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A review by theinquisitxor
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
5.0
This book was highly entertaining and enjoyable to read. I knew I would like this, as I've read and enjoyed every single book SJM has written, so I wasn't all that worried about this one. While I do have some nitpicks, my overall feelings and how much I was engaged and enjoyed reading this gives it 5 stars. Fair warning, this review is going to be a bit of a ramble (and very spoilery)
This book was a lot of fun, and I really really liked Nesta. I never hated her in the previous books, and I was excited to see what her journey would be and what her powers are. I thought her arc and personal journey throughout this book was excellent. Her struggles and healing were all so well done. Her battle with the Stairs and relationship with the House was fantastic.
I also loved, LOVED the female friendship we get! I was so glad Nesta got to make friends on her own, and not just forced to be friends with the Inner circle. Gwynn and Emerie are wonderful and they are some of my new favorite characters in this world. Their backstories, their growth and who they become at the end of the book is the best. I'm all here for female friendships. My favorite scene/moment from this book is the Blood Rite--the three of them surviving and climbing the mountain, helping each other, and Nesta making a stand at the pass was so awesome!
We definitely got more info about the larger world, the history of the world and more info about artifacts, peoples and legends. I'm always a little skeptical when we get a series continuation, I'm always a little worried that the series will introduce something wayyy too out there, or make stakes much higher than the first trilogy. Not this case. While there is the potential for stakes to be high, and there is certainly a threat, it doesn't seem too crazy or over the top. I also thought it was resolved pretty well in this book, enough to leave some questions and plot lines open, but doesn't end it on a complete cliff-hanger.
The introduction of Koschei the Deathless made me a little surprised when I first read his name. I was like "The guy from Russian folklore?? Why is SJM being so direct with names of mythological beings from our world?" (same with the Valkyries, I was a little taken-aback with the directness at first.) But I actually think it fit really well into the story and I'm interested in the role of Koschei in the next books.
Nesta's Powers!! I was so excited to see her learning about her abilities and grow into her powers. Her "death-god" abilities are so so cool and I loved every time she did something so freakin awesome! The way she can use the Trove leads to some interesting questions about the next books, or what SJM will eventually do with the world. For example, can the Harp open up portals? SJM hints at it, and I've been waiting and waiting for portals between SJM's worlds, and for our characters to finally meet and experience other worlds. I feel like SJM has been hinting that all her books take place in a 'multi-verse' for so long, and there has been so many hints at certain objects crossing from one world into another, that I'm dying for when a character opens a portal and finds themselves in Crescent City or in Terrasan.
Magic Swords! I love me a good Magic Sword.
Some of my nitpicks with the book:
I didn't like the baby subplot. I feel like she got pregnant really really quick and I feel like we could have done without this subplot and saved it for a later book? Or just take out the whole "omg the baby has wings she's going to die!" IDK, i just didn't care much for it.
Also, I didn't care much for some of the characters. Rhys, Amren, Feyre, Mor were all just a little blah to me? I guess it's because the book is from Nesta's pov, and if she doesn't like them, then we're not supposed to either. Also, Elain is a bore as always. I don't even know if SJM could make an interesting book about her, sorry.
I also didn't really like how Nesta loses(?) some of her powers? I'm going to go back to reread that scene, because she still has some of her powers, but she's not on the "death-god" level that she was on. A super super powerful character either losing their abilities or not being as powerful anymore is a trope that I don't really like. Now that Nesta has 'given-back' what she stole from the Cauldron, can she still use the Trove? I just wish it was more clear on what exactly happened, and what level Nesta is on now.
I also wish Nesta wasn't so rejectful of her abilities. I wish she embraced her magic swords and her 'death' powers entirely. I've seen some theories around about Nesta, about who she is an how she might play into the conflict of this continuation.
Lastly, the Aelin bit! she's just a red comet in the sky :( really wish Rhys and Feyre actually saw her and her person and went "oh wow! there's a person falling through the sky into a portal!" smh at you SJM we could have had it all.
