Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (UK edition).

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, 1)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Sword and Sorcery, Young Adult
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing (5th May 2015)
Blurb:

FEYRE IS A HUNTRESS.

She thinks nothing of slaughtering a wolf to capture its prey. But, like all mortals, she fears what lingers mercilessly beyond the forest. And she will learn that taking the life of a magical creature comes at a high price . . .

Imprisoned in an enchanted court in her enemy’s kingdom, Feyre is free to roam but forbidden to escape. Her captor’s body bears the scars of fighting, and his face is always masked – but his piercing stare draws her ever closer. As Feyre’s feelings for Tamlin begin to burn through every warning she’s been hold about his kind, an ancient, wicked shadow grows.

FEYRE MUST FIND A WAY TO BREAK THE SPELL, OR LOSE HER HEART FOREVER.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
Review:

A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas is the first book in the series of the same name. The book follows Feyre; she is the youngest of three daughters, and her family has fallen on hard times. With her father injured and neither of her elder sisters willing to, Feyre is forced to hunt to bring in a supply of food and coin for her family. Whilst out hunting for food desperate Feyre slaughters a wolf to gain its prey, so she can feed her family. But it is not just a wolf she kills, and taking the life of a magical creature comes with a hefty price.

A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES has been a book I have been umm-ing and ah-ing about whether or not to give this book, and this series, a try. Thankfully Talia picked the book from my wishlist for the Ninja Bookswap, and it was the nudge I needed to give it a try. I really enjoyed A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES and its strange and familiar world. I loved the fantasy elements of the story, and I loved the way Maas wrote Faerie. If you are a fan of Maas’s Throne of Glass series then you will love this world too.

Feyre is an interesting main character and narrator. She is a hunter and an artist, and she is very loyal to her family – she will do anything for them. She is something of an outsider, but at the same time she knows her worth. I was a little afraid going into this book that Feyre would be like Celaena Sardothien, and whilst there are similarities between them they are two distinct characters. I really enjoyed Feyre as the main character, and seeing the world from her point of view.

The plot of A COUR OF THORNS AND ROSES is an intricate one. Maas weaves an interesting and complex tale that it is easy to get lost in. This is definitely a book where there is more going on than there appears at first glance, but I wouldn’t expect anything different from a book about the fair folk. A COURT OF THONES AND ROSES had me guessing what was going to happen next until the end. I did not see any of the twists coming, and it was really enjoyable because of that. I did find the romance aspect of the plot a little blah to be honest. And whilst Feyre was particularly vivid on the page, the same couldn’t be said for any of the other characters in my opinion.

Whilst I didn’t immediately fall in love with either the world or the characters, I really did enjoy watching the story unfold before me. I will definitely be checking out the next book in the series, as I’m interested to see how Feyre’s story will unfold and if we will get to see more of the Faerie Realms and what those courts will be like. If you are a fan of the fantasy genre, and like your faeries to have a bit of bite then I highly recommend this series.