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Sarah J. Maas on Kingdom of Ash, Happy Endings, and What She’s Writing Now
It has been six years since Throne of Glass hit the shelves and kicked off our obsession with Sarah J. Maas, and now Kingdom of Ash is finally here to bring the series to a nail-biting conclusion. Aelin has battled demons, witches, and the Fae to reclaim her kingdom and protect the ones she loves. Separated from her friends and in the hands of the enemy, she’s starting to wonder if fate is against them. We caught up with Maas to talk about wrapping up the Throne of Glass series and what’s next on her writing agenda.
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First of all, any words of warning you want to give your readers before they pick up Kingdom of Ash? How many boxes of tissues do you think we need on hand?
Oh, man. Considering how many boxes of tissues I went through while writing this book, I think it’s fair to say…at least three. (Kidding! Sort of.) But in all seriousness, I don’t have any words of warning, actually—just lots and lots of love for all of you.
You haven’t been shy about killing off (or maiming) characters in the past. Is it hard not to give your characters 100% happy endings?
Not totally. Life rarely has 100% happy endings. You know, being asked this question really reminds me of that quote from The Last Unicorn: “There is never a happy ending because nothing ends.” We just drift in and out of each other’s narratives, our arcs overlapping, our histories bleeding together in one ancient, ongoing tale. That’s how I ultimately want my stories to feel. Like they’re just one part in a greater, endless tale of that world.
I’ve been working on these books for so many years at this point that I’ve had several different endings in mind that have come and gone. But several years ago, I finally stumbled across the ending—which was what I worked toward for all of these books. Thankfully, my characters decided to cooperate—which was probably the biggest surprise while working on Kingdom of Ash: they wound up doing exactly what I had planned for them, right until the very end.
Do you have a favorite character in the series, or a favorite book cover?
Favorite book cover: hands down, Kingdom of Ash. Aelin’s pose, her armor, that gold foil…I’m obsessed with it. Favorite character: Well, if Aelin is off the table (since she will always be my #1 favorite), I’d say it’s a toss-up between Yrene and Manon. Honestly, though, I adore writing all of them so much that it constantly changes.
Can you tell us a little about Crescent City and what’s next on your writing agenda?
So, Crescent City is a book that I’ve been daydreaming about for several years now, and was a story that almost immediately grabbed me by the heart. I basically knew it was something that I had to write when I was listening to a piece of music on a flight years ago, and saw this whole climactic scene play out in my head that was so powerful and emotional that I began sobbing. Right in the middle of the plane.
It takes place in a modern fantasy world (think the TOG or ACOTAR world set in modern times), where all manner of magical/mythical creatures rule in complex hierarchies, and magic and technology exist side by side. I’m currently writing the first draft and loving every second of it!
What was it like stepping outside the world of high fantasy to write Catwoman: Soulstealer?
It was so much fun! Though I totally kept expecting a Fae warrior or some magic to pop up in Gotham City. Honestly, the biggest difference was that Catwoman: Soulstealer is a standalone novel, so it was a little weird (and sad!) to fall in love with these characters knowing I’d only get one book with them!
What recent books do you recommend?
I had a baby (a beautiful boy!) at the beginning of June, so my reading time is currently nonexistent, but I have managed to read a little bit. I absolutely adored From the Corner of the Oval, by Beck Dorey-Stein. She was a stenographer during the Obama Administration, and her memoir of her time there was just such a fascinating, unique inside look into the White House. It’s funny and moving and I basically read it any chance I had between feedings and diaper changes. It’s now permanently on my Favorites Shelf.
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