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4.55 AVERAGE
4.55 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I cannot believe I went from "Tamlin and Feyre are so cute! Rhysand better not eff this up!" to "Feyre can make her own choices and if she choses to love Rhysand that's her choice! I'm going to kill Tamlin!" in the span of a single book.
ACOMAF is a retelling of Hades and Persephone, and it fits so well because of the relationship between Rhys and Feyre. Once again, I love how Maas drops those little hints that lets you know what retelling this is, and I love how this book took the world she created and brought it to the next level. The worldbuilding was fantastic, and I loved the scenes with the Bone Carver and the Weaver. The scenes in Velaris and with Rhys' inner circle were some of my favorite parts. The way they worked and talked with each other reminded me of the group in The Raven Cycle.
I liked how Feyre's traumatic experience in Under the Mountain wasn't swept under the rug. Feyre suffers from PTSD after Under the Mountain, and it's a strong message throughout the novel even though you won't ever be the same, you can push through. It's clear that even though you suffered from trauma, you can still make your own choices, take back your power, and learn to live again.
I legitimately thought I wouldn't like Rhys and Feyre's relationship, but I was so, so wrong. The slow build up from friendship to lovers was so cute and it didn't make it seem like it was insta-love. And Rhys consistently gives her choices and agency, something Feyre needs after what she was forced to do in Under the Mountain. I appreciated how Feyre didn't excuse Rhys' behavior during ACOTAR, and rather had a new understanding of it. Rhys made up for it every time he gave Feyre a choice, or allowed her to go into potentially dangerous situations, because she wanted to. I loved every scene that they had together, and even though the soup scene was so extra it was really cute.
I also loved how Feyre didn't discredit her and Tamlin's relationship. It was nice to see that Feyre acknowledged that Tamlin and her had a good relationship in the beginning, but after Under the Mountain they've changed. That's not who they are now, and Tamlin needs to accept it. I'm not sure if this was deliberate, but Tamlin and Feyre's relationship, and Feyre making her own choice to leave him, was a good message about leaving abusers, especially emotional abusers. Even though Tamlin didn't physically hurt her, he controlled her every move and left her in the dark. His love for Feyre blinded him, and now it's too late to change their relationship.
My only complaint is that TOG and ACTOAR seem to have similar plots, but Maas did state that they take place in the same multiverse (I guess through the wrydgates?), so I don't mind that much. There's also the issue of diversity, but that's a problem in all of her novels that I hope she fixes.
I loved all the characters in this novel, especially Rhys' inner circle, and the ending once again blew my mind. The theme of agency and choices was done perfectly, and something young girls need to read. All too often the "misunderstood bad boy" takes advantage of the main character and it's written off as okay or excused. Feyre takes none of that and Rhys owns up to his mistakes, and as a result their pairing is healthy and they balance each other out.
I still can't believe I went from loving Tamlin to honestly wanting to help Rhysand push Tamlin off a cliff. I'm positive Feyre would join in as well.
Some favorite quotes:
“He thinks he'll be remembered as the villain in the story. But I forgot to tell him that the villain is usually the person who locks up the maiden and throws away the key. He was the one who let me out.”
“But then she snapped your neck.”
Tears rolled down his face.
“And I felt you die,” he whispered.
Tears were sliding down my own cheeks.”
"I had loved the High Lord who had shown me the comforts and wonders of Prythian; I had loved the High Lord who let me have the time and food and safety to paint. Maybe a small part of me might always care for him, but … Amarantha had broken us both. Or broken me so that who he was and what I now was no longer fit.
And I could let that go. I could accept that. Maybe it would be hard for a while, but … maybe it’d get better."
"I’m thinking that I was a lonely, hopeless person, and I might have fallen in love with the first thing that showed me a hint of kindness and safety. And I’m thinking maybe he knew that—maybe not actively, but maybe he wanted to be that person for someone. And maybe that worked for who I was before. Maybe it doesn’t work for who—what I am now.”
"I was not a pet, not a doll, not an animal. I was a survivor, and I was strong. I would not be weak, or helpless again. I would not, could not be broken. Tamed."
“That girl that had needed to be protected, who had craved stability and comfort . . . she had died Under the Mountain. I had died, and there had been no one to protect me from those horrors before my neck snapped. So I had done it myself. And I would not, could not, yield that part of me that had awoken and transformed Under the Mountain.”
