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A review by angelofthetardis
A Court of Silver Flames (1 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I know so, so many people get to this point in the series and stop because they can't stand Nesta and imagine that a book telling her story will be infuriating, annoying and no where near as fulfilling as Feyre's tale. And I'm here to tell you that yes, she is infuriating, annoying and general a bit of a b***h, but my goodness is this book worth it. In these pages, you finally get to understand the person beneath that icy cold exterior; the character exploration and development is utterly incredible, and while you may still not necessarily like Nesta at the end, you will certainly come to respect her.
As with most of the first parts of these audio books, the pace is quite slow as the story is layered in, new characters are introduced or expanded upon and Nesta is dragged kicking and screaming towards a redemption. Although there is an element of the overall ACOTAR story arc that continues in here, it is effectively relegated to a sub-plot that intertwines with Nesta's healing journey. It's absolutely a necessary part of the story, but I prefer watching Nesta's growth through her more 'everyday' activities and her taking tentative steps towards friendship.
The single biggest thing that annoys me about this one though is that it's written in third person. For the graphic audio version, that means a proper 'narrator', rather than Nesta and Cassian telling the story in their "own words". Don't get me wrong, the lady who does this job is very good and I can listen to her with ease, but at the same time I wouldn't personally have chosen that voice to lead the story. It's a big adjustment after having Feyre narrate the rest of the series, and takes a little while to settle into.
On the other hand... Now we get to hear Cassian in the central role! Yup, he could read the phone book and I'd listen; the actor here really shines! He's got everything down, from the lighthearted banter he shares with his brothers to the sexy rumble he uses to get under Nesta's skin. A weird insight for you; I've always seen Cassian as a blonde with hair falling into his eyes a la Leonardo DiCaprio in 'Titanic'. I know that's completely the opposite of the author's description of him, but somehow the voice in here has given me an even stronger vision of the character looking like this. Normally I picture an actor *cough*David Tennant*cough* playing my leading men, but Cassian now has a face and body all his own in my mind (even if he is borrowing someone else's voice...).
And yes, the spice is just as good as you're hoping it will be. My husband is now well and truly aware of the existence of Fairy pr0n! And this half only gets you as far as the dining table 😉 IYKYK.
Yes, there is a lot wrong with this story; something about Feyre and Rhys is just 'off' in this one; their characters don't feel quite the same as in the earlier books, and their treatment of Nesta - from a complete hands off, let her self-destruct approach to a micro-managing enforced regime in no time flat - feels more like the High Lord and High Lady of the Night Court sentencing a subject rather than family trying to help family, which again feels quite out of character for them. But I can put that down to their being secondary in this story.
But the best of this story is yet to come...
As with most of the first parts of these audio books, the pace is quite slow as the story is layered in, new characters are introduced or expanded upon and Nesta is dragged kicking and screaming towards a redemption. Although there is an element of the overall ACOTAR story arc that continues in here, it is effectively relegated to a sub-plot that intertwines with Nesta's healing journey. It's absolutely a necessary part of the story, but I prefer watching Nesta's growth through her more 'everyday' activities and her taking tentative steps towards friendship.
The single biggest thing that annoys me about this one though is that it's written in third person. For the graphic audio version, that means a proper 'narrator', rather than Nesta and Cassian telling the story in their "own words". Don't get me wrong, the lady who does this job is very good and I can listen to her with ease, but at the same time I wouldn't personally have chosen that voice to lead the story. It's a big adjustment after having Feyre narrate the rest of the series, and takes a little while to settle into.
On the other hand... Now we get to hear Cassian in the central role! Yup, he could read the phone book and I'd listen; the actor here really shines! He's got everything down, from the lighthearted banter he shares with his brothers to the sexy rumble he uses to get under Nesta's skin. A weird insight for you; I've always seen Cassian as a blonde with hair falling into his eyes a la Leonardo DiCaprio in 'Titanic'. I know that's completely the opposite of the author's description of him, but somehow the voice in here has given me an even stronger vision of the character looking like this. Normally I picture an actor *cough*David Tennant*cough* playing my leading men, but Cassian now has a face and body all his own in my mind (even if he is borrowing someone else's voice...).
And yes, the spice is just as good as you're hoping it will be. My husband is now well and truly aware of the existence of Fairy pr0n! And this half only gets you as far as the dining table 😉 IYKYK.
Yes, there is a lot wrong with this story; something about Feyre and Rhys is just 'off' in this one; their characters don't feel quite the same as in the earlier books, and their treatment of Nesta - from a complete hands off, let her self-destruct approach to a micro-managing enforced regime in no time flat - feels more like the High Lord and High Lady of the Night Court sentencing a subject rather than family trying to help family, which again feels quite out of character for them. But I can put that down to their being secondary in this story.
But the best of this story is yet to come...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content