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A review by confusedvonne
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
2.0
2.5 stars.
I can see how people would enjoy this book. But this series isn't for me - I'll continue reading it as my friends were kind enough to lend me their books, so at least I won't be buying something that's not worthy of being on my bookshelf.
And who knows, it would get better from here. I've come across series where the first book isn't the greatest but the next ones it improves(...unlike Red Queen).
I found myself really confused while reading, I was told and from memory while watching tiktoks ect, that this series was considered Adult Fantasy - it is definitely Young adult. But not the best written YA I've come across either. I would say this is almost equal to Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, but better by 50 metres, if the two were in a 100 metre race.
There was definitely potential in the world that Maas has created. I personally think the book should be longer to better flush out Feyre's family and the Fae. At times information was dumped in long conversations where one character would be telling Feyre all the reasons why certain characters act the way they do - which at times doesn't make sense.
I don't like the romance very much, I feel it was slapped together and forced to happen. I have this odd sense that this book was a fanfiction of something, though I could be wrong. The characters were very colourful, all were distinct. Feyre, I didn't care for at all - the novel is written in first person, there was a lot of repetition ei. She would mention quite often how she has to keep the promise she made to her mother before she passed. To the point where you think it was her only personality trait. There doesn't seem to be any dimension to her, other than the human who was brought to the Fae lands because of a "treaty" made centuries ago.
Spoilers ahead - I go into depth of what I found irritating.
1. Feyre's family:
- The book was very bipolar amount Feyre's father and two sisters. You made to dislike them as Feyre does all the hunting to keep them fed and alive, but they never appear to appreciate her efforts. They down right call her beast and treat her like dirt to some degree. However, when Tamlin comes to take Feyre away, her father is like "we don't deserve you, we don't need you, go and don't look back ect". But it's like hang on one moment, how are y'all going to feed yourselves, if the one member of the family who is helping you survive leaves!? Y'all cannot hunt!
Later on in the story, Feyre goes back home. Her older sister broke the glamour and is all willing to listen and is very understanding? I may have missed something happening there, but I felt like the older sister's personality had flipped. It wasn't very consistent.
2. The treaty, or the reason why Feyre was abducted in the first place:
- Found it ridiculous that the Fae treated Feyre like a quest even though she had killed and skinned their kin. It would of been more interesting if Feyre took notice of this and was curious as to why they aren't treating her like a threat. Instead she was really naïve for a person who should have really good observation and survival skills.
- The rules associated with breaking Tamlin's curse was the most out reaching conditions I've ever read. You might as well as add that the stars need to be aligned, but the temperature of the night cannot be 3 degrees higher than the night before. And only five birds can chirp in unison before the sunsets. And Feyre being able to fit that description to break the curse was a little too good to be true.
3. Feyre as a character:
- At the beginning of the novel you are painted a character that looks after her family and then herself. Someone with strong will and a strong heart. But I feel this image becomes a mix of swirls, as she flip-flops whenever she interacts with the Fae. You would think that her hate for the Fae would last longer, but she quickly trusts them even after they put her in danger. And then we ignores their warnings after time and time again, she experiences how unsafe the fae lands are.
- And I don't like the idea that she becomes a high fae at the end. I think she should of remained human. I just thought it was very predictable.
4. Amarantha:
- Soo much potential wasted. She was built to be this ominous presence in the fae world, but she doesn't live up the what we are told. I would think an ancient fae would be wiser and smarter. Why would the answer to the riddle be love? Love is what killed her sister, I would think she would detest love or even the word love. That she would take what she wants, when she wants. Yes she would play games with people, playing mind games rather than these trials. I think they would fit her character more. Pushing Feyre to her limits mentally, breaking her hopes.
- I think Amarantha would have been smart enough to ensure that Feyre wasn't visited or healed while in her cell. Or at least learned from the first time Feyre was healed - another character with inconsistences.
There is a lot of plot points that are introduced with importance but get's thrown to the side and forgotten about. Or was given a quick solution and swept under the carpet. I do hope that the further books in the series improves or the writing improves - there was a lot of petition in the first half of the book which made it slow to read.
If this book was darker I think I would of liked it more. It feels like this story and plot was slapped together because it needed a reason for Feyre to fall in love with Tamlin. And without that, there isn't really anything holding those two together.
Do I think this book is worth reading? Yes, but don't purchase it if you are unsure. I'm fortunate enough that I have friends whom lent me their copies.
If you are a seasoned Adult Fantasy reader, you won't be satisfied. I can see this being someone's guilt pleasure read though.
