A Court of Mist and Fury (Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)

by Sarah J. Maas

[Kelly]

A Court of Mist and Fury has been one of my most anticipated reads this year, picking up three months after Under The Mountain, Feyre is now immortal and learning to live a quiet life alongside Tamlin in the Spring Court. In A Court of Thorns and Roses, although the romance could have been described as Stockholm Syndrome with Tamlin having taken Feyre captive, I was disappointed in not only Tamlin's character but how Feyre was in his company was well. There was no romance between the two. Feyre had kept justifying that she loved him, but he would basically leave for days at a time while keeping her castle bound, come home, maul her and take off again. I wasn't a fan of the sex scenes between them, they felt awkward and uncomfortable but they seemed to be written to ensue the reader felt discomfort and as a result, question Tamlin's character. He's portrayed as aggressive and secretive, disguised as keeping her safe and a meek girl that was waiting for rescue. Waiting for Rhysand.

It definitely felt as though their roles have been reversed. In A Court of Thorns and Roses, Rhysand felt as though he was the darker, if not the more potentially sinister character. Readers knew very little about Rhysand, so we were left to draw our own conclusions. He showed Feyre compassion which lead to her finding that empowerment that she needed to escape the Spring Court but Tamlin's character shouldn't have been sacrificed to further Feyre's character and her relationships. Seeing how her relationship with Tamlin wasn't based on equality and had fallen in love with who was essentially her captor, it was probably inevitable. It was a destructive relationship that seemed convenient, rather than Feyre and Tamlin being in love. I do wish she had fought back against Tamlin rather than allow him to dominate her. I can understand that she was weakened by the binds placed upon her, but as a reader those first few chapters infuriated me. Until Rhysand came along.



Oh. My. Word. I was intrigued by his character in book one, not much was known about Rhysand and he alluded a mystery that seemed sinister but when it comes to Sarah J Maas, characters aren't typically what they seem. While it seemed he was a master manipulator, as his character developed I found myself understanding why he needed to rescue Feyre. Discovering The Night Court through his eyes was a magical experience and although Rhysand seems carefree and jovial, not to mention flirtatious, his character is multilayered with a depth that had endeared readers. Myself included.

Feyre was a character I had initially found fierce, before succumbing to Tamlin and losing her independence. Although it took another male to rescue her initially, her new environment allowed her to grow as a character, finding her sense of self and self worth again.

I was not a pet, not a doll, not an animal.
I was a survivor, and I was strong.
I would not be weak, or helpless again.
I would not, could not be broken. Tamed.

The world building once again was wonderfully written and complements the series, rather than overwhelm the non fantasy reader. She's taken those elements from her popular Throne of Glass series and infused them into a passionate and sexy series that caters to the older or more mature young adult reader.

What strikes me most with Sarah J Maas is that her storylines aren't unique as such, but it's how she engages her readers which brings them to life. Love triangles, instant love and angst, she's one of the few authors that can play on tropes and still be widely praised regardless. Despite the villainisation of Tamlin, I really enjoyed the storyline overall especially Rhysand's character development and how he refused to allow Feyre to be victimised. I did struggle with Feyre in the beginning, as a huntress who was headstrong and how she often seemed comfortable being taken care of as it seemed at odds with her character.

But as I turned the final page, I was utterly in love. With Feyre's empowerment, the promise of a devious revenge and of course with Rhysand. Always Rhysand.