Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses

 

The  Court of Thorns and Roses

by Sarah J Maas

Pages: 416

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Genre: fantasy / retelling / romance

Source: own

Goodreads: 

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.

I won't lie, I've been anticipating this book for years--ever since Sarah posted about it on her blog several years ago. The moment I opened it up, I was sucked into the world, and everything else seemed to pale in comparison. I didn't want to eat or go on walks or do anything except devour this book.

Spoilers after the break.

When Feyre kills a magical wolf in order to allow her family to live through the winter from the coin its pelt receives, she finds out the cost of such a act, and is taken away to spend the rest of her days beyond the wall, where the fae reside. At first, she is reluctant, but slowly begins to find some humanity in these strange beings. Meanwhile, a dark and ancient magic stirs throughout the fairy lands.

Feyre is a strong yet stubborn character from the beginning, and some might find her stubbornness and her bitterness towards her family a turn off. I found it realistic, with her sisters being too ‘girly’ to even chop wood, that she would feel some resentment towards them. (While on that topic, I found it too cliche, having two spoilt sisters who are still stuck in their rich and flamboyant ways.)

She grows throughout the book in small increments, from hating the fey to simply tolerating them, to being friends and more with them.

Tamlin is such a hot character. I want to make out with him so bad. He's a complex character with an angsty past. Don't we all love that in a guy? He is a sturdy rock that Feyre needs, especially when she is being mistreated by the Queen Under the Mountain, and fondled by Rhysand--both of whom are excellent characters.

Amaranth, the faerie Queen, is so scary. I would hate to be near her. Her evil knows no bounds, and her sense of justice is skewed. She thinks she is doing right by denying Tamlin his human lover, because her sister got jilted by a human. Humans are weak and are scum and are entertainment to her, which make all her trials cruel and monstrous.

Rhysand holds a special place in my heart. He is the weak link of a forced love triangle, binding Feyre to himself for his own personal gains, most of which, I'm assuming, will be explored in book 2.

I found the writing to be absolutely gorgeous. It flows like honey, all smooth and sweet, and leaves behind a residue that makes you crave more. Usually I get through a book within a couple of days, but with this one, I've been taking my time. This is a book to savour. 

"I knew--I knew I was headed down a path that would likely end with my mortal heart in pieces, and yet... And yet I couldn't stop myself." --pg 220

The plot is lacking in originality just  a smidge--being a Beauty and the Beast retelling and all. And During Feyre's tasks, we're given elements similar to Cinderella's tasks; but all in all, the way Maas works these elements is very magical. She paints a vivid picture of this surreal and magical faerie world that one would love to get stuck in.

 Cover Art: 5

Plot: 4

Characters: 4.5

Writing: 4.5

Level of Interest: 5

Total:

5 stars