Book details
Genre: YA Fantasy (with a few New Adult
elements)
Publisher: Bloomsbury
ISBN: 9781408857861
Synopsis
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!
Review
I’m struggling to find words that will
accurately describe the sheer extent to which this novel destroyed me. I'm broken inside. But I loved
it. I love Sarah J. Maas, and I love everything about her writing – her
characters, her fantasy worlds, her enthralling stories. Honestly, although
I’ve read a few negative reviews, I cannot find a single fault with A Court of Thorns and Roses.
Perhaps this is because I didn’t enter
Maas’s world expecting to read the perfect retelling of Beauty and the Beast – in fact, I almost forgot that it was
supposed to be a retelling until I was about a third of the way through. Maas
loosely winds some elements of the classic tale into her own storyline, but
she’s warped and altered it so much that it is now entirely her own. Strangely
enough, that makes her novel even more appealing to me – I have more interest
in reading a unique tale with subtle recognizable elements than a book relying
on the exact framework of the classic story.
One thing I do have to shine the spotlight
on is Maas’s characterization. Sometimes I wonder if the reason that her novels
seem to surpass all other fantasy works is because her heroines are not only
kickass, but entirely human in their flaws and emotions. It’s magical how
characters like Celaena and Fayre will stay in my mind for ages after I’ve
finished reading their stories. I want these women in real life, and I kinda
want to be them, too. (Also, hello Tamlin. Please magically materialise into my life right now.)
A
Court of Thorns and Roses is one of the best
fantasy novels I’ve ever read. It ruined me. I fell in love with its smooth,
lyrical words and the way it moved. Then it ripped a hole in my chest and tore
out my heart, lighting it on fire and grinding it to dust before grinning
sheepishly and running away.
Rating: 5/5
Recommended to: Fans of Throne of Glass and George R. R. Martin.
The Last Word
These are my reactions throughout the novel,
expressed in gifs, because nothing else will accurately portray my emotions.
Buying the book:
Reading the first page:
Feyre:
Tamlin:
Amarantha:
Rhysand:
Towards the end:
The actual end:
Realising the sequel comes out in MAY:
I absolutely adored this one, too! Although it can be safely said this is a mash-up between Beauty and the Beast and East of the Sun, West of the Moon! Haha. I totally love this series and how Maas wrote it. Just so beautifully surreal and whimsical and EVERYTHING. The last 30%, I was flying through the pages like a superwoman eager to see the villain get what was coming to her!
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