Okay… deep breath and pray no-one kills me for this… I have a confession. I have never ever read a Sarah J Maas book! That might not sound so bad, but the thing is, I have actually met her (she is super nice and lovely) and have all of her books! I know the shame of failing at my bookworm goals… but now that’s changed! When I heard Maas was bringing out a modern fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast – my favourite Disney story of all time – I knew that the time was now and I had to read this book! I was super grateful when I was accidentally sold it in a book shop a month before its release, and I also received one from the Guardian to read and review! I wasn’t disappointed (and neither was my best mate, who got my spare copy).
A Court of Thorns and Roses is just as beautiful a book as the title suggests. It is set in a wondrous realm of faeries and mortals, and we are immediately thrown into Feyre’s world. She is a 19–year–old human literally fighting for survival in the cold, harsh lands which are her home, but when she kills a wolf, her life is changed forever. As it turns out, Feyre hasn’t only killed a wolf, but a Faerie, and she must now pay the price by leaving her family to enter the Fae lands and live there forever with her captor, Tamlin. Now, you might think that the book would continue with the Disney tale, but it becomes so much more, packed with adventure and life. It becomes an intensely gripping novel, not only about love, but also survival.
I initially thought this novel was quite slow, and almost gave up by page 50, but there was still a spark igniting my interest in the plot. The pace increased gradually, creating a tantalising story of great interest and passion. I honestly could not put it down! Instead, Maas’ writing led me to become a recluse for a few short hours: I almost sprinted through the pages, dancing with the words as my imagination became alive, before the book abruptly ended and left me hungry for the next in the series. I adored this book: I was hooked by the characters, the setting, the story and the words, and I honestly believe it could hold its own as a stand alone.
Now, the characters. First, we have Feyre, a strong, independent girl who knows her own mind and strives to save her loved ones. Despite being occasionally mistreated and unappreciated by her father and sister, she still continues to work in order to provide for them and to ensure that they are safe. I am praying that her relationship with Tamlin does not end up in a love triangle with Rhysand (Please Sarah J Maas, no love triangle!). Then we have Tamlin, who is, to be honest, perhaps the most honest and complex male protagonist I have ever encountered. We see multiple sides of him – shy and sweet, but also confident and strong – which have made me fall in love him myself (although I will let Feyre have him). Then we have Lucien, who is, without a doubt, one of the sassiest male characters I have ever experienced! His character, although secondary to Tamlin, is very important to the novel by providing great humour.
As a first time reader of Maas, I have to say that her writing style, although slow to begin with, is amazing and so beautiful. The way she writes is so delicate: perhaps the only way I could describe it would be as a piece of lace, so beautiful that it appears so fragile that you daren’t touch it. I have fallen in love with her writing, and now I am even more desperate to continue with this series and finally begin the Throne of Glass series!
Overall, I have been able to place this novel within the seven books which I have rated five stars so far this year. I loved it so much and advise anyone looking at this review to go and read the book now.
- Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop
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