All I can say is that this is my most favourite book ever. It is reading perfection. It changed my life. I didn’t want it to end, in fact I have read it 3 times now in 6 months and each time it effects me the same. I become a crazy book zombie, who struggles to resurface into the world of the living. With eyes glazed I potter around my day and then wonder how it is that I achieved anything. It’s like the feeling of new love. That person is all you think about. Your heart beats faster and a smile is always on your face. I am a woman mid thirties, very happily married, who embarrassingly finds myself all a twitter over a fictional character. A High Lord of the night court who cheekily and unexpectedly waltzed into my life within a Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR). All I can say is that in A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOMAF) I crowned him book boyfriend KING.
ACOMAF is the second book in Sarah J Maas series. Often sequels can leave you feeling disappointed and underwhelmed. Not this book. I passionately wave this series in front of my friends noses begging them to please read. Encouraging them if need be, to hang in there until book 2 where they then are free to call me at all hours with their sighs and screaming fangirling.
This book continues right where ACOTAR finishes. Feyre is back in the Spring court with Tamlin of whom she is engaged. She is different though.
No longer the human girl starved of affection and love. The human girl who craved the simplicity of painting without the pressure of keeping her family alive. The human girl who loved Tamlin, the Fae Lord who gifted Feyre with the peace and security she desired. No that human girl is dead. Her heart, along with her human self was completely broken and destroyed under the mountain.
ACOMAF is Feyres story. Amidst a world that is on the brink of fracturing, Feyre navigates through the pain of her broken soul and finds healing and transcendence. ACOTAR shows us Feyres courage whilst ACOMAF shows us her strength and power. This is not the glitzy continuation of the fairytale romance with the blonde handsome Tamlin. This isn’t even a love triangle where one is left torn over team A or B. Tamlin and Feyres relationship is clearly flawed and unhealthy. Both suffering with PTSD and both unable to support each other through the trauma. Tamlin’s possessive, manipulative and controlling behavior will leave you questioning your own heart and what you ever saw in him.
And I realized—I realized how badly I’d been treated before, if my standards had become so low. If the freedom I’d been granted felt like a privilege and not an inherent right.
And this is where my review becomes a love song to Rhyse. In the words of the high lord Himself:
Rhysand is the most handsome High Lord. Rhysand is the most delightful High Lord. Rhysand is the most cunning High Lord.
The internet is obsessed over this Gorgeous winged male. There are fan pages, Facebook groups, artwork, tattoos and Tumbler accounts devoted to him and his night court. I’m sure you are aware of this already as one can not finish ACOMAF and not google like a crazy woman in love. To me Rhysand is the true protagonist. He is so multilayered. Posing as a dark tyrant we see that this is a mere facade and that underneath is a self sacrificing, incredibly kind, incredibly intelligent, witty, charming, compassionate and beautifully deep male. In fact, the highlight of this entire book was the slow unpacking of who Rhysand is. Who he is within his inner circle. Who he is to the people of Velaris, who he is as High Lord of the night court. Who he was as a young boy, a son, an Illyrian soldier. Who he was under the mountain and who he is to Feyre.
Oh my heart…. I could hardly breath during the cabin scene as Rhys detailed to Feyre the beauty of his love and how interwoven and complex it was to both of their existence. Totally the most intense reading experience ever.
Get out of Town Moments
- The squad. The inner circle. The court of dreams, that we all so desperately want to be a part of. They summarize the power of true friendship. Mor, Amren, Cassian and Azriel I love you.
- Discovering the beauty of the night court, especially Velaris.
- The Summer court, Tarquin and the small glimmer of hope that dreamers can bring.
- The mating bond!!!
- Feyre kicking but with water wolves.
- The ending. Oh my goodness it was just so intense.
- The mating bond!!!
- Feyre, High lady of the Night Court.
Finally i can not fault the plot nor the writing style. Sarah Maas if I had the chance to have dinner with anyone in the whole world I would choose you. You are a writing genius. I am in awe of your characters, your world building, your cleverly crafted plots and your ability to make one FEEL. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I give this book a huge 5 stars. Even 6 stars.
I do however suggest that although ACOMAF is classified as young adult, I do not believe that it is an appropriate read for a young teenager. There is significant sexy time that I feel is far more geared for an older audience.
He thinks he’ll be remembered as the villain in the story. But I forgot to tell him that the villain is usually the person who locks up the maiden and throws away the key. He was the one who let me out.
