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Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual content, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
I remember this installment being the worst (to me), and that still holds true in 2025. I just do not like Feyre in this story. She irritates the everloving piss out of me.
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Gore, Torture, Blood, Murder
Minor: Slavery, Vomit, Death of parent
I was judgemental because it was recommended on booktok and also because I find magical creatures titled "High Fae" a bit tacky. But I managed to look past that, so that's something.
Positives:
The detail! The world building! I managed to imagine how everything/everyone looks. Things that happened early in the book will suddenly be mentioned in chapters waaay later, and still be relevant to the story. Being able to bring everything together like that shows true talent.
Negatives:
There were certainly things I didn't like, but I almost don't care. For instance it wasn't necessarily logical how fast Feyre got over deeply traumatic things. Everything she lived through would've given her severe PTSD, and yet she seems to get over it in three pages every time something bad happens. I don't believe for a minute that
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity, Rape, Dementia
Minor: Gaslighting
Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Feyre, the novel’s protagonist, kills a wolf and is taken by a beast (Tamlin) to his estate in the faerie world of Prythian. He holds her there for killing his wolf friend, who was actually a faerie. Throughout the book, we find out about a twisted labyrinth of treaties, curses, and creatures who complicate things for our protagonist, for Tamlin, and for a host of supporting characters. In the end, Feyre travels Under the Mountain to save Tamlin (and his friend Lucien) and break the curse.
This book gave off definite Beauty and the Beast vibes - kidnapping a girl, holding her at a massive estate, a cursed beastly creature. I thought the main and secondary characters were generally well-written and I enjoyed the overall plot, but HOLY COW it took some time to get there. Feyre killed the wolf, was kidnapped, and was at Tamlin’s estate by chapter 6. She then lallygagged around for about 20 chapters. A few excursions into the forest, a quick intro to Rhysand, and a solstice party, sure, but very little happened again plot-wise until chapter 26. The book coasted on the relationship development and sexual tension between Feyre and Tamlin for the bulk of chapters 7-25. Don’t get me wrong, I was HERE for that, but Maas absolutely could have condensed that information from 180 pages to about 60.
My other issue with ACOTAR was the lack of anger toward Feyre by Tamlin. You’re telling me a human girl kills your friend, who you sent in an attempt to break this curse, and you’re going to just bring her to your estate and let her hang out while you hope she falls in love with you? I get that Tamlin had an ulterior motive and a timeline, but it read to me like he loved her from the jump instead of falling in love with her, which seemed odd. I think a Beauty-and-the-Beast type romance where they both started out angry and gradually fell in love would have made for a better plot.
Once the pace picked up, and once I (sort of) accepted the love story/timeline between Feyre and Tamlin, I really enjoyed the remainder of the book. Maas is a skilled fantasy writer; she had me hooked during Feyre’s entire time Under the Mountain. There were SO MANY good twists in the last 100 pages!
Overall, did ACOTAR knock my socks off? No. Will I read the next book in the series because I want to see how these relationships play out? Yes. Recommend? Sure, especially if you’re into fantasy.
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Slavery, War
Minor: Physical abuse, Vomit, Death of parent, Alcohol
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Genocide, Gore, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Classism