Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Book One of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's

Publication Date: May 5, 2015

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down! 

What I Liked:

I like this book much more than I like the Throne of Glass books. That series and I have a weird relationship. I thought Throne of Glass was pretty good, I didn't like Crown of Midnight as much as I'd hope, but then I LOVED Heir of Fire... I have much more faith in this series. Perhaps because it's only a trilogy (thank goodness. If I'd known the Throne of Glass series was a six-book series, I might not have started it in 2012). Or perhaps because Maas didn't pull that love triangle shizz in this book.

This book begins with Feyre and her pitiful, poor life with her crippled father and her ungrateful sisters. Feyre is hunting a doe in the forest when a wolf appears. Feyre shoots the wolf and takes the doe. But the wolf was Fae, and Feyre is taken from her home soon after. But the Fae are nothing like legends tell. Tamlin, High Lord of the Spring Court, treats her like a guest, not a prisoner. She isn't a prisoner, but he wants her to stay in his manor. His emissary, Lucien, is callous and rude, but Tamlin is calm and observant. But Feyre finds that the Fae are not as perfect and polished as they should be (according to her human knowledge). A dark evil is threatening Tamlin's power, and Feyre will not be safe. She will have to sacrifice anything - and everything - to stay alive, and save Tamlin and his world before it is too late.

I like Feyre a lot. I'm going to be making a lot of comparisons to the Throne of Glass series, so bear with me. I like Feyre a lot more than I like Celaena. Feyre is a cold nineteen-year-old, who had to start hunting and fending for her family at a young age. For eight years, she's been finding food and ways to make money to keep her family alive. Feyre has no fond childhood memories. She has no reason to laugh, to smile, to trust. When she is taken to the manor, she assesses every way that she can escape, or attack. She's very intelligent, and proves this in many ways, especially towards the end of the book. I like how she thinks.

Tamlin is my favorite character of the book. He has little control over what is happening in the Fae world, despite being a powerful High Lord. He is more than distraught, worried, broken over what is happening, with the evil approaching. He has reasons for keeping Feyre at the manor, but he makes sure she is not prisoner. Tamlin is noble and fierce, and one of the last rebellious High Lords against the evil that is taking over, but don't take him for the golden boy. He is a dangerous, lethal faerie who shows no mercy and has a tightly reined temper.

This book is based on Beauty and the Beast! There are so many great parallels. It starts with Feyre being taken to the manor, but in my opinion, this book gives off less of a Stockholm Syndrome vibe (even as a child, as I was convinced that Beauty and the Beast was a just a story with a bad case of Stockholm Syndrome). Tamlin is referred to as a "beast" every now and then. Feyre does leave the manor and goes home, about three-fifths of the way through the story. There are plenty more. Maas does an excellent job of weaving the timeless tale into this story. Or vice versa.

I LOVE the story. This book is well over four hundred pages (in classic Maas fashion), but it never really feels that long. The Throne of Glass series definitely wears out readers, in my opinion - there are times when you can totally tell that the books of that series are over four hundred pages. This story is enticing and intriguing, and it's difficult to stop reading.

Upper YA audience (or older) is definitely the age range for this book. This one gets steamy, and there is not fade-to-black in some scenes. It's not explicit like adult historical romance novels or something, but Maas does not hold back details that many YA authors do. More power to her, because I like seeing YA get steamy. Young adults are pretty adventurous these days (or so I hear. *side eyes*). Being one, I can say that the mature content is definitely for mature readers... perhaps not your thirteen year-old child. You do you though.

The supporting characters are so well-developed and likable. I worried that Lucien would be a leg in a possible love triangle, but he is a faithful emissary to Tamlin, and a good friend to Feyre. Even Rhysand, who I liked at first, then hated, then hated some more (the paint and dancing, I can't forgive that, no matter what), then came to a truce... he is a very well-rounded character. I can't say I like him. Not yet.

I loooooove the romance. The romance is my favorite part of this book. Forget everything else. Forget the hardship and sacrifice and Psyche-like tasks and the evil tyrant. The romance is stunning and sensual and breathtaking. Tamlin and Feyre fit together so well. It's not love at first sight, or lust at first. Tamlin and Feyre get to know each other slowly, as they run into each other in the manor. It's not long before they desire each other, and then love each other. Love is what will save them.

I hated and loved all of the sacrifices that Feyre had to make for Tamlin. There is so much of it, and I'm not okay with some things that she did for him. But it shows how much she loves him. And how much he loves her - terrible things happened and were done to him, because he refused to give up Feyre. The last 20% of this book is heartbreaking.

The ending itself is good. It's satisfying, and does not end with a cliffhanger. Thank goodness. I bet you a bajillion dollars that Maas will save that cliffhanger for the end of book two, and it will result in Tamlin and Feyre being separated. Typical YA. Please prove me wrong, Maas!

What I Did Not Like:

I mentioned above that I didn't like some things that Rhysand did. Rhysand is kind of an enemy of Tamlin's. He is the lover of a powerful queen, and he has no long-lost love for Tamlin. He does unspeakable things in this book, and I hate him for it. I hate what he does to Feyre. It's so... I can't even put to words. I'm not okay with it, no matter why he did it, to protect people or otherwise. When choices are taken from you... it doesn't matter the reason. It's not okay.

I'm not okay with the oath, either. Read the book and you'll see what I mean. It's handy at times, but I'm not okay with it. 

One thing I hate about fae-related books is the deceit. The tricks. The twisting of words. I hate it all. And all of those things mar this story. This story becomes a swimming pot of messy gloop in seconds, it seems. I personally hate it when there is so much deceit and lies and misguided promises.

Small thing - but the riddle is SO OBVIOUS. And so cliche. I knew the answer to it as soon as I read it. You don't need to know Beauty and the Beast, or be a genius. I was hoping for a more difficult riddle! How did Feyre not know it immediately! I'm so serious, I knew it as soon as I read it.

Would I Recommend It:

Despite some dislikes (which are still bothering me, honestly), I'd recommend this book. Maas is a master storyteller, and this new series is better than the Throne of Glass series (in my opinion, so far). Definitely give this book to mature readers though - it's upper YA for sure.

Rating:

3.5 stars -> rounded up to 4 stars. I'm still shaking my head at certain things... but overall I'm pleased with this book. I'm excited to see where Maas will take the story, though if I'm honest with myself, I should be terrified. Maas seems to be the type of writer that hates a happy ending. So we shall see!

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