WARNING: There will be spoilers in this review!
Goodreads Synopsis:
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.
Rating: 5 Stars
I can’t believe it took me so long to finally read this book, but I’m glad I finally did it! Sarah’s writing is so lyrical and beautiful and I enjoyed reading a New Adult book with characters who are closer to my age. It was a nice contrast to the Young Adult that I normally read.
Feyre’s dedication to her family, despite how they treat her, was so heartbreaking and frustrating. Between her dad, who refused to do anything to help his family, and her older sisters, who Feyre had to protect and also put up with, I just felt terrible for her. By the time Tamlin came to take her away, I was almost relieved, even though that farewell scene was so heartbreaking.
Feyre’s spunky personality while she lived with Tamlin at first was so amusing. Her cluelessness about faerie rules (like how they can lie, despite what she thought) and how she smuggled the knife from dinner with her, thinking that they hadn’t noticed it. And as she’d speak back to Lucien and even to Tamlin, and then think to herself about how many times over she should be dead, was so interesting to read.
Tamlin and Feyre’s relationship was something I was unsure about throughout the book. Watching Tamlin take care of Feyre and hear about how he made sure that her family would be well taken care of without her because of the money he sent was so sweet. But he still was the one to take her away from them in the first place, even if it did end up being a better situation for her and for her family. I just wasn’t sold on this relationship by the time I finished the book, but I also wasn’t shipping her with Rhysand, either.
The end of this book was such a rollercoaster ride, I don’t even know where to begin talking about it. Being in Feyre’s head as she had to kill those three innocent faeries was devastating. I thought for sure that one of them was going to end up being either her dad or one of her sisters, so I was surprised when the third person was Tamlin. At one point, I even thought that Aramantha had some magic on the third person and she was just disguising Feyre’s dad as Tamlin and that Feyre was going to have to kill her dad. I was so relieved when none of that was true, and when Feyre discovered that Tamlin would survive a knife through his heart. Still, that scene broke my heart and I felt so guilty that Feyre had to make the choice between freedom for all of these people, or killing these three innocent faeries.
When Feyre was being held prisoner and Lucien came to visit her, I really enjoyed that moment. I liked Lucien more and more throughout this book and his friendship with Feyre was something that I enjoyed watching. Also, Rhysand betting on Feyre to win her trials and him saving her and helping her changed my opinion of him. I started off not liking him, but he started growing on me by the end, which lead to my confusion between Rhysand and Tamlin. I’m just not sure which one I prefer, as of the end of this book.
Watching Feyre die was so gruesome and horrifying, especially when she was watching it through Rhysand’s eyes through their bond. I didn’t expect her to be brought back by all of the High Lords, and I think the aftermath of that will be really interesting to see in the next book, along with Rhysand’s “deal” with Feyre, and seeing how that will play out with her having to go to the Night Court once a week every month.
Let me know if you’ve read A Court of Thorns and Roses, and what your favorite part was, in the comments!
Happy reading!
Michaela
FAQs
It was a really good mix and I loved how the story unfolded. This particular book though was more about the romance between Tamlin and Feyre and understanding some of the different courts and the alliances that are in place. Right off the bat I loved Feyre. She came across as strong and capable albeit young.
Why is A Court of Thorns and Roses inappropriate? ›
The first novel in the series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, contains mild violence and sexual descriptions; both of which increase as the series moves along to its most recent installment, A Court of Silver Flames. Content warnings for this novel include abuse, death, gore, and PTSD, torture, and sexual assault.
Is Court of Thorns and Roses spicy? ›
Is A Court of Thorns and Roses spicy? Yes ACOTAR is spicy, with one, short detailed scene, as well as a couple of steamy scenes. The first book in the series is quite comparatively tame compared to later books. 2.5/5, mildly-medium spice.
Is a Court of Thorns and Roses series good? ›
It's a testament to Maas' world building that ACOTAR is still hugely popular ten years on. But it might be time to look to new YA fantasy books with greater representation and less cliché characters. I feel I can't describe myself as a Young Adult reader without reading A Court of Thorns and Roses.
