Guess who finally finished the A Court of Thorns and Roses series? This girl! Well, everything except the novella that was published this past year. I’ve heard mixed things about that one, so I haven’t decided to read that one yet. Should I read it to complete the series? Also, I realized I don’t know if the series is actually done (a quick search shows there will be a spin-off series).
Overall, the world building is probably my favorite aspect of this series. Sarah J. Maas really knows how to create these epic fictional worlds, as I saw when I read Throne of Glass last summer. I still prefer that series to this one. I found the writing a little stronger there than I found it in A Court of Thorns and Roses. But both have that magical quality about them that makes them easy to consume quickly.
Warning: a few spoilers for the series will be included below! If you haven’t read the series, read at your own risk.
A Court of Thorns and Roses
For those of you that don’t know, this series follows the story of Feyre. At the beginning of the series, we find her trying to provide for her family. However, while hunting one day, she accidentally kills a faerie. This brings Tamlin, the High Lord of the Spring Court, to her house, who sweeps her away into Prythian, the land of the Fae. Which has been plagued by an evil Fae named Amarantha, for 50 years.
There is a lot of set up in this first book, and a lot of the action doesn’t really happen until the last third of the novel. While I understand the need for set-up and world building, so much changes in the second book that all of the set-up isn’t needed specifically for the Spring Court. We do get to learn power structures and such though. Which is important for the next book.
A Court of Mist and Fury
After Feyre frees Prythian from Amarantha and becomes High Fae herself, she goes back to the Spring Court, ready to settle into a life with Tamlin. But it isn’t anywhere near what she expected–and she still has that bargain with Rhysand. Which turns out to actually save her life.
Where the pacing in the first book felt a bit off, the pacing in this book was almost perfect. From desperately wanting Feyre to get out of the hands of Tamlin to learning about the Night Court, we learn even more about the expansive world Maas has created. And Rhysand! Before I read this series, all I heard about was Rhysand. Now, I totally understand why. The Night Court and its inhabitants are beautiful, despite what everyone else thinks of them. The Night Court is probably my most favorite court.
A Court of Wings and Ruin
Tamlin, the Spring Court, and the human queens have betrayed Prythian to Hybern, a Fae king who wants to go back to the old
ways. Feyre’s sisters were changed to Fae in the process. Now, Rhysand and Feyre have to figure out how to fight Hybern and his armies before they overtake Prythian.
Like the first book, I felt that this one was paced a bit oddly. The first half of the book felt repetitive. All of the High Lords keep going back and forth trying to figure out what to do, not wanting to give up their own power. The idea of “mate” is also used a lot throughout this book, and while I get it, it also feels a bit tedious after a while. But in the true nature of Sarah J. Maas, everything leads up to an epic battle with things you don’t seem coming. All in all, a good conclusion to an engrossing series.