Yes, I finally did it! After years of putting it off, I FINALLY read the hugely talked about series of A Court of Thorns and Roses. I've seen it discussed so much over on bookstagram, and I know it's a favourite of many.
For those of you who, like me just a few months ago, knew very little of the story, here's the blurb for the first installment:
Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price ...
Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.
Blurb taken from Goodreads.
I'd been intimidated by this series for a really long time. It is talked about so much online, and I know it's a favourite of so many. Not to mention the fact that Sarah J. Maas is not scared of a lengthy series, and starting a series is always a little bit daunting. It's a big time commitment, and there's always the worry that you won't enjoy it.
However, I finally gave it a go, and I'm so glad that I did. I've always been a fan of fantasy fiction, but have never read anything quite so high fantasy. This series really introduced me to the sheer power of the genre that I was already so passionate about.
But even more importantly, I was introduced to a world that I absolutely adored. The world of Prythian - the different courts, characters that I connected with so deeply, and a story jam-packed with action - all made me feel so happy to immerse myself completely in them.
I could go on for pages and pages writing a review of these books and still not run out of things to say. Every single detail is worth a mention, and I'll never have the chance to talk about all of the things that I loved. However, I will cover bits and pieces, and hopefully the joy I felt in reading this books will really shine through.
Ratings:
A Court of Thorns and Roses: ✫✫✫✫
A Court of Mist and Fury: ✫✫✫✫✫
A Court of Wings and Ruin: ✫✫✫✫
A Court of Frost and Starlight: ✫✫✫✫
Overall: ✫✫✫✫✫
The World of A Court of Thorns and Roses
A Court of Thorns and Roses is set in the fictional world of Prythian; a nation divided up into different courts, each presided over by a different High Lord. The courts of Prythian are Dawn, Day, Night, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. There is also the near island of Hybern, and, in the south of Prythian, are the human lands.
It takes a little bit of getting your head around it all, (helped by the map in the beginning of the book), especially because it doesn't all immediately get explained to you. So much information is thrown at you in quick succession, and I'm not sure I understood it all until the second book. However, it is well worth persevering. I thought the different courts were so fascinating, and I'd love to have seen so much more of them over the course of the trilogy. But what we did see what absolutely magical.
The world of high fantasy also lends itself to a whole cast of amazing characters. This is a world of faeries and high fae, but also of a mass of otherworldly creatures that are impossible to imagine. It was also interesting to see a human race that, for once, is not necessarily the dominant or most important group in the world. The sheer imagination that has clearly gone into this series is actually quite remarkable, and this isn't lost on the crafting of a plot. There are curses to be broken, love to be claimed, extensive battles, and so many twists and turns that I struggled to put the books down even for a second.
Imagine being at the very starting point for all this excitement. That is where we meet Feyre. It's going to be tough for me to organise my thoughts into a review that justifies the series, but I'm going to do my best!
*EXPECT SPOILERS FROM HERE ON*
Book 1: A Court of Thorns and Roses
The first book of the series opens in the human realm, where we meet Feyre. She's a human, struggling to put food on her family's table - a child with the weight of the world on her shoulders. It gave me some series Hunger Games vibes very early on, but I have to say these were very quickly replaced by Beauty and the Beast vibes instead. Feyre is soon taken away by Tamlin, who is very beastly and who we learn has a curse upon him, and she must now reside in the Spring Court of Prythian.
I think the main issue I initially had with this book was the pacing. It is so slow to get going, and then speeds up incredibly quickly at the end when it could have done with more perusal. This meant it took me quite a while to get into the series - way longer than I had hoped. I do appreciate that when establishing a brand new world, and especially one that is so high fantasy, there needs to be adequate time for readers to get to grips with the world they are now experiencing. Yet I'm not sure the pacing, especially in the first half of the book, was entirely effective.
