Book: "A Court of Thorns and Roses"
Series: "A Court of Thorns and Roses"
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Pages: 495
Feyre is a Huntress. She thinks nothing of slaughtering a wolf to capture its prey. But, like all mortas, she fears what lingers mercilessly beyond the forest. And she will learn that taking the life of a magical creature comes at a high price...
Imprisoned in an enchanted court in her enemy's kingdom, Feyre is free to roam but robidden to escape. Her captor's body bears the scars of fighting, and his face is always masked - but his piercing stare draws her ever closer. As Feyre's feelings for Tamlin begin to bum through every warning she's been told about his kind, an ancient wicked shadow grows.
Feyre must find a way to break a spell, or lose her heart forever.
Hello, Angels! It's about time to add this review to our amazing Sarah J. Maas' collection of reviews.
The book "A Court of thorns and Roses" is the first one from the series. I bought the series during last summer. At that time, I've never heard of the series, I've never read any reviews. I just saw the beautiful covers in the bookstore and they were just drawing me and begging me to buy them. And so I did. For the first time I've read the books in Decembere 2018 and ever since then I've been in love. I've been inlove with the world, with the characters, and of course - Rhysand.
My first thought of the book, especially for "A Court of Thorns and Roses" was definitely not good. Throughout the first hundred pages, that is. The world was interesting, however the action was dreadfully and painfully slow and boring. Yes, I am such a huge fan and sucker for fairy tales, especially for "The Beauty and the Beast", and I am open to read such interpretations, but in the beginning of this very same one - I was not impressed. I had to put in a great effort not to fall asleep and to read the first hundred pages.
To be honest, back then I didn't like Feyre at all - she was the painfully boring main character that didn't do anything but annoy me, and her self pity and her stupid pride was driving me crazy. Then Tamlin appeared on the horizon - my first thought, just like Feyre's was that he would be the Prince Charming on a white horse... Or.. Okay - he would be the Beast.Then the action started to unravel and I was not that much annoyed. The only thing that annoyed me from there on was that Feyre was constantly rants about how poor she and her family are, how they are starving, and of course - why does Tamlin wastes so much food on the table...
Now, that I've read the book for a second time , I see things a bit differently and from a very different point of view. Maybe that's because I already know what would happen in the other three books. But that's not important. Now I will share with you my opinion like I have read the book for a very first time.
Feyre Archeron is a huntress.
She is not a huntress out of her own desire, but because she has to keep her family alive. After her father loses all his fortune and is being injured badly, he, Feyre and her two sisters are barely staying alive and fed. Her two sisters - Nesta and Elain does not even care that they would starve to death if Feyre is gone. Everyone are used to the thought that whatever happens - Feyre will bring food to the table, and she is led by a promise that she makes to her mother on her death's bed. Now Feyre is doing her best to keep this promise and she is taking care of the family's survival. One day during the usual hunt, Feyre kills a wolf, she skins him and sells his fur. Everything goes well - the family would have enough food to survive for the next two weeks, even more. Until one evening, in the middle of the night, an unspeakable beast knocks on their door, that requires a payment for the life of the wolf that Feyre has taken.
To save her family from slaughter, Feyre decides to leave with the beast. It turns out that the beast, that takes here away from her family is a fae. Deadly, immortal, arrogant fae.
Feyre despises the new place where the male fae has taken her and she is constantly worried for her family - are they well, are they fed, have they tried to search for her; what would happen with them; does she have to warn them if there is a life threath coming from Prythian... Feyre is not a perfectly build character, she always puts the needs of others first, the family is more important. And no matter how much I didn't liked her in the beginning, with the flow of the tale, with the unraveling of the actions, I started to like her. Feyre is feisty, brave and strong character and she doesn't let herself to be mocked by the proud, immortal fae, even though she is just a human. Feyre is emotional, artistic and very stubborn. At times she even remind me of myself.
In time Feyre learns more and more about Prythian and all the fae and dangerous creatures that linger in this so serene Spring Court. Slowly she is getting used to with her life in the Spring Court, the food, the fae's celebrations. Of course, she is getting used to with the idea of the magic that exists and she falls in love with Tamlin - the beautiful male fae whose face is hidden behind a golden mask. Feyre manages the find out the whole truth about Tamlin's curse and the illness that is crawling in Prythian.
Feyre finds out about what Tamlin did for her family and she is grateful to him for that. However there comes the time when Tamlin sents Feyre away. She is happy to see her family, but one thing doesn't leave her mind - the thought of the danger that is back in Prythian, the danger that is threatening Tamlin. She decides to go back to Prythian and to finally tell Tamlin that she loves him. She decides to go back to her beloved.
And when she does - she finds out something scary - Tamlin is gone. Feyre finally learns the truth about Tamlin's curse and what exactly happened to him, and even though she is just a human, she is determined to go and prove her love to him. She is determined to save him.
Feyre is a fighter, a huntress, she is willing to do anything to protect the ones she loves, but she also has a loving, caring, artistic and vulnerable side that completes her character. I very much enjoyed her stubborness and her special ability to annoy people - and this also remind me so much of myself.
Tamlin - The High Lord of the Spring Court.
