Crown of Midnight Chapters 44–48 (Part 1): Celaena, Dorian’s Magic & the First Wyrdkey Reveal

Book Talk for BookTok

Cloud10

Arts, Books

4.9 • 608 Ratings

🗓️ 12 August 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this week’s Crown of Midnight deep dive, we cover chapters 44–48 of Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series, where the darkness under the glass castle closes in. Literally. With 13 years of combined academic literary training, we use two literary lenses to break down the rich symbolism, foreshadowing, metaphors, and plot devices that make these chapters some of the most pivotal in the series. Our guiding question: Why does SJM continue to tie Celaena and Dorian together through their actions and the symbolism surrounding them if they are never quite aligned? From Dorian’s magic flaring as a warning in the catacombs, to a haunting monster hunt in the dark, to the revelation that the King already claimed the first Wyrdkey, this section is full of turning points. We analyze the predator/prey role reversals between Celaena and Dorian, the layered imagery of light, darkness, and thresholds, and how these moments tie into their ongoing connection. We also unpack Nehemia’s cold farewell from beyond the grave, Gavin’s cryptic warning, and Archer’s shocking betrayal that threatens to expose Celaena’s greatest secret. This episode is perfect for people who love: Throne of Glass literary analysis & character studies Romantasy with complex female leads Fate vs. free will in fantasy Wyrdkeys, Wyrdmarks & the Maasverse Dark fantasy creature battles Slow-burn alliances & betrayals Symbolism-rich worldbuilding This is Part 1 of our two-part discussion—Part 2 drops Thursday. Sponsor: Task Rabbit: Tackle your to-do list today and get 15% off your first task at TaskRabbit.com or on the Taskrabbit app using promo code BOOKTALK. Share your thoughts for a chance to be featured! Submit them at ⁠⁠⁠booktalkforbooktok.com⁠⁠⁠ for a future mini-episode or exclusive Patreon discussion. Support the Show: Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/booktalkforbooktok⁠⁠⁠ Merch: ⁠⁠⁠Etsy Store⁠⁠⁠ Follow Us on Social: Instagram: @BookTalkForBookTok TikTok: @BookTalkForBookTok YouTube: @BookTalkForBookTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	There are some things you should always check, like the hygiene rating on your local takeaway,
0:06.2	the setting on your razor, and whether the party actually is fancy dress.
0:11.1	The other thing you should check is your Experian credit report, especially if you're looking to borrow money.
0:17.2	It lets you understand what lenders see so you can increase your chances of getting the best deals.
0:22.8	It's dead easy to check it and completely free.
0:26.6	See it in seconds. Download the Experian app today.
0:30.1	Ready to launch your business? Get started with the commerce platform made for entrepreneurs.
0:34.8	Shopify is specially designed to help you start, run and grow your business
0:38.9	with easy customizable themes that let you build your brand, marketing tools that get your
0:43.7	products out there. Integrated shipping solutions that actually save you time, from startups to scale
0:48.8	ups, online, in person and on the go. Shopify is made for entrepreneurs like you.
0:58.7	Sign up for your $1 a month trial at Shopify.com slash setup.
1:03.1	Say hello to the next generation of Zendesk AI agents,
1:05.1	built to deliver resolutions for everyone.
1:07.0	Loved by over 10,000 companies,
1:09.5	Zendesk AI agents easily deploy in minutes to resolve 30% of interactions instantly.
1:12.0	That's the Zendesk AI effect. Find out more at Zendesk.com.
1:21.1	Dorian sprints to Salinas aid, his magical warning bell of bad things to come.
1:30.7	In the dark hallways leading from the clock tower, something lurks, stalking Selena as she tries to find her way in the dark back to the main library.
1:39.5	When the creature attacks, Selena runs for her life, and Dorian stumbles after her until they are able to
1:45.6	trap the creature in a spell, and Salina can slay it.
1:49.0	While Dorian tends to himself, Selina goes in search of Caltane, only to find that
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 11 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Cloud10, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Cloud10 and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.