Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - A Court of Wings and Ruin

2024 reread:

Rating: 5/5 stars

This will never be my favorite of the series but it has some truly ICONIC moments and I thoroughly enjoyed the reread!

Original review (December 2022):

Rating: 5 stars

Feyre and the Night Court must create alliances and battle ancient magic to save Prythian.

As the third book in the series, there isn’t a ton I can say without a lot of recap and spoiling, so I’ll keep it short. This one was a tad long for me and didn’t have the impeccable sexual tension of ACOMAF, but it was nonetheless an absolutely phenomenal roller coaster ride the whole way.

CW: Blood/death/war/grief; kidnapping; misogyny/sexism; torture/violence; sexual assault; domestic violence/physical violence

Content Warnings

mangofraiche's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

4.5

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taliatalksbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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

4.5

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas was an incredible continuation of an already great series. It’s not often I dive right into a second 600+ page book immediately after finishing one, but I couldn’t resist. I loved the new characters that were introduced and the changing dynamics of those who we’ve met before. I was happy to finally meet the rest of the High Lords and I cannot wait to dive into the next book. This series truly has everything I love in books, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. The more I read of the ACOTAR series, the more I can see why this is such a fan favorite and beloved by so many fans of Maas. Each book sways me more and more towards ACOTAR being the superior series over TOG (but let’s be honest, they’re both amazing). I loved this book and if you’re a fan of fantasy, you will too, especially if you like a little spice thrown in.

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indigo_fox's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

Honestly, when I first started this series I wasn't sure I'd like it but I was happily proven wrong in the 2nd book. Waiting my turn to check out this book from the library was a nightmare but it was well worth it. I could hardly put it down as I wanted to learn more about the Court of Dreams and the little family that ran it. My concern for the characters and the dangers they were facing also spurred my desire to just devour this book.

I find the writing very easy to just fall into to, it just pulls me into the books world. The sex scenes seem a bit weird sometimes, I don't get some of the wording used. Google tells me that other people have the same opinion so its not an ace thing. The writing is solid when it comes to character voices, I feel like I can see each of their distinct personalities shinning through. The characters themselves are easy to fall in love with, and I've added a few others to my list of favorites. There are so many new characters that get introduced in this book that its a bit hard to keep track of them all.

Overall, it was a fun read and I'm glad I gave the series a chance.

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rafacolog's review against another edition

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challenging emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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bree_h_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional sad tense 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? No

0.5

I will give A Court of Wings and Ruin this, I did find it slightly more enjoyable than the first two books in the ACOTAR series. I do genuinely believe I could find myself coming to care more about the characters and plot if I weren’t stuck in the head of someone in love with Rhysand. That said, this book overall was not super great.

I will start out with what I liked and admit the book had some merit. I found the opening to be pretty well done. It seemed to capture very quickly the sort of environment Feyre found herself in and conveyed how she felt about it. The descriptions and narrations of Feyre’s rage and how it motivated her were also very effective early on. In the beginning the book also made it feel like the characters were very clever and I think it had the potential to be great with a bit more polishing.

As always I loved Nesta, my beloved, and her going off on Rhysand/the main group was a delight. I also didn’t mind the way Eliane’s depression and coping with events from the last book was written even if I felt the reason was a little weak and lacking in complexity. I also really appreciated and enjoyed Amrin and Nesta’s dynamic and it very quickly reminded me of why I enjoyed them both so much in the last book.

Finally, I did really like the budding dynamic and relationship between Elaine and Azriel. I HOPE in future SJM will continue that thread and explore the idea that just because two people are “mates” (gag) doesn’t mean they should be together or are good for each other. I just don’t feel like Lucien and Elaine would be any good together.

Also I did enjoy the narrator, I think she did a pretty good job with the book.

Now, I will try to keep this part brief because my previous two reviews have practically been novels and I don’t want to drag this out too much. This is also where I tend to get into SPOILERS so be warned.

Consistency, once again, is a serious problem in this book. It’s too dangerous to throw away a paintbrush BUT Feyre can light it on fire. Rhysand can’t talk to Feyre beyond day one with Tamlin, but he’s been keeping her up to date on battle plans. Feyre’s tattoo showing her commitment to Rhysand is glamoured over in the spring court, but then she has no tattoo, but then she does because Tamlin sees it, but then she doesn’t again. This could just be a problem of the narration not conveying the information in a clear way and some of my issues weren’t inconsistencies. However, that’s still a flaw that needs fixed.

I feel like I’m really starting a to see Tamlin’s character assassination in this book more too. While last book a lot of his acts felt in character, far too many in this one didn’t. And he wasn’t the only one I felt acted out of character. Mor and Cassin also stand out in my mind as having out of character moments.

As for the plot, it generally felt very all over the place. I COULD explain it all, but at the same time it just felt constructed in a very strange way. Like SJM bit off more than she could chew. I didn’t feel like any of the subplots were cohesive and I frequently forgot some existed.

There was also far too much repetition. We’re told the same information over and over and over and over again in just slightly different ways. It gets old and frustrating. Especially when the lines are almost identical. There’s also extremely repetitive word and phrase choice. “Barked”, “if I could paint the scene”, “down the mating bond”, “tugged on the mating bond”, ect. I feel like it hindered the narration and how the story could be be conveyed.

Now for Rhysand and Feyre. I do not like them and I think they’re relationship sucks. I find them to both be wildly hypocritical and it doesn’t feel like Feyre is a person outside of Rhysand anymore. Feyre was revelling in the chaos she sowed in the Spring Court and believed she was justified in what she did. But then in the last portion of the the book is all weepy as if she didn’t happily cause that. Rhysand is all about choices for victims and respecting people, but doesn’t warn Mor about her abusers or that he’ll be giving them access to her until it’s happening. Then he’s frustrated when she gets upset. (Also callback to when I said it Rhysand had to make a deal with the enemy it would he framed as a needed thing no matter how many people it hurt.) He makes a safe haven for victims of SA and then almost hookups with Feyre in it. I just couldn’t bring myself to enjoy them as characters at all.

Finally the ending. I’ll keep this part brief, unlike the book. It dragged out for FAR too long. It should have ended at MINIMUM a chapter before it did if not two. I was painfully bored during it and it was a drag.

Overall, I didn’t enjoy it much. I can see why people like it, but I personally just find it overwritten and poorly thought out. We’ll see if any of my opinions change once I get to read A Court of Silver Flames.

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ursimae's review

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

WOW. This one had me going THROUGH IT. What a glorious heart-pounding whirlwind. Alliances lost and found, sweeping war across many lands and climates… this is what a true magical fantasy book should be. Of course I love the romance involved and all of the friendships sewn into the heart of this series, but ACOWAR was definitely heavy on intense battle and strategy and unbridled power, which really drew me in even deeper to that fantasy world where anything could happen. And anything DID happen!! While a little slow through the middle of the story after an incredibly cunning and sharp start, the last 200 pages more than made up for it. Edge of my seat with tears in my eyes, ready to slaughter Hybern like a well-trained Illyrian soldier. It was, in a word, EPIC.

LONG LIVE PRYTHIAN!!!!!

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