SJM has an excellent way of balancing things from the get-go, such as the characters, plot, and pacing. Her plot is so intricate and purposeful. There are layers upon layers upon layers within this book. I love that she creates characters that are very loveable and are very easy to connect to on a deep level. 

I will say there is not a ton of world building in this one. The plot devices used in this book, which are the trials Celaena goes through to become the Kings Champion, are not super well thought out. The trials were not that interesting, and it felt like it was just an easy plot device that was used. However, one thing that SJM does really, really well, is putting a big finale on something. The story is a steady stream of intense mystery and action, which all lead up to the ultimate ending.