Reviews with content warning for Rape - Un Palais de colère et de brume

I panned the first book, A Court of Thorns and Roses, for being dull and derivitive, with a forced romance plot. I was right about that, but in fairness to Maas, she really turned it around for the sequel.
The book is still a pale shadow of a hundred better books and even fanfictions (from which it borrows so many tropes) but this book's plot, romance elements, and world building were all vastly better than the first book. I kept feeling proud of Maas for

actually turning the limp love triangle I thought she was setting up in the first book into a more interesting romance story, and dumping dull Tam to the side

nonetheless, Feyre remains extremely unlikable, self-involved, constantly bringing up her own attractiveness and sexual tensions, and goading other characters into complimenting her at the weirdest times. Read the room girl. Rhysand in this book has a touch of the too good to be true, and everyone in it is blessed with unnatural deus ex machina at every turn.
Still, the story was more interesting, more compelling, and it is fun to read Feyre working out her powers, even if she seems to develop them without trying. Including the reading and writing part which she seemed to pick up idly over the course of a few weekends of light work.

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sabelcook's review against another edition

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adventurous slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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gay_wizard's review against another edition

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Bad writing, which could be excusable if the story was actually enjoyable.

I didn't enjoy reading the possessive relationship between Feyre and Tamlin, or the dubious consent between their sex scenes. I also didn't like weird possessiveness of Rhys later on -- I don't care if they're "mates". The fact that he's what, 500 years older than her is also pretty gross to me. I don't care if the fae don't age the same way, AND she's just barely not a teenager (she turns 20 in this book) so extra yucky in my opinion.

Rhys is arguably pretty morally lacking. I found the characters to be pretty unremarkable and unlikable. Not to mention I didn't see any significant character development.

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franstaffs's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
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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