Review of “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas
Captivating in every way possible.
As a very big fantasy lover, I usually hold my standards high when it comes to looking for a story that isn’t just going to follow the common Hero’s Journey. I believe that we can all agree on how exhausting it gets sometimes when all we read is the same Hero’s Journey steps over and over again. Well, the good news is, in “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas, the author does not follow the Hero’s Journey step by step. Thank goodness!
I have scanned over a few other reviews of this book since finishing it and saw a comment that expressed the idea that the book moved at a slow pace. In my opinion, the book doesn’t exactly move at a slow pace. I feel that Maas took her time in certain areas of the book for good reason as it all ties together at the end. Each event, word spoken by a High Fae, and relationship the main character Feyre makes is crucial to the ending of the book.
I particularly enjoyed this book because as a reader, you look through the eyes of a young human woman, Feyre, as she experiences life in a magical Faerie filled world. This also means that as the reader, we are told and believe everything Feyre is told and believes as she tries to untangle the ropes of the Faerie world.
To add another element to the book, Maas creates a love interest for Feyre, a High Lord named Tamlin. As a High Lord, Tamlin has access to powers the other Fae don’t. This entanglement between Feyre and Tamlin is beautiful to watch unravel and dissect as the reader since their love shows no bounds. Captivating in my opinion.
The entire reading comes down to the very end where Feyre is fighting for Tamlin’s court and Tamlin’s freedom from Under the Mountain. What seem to be impossible tasks for a human girl to complete and pass, Feyre does. Deals and alliances were made during her three month time spent Under the Mountain in order to continue Feyre’s fight. What I loved the most about the ending of the book was Maas’ continuous input of surprise and twists and turns. As the reader, you are also given puzzels to solve through the eyes and mind of Feyre. I believe this was genius in itself as I also enjoyed trying to figure out the life of Faeries and how it is possible for Feyre to be such an asset in the freedom of so many.
I not only believe that Maas perfectly crafted this book, but the way she wrote was phenomenal. If you are a very visual person, Maas served her writing to you. She made a point to be as descriptive as possible and use words that aren’t as common in describing settings, people, and situations. This helped to add a layer of excitement and comprehension in visualizing what was taking place in the reading. I do not believe that I have read another book that was as descriptive as Maas’ and didn’t impede on the story, but actually assisted it.
Overall, Maas perfectly crafted “A Court of Thorns and Roses” in every way possible from the relationship of the characters to her literary technique. Not to mention, I found myself actually addicted to reading the book that it began filling my mind when I was doing anything but reading it. A craft in itself, “A Court of Thorns and Roses” only took me about a week to read and is a book I highly recommend to any fantasy lover. Enjoy!
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