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

Ah, the sweet, familiar land of fantasy. It's been a while since I've reviewed a full-blown 'magical' fantasy YA book, probably because it's been months since I read one. Fortunately, A Court of Thorns and Roses offered an engaging dive back in. Considering the masterful worldbuilding, varied characters, and an explosive reveal at the end, I'd consider it a 8.5/10. I wouldn't change much about the book, but it takes more than an interesting story to get a perfect rating from me - and this book didn't move me or make me cry. (I didn't expect it to, and that wasn't the purpose in writing it, so don't let that influence you!)

To start off, I would like to thank Maas for weaving in non-traditional elements of the fey world alongside the more basic elements. Some of these basic elements, such as varied species among the fey, the usual secrets and nuances of Faerie courts, as well as an emphasis on human-fey relationships were built into the story (of course). However, it also included a badass female MC who defied the love interest's wishes on more than a few occasions. But back to the worldbuilding - what I appreciated most was the way Maas carefully and masterfully balanced the complex web of court relationships, backstory, geography, and the underlying secret layer beneath the whole story. Unfortunately, I can't get into too much detail about the latter without spoiling anything!

Speaking of, I also want to share my appreciation for the way Maas set up the explanations of 'legend' throughout the novel, dropped the careful, tiny hints, and overall screwed over my psyche until the ending's big reveal knocked me off my feet. I wish I could share my personal opinion on the ending, but all I can do is encourage you to read it!

Lastly, my sincere respect for Feyre. I would hate to call her basic. However, the best way to describe her is a basic YA female main character. It is incredible that someone as brave, loyal, and true to herself as Feyre is can be called basic. With all the aspects of a traditional female YA MC, including the quick adaptation skills, the sharpness, the dedication, and yes, the 'love' for a leading male character, Feyre is still admirable. What does set her apart from other YA main characters is the fact that her appearance is barely mentioned. Of course, she'sstill conventionally attractive and beautiful, but the few times her appearance is mentioned, it's to emphasize her starvation and how it had affected her body. To sum up, I fell in love with Feyre, and I'm sure you will too.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas is an engaging, heartfelt, and shocking read. With excellent twists and turns, I would rate it an 8.5/10. Please read this book - it's an excellent use of your time, and may even sharpen up your detective skills!

A full summary is located here.