Summary
TheThrone of Glassbooks follow Adarlan’s Assassin, Calaena Sardothien, as she reclaims her identity as Aelin Galathynius — and with the amount of growth she undergoes fromThrone of GlasstoKingdom of Ash,readers may be wondering how oldSarah J. Maas' heroine is.Throne of Glassis more young adult thanMaas' other fantasy series, but that doesn’t dictate Celaena’s age in the books.Throne of Glassgets darker as it continues, and Celaena matures over the course of her journey.
That journey features everything from killing for a living to reclaiming her throne, andthe timeline of Celaena’s character arc can be difficult to gauge. However, looking more closely at the fantasy series, readers can determine how much time passes from thefirstThrone of Glassbook to the last. They can use this information to determine how old the lost princess of Terrasen is at any given point in the series.
Celaena Sardothien Is 18 Years Old When Throne Of Glass Begins
She’s Slightly Younger In The Throne Of Glass Novellas
Celaena Sardothien is 18 years old whenThrone of Glassopens, with the 2012 novel depicting her as an adult from the very beginning. Making Celaena any younger would likely have been off-putting, as she’s imprisoned in the brutal and inescapable salt mines of Endovier when the series kicks off. Young adult fantasy can get dark, butit would have been difficult to justify putting a teen in this situation. Additionally, Maas may have known she wanted to make the series more mature later on. If she knew where she’d end up, making Celaena an adult was a good call.
Making Celaena any younger would likely have been off-putting, as she’s imprisoned in the brutal and inescapable salt mines of Endovier when the series kicks off.
Readers can get a glimpse of Celaena a bit younger, though, asThe Assassin’s Bladecollection follows her from 16 to 17 years old. These novellas came out two years afterThrone of Glass,and they reveal how Celaena came to be imprisoned in Endovier. They also show what her life was like when she was part of the Assassin’s Guild. And while she was shielded from some of the horrors faced throughout Adarlan, Celaena’s life wasn’t easy, even as a child and teenager.
How Old Celaena Is In Each Of Sarah J. Maas' Throne Of Glass Books
The events of theThrone of Glassbooks unfold relatively quickly in Maas' world, so Celaena remains 18 throughoutThrone of GlassandCrown of Midnight.The rest of the books take place over the course of two years, making Maas' heroine 19 inHeir of FireandQueen of Shadows.It’s unclear when she turns 20, butthat’s how old Aelin is when she concludes her journey inKingdom of Ash.
16-17
18
19
19 or 20
Kingdom of Ash
20
Given how much she’s grown up, it’s fitting thatThrone of Glassends with Aelin entering a new decade of her life. She’s still young to become a queen, but her experience is impressive for her age. She may be Maas' youngest protagonist when her story ends, but it certainly doesn’t prevent her from being the author’s best leading lady.