I can see how people would enjoy this book. But this series isn't for me - I'll continue reading it as my friends were kind enough to lend me their books, so at least I won't be buying something that's not worthy of being on my bookshelf.
And who knows, it would get better from here. I've come across series where the first book isn't the greatest but the next ones it improves(...unlike Red Queen).
I found myself really confused while reading, I was told and from memory while watching tiktoks ect, that this series was considered Adult Fantasy - it is definitely Young adult. But not the best written YA I've come across either. I would say this is almost equal to Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, but better by 50 metres, if the two were in a 100 metre race.
There was definitely potential in the world that Maas has created. I personally think the book should be longer to better flush out Feyre's family and the Fae. At times information was dumped in long conversations where one character would be telling Feyre all the reasons why certain characters act the way they do - which at times doesn't make sense.
I don't like the romance very much, I feel it was slapped together and forced to happen. I have this odd sense that this book was a fanfiction of something, though I could be wrong. The characters were very colourful, all were distinct. Feyre, I didn't care for at all - the novel is written in first person, there was a lot of repetition ei. She would mention quite often how she has to keep the promise she made to her mother before she passed. To the point where you think it was her only personality trait. There doesn't seem to be any dimension to her, other than the human who was brought to the Fae lands because of a "treaty" made centuries ago.
Spoilers ahead - I go into depth of what I found irritating.
Spoiler
1. Feyre's family:
- The book was very bipolar amount Feyre's father and two sisters. You made to dislike them as Feyre does all the hunting to keep them fed and alive, but they never appear to appreciate her efforts. They down right call her beast and treat her like dirt to some degree. However, when Tamlin comes to take Feyre away, her father is like "we don't deserve you, we don't need you, go and don't look back ect". But it's like hang on one moment, how are y'all going to feed yourselves, if the one member of the family who is helping you survive leaves!? Y'all cannot hunt!
Later on in the story, Feyre goes back home. Her older sister broke the glamour and is all willing to listen and is very understanding? I may have missed something happening there, but I felt like the older sister's personality had flipped. It wasn't very consistent.
2. The treaty, or the reason why Feyre was abducted in the first place:
- Found it ridiculous that the Fae treated Feyre like a quest even though she had killed and skinned their kin. It would of been more interesting if Feyre took notice of this and was curious as to why they aren't treating her like a threat. Instead she was really naïve for a person who should have really good observation and survival skills.
- The rules associated with breaking Tamlin's curse was the most out reaching conditions I've ever read. You might as well as add that the stars need to be aligned, but the temperature of the night cannot be 3 degrees higher than the night before. And only five birds can chirp in unison before the sunsets. And Feyre being able to fit that description to break the curse was a little too good to be true.
3. Feyre as a character:
- At the beginning of the novel you are painted a character that looks after her family and then herself. Someone with strong will and a strong heart. But I feel this image becomes a mix of swirls, as she flip-flops whenever she interacts with the Fae. You would think that her hate for the Fae would last longer, but she quickly trusts them even after they put her in danger. And then we ignores their warnings after time and time again, she experiences how unsafe the fae lands are.
- And I don't like the idea that she becomes a high fae at the end. I think she should of remained human. I just thought it was very predictable.
4. Amarantha:
- Soo much potential wasted. She was built to be this ominous presence in the fae world, but she doesn't live up the what we are told. I would think an ancient fae would be wiser and smarter. Why would the answer to the riddle be love? Love is what killed her sister, I would think she would detest love or even the word love. That she would take what she wants, when she wants. Yes she would play games with people, playing mind games rather than these trials. I think they would fit her character more. Pushing Feyre to her limits mentally, breaking her hopes.
- I think Amarantha would have been smart enough to ensure that Feyre wasn't visited or healed while in her cell. Or at least learned from the first time Feyre was healed - another character with inconsistences.
There is a lot of plot points that are introduced with importance but get's thrown to the side and forgotten about. Or was given a quick solution and swept under the carpet. I do hope that the further books in the series improves or the writing improves - there was a lot of petition in the first half of the book which made it slow to read.
If this book was darker I think I would of liked it more. It feels like this story and plot was slapped together because it needed a reason for Feyre to fall in love with Tamlin. And without that, there isn't really anything holding those two together.
Do I think this book is worth reading? Yes, but don't purchase it if you are unsure. I'm fortunate enough that I have friends whom lent me their copies.
If you are a seasoned Adult Fantasy reader, you won't be satisfied. I can see this being someone's guilt pleasure read though.