After I've read the first book, I really liked Tamlin. He was the Beast, however he was also Prince Charming on a white horse. He was the Beast from the magical fairy tale and not only for me , but for Feyre as well. There were times that I couldn't get his actions - he was cold, arrogant, cruel. And he slowly fell in love with Feyre. And I did believe, just like Feyre did, that they are meant to be. Tamlin showed Feyre all kinds of wonders, the magic of Prythian, the beauty of his lands. He didn't act like she was some disease let into the world, and no matter how cold at times he might be to her in the beginning, this quickly has changed. I was with both my hands up for this relationship and I was devastated when he send her, even though she was his only hope to save himself and his whole Court from Amarantha's curse. Yes, there were times when Tamlin acted as a beast - cruel, unwavering, he was so possessive of Feyre and thought that this was the only way to keep her alive, because he loves her. I just couldn't justify his actions at the end of the book.
Feyre, locked in a cell, almost dead, tortured by unspeakable tasks and by Amarantha, and he didn't even flinch. He didn't care. Oh, well, there's that - at the very first moment that he had the chance to see Feyre, instead of asking how is she, he did what? Yeah, he tried to have sex with her. Yeah, sure, why not?! I did not liked it. Not at least once he tried to show emotion, to show Feyre that he cares, to save her, to help her, and instead of standing up to Amarantha - he stood silently and quietly there and just watched. And Feyre had such a blind faith in him, she endured so much pain, just to save him and to prove how much she loves him. Tamlin was ready to pray for mercy to Amarantha but he wasn't ready to stood up for Feyre like she did for him.
I think that if there were knights today, Tamlin would be a great one. I liked the fact that he was ready to sacrifice himself and his Court as a toy to Amarantha so he could save Feyre, however that was simply not enough... He didn't once opposed Amarantha nor he tried to help Feyre. Rhys on the other hand... Well, we are talking about Tamlin right now, so all I can say is that my feelings for him are so confused and mixed, however Sarah pictured him so great, that my heart even stopped at Feyre's last trial.
Lucien was someone that I honestly didn't like. He was not my favorite at all. At the moment Feyre stepped inside the Spring Court he didn't like her and he was ready to leave her to die in the forest. Lucien, even though he is only a secondary character to the story, I believe has a very important role in the storyline. However, he might be the only character that I dislike just as much as I dislike Chaol. No matter how many great things I would like to say about him - the words just don't come out. Lucien doesn't have his own opinion, he is afraid to speak up and he is afraid to tell his own friend what he thinks, even though Tamlin might do something bad or stupid.... What kind of Ambassador he is?! I can't say that Lucien is a bad character, because he isn't , however I just find him bland. Yet, one thing is undeniable - his loyalty to his friends. Although that is something that Chaol, too, posess.... Oh, well. Still, we can't just ignore the fact that Lucien risked so much and helped Feyre and healed her during her trials in Under the Mountain, although he did it because he made a vow to Tamlin. I guess I would better stop here, because if I continue, I probably would say quite a few bad things for him.
Rhysand - The High Lord of the Night Court
Ah, the time has come to the most amazing character of them all. If I could just take him home - I would've done it a thousand times so far. Okay, fine, his first appearance on Calanmai didn't touch me at all. However his later appearances captivated me. In Under the Mountain Rhys is described as the villain even though he is the only person who helps Feyre. Rhys is this mysterious guy that walks into your life and makes you shiver only with his presence. I am sure that Feyre felt the same way around him. I liked how much Rhys has risked so he can help Feyre in her trials, to save her, to keep her alive. Well, he just might had something else in mind but hey, no way we could guess what's on the mind in this beautiful fae. Then I almost cried... Okay I cried a lot when Amarantha killed Feyre. Then I cried some more when Rhys forced all High Lords to bring her back. In any case, I was amazed, impressed, captured and all those amazing feelings and emotions that makes you shiver when reading about Rhys.I definitely can't wait to see what he'd do in the next book and I dedfinitely can't wait to know him more. (Even though I've already read the book.)
I was thinking of mentioning Amarantha however she does not deserve even a word to be said about her. She brutally tortured Feyre and all Prythian.. Pure evil!
However she is one of the best described and build villains I have ever read about. Good thing is that she got what she deserved when Tamlin rip out her throat.
I was thinking of mentioning Feyre's family however they don't quite deserve this.Well maybe Elain does - the cute little sweet Elain, although she is so innoscent and quiet. I definitely despise Nesta - disgusting, cruel, arrogant, ungrateful. Oh and Feyre's father? I can't even speak about him. I would say why does Feyre love them so much however I can understand her - they are her only family after all.
And since this review is quite long and I can only imagine what would be with the other books as well.. I plan to say a few more words as a finishing touch.
The book is amazing. This is one of the very few books that captured me since the beginning and would never let go. It's beautiful not only on the outside but on the inside as well. I could definitely say that Sarah is very good in what she does. I love her abuility to build a magical world, filled with beauty, dark secrets and unexpected turns. I culd never be indifferent to her abuility to describe such intense pictures and emotions not with typical narratives but with amazing feelings, colors, shapes. You will dive so deep into this amazing magical world that you would never want to go back to reality.
I am leaving this rating here: 5 / 5 Stars and I am going to dive in to the next books with Feyre's magical life in Prythian.
I will see you in the next review!