Book Review - A Court of Thorns and Roses By Sarah J. Maas

My life will NEVER be the same, I measure my life in terms of BEFORE A Court Of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) and AFTER A Court Of Mist and Fury (ACOMAF).

"Be glad of your human heart, Feyre. Pity those who don't feel anything at all."

I will admit I was talked into reading this book and not just once. I was told to read this book three times before I agreed to read it.

YA Fantasy wasn't high on my list of books I wanted to read, but I can honestly say that I admire my friend, who had actually read the book before recommending it, for not clubbing me over the head with the salt and pepper shaker at the cafes where she persistently assured me that I'd like the book.

So when I finally succumbed to the idea, I purchased the book and started. I now realise that my life will NEVER be the same.

In fact, I measure my life in terms of BEFORE A Court Of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) and after A Court Of Mist and Fury (ACOMAF).

As I said this is a fantasy trilogy, with ACOTAR being the first in the series.

This is a story of Feyre the huntress. Feyre lives on the outskirts of a small village of the mortal lands right against "The Wall”, which separates the humans from the land of the Faries. She lives in a small farm house with her Father and two sisters.

Feyre is the youngest daughter of a once wealthy, widowed merchant who lost all his fortunes in a tempest at sea. All his daughters are very beautiful, Feyre, is the most lovely, as well as kind and pure of heart; While the two elder sisters, in contrast, are wicket, selfish, vain and spoiled. They secretly taunt Feyre and treat her more like a servant then a sister.

On one of her hunts Feyre, comes across a large wolf, which she believes could be a Faerie. She ceases the opportunity and doesn't think much of killing the Wolf. She isn't the biggest fan of the Faeries and a Wolf this size could feed her family for months plus the money she could get for his fur could help keep them warm through out the winter.

Feyre soon finds out that there is a high price for taking the life of a magical creature....

As punishment she is soon taken to Prythian, the land across the wall, to live in the castles of the Fea High Lord of the Spring court. She is free to do as she pleases on the grounds of the court but is forbidden from leaving or trying to escape, with the cost of her life.

This story’s premise is base on the ageless fairytale Beauty and the Beast. The beast being Tamlin who's court is coursed and so all in his land are forced to wear a mask. The mask can only be removed once the “curse” is broken. Fayre is Beauty, and even the side characters from the Disney adaptation appear in the story like the Mrs Potts who is Alice in ACOTAR.

I have now read this book more then once, and every time I read it I find more and more in this book then just the obvious story. Sarah J Maas is a genius!

The story is split into two half and the first par of the ACOTAR is very much along the lines of the original tale, up to the part where Tamlin sends her back home to her family. In ACOTAR he tells her not to come back, but still a week later Feyre (Beauty) tracks back to her Tamlin (Beast).

The first half of the book is very slow, in fact I almost gave up several times in the first 3 chapters. But I persisted and I’m very happy I did.

As slow as the first half of the book was, it isn’t until the second book that you actually realise how the world building truly sets the scene for the full story.

The second part of the book was simply amazing!

This is where Maas truly frames the story and oh what a story.

We are introduces to Rhysand, the high lord of the night court and the power games of the Fairy world.

This part of the book holds all the action and intrigue, and just as a world of caution read slowly so not to miss anything. Sarah does a really good job of littering the whole story with hints and nudges of plot to come in the next instalment of the story A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOMAF).

I’ll admit that in the need to find out what happens next I didn’t absorb all the have the hints of the story to come. It isn’t until the 2nd or 3rd time I read the book that I truly thought “OMG how did I miss that?!?”

Overall, I like a book with a female heroin who has girl power, not that you'd know that from the first part of the book. But I forgive her, because every fall and broken bone teaches us to grow and build character.

I loved watching her fall in love and make the tough choices to prove her love. I like watching her manoeuvre around the fairy rules, politics, tricks and her drive to never give up.

"Don't feel bad for one moment about doing what brings you joy"

I finished the book in a couple of days and honestly I was shocked at how upset I was that I had to wait 6 months for the next one to come out.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 because I have read this book more then once and will read it again.