A Court of Thorns and Roses (Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)

by Sarah J. Maas

Jennifer Ikeda (Narrator)

• ISBN10: 1510096205
• ISBN13: 9781510096202
• Publish Date: 1 February 2018 (first published 5 May 2015)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: W F Howes Ltd
• Imprint: Whole Story Audio Books
• Format: Audiobook (MP3)
• Duration: 16 hours and 25 minutes
• Language: English

Reviews

[Nany]

If you have given me the first and last part I would have probably liked this book a lot, but that part in the middle was so boring. It's a very important part because all this new feelings are born and they become love, but I couldn't even feel a little bit of attraction between Feyre and Tamlin. I still don't know how they fell in love, I even was rooting for Lucien because I think he has a better relationship with Feyre.

Then the last part came and Rhys makes his appearance, although I don't know what's going to happen in the second book that was kind of spoilery, now I want to read that book because I don't like Tamlin and want to know everything about Rhys.

Also, I hope that we can read more about Nesta because I think she was more badass than Feyre, and I like her better.

[Kate (Blogging with Dragons)]

Review originally posted on Blogging with Dragons.

Actual Rating : 3.5

I have a somewhat complicated history with this book. As a huge fan of the Throne of Glass series, also by Sarah J. Maas. I picked up this book for the first time over a year ago, expecting the main female character to be similar to Celaena of the former series. I was shocked by just how unlike the main character was to assassin Celaena. I could not believe “heroine” Feyre and her stupid decisions! I couldn’t understand how anyone could like this series and its main character, who often seemed determined to throw her life away. I wondered how someone could write something as wonderful as the Throne of Glass series, only to turn around and write this.

Flash forward a year later, to when I got deeper into the Maas fandom. I was surprised that everyone in the fandom utterly loved Rhysand, who I had thought was a mere despicable villain. Being the spoiler-loving wench that I am, I learned that Rhysand and Feyre were actually mates and was very surprised. I truly liked Tamlin in the first book, seeing as him as one of the only good things about it, and was super curious at what could have possibly happened in the second book that could change everything so drastically. With renewed curiosity and faith in Sarah J. Maas, I got the book from the library (again) and read it once more. After reading the book and the next one, I knew I’d buy the series in the future.

Anyways, this read through, I saw everything differently. Feyre was to be pitied for the choices she had to make and more importantly, the ones that were forced upon her. Having to support her disabled, unemployed father, and elder sisters, by hunting in the cold, dangerous woods that bordered Pyrthian, home of the feared fairies, was a grueling, lonely, and completely thankless task. I now saw that she had grown attached to Tamlin, High Lord of the Spring Court mostly because he was the only person who ever showed any amount of kindness towards her, however small. Upon this second reading, I realized that it was no wonder that she made impulsive and foolhardy decisions to save the only people that treated her like a real, decent human being and not just a tool that put food on the table.

But I still had to roll my eyes every time Feyre was told not to do something and then immediately rushed out to do the said thing and almost got herself killed—over and over. Don’t go hunting in the forest near the wall dividing the human wall and the Pyrthian lands? She did it and encountered a fairy in the form of a monstrous wolf. Don’t wander off the castle grounds of the Spring Court? Did it, and on the single worst, night of the year. Although it worked out because she met Rhysand. Don’t try to lure and trap an ancient and dangerous creature called a Suriel? She immediately did and almost died. Her stubbornness and dumb decision-making happened so often and with such similar results that it just made Feyre look suicidal and stupid, not powerful and capable, like the book so clearly wanted her to appear.

Though I initially thought Tamlin to be the beast in this unconventional Beauty and the Beast tale, complete with him showing up to take her away from her family and to take her to live in his castle in the fairy world, complete with a curse on him and his court for Feyre to break with her love. I realized that the true beast, or rather, fairy, to be pitied in this story was actually Rhysand, High Lord of the Night Court. And when Rhysand appeared before Feyre, I was suddenly shaken by how I had essentially dismissed him and never even viewed him as the attractive, sensual, and intelligent being he actually was:

“Everything about the stranger radiated sensual grace and ease….His short black hair gleamed like a raven’s feathers, offsetting his pale skin and blue eyes so deep they were violet, even in the firelight. They twinkled with amusement as he beheld me.”

Well, damn. I hadn’t fallen for a fictional character in a while, so I guessed my time was up and Rhysand had come to collect. I wondered how I hadn’t possibly recognized his value, his ability to maneuver the political minefield to which he had been subjected after evil and twisted Amarantha stole most of his powers and imprisoned him Under the Mountain in her court. I guess I was too busy being frustrated at Feyre and her actions. But I loved that Rhysand, firmly embraced what many called him “Amarantha’s whore,” played his part, and used it to save not only Feyre, but also his people. Feyre, too, realized, though reluctantly, during the course of her imprisonment in Amarantha’s court that devious and seemingly wicked Rhysand, and not her love Tamlin, “had effectively kept [her] from shattering completely.”

