BOOK REVIEW: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas

BOOK REVIEW: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas

Bloomsbury Children’s
May 2015
Hardback, $18.99
Reviewed by Aly Locatelli

9/10

“Be glad of your human heart, Feyre. Pity those who don’t feel anything at all.”

When Feyre was eight years old, her family fell in disgrace and found themselves without a home or a penny to their name. Over the years, Feyre learned how to hunt in order to feed her family, to keep the oath she made to her dying mother. Things, however, lurk in the forest: whispers of the fae who turn into wolves and hunt humans to bring them back over the wall and to their courts, who feast on children and kidnap pure, virgin women. One night, when Feyre kills a wolf, a beast turns up at her door demanding retribution: a life for a life.

A life for a life — but what if the life offered as payment meant losing three others?

Feyre agrees, albeit reluctantly, and the beast whisks her away to the Spring Court, where she quickly learns that not everything is as it seems and all she had been taught about the fey was more or less a lie.

A war is brewing. Tamlin is keeping life-threatening secrets. Lucien, his best friend, is trying to show Feyre the truth. But what is the truth, when no one will even talk about it?

For some reason, Tamlin, instead of imprisoning her like she expected, gives her the freedom to do what she wants, and seems incredibly interested in her as a person… if his flattery is anything to go by.

“You look . . . better than before.”
Was that a compliment? I could have sworn Lucien gave Tamlin an encouraging nod.
“And you hair is . . . clean.”

Everyone is making her feel as welcome as possible. Could it be that the humans were mistaken, and the fae really weren’t as bad as they’d been made out to be? But no. A woman, a queen, is out there, threatening humanity and the wall that keeps the Mortal Lands safe. Who is she and what on earth does she want from Tamlin and Feyre?

As truths begin to come to light, Feyre finds herself in a singular position, and either answer might get her and her family killed: she should stay and fight, or try and run away? How can she protect her family when she doesn’t know where she is? 

A Court of Thorns and Roses ranks very high in my favourite reads of 2015. Sarah J Maas is a favourite author of mine, ever since I read and loved her Throne of Glass series. In every book, her characters are real and tangible and incredibly relatable. I felt for Feyre the same way I felt for Celaena, and when push came to shove, I suffered alongside them and rooted for good to triumph over evil. As a “Beauty and the Beast” retelling, A Court of Thorns and Roses stuck very close to the original tale, and I was pleased to find that the book did not end on a cliffhanger. It feels like, maybe, it was supposed to be a standalone, but too much happened throughout the novel for it to be tied up so neatly. I’m incredibly excited to read the next book in this, I’m sure it’ll be, fantastic series!

A Court of Thorns and Roses is the first book in the “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series. 

Category: Book Reviews, Other Reviews