A Court of Thornes and Roses

Here we go.

One of my resolutions for 2024 was to read more, so I decided to dive in with A Court of Thrones and Roses (widely known as ACOTAR). If you have ever used tik Tok in your LIFE, you probably have heard about this book series. Written by American fantasy author Sarah J. Mass, known for her lengthy and detailed series’ and selling over 12 million copies of her books. I had seen the raves on book tok for a while and had also been influenced by some friends who’d picked it up. I remember my friend Nisa would talk about it all the time, getting through them so quickly, so I obviously had to know what the hype was all about.

This story follows a young huntress, Feyre, as she does all she can to provide for her two sisters and father. We hear inklings of a world beyond the human one, Prythian. There, faeries rule, magical creatures with powers beyond our comprehension. When Feyre kills a wolf in the woods in order to feed her family, we learn it was in fact a faerie. A terrifying creature comes to seek justice for his friend. Feyre is taken beyond the wall to the magical realm of Prythian, where she is forced to live out her days as punishment for her committed murder.

I want to start off by highlighting the amount of action and violence in this book (and throughout the rest of the series). As much as I love a juicy, sexy romance, the driven plot and mystery really draw my attention. Fair warning, this book is a slooooowwwww burn, which I do appreciate. As the first in the series, there is a ton of world building- establishing characters, language, relationships, etc. There are sprinkles of lustiness and brawls that keep you invested until you reach the true climax of the plot. I read the book for a healthy amount of time, until I got to chapter 33. I finished the last 150 pages in one night. The stakes are so incredibly high, it is the MOST engaging part of the story, and as soon as I put this book down I had to pick up the second. That seems to be a pattern in Mass’ writing. She takes you on a long journey and, towards the end, rewards you with some of the craziest, heart-stopping moments you’ve ever read.

!!!! If you have plans to read the book, you should probably stop reading beyond this point !!!!

Tamlin… oh Tamlin. The beast that kidnapped Feyre from her home… yet he’s not a beast at all, but one of the immortal faeries of Prythian and high lord of the Spring Court. As Feyre gets accustomed to her new life in his gorgeous home, her resentment turns into romance and the two fall in love. As their relationship grows, so do the dangers and blight in the Faerie world. Feyre must find a way to stop the growing threat to Prythian before it is too late.

If Im being honest, from the beginning, I could tell where this story was going. I could see Feyre and Tamlin falling in love. I mean she’s given her own room in a gorgeous palace in the Spring Court…surrounded by flowers and lakes and trees. She’s fed the most delicious foods, has free will to do whatever she pleases. She’s living a solar opposite life to the one she had on the other side of the wall… who wouldn’t feel the romance a little bit?

I feel like it’s pretty obvious to also fall in love with Tamlin in this book (it’s a canon event). But upon further reflection, Tamlin seems like a pretty shallow character. All we really know is that he’s incredibly handsome, there is some mysterious curse on him and his court and tha,t in an attempt to “protect” Feyre, he doesn’t disclose the truth of the threats and dangers surrounding them. Which, in hindsight, doesn’t sound all that great. When reading the book, I did root for them to be together. I couldn’t stand the build up, the chemistry together. I just needed them to finally kiss or SOMETHING. He is a good guy…right? You definitely question that towards the end of the novel when Feyre leaves her family to rescue him Under the Mountain, putting herself through trials that could and should very well kill her, to rescue her lover…WITH NO HELP FROM HIM!!!!! It’s pretty clear Maas is very good at making you fall in love with a character, until she makes you hate them. Gives you the ick, as they say.

Now miss Feyre. She has a tragic past, growing up in wealth to have it ripped away. Becoming the sole provider for her father and two sisters at such a young age, with no gratitude or help from them. She’s a survivor and a fierce protector and can shockingly hold her own against fantastical and powerful enemies. I really admire Fryer’s independence and her unwavering selflessness, even if it is towards people who don’t deserve it. The entire novel (and the next three) are all written from her perspective, so we really get every angle of her emotions and motives. She is our heroin, she is no damsel in distress, although some people (cough* cough* TAMLIN) want her to be. I do like her. I know there are lots of mixed feelings about her in this series as a whole. In a way, I feel as though her personality is a bit lackluster. There aren’t many qualities to her, or at least not many that we see in this first novel. We do know she is incredibly stubborn, stuck in her ways, and she doesn’t need a lot, as long as those she loves are taken care of.