Despite my nitpicks, nothing warranted me knocking the rating down. These are all just little things that irked me, but the entire plot, character growth and relationships were so great in this book that I can't help but give it 5 stars, and eagerly anticipate Crescent City #2
This book was a lot of fun, and I really really liked Nesta. I never hated her in the previous books, and I was excited to see what her journey would be and what her powers are. I thought her arc and personal journey throughout this book was excellent. Her struggles and healing were all so well done. Her battle with the Stairs and relationship with the House was fantastic.
I also loved, LOVED the female friendship we get! I was so glad Nesta got to make friends on her own, and not just forced to be friends with the Inner circle. Gwynn and Emerie are wonderful and they are some of my new favorite characters in this world. Their backstories, their growth and who they become at the end of the book is the best. I'm all here for female friendships. My favorite scene/moment from this book is the Blood Rite--the three of them surviving and climbing the mountain, helping each other, and Nesta making a stand at the pass was so awesome!
We definitely got more info about the larger world, the history of the world and more info about artifacts, peoples and legends. I'm always a little skeptical when we get a series continuation, I'm always a little worried that the series will introduce something wayyy too out there, or make stakes much higher than the first trilogy. Not this case. While there is the potential for stakes to be high, and there is certainly a threat, it doesn't seem too crazy or over the top. I also thought it was resolved pretty well in this book, enough to leave some questions and plot lines open, but doesn't end it on a complete cliff-hanger.
The introduction of Koschei the Deathless made me a little surprised when I first read his name. I was like "The guy from Russian folklore?? Why is SJM being so direct with names of mythological beings from our world?" (same with the Valkyries, I was a little taken-aback with the directness at first.) But I actually think it fit really well into the story and I'm interested in the role of Koschei in the next books.
Nesta's Powers!! I was so excited to see her learning about her abilities and grow into her powers. Her "death-god" abilities are so so cool and I loved every time she did something so freakin awesome! The way she can use the Trove leads to some interesting questions about the next books, or what SJM will eventually do with the world. For example, can the Harp open up portals? SJM hints at it, and I've been waiting and waiting for portals between SJM's worlds, and for our characters to finally meet and experience other worlds. I feel like SJM has been hinting that all her books take place in a 'multi-verse' for so long, and there has been so many hints at certain objects crossing from one world into another, that I'm dying for when a character opens a portal and finds themselves in Crescent City or in Terrasan.
Magic Swords! I love me a good Magic Sword.
Some of my nitpicks with the book:
I didn't like the baby subplot. I feel like she got pregnant really really quick and I feel like we could have done without this subplot and saved it for a later book? Or just take out the whole "omg the baby has wings she's going to die!" IDK, i just didn't care much for it.
Also, I didn't care much for some of the characters. Rhys, Amren, Feyre, Mor were all just a little blah to me? I guess it's because the book is from Nesta's pov, and if she doesn't like them, then we're not supposed to either. Also, Elain is a bore as always. I don't even know if SJM could make an interesting book about her, sorry.
I also didn't really like how Nesta loses(?) some of her powers? I'm going to go back to reread that scene, because she still has some of her powers, but she's not on the "death-god" level that she was on. A super super powerful character either losing their abilities or not being as powerful anymore is a trope that I don't really like. Now that Nesta has 'given-back' what she stole from the Cauldron, can she still use the Trove? I just wish it was more clear on what exactly happened, and what level Nesta is on now.
I also wish Nesta wasn't so rejectful of her abilities. I wish she embraced her magic swords and her 'death' powers entirely. I've seen some theories around about Nesta, about who she is an how she might play into the conflict of this continuation.
Lastly, the Aelin bit! she's just a red comet in the sky :( really wish Rhys and Feyre actually saw her and her person and went "oh wow! there's a person falling through the sky into a portal!" smh at you SJM we could have had it all.
Despite my nitpicks, nothing warranted me knocking the rating down. These are all just little things that irked me, but the entire plot, character growth and relationships were so great in this book that I can't help but give it 5 stars, and eagerly anticipate Crescent City #2