ACOMAF is a retelling of Hades and Persephone, and it fits so well because of the relationship between Rhys and Feyre. Once again, I love how Maas drops those little hints that lets you know what retelling this is, and I love how this book took the world she created and brought it to the next level. The worldbuilding was fantastic, and I loved the scenes with the Bone Carver and the Weaver. The scenes in Velaris and with Rhys' inner circle were some of my favorite parts. The way they worked and talked with each other reminded me of the group in The Raven Cycle.
I liked how Feyre's traumatic experience in Under the Mountain wasn't swept under the rug. Feyre suffers from PTSD after Under the Mountain, and it's a strong message throughout the novel even though you won't ever be the same, you can push through. It's clear that even though you suffered from trauma, you can still make your own choices, take back your power, and learn to live again.
I legitimately thought I wouldn't like Rhys and Feyre's relationship, but I was so, so wrong. The slow build up from friendship to lovers was so cute and it didn't make it seem like it was insta-love. And Rhys consistently gives her choices and agency, something Feyre needs after what she was forced to do in Under the Mountain. I appreciated how Feyre didn't excuse Rhys' behavior during ACOTAR, and rather had a new understanding of it. Rhys made up for it every time he gave Feyre a choice, or allowed her to go into potentially dangerous situations, because she wanted to. I loved every scene that they had together, and even though the soup scene was so extra it was really cute.
I also loved how Feyre didn't discredit her and Tamlin's relationship. It was nice to see that Feyre acknowledged that Tamlin and her had a good relationship in the beginning, but after Under the Mountain they've changed. That's not who they are now, and Tamlin needs to accept it. I'm not sure if this was deliberate, but Tamlin and Feyre's relationship, and Feyre making her own choice to leave him, was a good message about leaving abusers, especially emotional abusers. Even though Tamlin didn't physically hurt her, he controlled her every move and left her in the dark. His love for Feyre blinded him, and now it's too late to change their relationship.
My only complaint is that TOG and ACTOAR seem to have similar plots, but Maas did state that they take place in the same multiverse (I guess through the wrydgates?), so I don't mind that much. There's also the issue of diversity, but that's a problem in all of her novels that I hope she fixes.
I loved all the characters in this novel, especially Rhys' inner circle, and the ending once again blew my mind
Spoiler
Nesta and Elain! And Feyre is going to kick some assI still can't believe I went from loving Tamlin to honestly wanting to help Rhysand push Tamlin off a cliff. I'm positive Feyre would join in as well.
Some favorite quotes:
“He thinks he'll be remembered as the villain in the story. But I forgot to tell him that the villain is usually the person who locks up the maiden and throws away the key. He was the one who let me out.”
“But then she snapped your neck.”
Tears rolled down his face.
“And I felt you die,” he whispered.
Tears were sliding down my own cheeks.”
"I had loved the High Lord who had shown me the comforts and wonders of Prythian; I had loved the High Lord who let me have the time and food and safety to paint. Maybe a small part of me might always care for him, but … Amarantha had broken us both. Or broken me so that who he was and what I now was no longer fit.
And I could let that go. I could accept that. Maybe it would be hard for a while, but … maybe it’d get better."
"I’m thinking that I was a lonely, hopeless person, and I might have fallen in love with the first thing that showed me a hint of kindness and safety. And I’m thinking maybe he knew that—maybe not actively, but maybe he wanted to be that person for someone. And maybe that worked for who I was before. Maybe it doesn’t work for who—what I am now.”
"I was not a pet, not a doll, not an animal. I was a survivor, and I was strong. I would not be weak, or helpless again. I would not, could not be broken. Tamed."
“That girl that had needed to be protected, who had craved stability and comfort . . . she had died Under the Mountain. I had died, and there had been no one to protect me from those horrors before my neck snapped. So I had done it myself. And I would not, could not, yield that part of me that had awoken and transformed Under the Mountain.”
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Guilty pleasure read to the max. I cannot and will not elaborate on the good and the bad
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I forgot to rate this after I read it, but I know I enjoyed reading this book. I read it very quickly and couldn't wait for the next one.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
12/22/23: this reread was so good, i think my review the first time was way too harsh, this book made me feel the emotions of the characters and I i was on the edge of my seat the whole time even though i knew what was going to happen, this book is GOOD
2/2/2023: again, terrible writing, terrible character development, nothing makes sense…but i also couldn’t put it down
2/2/2023: again, terrible writing, terrible character development, nothing makes sense…but i also couldn’t put it down