A Court of Wings and Ruin (Court of Thorns and Roses, #3)

by Sarah J. Maas

[llamareads]

I was super excited for the whole "Feyre infiltrates the Spring Court!!!" storyline and wow, did it just go downhill from there. Sure, there's lots of battles and stuff, but Feyre can't fight in them so she just... stands on a hill and watches? There's a lot of stuff that's supposed to be really epic - well, after the first half of the book where basically nothing happens - and we're constantly told about how awful war is and everything but... that's the problem, we're told and not shown. There's no real emotional connection to the hordes of dying people so it just ends up being flat.

Also, Feyre is so dumb in this book. OK, sure, go spy on Tamlin... but some of her actions were just plain cruel and unnecessary. Then, THEN! After half a book anticipating a meeting and everyone telling her, "Hey, don't show your powers! It'll ruin all chances of an alliance!" bam! she shows her powers but somehow it's all fine? Look, if you're going to tease that doing something would be terribly awfully bad, then I expect some sort of repercussion, not for it to be swept under the rug because somehow Feyre is wonderful and smart and oh so talented magically.

Speaking of magic, I had absolutely no clue what was going on with the Caldron or how the magic system even works, and how Nesta and Elain tied into that. I had no idea of the usual limits on the power, besides being told, multiple times, how Super Awesomely Powerful Rhysand and Fayre and Cassian and Azriel are.

I appreciate that SJM is trying to add some non-straightness to her world but, wow. One High Lord's in a relationship with his main general -nice power imbalance there! There's a Deeply Inspiring Story about a lesbian couple and basically Moses parting the Red Sea that just... I really can't even. There's a High Lord who's super into orgies! But the worst, the absolute worst: the way Mor's bisexuality was handled was so cringeworthy that I downgraded the book a star just for that. For the love of little red apples, if this is the kind of gay rep you're going to write, just don't.

Also, just stop trying to pair people off in general. Not everyone needs a romantic interest (or, heaven forfend, two). Why does every single woman in these books have to be in some sort of weird love triangle?

Am I going to read the next book? Probably, because it's supposed to be about Nesta and Cassian and Nesta is pretty much the only character I can still stand.