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

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A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

512 reviews

lagoralka98's review against another edition

4.0

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: No

Content Warnings

elaine_fdes's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Introduction (Basic Info and Summary)

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Fantasy Romance / New Adult Fantasy

Series: First in the ACOTAR series

A Court of Thorns and Roses is a lush, romantic fantasy that blends elements of a Beauty and the Beast retelling with fae mythology and political intrigue. The story follows Feyre Archeron, a mortal huntress whose life changes forever when she kills a wolf in the woods and is taken across the wall into the land of the fae as punishment. What starts as a slow-burn romance soon unravels into a darker tale of curses, manipulation, and survival, set in a richly imagined world of courts, magic, and ancient threats.

Initial Impressions

TikTok made me buy this entire series—and while I was hesitant at first (especially midway through book one), I’m glad I stuck with it. This was my first fantasy series since reading Harry Potter as a kid, and as a reader in my 30s, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The physical copy from my library drew me in with its beautiful cover, and by the end, I found myself emotionally invested. It has flaws, but the escapism it provides is undeniable.

Writing Style + Plot & Conflict + Characters

Sarah J. Maas writes in a lyrical, accessible style through Feyre’s first-person POV. The worldbuilding is immersive, though early chapters can feel repetitive or meandering. The pacing fluctuates—slower in the first half and rapid toward the end. The plot is straightforward with some familiar fantasy-romance tropes, but there’s just enough mystery to keep you intrigued.

Feyre is a determined lead, though her decision-making can be frustrating. Tamlin, the love interest, starts off compelling but ultimately feels flat. Lucien adds flavor with his sarcasm, and Rhysand—though a side character here—steals the spotlight whenever he appears. The antagonist, Amarantha, lacks depth and feels more like a plot device than a fully realized villain.

Themes, Symbolisms, Trigger Warnings

Themes include love vs. duty, survival, power dynamics, and freedom vs. control. Symbolism tied to masks, courts, and Feyre’s trials adds depth, though some themes are more developed in later books.

Trigger Warnings (Moderate): Emotional abuse, physical violence, captivity, torture, implied sexual assault, and toxic relationships.

Strengths

Immersive worldbuilding and detailed faerie lore
Romantic tension and slow-burn development
Strong visual and atmospheric writing
Memorable secondary characters (Lucien and Rhysand)
Exciting, high-stakes final act

Weaknesses

Uneven pacing, especially in the first half
Underdeveloped villain
Predictable plot (especially if familiar with the Beauty and the Beast structure)
Tamlin’s characterization lacks complexity
Frustrating character decisions from Feyre at key moments

Personal Reflections & Takeaways

Despite some early regrets about buying the full series before reading book one, I’m genuinely glad I continued. This book didn’t blow me away, but it gave me just enough magic, mystery, and romance to keep going. As a returning fantasy reader, it reminded me of how much I missed escaping into another world. It’s not perfect—but it’s addicting, and I see why it has such a huge fanbase.

Recommendations + Who Best For + Skip If
Recommended for: Fantasy romance fans, new adult readers, those looking for an accessible re-entry into the fantasy genre.
Skip if: You dislike slow pacing, fae lore, or predictable retellings.

Rating: 3.75 / 5

Content Warnings

allisonjoytimpe's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

lex223427's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

ruska_777's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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: No

Content Warnings

karlin0336's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous dark emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was a reread for me (it's been so long that I decided to stop reading A Court of Wings and Ruin and go back through these so everything's more fresh in my mind). My original rating was 4.25 stars, but I definitely enjoyed it more the second time around. Not at all a fan of the amount of spice in this series, but this one is quite a bit more tame than the others. (Definitely skippable if you want to go that route.)

If you're a fan of books about the fae, you will love this. Worldbuilding and characters are great. The story from start to finish is captivating. The ending is mind-blowing. Plus, it's a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but with fae! What could be better?

Content Warnings

oxian_d's review against another edition

3.25

dark emotional hopeful mysterious slow-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

Finally, I have finished this book, been delaying it for quite some time now. I don't know, maybe it's too romancy for me that I got bored along the way or perhaps it's too predictable. I almost, not want to finish this book. It's just so similar to the Beauty and the Beast story, well only on the first part. Although, it was interesting, emotional, even the words were written well. And love the creatures, colorful to imagine, the scenery too with the painting and the magic lake, and I even felt for their love story for a bit but it's too predictable. Falling in love with her captor, is crazy. The beast tamed the beauty? I thought she was a hunter, where did that go? Falling for the first rich guy she saw is just lame. I'm sorry to say women are not weak and dependent. It's just so disappointing and with the theme: good vs evil, rich and poor, the usual stuff. To make it worse it felt too dragging. But at least I enjoyed the itsy bitsy twist in the end with the involvement of the fae kingdoms to make it different.

I just don't like how the beast named Tamlin tamed the hunter Feyre even if it was a prophecy in the story so it seemed. She wasn't a hunter anymore but a girl, an ordinary girl who loves beauty and fell for a guy or the next who helped her. So typical. It's too predictable. Even the evil queen was too lenient to her. The fantasy ended but they made this into a series can you imagine. I think her face was a history, a reminder of someone and this will be revealed next like who wouldn't guess. Together with the love triangle scenario, she will marry one of them for sure and the looming war with humans is at the brink. A story reminiscent of what was and what will be. That is why this is predictable and boring.

Content Warnings

latsin's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

mary_berry_'s review against another edition

1.0

adventurous slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Literally hated this book so much, started it four years ago and I just now finished it because I was so bored I didn’t want to pick it up again. I have the second book, will I read it? Maybe? Honestly idk if I wanna put myself through that again.

Content Warnings

jorose's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

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