What is the summary of the Court of Thorns and Roses? ›
A Court of Thorns and Roses (2020) follows the story of Feyre, who inadvertently kills a fairy and finds herself on the wrong side of the fairy/human border. She is given the choice to die in exchange for the life she took or go to live as a human prisoner in the land of Faerie.
Is A Court of Thorns and Roses series LGBT? ›
Does this series feature any LGBTQ+ representation? To answer questions about A Court of Thorns and Roses, please sign up. Bella McDonald Yes, but not a lot. There is on major character who is hom*oromantic and bisexual, but it isn't revealed until the end of the third book, and she isn't in a relationship or anything.
What is the controversy with ACOTAR? ›
The Expert Book Smuggler
Sarah J Maas is the author of the beloved ACOTAR series that has been heavily criticized for its poor representation of queer and BIPOC characters. No stranger to controversy, Maas employs the method of never addressing said controversies while allowing her rabid fanbase to do the work for her.
How smutty is ACOTAR? ›
And yet, I keep hearing among the book community (especially those that haven't *actually* read the ACOTAR series) that this collection is filled with fairy smut–and nothing else. Don't get me wrong, ACOTAR certainly has it's fair share of spicy scenes, which has kept readers, like me, engaged and entertained.
Who is the target audience of A Court of Thorns and Roses? ›
Fantasy is for everyone, but A Court of Thorns and Roses seemed to reach its audience of predominantly female and younger readers in ways few other fantasy books had.
Which Sarah J. Maas series is best? ›
If you love an epic fantasy series with beautiful world-building, self-discovery, found family, romance, and rogue assassins, then we'd recommend starting with Throne of Glass. This is a complete series, and it's fast-paced, thrilling, and impossible to put down.
A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J.
Dramatic, magical, and very sexy, ACOTAR gets a spice rating of 4/5. And now *drumroll* the award for the spiciest fantasy romance series at Juniper Books goes to…
Should I read Throne of Glass or ACOTAR? ›
If you're debating whether to start with “Throne of Glass” or “ACOTAR,” it depends on your preference: “ACOTAR” is romance forward — if you lean toward that genre, start there. “Throne of Glass” is big on the epic fantasy elements — you lean toward that, start there.
Is ACOTAR still coming to Hulu? ›
February 2024: “ACOTAR” show is still with Hulu
TODAY.com learned that Hulu's “ACOTAR” show has not been scrapped at the streaming service despite some reports that said otherwise, according to a source familiar with the matter. The series is not filming, the source said.
Do Tamlin and Feyre end up together? ›
Feyre is now engaged to Tamlin and lives with him in his estate in the Spring Court. Instead of being happy, Feyre suffers from depression and harrowing nightmares of the innocent faeries she killed during the trials.
What did Tamlin do to Feyre? ›
Tamlin tries to get her interest by telling her she looks clean and well-dressed, which she dismisses as pathetic flirting. Due to her continued distrust, he magically chains her to the seat and promises not to release her until she eats, Feyre obliges and is sent to her room and not a cell, to her surprise.
Do Feyre and Tamlin get married? ›
Although Feyre completes the trials, she sacrifices her life, freeing Tamlin with her last breath. Later, she is resurrected as a High Fae. Feyre and Tamlin are engaged to be married, but that doesn't mean everything is happily ever after.
What is the age recommendation for A Court of Thorns and Roses? ›
Sara Lu It is marketed towards young adults. It does contain violence, bad language, and some adult content.
Why is Sarah J. Maas controversial? ›
One of the most common reasons Maas has been labeled problematic is due to a lack representation and diversity in her books. However, the significance of this problem has been hotly debated on social media.
What is the curse in Court of Thorns and Roses? ›
Amarantha wanted Tamlin for her lover and was enraged when he refused. In retribution, Amarantha cursed Tamlin. To break the curse, he had forty-nine years to get a human girl—a girl who hated faeries enough to kill one unprovoked–to declare her love for him.
Are there any spicy scenes in the Throne of Glass series? ›
Apart from Crown of Midnight's fade-to-black sex scenes, the only Throne of Glass books that could be considered spicy are Empire of Storms, Tower of Dawn, and Kingdom of Ash. Of the three, Empire of Storms has the most explicit sequences, and it can be considered the turning point for Maas' fantasy series.
WARNING: There will be spoilers in this review!