Every story needs a good villain and Amarantha was just that. She was cold, ruthless and merciless. The violence and fear that she instilled was palpable in the pages and her right-hand man, Rhysand, was just as evil. I obviously knew Feyre couldn’t die (it’s the first book in the series come on) but she sure as hell suffered. When Amarantha was defeated, the impact was so great because of the build up under the mountain. For days and weeks Feyre was starved, bleeding with a shredded arm (!!), drugged and left alone. Her trials had me on the edge of my seat. Literally. It was difficult to trust Rhysand’s intentions, since he had displayed so many violent tendencies. When he began helping Feyre, leading to a bargain between them, I was wary. But at least HE was doing something!! I was disappointed that it wasn’t Tamlin coming to her rescue.

As the ending unfolded, and we witnessed Feyre die and then be resurrected as high Fae, I had full body chills. It felt like that moment in Twilight when Bella Swan dies giving birth, but then we get to the final shot and her eyes flutter open, revealing those iconic red vampire eyes. It just felt right for her to become one of them, after everything she had endured. It felt right for her to reunite with Tamlin and go back to the Spring Court with him. It all felt right, except Feyre and Rhysand’s conversation before they left Under the Mountain. There was a moment of hesitation? Realization? I don’t know, a moment in Rhysand that led to an abrupt goodbye. And I hoped it didn’t mean anything, because I knew Tamlin and Feyre were meant to be together. (It’s a canon event).

Now folks, I got to chat with my good friend Jarod about some of his opinions on ACOTAR! Please feel free to also share any thoughts down below!

What made you pick up this book?

Even though ACOTAR is really not my typical read it was impossible to not hear about it everywhere. Everyone I knew was reading it, whether it be my friends or my par asocial relationships on Tok Tok. Everyone was reading it and everyone was reacting and it was two extremes- either people loved it or they hated it. I had to see what all the buzz was about.

What’s your favorite book genre?

More of a fantasy/sci fi/dystopian. ACOTAR checks a few of those boxes but it’s also a romance which I do not usually go for.

Would you recommend this book to anyone?

Yes and no. The male character (Tamlin) is insufferable but you’ve got to get through it to get to the good stuff. Sarah J. Maas is a long distance sprinter and she doesn’t put the good stuff in until the very end of the marathon. I also think I would warn folks to just go in and have fun, don’t expect the most complex and deep book ever.

Which character was your favorite?

I love Nesta, you either love or hate her. She is problematically flawed and checks a lot of relatability boxes. Does that make me a bad person…to be determined.

Which character is your favorite?

Feyre, the main character in the book is insufferable. You would think that might make you not want to read it, but you'd be wrong. Sarah J. Maas finds a way to have you laugh at her while the story goes on so it works.

Did any part of the book stand out to you? Did any moment prompt a big emotional reaction for you?

The entirety of the ending of the book is what stands out to me. Sarah J. Maas really practices saving the best for last. If you’ve ever heard of Chekov’s gun, don’t worry. It’s gonna go off. While im not sure if it counts as emotional, ACOTAR wad one of the few books i’ve read with spice and boy does it make you blush! But if we’re talking about actual emotions, I think Fryer’s circumstances with her upbringing and survival which propel the entire story really is the connecting factor between her and the audience.

Did your opinion of the book change as you read it?

Yes! For sure. I think this book really pulls you in just as the main character is pulled in. There were so many moments I sat there and evaluated what made the characters and author make certain choices. I often times find myself struggling to align with the logic of SJM and the characters. Not just why someone does something by why that choice was made for the world building or society. I definitely want to delve deeper into this conversation when we pass the first book. But the ending of the book made me get the next one after work.

Dream Cast??

FEYRE: ALICIA DEBNAM-CAREY

TAMLIN: BOYD HOLBROOK or CHARLIE HUNMAN

LUCIEN: TAYLOR ZACKAR PEREZ or CHARLES MELTON (in a 32 inch red wig)

RHYSAND: ED SKRIEN or THOMAS DOHERTY

NESTA: SOPHIE TURNER or PHOEBE TONKIN

AMARANTHA: HOLLAND RODAN or JENNA MALONE

Camila here again! I love getting to debrief with friends like this. Everyone has a different experience reading each novel and I love getting to see things in a different light.

Do I recommend this book? Absolutely. If you aren’t a fantasy/romance reader, I could understand why this wouldn’t be your cup of tea. But if you aren’t sure, I would definitely try this one out. Beware it will consume your life in the best way and you will mourn it when you are finished (although there are inklings that Maas is currently writing the next book in the series). It’s worth every gasp of shock, every tear, every blushing smile and every sleepless night!!!