A Court of Thorns and Roses
Feyre really did the damn thing.
A friend of mine told me I had to read this series. She and I don’t normally like the same books outside of Harry Potter. I had seen this series displayed in the BookTok section of Target so I was skeptical. She mailed me her copy of A Court of Thorns and Roses and here we are some time later and I have my own collector’s edition. If you have even a casual interest in fantasy or romance, you will likely enjoy this series.
The rest of the series is very different from this first book and I think that’s for the better. I still have love for this book because it is the beginning of one of my all time favorite series! But it does have some rough spots in the pacing and some instalove. There is also an inordinate amount of use of the word “quiver”
BUT! It’s so worth sticking around. This first book is a Cinderella/Beauty and the Beast hybrid and then the end veers into Grimms fairy tale territory.
The story is set in a world of humans and fae. There is tension between the two species (?) and a wall to separate them. Feyre is the youngest of three daughters at 19 years old (WHY is the 19 year old taking care of everyone?!) and takes care of her two older sisters and her disabled father after falling into poverty and losing their mother. She shoots a wolf with a bow and arrow to bring home for dinner for her family but it turns out that wolf is fae. So, a fae king in the form of a wolf busts down her door to take her prisoner in exchange for preserving her families’ lives as well as her own. This fae king’s name is Tamlin and he takes Feyre over the wall with him and orders her to be happy and is confused as to why she’s afraid and pissed off. Needless to say, they fall in love. Which complicates things! A human and a fae?! The controversy!
When we find out that TamTam (I call Tamlin TamTam because he’s the worst) had a spell on him where he wouldn’t be able to use his full power unless a human girl who killed a fae and fell in love with him AND told him she loved him without knowing about this curse, then it would be broken! How convenient! Feyre fit this description exactly EXCEPT the rub was that she hadn’t said she loved him yet so he was taken captive by Amarantha! Who is a real piece of work. I gotta say, this poor 19 year old CHILD has way too much stress put on her. Alis was so harsh when explaining the curse to Feyre and that Tamlin had been taken because she hadn’t told her CAPTOR that she loved him??! JEEZ ALICE! She’s 19! When she said “You stupid girl!” I was like Okkk you’re mad that she didn’t say I love you to her captor? You also can’t tell me TamTam didn’t manipulate the situation for Feyre to fall for him to get his power back. I think he really liked Feyre, but he didn’t love her. Least not in the way she (thought) she loved him.
Also, WHEN did they fall in love exactly?! I missed that due to the lack of chemistry. Also, Lucien is way more interesting?! TamTam is just moody and boring. Without a doubt, Rhysand is the most interesting character in this book. And in the second book, we fall in love with him.
The three tasks were truly the TriWizard tournament but without consent or signing up and way more disgusting? Why’re we wrestling a worm?! And poor Feyre doesn’t have magic or any fighting skills so the way she defeats him is by masking her smell with a full body mud mask and likely tetanus.
The love riddle was… cringy is the nicest way I can say it…It was stupid. That was the toughest part of the book to stomach for me.
When Amarantha told her to say that she doesn’t love Tamlin and the torture would stop… WHY WOULDNT SHE JUST DO THAT?! Broooo say you dont love him?! I think he and EVERYONE would understand?
Feyre actually stabbing those faeries subverted every expectation! I kept waiting for some insane outside intervention. It showed real stakes and showed that Feyre has some grit! In the second book we see the fallout of this decision on her, but I really enjoyed this turn of events and made Feyre a well rounded character that could surprise you. She really did the damn thing!
FEYre (FAY-ruh) turning into FAE (FAY) I could see coming from a mile away. The name was so on the nose!
Nesta’s story in ACOSF becomes my favorite out of all the books but MAN is she insufferable until then. Like can you CHILL?! Luckily she shows her strengths and intelligence towards the end and is helpful to Feyre. But it wasn’t quite enough to make up for her behavior in the beginning of the book. SHe and Elain were basically the evil stepsisters but more like annoying and helpless.
In sum, I don’t think this book stands on its own. As the beginning of the series, it sets it up well as the books just get better and better. I didn’t fully appreciate this book until I finished book 2. You’ve probably heard that book 2 makes it all worth it, and it really does. And the rest of the series is amazing.
