Book Review: A Court of Mist and Fury

A Court of Mist and Fury

By: Sarah J. Maas

Published by: Bloomsbury

Release date: May 3rd, 2016

Genre: YA fantasy

640 pages

Buy it at Amazon, Booktopia, or Book Depository

Source: Review copy courtesy of Bloomsbury Australia

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses

Feyre, having just survived the horrors of Amarantha's court, has returned to the Spring Court with Tamlin. Three months have passed and Rhysand hasn't appeared to claim on the bargain they made. Yet.

Feyre and Tamlin are both suffering the after effects of their time under the mountain. Feyre's nightmares won't let her forget what she did to survive and her relationship with Tamlin is suffering under the strain. When Rhysand does eventually come to claim his week with her she is horrified. But the more time she spends in the Night Court, the less monstrous it seems

Like A Court of Thorns and Roses, this is quite adult in tone. It contains both sex and violence in reasonably graphic detail, so I wouldn't recommend it for younger teens. 

Both Feyre and Tamlin are dealing with severe trauma following their ordeal, and they've changed substantially from the people who fell in love before Amarantha's court. Tamlin's fear of losing Feyre leads to him making mistakes. Feyre's guilt at what she was forced to do gnaws at her still human heart. She also has to deal with her new, Fae body, and all that comes with that.

Rhysand is a character that I liked in ACTOTAR, but he really comes into his own in this book. He allows Feyre to see beyond the cruel mask he shows the world and slowly, she finds her opinion of him changing. In the Night Court we meet Rhysand's inner circle, a group of warriors and High Fae who owe him their unending loyalty.  I really enjoyed getting to know these new characters and seeing Feyre making friends and interacting with people as an equal.

There will be some who are not happy with some of the events of this book, particularly surrounding the romance elements, but I thought that it was realistic given the massive trauma the characters went through in the first book. They are changed as people, and their relationship has changed along with them. I enjoyed the direction the romance took in this book, although I did find the writing in some of the more intimate scenes to be a bit forced.

I loved being back in this world with these characters, and I really enjoyed the direction the story took. We got to see more of Feyre's sisters, as well as some new human characters. We meet many more Fae, some friend, some foe, and the story kept me turning pages until late at night.

It's no secret that I'm a bit fan of Sarah J Maas' writing, and I eagerly await the conclusion to this series. It will be epic.

Summary:

The stunning sequel to Sarah J. Maas' New York Times bestsellingA Court of Thorns and Roses.

Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court – but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms – and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future – and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.