“Don’t feel bad for one moment about doing what brings you joy.”
Sarah J Maas’ “A Court of Thorns and Roses” is one of those books that I received so much pressure from my peers to read. It took me several months to cave into the temptation to finally pick up the book, because I’d read one of Maas’ earlier books- Throne of Glass, and I didn’t particularly enjoy it enough to read the second book. A Court of Thorns and Roses seemed like just another high fantasy novel, with a new set of characters.
The first hundred or so pages did nothing to convince me, that I should actually try to finish the book. But almost immediately after that, the pace picked up, and I couldn’t put down my Kindle until I finished it. I admit, it does have a VERY slow start, and the world Maas builds is a tad bit confusing. The strange character names don’t help matters either. But I have to say, once Maas gets the world-building done, it’s a rollercoaster ride after that.
The story revolves around the life of Feyre, a huntress. She hunts game for her poverty-struck family, as a source of food and income. She ends up accidentally killing a wolf, that wasn’t really a wolf and ends up in a heap of trouble. As punishment, she is forced to stay with Tamlin, the High Lord of the Spring Court. She’s not kept prisoner there, but her movements and actions are heavily restricted and monitored. Like the title suggests, the book initially comes off as a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. In one sense, that is true, but Maas adds so much flavour to the original story. In the Spring Court, the only two people Feyre is in contact with, apart from her maids are Tamlin and Lucien. Tamlin appears to be quite rigid, morally straight, and very hesitant to interact with Feyre. Quite to the contrary, Lucien is the sassiest character I’ve met in a while.
The first half of A Court of Thorns and Roses deals with Feyre getting used to the Spring Court. Instances of conflict are introduced, with a new character, Rhysand brought into the picture. Rhysand seems to have ulterior motives, which Feyre is unaware of, and for some strange reason, Tamlin seems to hate him. It dawns on Feyre that she is being kept in the dark, despite almost becoming part of the household due to her prolonged stay. When this unknown danger escalates, Feyre is forcibly sent home by Tamlin, much like the original Beauty and the Beast tale.
The remainder of the book is an absolute whirlwind. Despite the initial slow start, Maas makes sure to carefully craft the dynamics between her characters. Maas’ style of writing is also very unique, and very pleasing to read, it’s almost like lace, in how delicate, yet impactful it is. A warning that I have to put in is: despite the book being a retelling of a fairy tale, it is very graphic, dealing with certain issues that might be triggering. This book is labelled as Young Adult Fantasy, but I’d suggest reading it at 16/17+, due to how gory and disturbing the book can get.
In all, the book is beautifully written and is a joy to read, despite its issues with the slowness of the plot. I’d definitely mark this as a must-read for lovers of high fantasy and fairy tales.