But ultimately, I figured out that the best way to enjoy this book was not to look at it as a retelling of Beauty and the Beast at all. Otherwise, the curse, which involved not much more than its victims wearing masks and its simplicity would bore you, the almost instantaneous and unfounded love between Feyre and Tamlin would disappoint you, and Feyre’s role as Belle would make you roll your eyes. Instead, one should look at the novel for what it was, the starting point of a series about fairies, their courts, and an even bigger approaching evil, which just so happens to have a few Beauty and the Beast undertones.

Regardless of this altered viewpoint, I liked this book much more the second time around. So when the book ended with, the restoration of the High Lords’ powers and Feyre’s resurrection as a High Fae at their bidding, I knew I needed more. I couldn’t get the sequel, A Court of Mist and Fury in my hands fast enough. I was also pleased to find that I liked the second book much better than the first, with Feyre being much more complex and developed. It no longer felt like Maas was forcing down my throat how supposedly bad-ass she was and instead Feyre just was more confident, strong, and empowered. What a relief. Plus, there was lots and lots of Rhysand. But more on that in a future review.

In the end, I was really glad that I gave this book and the series another chance. In fact, I realized that I loved the story and its characters possibly even more than those in the Throne of Glass series. With my faith in Sarah J. Maas, restored, I couldn’t wait to see where she took the characters next.

[littleread1]

I am bad at riddles. Like terrible. and I knew what this answer was before the riddle finished being spoken. the story itself is good, but characters are a bit 2 dimensional. I will continue on with the series, because people adore it and I really want to as well.

[jeannamichel]

Whoa, it's a miracle I survived the end. So stressful; still reeling.

In this magical Beauty and the Beast retelling, A Court of Thorns and Roses, Feyre vowed to always take care of her family. Naturally, when poverty strikes, she must hunt in the woods or starve to death. Feyre has gotten quite good at a bow and arrow and when an unusually large wolf crosses her path, she buries her arrow in its flesh. However, the wolf is no ordinary wolf but a fairy. According to Tamlin, a High Fae, there are consequences to killing fairies. Feyre must leave her family and live with Tamlin until the end of her days in order to fulfill her debt.

There’s an extreme hype surrounding this book and I know not to fall under the hyped spell unless it is deserved. But, guys, the hype is well deserved. It is hard not to be entirely enchanted from the very beginning as a Beauty and the Beast retelling sounds absolutely fantastic to me any day.

I adore fairies. In Cruel Beauty, a magnificent retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Hodge gave us a demon for the beast. In A Court of Thorns and Roses, Maas lets our eyes feast on her descriptive fairies. I haven’t read such a gorgeous fairy book in a long time, last being Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series, so I am quite overdue. A Court of Thorns and Roses has lots of things going for it: quenching your thirst for both retellings and fairies at the same time.

There wasn’t too much information dumping in the world building that I found myself curious in the history rather than being annoyed.

I was hoping Feyre would be more similar to Belle—in her love for books and adventure, rather we get a character who is rough and strong—a hunter who seems less relatable than Katniss. Despite her un-relatability, you root for her all the same. Feyre is courageous, strong, exceptional with a bow and arrow, a master finder, a painter, and sometimes a bit stupid. These traits and many more make her—not so much relatable, but—incredibly friend-worthy. If she wasn’t fictional, Feyre and I would definitely be besties.

The plot itself was intriguing. The deeper I got into the story, the more I found myself liking Tamlin. Tamlin is my kind of guy: quiet, strong, intelligent, gentle. The list goes on.

One thing I always look for in Beauty and the Beast retellings is the friendship blossoming into romance. I’m always curious as to how authors will choose to execute the transition from captor to romance. I must say that I didn’t see the romance coming in A Court of Thorns and Roses like it did. From Feyre’s narration, we know that Tamlin and she were spending a little more time with each other than before. However, we get mere mentions of these meetings than concrete scenes of their dialogue. It is not until quite farther into the story do we truly see how they may have feelings for each other. In doing it this way, Maas put the romance on the back burner (for at least the beginning 60% of the book), which is sad considering Beauty and the Beast is essentially a love story. The romance wasn’t as romantic as I was hoping and in some ways, a bit unbalanced. As much as Tamlin’s kind gestures and actions spoke volumes, I didn’t really expect Feyre and Tamlin to get together at all.

With how much the fans discuss Rhysand, I was expecting him to be a main character. However, he seems more of the Magnus Bane of the series. He is precious but didn’t leave a lasting impression on me. However, the more I see of him as the series goes on, I think I will begin to like him even more.

