Crown of Midnight Chapters 22–26: Celaena, Nehemia & the Argument That Changed Everything

In this first half of our two-part deep dive into chapters 22–26 of Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas, we explore the emotional, political, and romantic tipping points that define this act of the story. As secrets unravel and loyalties shift, we ask ourselves: "If knowledge is power, what are the power dynamics between Celaena, Chaol, and Nehemia?" With 13 years of combined academic training and two literary lenses, we analyze how Sarah J. Maas uses foreshadowing, symbolism, imagery, plot devices, and metaphor to elevate the tension between love and loyalty, duty and desire. In this episode, we discuss: – Dorian’s terrifying awakening to magic and what it means to be powerful yet powerless – Celaena’s romantic vulnerability and symbolic gesture of recreating Rena Goldsmith’s legend for Chaol – The shifting tides of Chaol’s morality as he balances oaths to the king and his love for Celaena – The heartbreaking confrontation between Nehemia and Celaena that reframes heroism, cowardice, and choice – The quiet horror of Elena’s manipulation and the hidden cost of keeping Celaena in the dark From broom closets to broomsticks, rooftop confessions to explosive arguments, this episode lays the groundwork for the heartbreak ahead, because even love cannot survive when truth is a weapon and power is kept behind locked doors. This is Part 1 of Episode 5. Join us Thursday for Part 2 as we follow the fallout and examine the consequences of silence, sacrifice, and betrayal. 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. Babble: We want you to learn another language, so we're teaming up with Babbel to gift you 55% off subscriptions - but only for our listeners - at Babbel.com/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