“There are good days and hard days for me—even now. Don’t let the hard days win.”
Sarah J Maas’ books definitely get a lot of hype, both from the young adult and adult community. As much as her books are hyped up, let me tell you this. Of all the books, A Court of Mist and Fury is definitely worth it. If you thought A Court of Thorns of Roses was bad, or just tolerable, I’m still sure this book will blow you away.
A Court of Mist and Fury is the sequel to A Court of Thorns and Roses, and it deals with the protagonist, Feyre’s return to the Spring Court, after successfully quelling the threat from Amarantha. Feyre is betrothed to Tamlin, the High Lord of the Spring Court, and is all set to serve at Tamlin’s side. However, she is forced to fulfil a bargain she made in the depths of Amarantha’s court, by spending a week every month at the Night Court, with the oh-so-annoying Rhysand, High Lord of the Night Court. The book explores Feyre’s psyche, highlighting her struggle with PTSD and Tamlin’s blatant ignoration of his fiancée’s deteriorating mental health. It also puts Rhysand in a light that readers have never seen before- he is cocky and insufferably bratty a lot of the time, but is also kind, genuine and a just ruler of his territories.
Though Tamlin was nothing short of an absolute prince in the first book, the sequel brings out clear flaws. He is domineering, and abusive and gives Feyre absolutely no say in just about anything. The entirety of the Spring Court, but mainly Tamlin, Lucien and Ianthe turn a complete blind eye to Feyre’s suffering.
The book is almost reminiscent of the story of Hades and Persephone, with Persephone forced to visit the Underworld for a couple of months every year. A motley of new characters, namely, Mor, Azriel, Cassian and Amren are brought into the picture. Their stories, and how they’ve grown together as part of Rhysand’s Inner Circle, to the point where they are nearly inseparable like family, are truly one of my favourite parts of the book. Each side character is so different, yet is integral in Feyre’s journey in overcoming her mental demons. Most importantly, Rhysand, who was much hated in A Court of Thorns and Roses, is Feyre’s anchor. A Court of Mist of Fury, gets into gory detail of what he underwent, or rather, what he was forced to do Under the Mountain, and helps one to truly understand his actions. The main plotline is replete with political tension, also including Tamlin’s incessant efforts to get Feyre back.
It’s honestly nerve-wracking to write about this book, without writing spoilers, since almost every page is a revelation in itself. In all, A Court of Mist and Fury has a stellar plot, accentuated by Maas’ simple yet elegant writing. It is packed with passion, political intrigue and incredible character development. Every character, not just Rhysand, Feyre and Tamlin, is well-rounded and their place in the story cannot be doubted. To say that Rhysand, in particular, is well-written would be a massive understatement. To this day, he’s one of the best characters I’ve ever encountered, with the best character development. The only character who comes close to being even this incredible is Maven Calore, from Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series.
A Court of Mist and Fury is also by no means a light read, the book is humongous, in addition to this, it is quite a bleak book dealing with gaslighting, and emotional trauma, and involves multiple recounts of tales of survivors of abuse. However, without a doubt, A Court of Mist and Fury is a must-read and will leave you craving for more.