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A review by jessicabearbooks
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"The great joy and honour of my life has been to know you. To call you my family. And I am grateful - more than I can possibly say - that I was given this time with you all."
I have never connected with a series much as I connected with this one. This book specifically - I was sobbing, genuinely tear staining the final seventy pages. Also again as a note if you're reading this series for the spice - this book has maybe 1.5 explicitly detailed spice scenes. So don't read ACOWAR just for that.
The start is shocking. I like how ACOMAF and ACOWAR both start out in the Spring Court but have different levels of emotion and plot. And let me tell you, ACOWAR as a book is just on a different level with its emotion, plot twists, fight scenes and betrayal.
The preparation/lead up to the war was very long. But I kept engaged due to the level of plot twists and clever plans that just leave you wondering how they've managed to come up with that and if they're actually going to pull it off. I LOVE when characters and plot points from previous books make sense later on in the series and this book is brilliant for that. That being said I definitely forgot a few important bits which left me confused with secrets were revealed etc, because there's just so many so have your thinking caps on. This is a heavy book.
Wow. The writing style Sarah has is beautiful - apart from the constant "vulgar gestures". Miss girl if I had a Cassian for every time I had to cross out those words, I would be a very happy woman. But vulgar gestures aside, there wasn't a single chapter where I wasn't laughing at something, or highlighting a "badass" moment (and there are PLENTY of those. If you want a book that's got real 'hot girl power' energy... but also 'hot men put on hot armour and fight in a really attractive way' energy then this book is it).
It's so interesting meeting the different High Lords. Sarah is so good at writing characters with different quirks and personalities. There's also something about seeing Mor so happy that really made me enjoy the High Lord scenes as if they weren't just for political plot. Everything felt so real - probably because the relationships and friendships all seem so genuine. Sarah writes real bodies and real minds she just puts them into fictional people, and this makes her characters and stories feel weirdly relatable.
Despite the length and intensity of ACOWAR, it's easy to be emotionally invested in this story. The plot twists are insane, girl if you think you're ready for the last part of this trilogy then I promise you are NOT. I was breathless, I was panicked, I was sobbing before things even happened because the tension is unreal. To prove this, I've just asked my boyfriend how he felt watching me read this book:
"I was like, why are you crying again?!" - My Boyfriend.
I'm confused about Tamlin again. This man is so confusing, after everything that's happened is there a small part of me that likes his character...I really don't know. Amen and Cassian on the other hand - It's a little bit embarrassing how badly my heart hurt reading the last chapters. I don't think I realised exactly how deeply I loved all these characters until the fear of losing them actually becomes real.
Also I'm sorry Feyre for calling you an idiot so many times in the last two books. I was impressed more than once this time. You are and always will be, mildly intelligent. Thanks for taking me on the journey of a lifetime.
"There's no such thing as a High Lady."
A faint smile played on my mouth. "There is now".
And it was time for the world to know it.
I have never connected with a series much as I connected with this one. This book specifically - I was sobbing, genuinely tear staining the final seventy pages. Also again as a note if you're reading this series for the spice - this book has maybe 1.5 explicitly detailed spice scenes. So don't read ACOWAR just for that.
The start is shocking. I like how ACOMAF and ACOWAR both start out in the Spring Court but have different levels of emotion and plot. And let me tell you, ACOWAR as a book is just on a different level with its emotion, plot twists, fight scenes and betrayal.
The preparation/lead up to the war was very long. But I kept engaged due to the level of plot twists and clever plans that just leave you wondering how they've managed to come up with that and if they're actually going to pull it off. I LOVE when characters and plot points from previous books make sense later on in the series and this book is brilliant for that. That being said I definitely forgot a few important bits which left me confused with secrets were revealed etc, because there's just so many so have your thinking caps on. This is a heavy book.
Wow. The writing style Sarah has is beautiful - apart from the constant "vulgar gestures". Miss girl if I had a Cassian for every time I had to cross out those words, I would be a very happy woman. But vulgar gestures aside, there wasn't a single chapter where I wasn't laughing at something, or highlighting a "badass" moment (and there are PLENTY of those. If you want a book that's got real 'hot girl power' energy... but also 'hot men put on hot armour and fight in a really attractive way' energy then this book is it).
It's so interesting meeting the different High Lords. Sarah is so good at writing characters with different quirks and personalities. There's also something about seeing Mor so happy that really made me enjoy the High Lord scenes as if they weren't just for political plot. Everything felt so real - probably because the relationships and friendships all seem so genuine. Sarah writes real bodies and real minds she just puts them into fictional people, and this makes her characters and stories feel weirdly relatable.
Despite the length and intensity of ACOWAR, it's easy to be emotionally invested in this story. The plot twists are insane, girl if you think you're ready for the last part of this trilogy then I promise you are NOT. I was breathless, I was panicked, I was sobbing before things even happened because the tension is unreal. To prove this, I've just asked my boyfriend how he felt watching me read this book:
"I was like, why are you crying again?!" - My Boyfriend.
I'm confused about Tamlin again. This man is so confusing, after everything that's happened is there a small part of me that likes his character...I really don't know. Amen and Cassian on the other hand - It's a little bit embarrassing how badly my heart hurt reading the last chapters. I don't think I realised exactly how deeply I loved all these characters until the fear of losing them actually becomes real.
Also I'm sorry Feyre for calling you an idiot so many times in the last two books. I was impressed more than once this time. You are and always will be, mildly intelligent. Thanks for taking me on the journey of a lifetime.
"There's no such thing as a High Lady."
A faint smile played on my mouth. "There is now".
And it was time for the world to know it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Body horror and Vomit