Reviews with content warning for Body shaming - A Court of Thorns and Roses

Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

29 reviews

melodyseestrees's review against another edition

0.25

challenging dark slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The main character is impossibly bland and frustrating. She is put through countless toxic or downright abusive situations. Both potential love interests are toxic and abusive. Her family is neglectful and abusive. This classifies, at best, as a dark romance. If you are already unimpressed by the offerings of that genre you will not have a good time reading this. The first sixty percent of the book is boring and toxic. After that it is no longer as boring but triple toxic.
The audiobook narrator does good with the material she is given but this is definitely not a tale for me. People say the next book is better and this is the worst book in the series but I am not giving this author a second chance.

Content Warnings

paigeinabook's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

orchidlilly's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Oh boy, so many things to say here. First of all, this was the first series in over 10 years that I DNF'd (never got past the first book). The writing is mediocre at best, the descriptions are trite and cliche, and it reads like fanfiction written by a middle-schooler. The main character, Feyre, is whiny, unlikable, and overall bland and annoying, she reads like a textbook self-insert mary sue who is the best at everything, except being girly because she's "not like other girls". The plot makes no real sense, and the story takes forever to move forward, usually with more focus on the smutty romance bits than the actual storyline. This story has just taken Katniss from the Hunger Games, poorly reskinned her, and dumped her in a wannabe dark and raunchy beauty and the beast ripoff. I could maybe see how it could be enjoyable for a horned up middle schooler/ early high schooler, but this book is not for anyone who wants actual substance to their stories.

Content Warnings

literally_mint's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

merelyakalan's review against another edition

2.0

dark tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

gizley0420's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark mysterious 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

Content Warnings

bookish_78bookieluvr's review against another edition

1.0

dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Rysand is the bare minimum. Hated how Sarah J. Maas didn't address the problematic things that Tamlin and Ryhsand did to feyre for thier own gain. I hate that thier actions were romanticized and not show in the true light of negativity that it was. Feyre deserved better and just because a dude taught her how to read and treated her like an equal human being didn't make Ryhsand a feminist it made him the bare minimum and the bar isn't in hell it simply doesn't exsist. I feel that we can simply at least try to address these things and not romantic them and instead show what these problematic theses are are negative and not good and the reason onto why problematic and hurtful things are to be addressed is becuase the books are consumed by mass media's of people and teenagers children even. It is not something that they should normalize as normal, good, the standard, and to be expected from thier future partners. She normalises an incredibly sexist dynamic that has men universally characterised as possessive, violent and dominating, and women as passive objects to be fought over. In the case of Feysand, this is repainted in ACOMAF as a narrative of undying and ‘true’ love. Even if you enjoy the books, you *cannot* ignore these implications. At this link and resource that I used for my own review you may go check out this creator more in depth review about this book which helped me realize exactly how problematic this book truly was and to which I am truly greatful : [ *https://howlsmovinglibrary.tumblr.com/post/160130108614/the-relationship-between-misogyny-and-romance-a *]
*[also: problematic gender portrayal, problematic tropes - traditional alpha male behaviour, such as possessiveness and animalistically coded desire, issues of iffy (and in cases utterly absent) consent, reinforced heterosexuality.]* She can do a much better job depicting trauma without sensationalizing it.

Content Warnings