That being said, when it got going, it really got going! Halfway through, I got to the point where I couldn't put it down, and I was finally realising why so many people loved the series. The idea of the curse was really interesting and gave great direction to the plot. But what really kept the story alive was the characterisation. Feyre, although initially sullen, is a strong individual who has heaps of inner strength - a familiar concept in YA! Her interactions with Lucien were dynamic, and the emotion in her dialogue with Tamlin really sold the story. And of course, I cannot ignore her interactions with Rhysand, which, although limited, liven the book up no end. Prepare for me to rave PLENTY about my love for him in this review...
By the time I got to the final stages of A Court of Thorns and Roses, I was incredibly invested. I was desperate to see more of Rhysand and learn more about the other courts, and the story really held my attention, The slow pace of the early stages managed to make me feel like we were building up to something huge. When Feyre left to reclaim Tamlin, I was practically rubbing my hands together in expectation! Under the mountain, the fun and games really began. Aramantha was a perfect villain for the first book, and I loved the way she was involved in the action. I was less than impressed by Tamlin in the final chapters, who proved far less iteresting than Rhysand; I was glad to see some groundwork made for further connections between them in future.
In total, A Court of Thorns and Roses was a great book for setting the scene of this world. It didn't grab me immediately, but it gave me enough detail and character development to get me seriously invested in the series as a whole, and by the time I finished I was so excited for the next instalment.
Book 2: A Court of Mist and Fury
I was aware before I started the series that this, A Court of Mist and Fury, is by far the most popular book among readers. And let me just say here, I can see why. If the first book in the series is the 'setting the scene' book, then this is the 'mixing things up' book.
From the very start of the novel, the plot is FULL-ON. And it's also a strong reminder that we shouldn't take anything at face value. The book opens back in the Spring Court, but we soon learn that things are not as harmonious as we may have thought after Tamlin and Feyre found each other again. The most significant thought I had was that all of the groundwork that had been established in the first book was going to be put into good use. I love when I can see progression and continuous depth that pulls a series together. I must say, having your second book pull the story entirely away from where you've already taken it is a bold move, but I was here for it.
On a serious note, this book actually deals very early on with emotional and mental trauma, and the importance of being surrounded by people who let you breathe, and who listen to how you need to heal. I liked how the bargain between Feyre and Rhysand was used to change the scenery and give us a taste of Prythian. Rhysand saves Feyre, and not a moment too soon. As soon as they get to the Night Court, things really get rolling.
I think the credit in this book must primarily go to Maas's ability to create a powerful dynamic between these two characters. There is a fire between them from their early conversations; a fire that actually masks a mutual respect and tenderness (and of course, eventually, love). I think most people probably like A Court of Mist and Fury for the Feyre/Rhysand relationship, and I have to agree. It's written to be a slow burn, and one with enormous pay-off. I know lots of people aren't a fan of a love triangle, but I actually quite like them. Moreover, I thought it was handled in this book very maturely. There is no going back and forth, and Feyre's affections do not overlap in any way. It's clearly a more mature series (which I needn't even say given the more *ahem* mature scenes within it!). The scene where the High Lords all meet and there is tension between Rhysand and Tamlin had me more and more speechless with every line! I loved the way the relationship developed slowly but surely, and came to a super satisfying ending. And the internal connection between them made for so many fun scenes. Perfection!
That being said, I couldn't possibly say that the romantic aspects are the only great parts of the book. This installment is jam-packed with content. If A Court of Thorns and Roses had conflict, A Court of Mist and Fury is something else. Honestly, I found it a little bit too chaotic, but the sheer volume of action and detail meant that I didn't actually mind. We gear towards an emormous battle, and it felt like the story was really on the move in the way the first book never quite reflected. The final scenes, where the characters meet and feel the consequences of the Cauldron, are intense, and the perfect finale to an exciting book.
But what I liked the most between starting and finishing this instalment, was the way our heroine grows. Feyre starts off the back of A Court of Thorns and Roses broken, timid, and with absolutely no confidence in her own inner strength. Through her experiences in the Night Court, her interactions with Rhysand and Mor, and her internal dialogue, she grows into quite a badass, and I was here for it. Where she starts in the book, and where she ends, are very different. It was the perfect journey for the middle book in a trilogy.
