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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my first experience with this genre, so I had somewhat high expectations, mainly due to its large following and countless people recommending this book as the perfect entry point of my smut journey. It was hyped up as a must-read, a staple. And for the first half of the book, I kinda got it. The atmosphere Sarah J. Maas is able to create is incredibly rich and detailed, and she did a great job creating a world that feels immersive.
And then..."what?" was my reaction as I read.
First, let's talk about the romance...because tbh that is what I came for. And at times? It delivered. There's a slow burn tension between Feyre and Tamlin, and I was genuinely rooting for them. When they were finally together, I felt it. The chemistry was definitely there, with the almost-kisses, the silence and stares. But then things took a turn, with Tamlins weird behaviour and unexplained possessiveness, Feyre's random reactions and decisions. The whole Fire Night scene left me more uncomfortable than invested, I admit because I was under the impression that Tamtam was a good guy.
And Feyre... I tried liking her, I did. On paper, she is everything I like in a female lead, brave, resourceful, a survivor, protector of her family, someone who knows her worth and abilities. And then she goes and does the complete opposite.
She acts reckless, she runs into unfamiliar woods alone. She drinks mysterious wine after being explicitly told not to. She hunts and traps magical creatures and just goes off vibes and hopes for the best. She ignores every solid piece of advice she's given only to find herself in dangerous situations she was warned about. She is stubborn, chaotic and does things, not out of bravery but out of stupidity and for the sake of the plot. I kept yelling "Why you gone and done that, babes?". She is described as this sharp, street-smart character, and yet constantly acts like she has spaghetti for a brain.
That being said, I really enjoyed the whole Under the Mountain section. It finally gave Feyre some solid character development that I am curious to see in the next book how she heals and is able to get through all the sacrifices and decisions she had to make. She faced real danger, and showed actual courage, not impulsiveness, to save lil'old Tam boy.
I am mainly sticking with the series because of the character introduced in Under the Mountain, Rhysand. He has more personality in a handful of scenes than Tamtam did the entire book. I am curious to see where this goes with Rhysand, Tamlin and Feyre.
Final thoughts, messy. Frustrating. Sometimes, "what the hell is this plot?" And other times, “hehe omg please I need more.” As my first smutty fantasy romance, I honestly wish someone had recommended something else, because I’ve since read other books that would’ve hooked me instantly. Still, here I am. Confused but invested.
And then..."what?" was my reaction as I read.
First, let's talk about the romance...because tbh that is what I came for. And at times? It delivered. There's a slow burn tension between Feyre and Tamlin, and I was genuinely rooting for them. When they were finally together, I felt it. The chemistry was definitely there, with the almost-kisses, the silence and stares. But then things took a turn, with Tamlins weird behaviour and unexplained possessiveness, Feyre's random reactions and decisions. The whole Fire Night scene left me more uncomfortable than invested, I admit because I was under the impression that Tamtam was a good guy.
And Feyre... I tried liking her, I did. On paper, she is everything I like in a female lead, brave, resourceful, a survivor, protector of her family, someone who knows her worth and abilities. And then she goes and does the complete opposite.
She acts reckless, she runs into unfamiliar woods alone. She drinks mysterious wine after being explicitly told not to. She hunts and traps magical creatures and just goes off vibes and hopes for the best. She ignores every solid piece of advice she's given only to find herself in dangerous situations she was warned about. She is stubborn, chaotic and does things, not out of bravery but out of stupidity and for the sake of the plot. I kept yelling "Why you gone and done that, babes?". She is described as this sharp, street-smart character, and yet constantly acts like she has spaghetti for a brain.
That being said, I really enjoyed the whole Under the Mountain section. It finally gave Feyre some solid character development that I am curious to see in the next book how she heals and is able to get through all the sacrifices and decisions she had to make. She faced real danger, and showed actual courage, not impulsiveness, to save lil'old Tam boy.
I am mainly sticking with the series because of the character introduced in Under the Mountain, Rhysand. He has more personality in a handful of scenes than Tamtam did the entire book. I am curious to see where this goes with Rhysand, Tamlin and Feyre.
Final thoughts, messy. Frustrating. Sometimes, "what the hell is this plot?" And other times, “hehe omg please I need more.” As my first smutty fantasy romance, I honestly wish someone had recommended something else, because I’ve since read other books that would’ve hooked me instantly. Still, here I am. Confused but invested.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Blood, Murder
Minor: Slavery
adventurous
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:
Complicated
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
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:
Complicated
Most of this book was hard to get through. I re-read this book like 10 times because I couldn’t even get halfway- but I committed and I’m thankful I did. Would had been 5 stars if it wasn’t for that fact