by the characterization of Velma Kelly from Chicago. Maas noted that Velma Kelly's 'arrogance and fierceness made me want to write about a woman like her—about a woman who never once said sorry for being talented and determined and utterly in love with herself.' Maas designed Celaena as a highly capable character whose talents also form a basis for numerous faults, including issues with 'impatience' and 'vanity'. Maas also wanted the character to have several traits and hobbies befitting her age, including a fondness for 'shopping, books, and fine dining', as well as a 'penchant for getting into trouble.'

In Their Own Story

Celaena Sardothien begins her journey in the slave camp Endovier, where she has suffered for a year for her crimes. Crown Prince Dorian Haviliard, the King of Adarlan's son, offers her a chance to compete with other assassins and thieves for a chance to serve as the King's Champion, and eventually gain her freedom after six years in the King's service. This leads her to form unexpected bonds with both Dorian and Chaol, the Captain of the Guard. Over time, Celaena is drawn into a conspiracy and a series of battles, leading to discoveries surrounding both the Kingdom and herself. The series concluded with the eighth book in October 2018.

Reader's Guide

Celaena Sardothien is the main protagonist of the Throne of Glass series. She is an 18-year-old assassin in the Kingdom of Adarlan. After a year in the slave camp Endovier, she accepts Crown Prince Dorian's offer to compete to become the King's Champion, a role that would grant her freedom after six years of service. She forms bonds with Dorian and Chaol Westfall, the Captain of the Guard. As the story progresses, she uncovers a conspiracy. The series appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list. In an interview, Maas discussed creating a protagonist who would empower young women, inspired by books like Robin McKinley's The Hero and the Crown and Garth Nix's Sabriel. Celaena is characterized as skilled, arrogant, and witty, with faults including impatience and vanity, but also hobbies like shopping, books, and fine dining.

Did You Know?

• Sarah J. Maas began writing the Throne of Glass series in 2002 when she was 16 years old.
• The story was originally known as Queen of Glass and initially appeared on FictionPress.com.
• Maas cited Disney's Cinderella as an inspiration, re-imagining the heroine as an assassin fleeing the palace.
• Throne of Glass became the first Bloomsbury children's novel to be featured on Netgalley.com.
• The series was optioned by Hulu and Disney-ABC Domestic Television for a television series adaptation by Mark Gordon in 2016, but nothing came forward and the rights went back to the author.