A review by chocolatebooksthunderstorms
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

 I loved ACOTAR. I loved ACOMAF. But as soon as I cracked open A Court of Wings & Ruin after ACOMAF’s nasty cliffhanger, I was bored.

(ACOMAF spoilers ahead.)

One of the things I adore about this series is its discussion of trauma. Our cast has trauma and that is something the story actively deals with: the sleepless nights, the physical effects, the mental struggles. But, from the first page of A Court of Wings & Ruin, our heroine’s trauma and relevant flaws are stripped away. Forgotten. Coming to terms with trauma is what drew Feyre and Rhys together. I don’t expect them to cling to their trauma by any means (no one should ever have to experience that). But, for survivors, trauma is not just about overcoming. It’s about dealing with the memories/feelings/effects every single day. It’s about showing up, even after healing. As much as ACOMAF discussed overcoming trauma, A Court of Wings & Ruin forgot about it.

Then, there’s the matter of the ACOMAF cliffhanger, and where it left our heroine. A Court of Wings & Ruin begins a short time after ACOMAF. But this book is not about Feyre. It’s about Vengeful Feyre, Warrior Feyre, Sister Feyre, Ruler Feyre. Every unique and miniscule facet of Feyre is stripped away in the name of a boring, overly powerful faerie queen in pursuit of revenge. And this book is LONG.

It sounds like I’m hating on ACOTAR now, but I promise, I still love the series. A Court of Wings & Ruin gave me a newfound appreciation for Cassian, Elain, and all the monsters locked in cages. For me, this was a 3.5-star read. And A Court of Wings & Ruin isn’t where the story ends.

TW: graphic war, violence; moderate sexual assault, sexual content, murder; minor biphobia 
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