Maas weaves her plot and characters into a gorgeous tapestry of layers. Her writing is truly incredible. A Court of Thorns and Roses is actually the first novel by her that I’ve read. I loved it immensely and will definitely be continuing on with this series and reading her other books as well (Throne of Glass series, here I come!).

The ending and climax had me in tangles. My stomach still hurts from the action thrown my way. It was perfectly executed. I was contemplating giving the book a 4 star rating, however, my feelings of the ending slid my rating up to where it deserves to be. This is an incredible start to a series that is guaranteed to put you in knots and leave you tangled (you know, in a good way).

Having never before read a book written by Sarah J. Maas, I can say that I was wholly impressed with her writing and look forward to reading more by her in the future (starting with A Court of Thorns and Roses’ sequel, A Court of Mist and Fury). A Court of Thorns and Roses surpassed all of my expectations; the hype is incredibly well-deserved. The story is magnificent and will keep you guessing until the very end.

[Ashley]

4.5 Stars

REALLY good!!

I adore the world Sarah J. Maas created in this book. The faeries and their polities/history/lore were so interesting.

My only complaints are kind of minor:

* Sometimes Feyre was annoying. She had a stupid habit of doing things she was told not to do.
* There were long periods of time where nothing was really happening. To be fair, I wasn't bored, it just wasn't exactly "action packed" or "edge of your seat".
* I thought the ending was a tad rushed.

But otherwise this was an awesome book with a FABULOUS world, story, and characters.

[girlinthepages]

How do I possibly count the ways in which I ADORED this book?

I finished it about 24 hours ago, and I have been unable to do anything productive. I have picked up the book again at least 3 times since then to flip through it and reread my favorite parts. I am a book-hangover mess.

Once in a while I'll claim in a review that a book was "My favorite in X genre for this year" or "The best at dealing with X topic of 2015." Well, A Court of Thorns and Roses skips all of those qualifiers. ACOTAR is my number one favorite book of 2015. I'm flailing that hard over it. I know there's going to be fabulous, incredible books coming out the rest of this year (and many that I'm incredible estatic about) but I already know, deep in my bones, that this is my favorite book of the whole year. It may be second only to Harry Potter. That is how much I love this book.

Now, let's see if I can coherently get through a review of this book without fangirling everywhere and over everything.

New Adult Done Right

I personally would classify this book as New Adult. Feyre, the protagonist, is 19, and Tamlin (and most of the other Fae) are several centuries old. There's a lot of mature and intense themes that are dealt with in this book: death, grief, guilt, survival, intimacy. Maas doesn't pull any punches with her content. It's on fire where it's meant to be sexy, tragic where it's meant to be sad, and brutal where it's meant to target readers in the feels. I love that Sarah wrote this story for what it is: a sexy, epic fantasy where villains are truly disturbing and romance is genuinely passionate, without watering anything down for the sake of fitting into the mainstream YA category. Yet it also has fascinating plots, interesting character development, and a story that's compelling on its own aside from the romance- elements that are sadly missing from many of the books that comprise the NA genre at this time. SJ Maas is the Queen of New Adult as far as I'm concerned. Bow down.

It Made Me Like Fae

Fae and farie stories have always been hard for me to get into. There's just something about them that tends to cause me to lose interest, and not be as fascinated with them as I am with witches or angels. So I was a bit wary that I wouldn't love it as much as everyone else did. I shouldn't have worried. From the minute I gazed upon the awesome, detailed map at the beginning of the book I was sold, wanting desperately to know about the seven different faerie courts and how they all functioned. There isn't a single faerie character that wasn't compelling to read about, whether it be because of their powers or wickedness or empathy for humans. I loved how Maas adds in little details to the High Fae that reflect their courts, such as Lucien's auburn hair or Tamlin's leaf-colored eyes. I loved the fae history and lore, and how Feyre learns about they myths they started themselves and the wars that divided their kingdoms and species. I loved how the land of the Spring Court truly reflected its season, in the special touches like ponds made of starlight and whispering grasses. The world building was completely on point. I would read an entire encyclopedia about this faerie world if Maas was so inclined to write one.

Chemistry Like...Whoa.

This book is sexy. Really sexy. And I am 100% OK with this. It made me remember that I like reading romance, something I think I've forgotten due to the rather formulaic and lackluster romances portrayed in so much of the YA that I read. As a Beauty and the Beast retelling, I don't think it's a spoiler to say that there's a romance between Feyre and Tamlin...and their chemistry is intense. It's a slow burn of both love and lust, and I love that both of them are adults who can appreciate that they desire each other; there's no qualms about purity or innocence here. Feyre is independent and autonomous and isn't afraid to express her sexuality and I found that really refreshing (as too often it seems that when intimacy is portrayed, it's only because a male initiates it with a meek female). The dynamic between Feyre and Tamlin really works, from their witty banter as they dance through the roles of captor and captive to the genuine glimpses of mirth and vulnerability that they show each other as they become closer. I believed in Feyre and Tamlin's connection when I read the novel. I also died a little bit inside when I read scenes like the one on Fire Night...Sarah J Maas can seriously write some SWOONS.