Book 3: A Court of Wings and Ruin
And so we entered the final novel in the trilogy. This was set up in such a boss way, and we yet again return to the Spring Court, although under very interesting circumstances. I was incredibly excited for the potential this final book held.
The romantic side of the story was essentially settled, so I was anticipating the focus being largely on the actual plot. That's not to say there weren't plenty more great moments of the Feyre-Rhysand (and even Tamlin) dynamic. We do see further progress, but I think a lot more of the focus is on the other characters, and the way they can come to the forefront. So many series neglect their secondary characters, and as a whole it falls down because the author doesn't invest much depth in the smaller personalities. I'm glad Maas didn't fall into that trap. We see Cassian, Azriel, Mor, Amren, Lucien, Nesta, and many more characters given time in the limelight, and the plot felt far more well-rounded because of it. The story is about Feyre, yes. But it is also about those who have an impact on her story.
The plot also had a tonne of potential. The end of A Court of Mist and Fury was so exciting, and seeing Feyre return to Tamlin's court made so many plot possibilities. We wonder how Feyre respond to being trapped again, but also how Nesta and Elain are coping with their recent trauma. This part of the series plot really highlighted the difference between faeries and humans, and so opens the final book up to the battle between different ideals - those for human survival, and those against it.
I have to be honest, I did find the plot of this book very chaotic, although that is something I always say about trilogies. When I first read both Mockingjay and Allegient, I said exactly the same thing, but found on a re-read that I could more appreciate the structural decisions that made them so effective. I'm sure I'd feel the same about A Court of Wings and Ruin on a second read too.
I loved the way the plot progression very early allowed Feyre to connect further with Lucien, a character I had really missed in the previous instalment. We also get a sweet moment when the pair return to Velaris, and back to Rhysand's company. From the point when they get back, it all kind of melts into one in my mind. I would have liked to have seen some more detail to differentiate the different points of the action. Tamlin helps Feyre out of Hybern's camp, but we get absolutely no context around this, and no follow-through. I'd also have liked to have seen more emotional context around the final scenes, where Rhysand loses his life and is brought back. It all just felt a little rushed. It's a tough balance because there is so much content packed in, but I just wanted a little more balance, more down-time, and more finesse to finish it all off.
That all being said: MY HEART. I loved the series, and this brought the trilogy to a completion. I did feel like there were a lot of loose ends left dangling because of the lack of finishing. So it's a good job I had this to read as well...
Book 3.5: A Court of Frost and Starlight
This was a really cute companion to the trilogy. It's not very long and not an awful lot happens. However, given the way A Court of Wings and Ruin ends, it really helps to bring some closure to the trilogy. We see some of the residual trauma within Velaris and the wider Prythian, we see some further dynamic surrounding Tamlin, and we get to see Feyre and Rhysand have some more 'normality' in their relationship.
It was nothing earth-shattering, but it was cute and helped to round off what came before far more nicely.
The Verdict
Okay, so I was originally really intimidated by this series, but I really wish I hadn't been, I'm glad I finally had a chance to read it.
The world is far more high fantasy than anything I've ever read before, but I absolutely loved it. There is something really refreshing about being able to use your full imagination in a really creative world. The separate instalments are all really well crafted to emphasise different parts of the story:
A Court of Thorns and Roses: Establishing the dynamic of the world and introducing key characters.
A Court of Mist and Fury: Mixing it up, playing with the natural plot progression, and furthering the heroine's character.
A Court of Wings and Ruin: Taking the plot to the MAX.
A Court of Frost and Starlight: Rounding the series off, and building for more to come.
In essence, the series was well paced, full of exciting content and action, and some of the most endearing characters I've experienced in fantasy fiction. It's not perfect, but it's still damn awesome. This series is a must for fantasy fans.
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