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A review by kamrynkoble
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-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? Yes
5.0
Updated reread review:
I just loved this. This is technically my third reread, but the second time was an audiobook and I always struggle to focus on them. Despite this, I was still utterly gripped by this story. Hours and hundreds of pages melted away.
I still don’t like high fantasy. A book of that genre has to be amazing for me to melt over it - and right now, I am a puddle of soup.
Honestly, my 2017 criticisms still make sense. Feyre’s love and sacrifice at the end did seem hasty and unprecedented. But this book is still wonderful, and I’m eager to continue reading the series in time for the next installment. I remember somehow loving the second book even more than the first, so I’m excited.
The plot is so effortlessly intricate. I enjoy it even more as a writer than I do as a reader. I found myself thinking, “I could never write a book like this.” I can’t - I’m not Sarah J Maas. But oh, do I love stories that make me feel this way.
Leave it to me to kick off 2022 with a reread. But what a perfect choice!
Original review:
Sarah J. Maas's <i>A Court of Thorns and Roses</i> was by far my most anticipated read of 2017. A YA fantasy novel with that high of a rating? Not to mention that it's a favorite of my friend that always recommends the best books, and it's in every other picture on bookstagram. On top of all the hype, I am absolutely not a fantasy lover - if one can manage to captivate me, especially with fake lands and made-up monsters and myths (the bane of my existence), it has to be something.
It is not explicitly stated that ACOTAR is a fairytelling anywhere; however, there are threads of countless ones throughout. Most prevalent were Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella, but others as well. Rather than seeming lazy or cheap, Maas effectively utilizes "tales as old as time" in creating a captivating story.
Despite this, it truly is a fantasy. I've seen a lot of reviewers complaining of perfection - you know, when it comes to High Fae or any other flawless, immortal beings who rule a nation, I can deal with a little perfection. I did find it funny that Feyre and her sisters think she's plain and yet all the High Fae men are just intoxicated by her (Twilight anyone? I'll cough and casually look away). Many - actually, all - of the characters are flat short of the narrator. Not static, but certainly flat. Again, I can deal with this as the story, world-building, and themes seem to matter more than who's carrying them out. They all have lovely backstories, but if they were on the Sims 3 you would be hard-pressed to come up with the basic five traits.
-COMMENCE SPOILER LINE-
Along that line, I couldn't really buy into the romance. The Beast-like sacrifice and ultimatum was quite entertaining and I can't think of anything inherently <i>wrong</i> with it. BUT something doesn't quite ring true. I don't know if it's Feyre's constant hatred, but by the time she gets to the tests it just isn't believable. She hardly knows the guy, they talk maybe twice, awkwardly have animalistic sex, and bada bing bada boom, she's willing to sacrifice herself and countless others for his love.
Feyre's choice on her last test was most definitely my favorite part. It was contrary to typical YA heroines, particularly the third sacrifice she makes for the better of all the people. I love Katniss to pieces, but Feyre really shut down that poison berry act with her selflessness. I honestly didn't expect Feyre to make this choice, and that tension is so hard to create in a novel. Well done.
Alright, alright, why give it such a high rating if I can make fun of this many things? Maas is an excellent storyteller. She grips you by the throat, and 600 pages never felt too long or unnecessary. It's engaging, it's world-building that doesn't seem pretentious, and it's just an all-around solid story. Yes, I can complain - but as soon as I finished the first I left my purse and phone and everything else at home to sprint to the library for the second. If that doesn't tell you what kind of book it is, I don't know what will.
I just loved this. This is technically my third reread, but the second time was an audiobook and I always struggle to focus on them. Despite this, I was still utterly gripped by this story. Hours and hundreds of pages melted away.
I still don’t like high fantasy. A book of that genre has to be amazing for me to melt over it - and right now, I am a puddle of soup.
Honestly, my 2017 criticisms still make sense. Feyre’s love and sacrifice at the end did seem hasty and unprecedented. But this book is still wonderful, and I’m eager to continue reading the series in time for the next installment. I remember somehow loving the second book even more than the first, so I’m excited.
The plot is so effortlessly intricate. I enjoy it even more as a writer than I do as a reader. I found myself thinking, “I could never write a book like this.” I can’t - I’m not Sarah J Maas. But oh, do I love stories that make me feel this way.
Leave it to me to kick off 2022 with a reread. But what a perfect choice!
Original review:
Sarah J. Maas's <i>A Court of Thorns and Roses</i> was by far my most anticipated read of 2017. A YA fantasy novel with that high of a rating? Not to mention that it's a favorite of my friend that always recommends the best books, and it's in every other picture on bookstagram. On top of all the hype, I am absolutely not a fantasy lover - if one can manage to captivate me, especially with fake lands and made-up monsters and myths (the bane of my existence), it has to be something.
It is not explicitly stated that ACOTAR is a fairytelling anywhere; however, there are threads of countless ones throughout. Most prevalent were Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella, but others as well. Rather than seeming lazy or cheap, Maas effectively utilizes "tales as old as time" in creating a captivating story.
Despite this, it truly is a fantasy. I've seen a lot of reviewers complaining of perfection - you know, when it comes to High Fae or any other flawless, immortal beings who rule a nation, I can deal with a little perfection. I did find it funny that Feyre and her sisters think she's plain and yet all the High Fae men are just intoxicated by her (Twilight anyone? I'll cough and casually look away). Many - actually, all - of the characters are flat short of the narrator. Not static, but certainly flat. Again, I can deal with this as the story, world-building, and themes seem to matter more than who's carrying them out. They all have lovely backstories, but if they were on the Sims 3 you would be hard-pressed to come up with the basic five traits.
-COMMENCE SPOILER LINE-
Along that line, I couldn't really buy into the romance. The Beast-like sacrifice and ultimatum was quite entertaining and I can't think of anything inherently <i>wrong</i> with it. BUT something doesn't quite ring true. I don't know if it's Feyre's constant hatred, but by the time she gets to the tests it just isn't believable. She hardly knows the guy, they talk maybe twice, awkwardly have animalistic sex, and bada bing bada boom, she's willing to sacrifice herself and countless others for his love.
Feyre's choice on her last test was most definitely my favorite part. It was contrary to typical YA heroines, particularly the third sacrifice she makes for the better of all the people. I love Katniss to pieces, but Feyre really shut down that poison berry act with her selflessness. I honestly didn't expect Feyre to make this choice, and that tension is so hard to create in a novel. Well done.
Alright, alright, why give it such a high rating if I can make fun of this many things? Maas is an excellent storyteller. She grips you by the throat, and 600 pages never felt too long or unnecessary. It's engaging, it's world-building that doesn't seem pretentious, and it's just an all-around solid story. Yes, I can complain - but as soon as I finished the first I left my purse and phone and everything else at home to sprint to the library for the second. If that doesn't tell you what kind of book it is, I don't know what will.