60 pages 2 hours read

Sarah J. Maas

Queen of Shadows

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2015

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Themes

The Ethics of Survival

Aelin, Lysandra, and Aedion engage in morally grey actions to survive, which makes them worry that others will judge them. Often facing versions of the trolley problem—should you kill one to save many—Aelin in particular must often consider whether to do evil for the greater good.

The conflict between Aelin and Chaol comes from this ethical dilemma. Aelin has been forced to kill many people to survive. In contrast, Chaol has always had the luxury of keeping to a moral code of honor, loyalty, and integrity. Because he’s never had to break these tenets, Chaol sees Aelin as a murderer; as the rightful heir of Terrasen, she is an enemy of Adarlan and a threat to Dorian. When she returns to Rifthold, Chaol accuses her of wielding her magic as a weapon of mass destruction: “Will you hold all of Rifthold hostage the way you did Doranelle? Burn anyone who doesn’t agree with you? Or will you just incinerate our kingdom from spite?” (53). However, when Chaol abandons the castle to save himself while leaving Dorian trapped in the King of Adarlan’s Wyrdstone collar, he is forced to acknowledge that idealistic honor codes must sometimes be put aside.

Related Titles

By Sarah J. Maas

Study Guide

logo

A Court of Frost and Starlight

Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Frost and Starlight

Sarah J. Maas

Study Guide

logo

A Court of Mist and Fury

Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Mist and Fury

Sarah J. Maas

Study Guide

logo

A Court of Silver Flames

Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Silver Flames

Sarah J. Maas

Study Guide

logo

A Court of Wings and Ruin

Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Wings and Ruin

Sarah J. Maas

Study Guide

logo

Crown of Midnight

Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight

Sarah J. Maas

Study Guide

logo

Empire of Storms

Sarah J. Maas

Empire of Storms

Sarah J. Maas

Study Guide

logo

Heir of Fire

Sarah J. Maas

Heir of Fire

Sarah J. Maas

Study Guide

logo

House of Earth and Blood

Sarah J. Maas

House of Earth and Blood

Sarah J. Maas

Study Guide

logo

House of Flame and Shadow

Sarah J. Maas

House of Flame and Shadow

Sarah J. Maas

Study Guide

logo

House of Sky and Breath

Sarah J. Maas

House of Sky and Breath

Sarah J. Maas

Study Guide

logo

Kingdom of Ash

Sarah J. Maas

Kingdom of Ash

Sarah J. Maas

Study Guide

logo

The Assassin's Blade

Sarah J. Maas

The Assassin's Blade

Sarah J. Maas

Study Guide

logo

Throne of Glass

Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass

Sarah J. Maas

Study Guide

logo

Tower of Dawn

Sarah J. Maas

Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, #6)

Sarah J. Maas