While the chemistry between Feyre and Tamlin literally jumps off the pages, there were also plenty of other seductive fae characters in the novel to love for various reasons. Lucien and his sarcastic humor and biting charm, Rhys and his lethal looks and infuriating antagonism...I don't think there's a book series with so many attractive characters as this one.

It Kept the Fairytale Charm

I love that throughout the book it's easy to see the fairytale elements clearly spun to Maas' style: the "superior" sisters, the lost fortune, the enchanting manor, the inevitable curse, etc. I loved seeing Alis as a warped Mrs. Potts figure or Lucien as a bitter Cogsworth-type. This novel is truly enchanting, and it's impossible not to read it and wish for good to triumph over evil and wish for a happily ever after no matter how jaded of a reader one may be. It had me clinging to the idea that love could be a driving force to save the realm, a trope seen as so cliché and overused these days but are integral to so many age-old stories. I couldn't stop reading because I couldn't bear to tear myself away from the world Maas created.

It Didn't Skimp On Horror

ACOTAR also takes on the darker vibe of fairytales that many modern interpretations lack. In real fairytales, gruesome fates often befall characters and hideous tasks must be completed to prove a point about morality and the weight of guilt and choice, and ACOTAR is no exception. The last 100 or so pages of the book has Feyre coming toe to toe with the major antagonist, and she suffers terribly for it. She is made to complete truly heinous tasks to prove the depth of her love and commitment to Tamlin. We are talking giant, disgusting creatures and choices that are made to stain the soul. When Feyre has to complete the third task to kill the three innocent Fae I literally started yelling out loud. It was so cruel and evil and perfect because it made Feyre have to make a choice between two things she couldn't really ever live with: the death of innocents by her own hand or the continued enslavement of thousands by her lack of action. Maas is an evil genius. None of the characters, especially Feyre, escape unscathed emotionally or physically by the end of the book, and I'm interested to see how the trauma impacts Feyre's character in the rest of the series.

The Hype is Real, My Friends

I will be shouting from the rooftops about my love for this book for the rest of the year (and the rest of forever, probably). 80% of the time I'm probably immune to hype but this book deserves every bit it gets. It swept me off my feet, burned through my heart with its romance, emotionally gutted me with its sorrow and sacrifice, and gave me the worst book hangover I've ever had. Ever. Thankfully, while this book definitely sets up major plot points for its sequels, it doesn't end with a nasty cliffhanger, and some of the events at the end truly took me by surprise! I will admit that I guessed the answer to the riddle though...it reminded me a lot of Harry having to solve the sphinx's riddle in Goblet of Fire. My only teensy, tiny complaint would be that it looks like Maas MIGHT be setting up for a potential love triangle (though if any one could pull it off it would be her, what with her absolute God-given talent for writing hot Fae men). I can't fully get on board for a love triangle though because...TAMLIN.

Overall: This book is perfection. Whether you want to classify it as YA or NA, it's undeniably creative, sexy, and a fantastic play on a fairytale. World building is on point, characters are intriguing and swoonworthy, the romance was flawless...this book was everything I wanted Throne of Glass to be. I now understand why there is significant fangirling whenever Sarah J Maas is mentioned. I've been converted. Now excuse me while I continue to walk around in a daze all week daydreaming about this book.

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[manonblackbeak]

3,5
Me gustó más que la primera vez que lo leí

[Kerka97]

It was just amazing!!! I couldn't put it down ☺

[liz089]

Wooow.. I really loved this one !! Feyre is such a strong and incredibly awesome MC. I loved every bit of her and this story. It was full of adventure and excitement and I loved loved loved it. Loved the world-building, so well put together and at a good pace. Loved the plot, like it seems this is only the beginning of something much bigger. Loved so many characters.. Lucien, Alis, Nesta, though I did not really feel much for Tamlin.. But Rhysand on the other hand.. Mmm, can't wait to see how this will continue !!

[stacey_is_sassy]

An Audio Review

A bit darker than I thought it would be

***3.5 stars***

I finished it.

There was a lot of hype surrounding this story so I was curious to see what it was like. While I did enjoy parts of it I also struggled.

The first half was slow going and I struggled to connect with the characters.

There were times when the storyline got exciting and I hated having to step away from their world, turn off my device and go start my day of work.

I can see the appeal of this story, but I have to admit that I struggled with the love story. It seemed to just happen. It seemed forced and unbelievable.

Overall I enjoyed it but I don't think I will go on with the series. The narrator was fantastic though and I wouldn't hesitate to listen to a book she worked on.