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A Court of Thorns and Roses: A Review

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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mich chapter.

Spoiler warning!!! Spoiler warning for the first 4 books of the series.

A Court of Thorns and Roses is the first book in a five book series by Sarah J. Maas. The first four books are a part of the main plot. In order, they are: A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Mist and Fury, A Court of Wings and Ruin, and a Court of Frost and Starlight. The first book, A Court of Thorns and Roses, starts off a bit slow in the first half, but changes pace quickly in the second half. The next two books, A Court of Mist and Fury and A Court of Wings and Ruin, are longer; they’re both over 650 pages. However, they are both action-packed, especially towards the last few chapters. The fourth book, A Court of Frost and Starlight, brings the main plot to an end. The fifth book, A court of Silver Flames, is a bit of a spinoff of two side characters, Cassian and Nesta.

I want to start off by saying how incredible the entire series is. Maas is an incredible writer, despite what other people say. Some say she repeats words often, which is true. If I had a dollar for everytime she writes “a vulgar gesture” (aka the middle finger), I could pay my college tuition. However, she took me, a hater of fantasy, long books, and reading in general, and transformed me into an avid book lover. I think that fact alone speaks volumes for her storytelling ability. I must be honest and admit that I have not read the fifth book in the series yet. That’s not to say I don’t love the series, but because I loved it so much that I want to return to it and become immersed in the characters again. The fourth book dwindled down the action so blissfully that I felt it was a perfect stopping point to continue reading the other books on my shelf. I usually hate books that change perspective, and it didn’t even bother me when Maas added other perspectives in it. The best part is that the books are being made into a TV series- I cannot wait!

Here is my brutally honest opinion on all the main characters:

Feyre: I am still unsure on the pronunciation of her name. I began pronouncing it as “fair” and I will continue to do so. I have heard people say “Fay-ruh”, which I believe is the correct pronunciation, but I’m not a fan of it. I love her regardless. Initially, her painting becomes repetitive, but the way that it ties into her trauma with Tamlin (when she becomes unable to paint), and the beauty of her opening her own paint shop at the end was a beautiful touch. She is a bit of a baby, like we get it Tamlin locked you in the house, just figure out if you want to marry him or not and move on. Nevertheless, she’s one of my favorite characters.

Nesta: She’s Feyre’s sister, and I love her spunk. There’s still a lot I don’t know about her yet (she’s the main character of the fifth book), so my judgment may be off. She treats Feyre like dirt in the fourth book, and I don’t like it. The least she could do was show up with gifts on Solstice. But the way she would jump in front of a sword for Cassian makes me forgive her. 

Elain:As the youngest sister of Feyre, she fits the description. She’s babied too much. She just wanders around the castle moping about Graysen (her fiance who dumped her) and honestly just takes up space. I still don’t understand how she ended up being the one to deliver the killing blow to King Hybern; she literally could barely tolerate holding a knife. She always needs some kind of saving

The father: He’s the father of Feyre, Nesta, and Elain. His character was my main complaint in the series. The way he magically appears with a random army (after being incapable for a decade) he prepared while being away on “business” on some other continent seems too unbelievable. But, his contributions saved everyone and he did die in the war, so I guess I can respect him. 

Tamlin:He’s the High Lord of the Spring Court. He made me so angry toward the end, but is still one of my favorite characters. Not because I like him, but because he made me feel so many emotions. I thought he was perfect for Feyre, but then he pissed me off acting like some kind of owner of Feyre. Then, he seemed to redeem himself, saving Feyre during their attempt to get Elain back from the king. But, he acted like a b*tch during the meeting of all the courts, and when Rhys tried to be nice to him. I did feel kind of bad for everything Feyre did to his Spring court. 

Ianthe:She’s one of Tamlin’s priestesses. She deserved everything Feyre did to her. R.I.P. her hand (best scene ever). She tried to sexually assault so many men, including Rhys.

Lucien:He is the right-hand man to Tamlin, who somehow ends up an Autumn Court half-blood who lives in Night Court. It is a bit unlikely that he ended up being Elain’s mate. I wish I heard more about if they end up together or not.

Rhysand:Also unsure if it’s “Rizz-and” or “Rye-zand”, but I’m sticking with the latter. If I could build myself the perfect man, it would be him. I loved him from the very beginning. He’s so right for Feyre and is the best character in the series. The scene in the cabin where they first admitted they loved each other is permanently engraved in my mind. I think about it every day. I don’t think there’s anything more to say. 

Cassian:As a member of Rhy’s inner circle, he’s such a badass. He seems like a good fit for Nesta, and he’s funny and non-problematic. I can’t wait to uncover more about him in the fifth book. 

Azriel:He’s another member of Rhys’s inner circle. I got annoyed with how many times he’s called “the shadowsinger”. His flying lessons with Feyre were a cute addition. It is kind of pathetic how even after 500 years he can’t get over Mor. Like seriously, move on. 

Mor:Yet another member of Rhys’s inner circle. She really stood out to me. She’s unapologetic about who she is, who she sleeps with, and what other people think of her. A total role model. I liked learning about her past with her father, and her complications with Autumn Court. She’s the perfect side story, and perfect friend to Feyre. 

Amren:She’s the right-hand woman to Rhys. Another badass, like the rest of his circle. I thought the scene where she sacrifices her ability to go to her home planet was weird. She gives me vampire vibes, but I like how she spends time with Nesta. A truly unique addition. 

In short: Rhys and Feyre are made for each other. I absolutely love the way Maas incorporates so many characters and side scenes into one cohesive story. There were plenty more characters that I did not include that really set the vibe for the whole series, as well. I cannot wait to see what the fifth book has in store! 

Avid book lover of romance, fantasy, and anything popular on TIk Tok. Big fan of going for jogs and finishing 5k's for orgs with my friends. Biopsychology, cognition and neuroscience major :)