Rating: 9/10
This one really caught me off guard, I thought I would like it but I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. I know that this is one of SJM's most popular series and I was super excited to get into it. Once I did, I read it in like three sittings because I was so enrapt with what was happening. (I was also waiting for the premise to make sense, it does, you just have to keep going).
A Court of Thorns and Roses starts when the protagonist Feyre kills a giant wolf in the woods. Feyre and her family are poor and have suffered a huge fall from grace, she is the only one that takes care of her two sisters and father. She isn't sure if this wolf is of the Fae or if it's just a normal wolf, she also realizes that she doesn't care either way and kills him out of spite. The humans have been treated cruelly by the Fae for centuries and most have poor feelings regarding them. A few days after the death of the faerie in the woods, Feyre is taken by a high faerie (Tamlin) to Prythian (the faerie lands) in recompense for the death of the faerie's friend. Feyre does not want to go, she's heard awful things about what happens to humans in Prythian. According to Tamlin, to amend for what she's done, she must either return to Prythian with him to live out her life or die. Once she's in Prythian she's obstinate, she doesn't want to be there and she feels a strong desire to return home out of fear that her family will starve without her. There is a lot more that happens but I don't want to spoil the rest of the book. There's a magical blight going on in Prythian, there's a snarky friend (Lucien, who I love), there's romance, there's also a lot of action for the last 100 pages so get ready for it. I just loved the way it all came together and played out.
I really enjoyed this book, so much so that I nearly jumped immediately into the second book just to keep the story going. You may think initially that the premise makes absolutely no sense. I did for sure, I could not suspend my disbelief for a big chunk of the story. I just did not understand why you would take someone who murdered your friend into your home and allow them to just live their life in luxury, why not just kill them? It makes sense eventually, you just have to hang on and try not to linger on it too much. Maas has a great way of building a world and the characters that I really like. You were really able to get a feel for Prythian and how it was just overwhelmingly better than the human territory. Learning of different Fae in the world and what they looked like and how they behaved was just intriguing to me. The story was never really slow because it felt like there was always something new. Learning of the Fae customs was also wild (ESPECIALLY Fire Night, Fire Night is WILD. I see you SJM).
You could definitely say that the plot is based on the romance but not in a way that feels cheesy or too excessive, like there's plenty of other elements to keep you interested, so don't let that scare you away. The characters were lovely and three-dimensional and you were able to get so attached to them. The romance angle was even good (I know that I can't trust it but I still liked it alright?). Initially, Feyre was one of the most sympathetic characters. Her family was ungrateful for everything she was doing for them (Nesta especially but the book works that one out fine, trust). She was having to work herself to the bone and run herself ragged just to make ends meet and nobody cared. So initially, I felt really bad for her. Feyre really grows and evolves from the cold, mistrustful woman that she is in the beginning. She learns that she's more than what people think of her and that she's stronger than a lot of humans.
I did still give it a nine out of ten for a reason. I just absolutely could not sometimes with Feyre. She just absolutely would not listen to what anybody was telling her for all of the book and it drove me nuts. Like, these people are warning you for a reason, LISTEN TO THEM. But no, she kept doing stupid things and getting in the way or getting in trouble. I know it's just how her character is, but like it still got on my nerves. Maybe I'm a square who likes to follow the rules, but I mean when you're a human in such a dangerous place, maybe you should listen to what people are telling you. Having such an overpowered villain was also kind of annoying. It gave you the feeling of "Well, how the hell is anybody ever supposed to beat her?" Fae politics are rough man. I won't say that I didn't like how filthy the story was at parts (I did like it), but I see where people are coming from when they don't. It is technically a young adult book and there were quite a few sexual situations. That's my warning about it. There's more actual sexual contact in this book than in Crescent City (which is kind of hilarious).
Overall, I'm so happy that I read this and I'm excited to get into the next one. I've heard and seen quite a few things regarding the love interests of the story so I'm not sure how I feel about all of it yet. I have no clue what the next book is even supposed to be about per se. Either way, this one was so good that I know I will probably end up reading the sequel before the end of the month. ACOTAR is certainly high on my list of SJM books right now. Throne of Glass is dead last because I just can't, I have felt no rush to move on to the second book and I read it in like February? I will have to put ACOTAR second and Crescent City first. Crescent City was great (I did a review of both of those books also, if you're interested) they both got equal ratings, but I think I just liked Bryce a bit more than Feyre.
If you've been wondering if you should read this book go for it. If you're into fantasy with a lot of action and an underlying romance plot that is just chock full of surprises and lore, then I think this one is the perfect read. Also, let me just say that I loved that Sarah J Maas included a pronunciation guide in the back of the book. Some of the names were fine, but I would have been pronouncing Feyre like "fair" for sure, even though it's "Fey-ruh." I'm going to blow off some steam with my spoiler-y thoughts below.
SPOILERS BELOW
Okay, I was relieved when they revealed the premise made sense. I was worried the whole time that the book was built on a shaky foundation and I wouldn't be able to completely ignore it. When they revealed that part of the curse was that he had to get a human that hated faeries to fall in love with him I was relieved because that made sense. I knew there was no way they would just leave it as it was.
Here are the spoilers that I've come into contact with that effect the whole series so, reader beware
Most importantly though, I want to talk about the romance between Tamlin and Feyre. Like I support it, I'm all about it, but I don't trust it. I've seen things on the internet (I hate being spoiled on accident but I also hate looking like a fool so I guess it's really one or the other here) while looking at SJM fan art that have really spoiled the relationship. I know that people really hate Tamlin across this fandom, I KNOW something is going to happen and she is going to end up with Rhysand. I don't know what, where, when, why, or how, but I know that it will eventually happen. I'm not sure if it's just Tamlin's temperament that they don't like, if turns into a jerk, or if its some kind of betrayal? I don't want anyone to tell me, I just want to vent about it. What was it with Rhys at the end of the book where he gave Feyre a weird look before he vanished? Does it have something to do with the mate thing? Don't tell me, just let me vent.