If you haven’t heard about Sarah J. Maas’ book “A Court of Thorns and Roses” you must be living under a rock.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas is taking the romance genre by storm! Here’s why you need to read this spicy fantasy novel.
I know what you’re thinking: fantasy, faeries, and spicy romance… how could that come together in an enticing story??
The truth is, I don’t know, but Sarah J. Maas does it flawlessly and we’re all here for it!
This series is only one of the most talked-about fantasy and New Adult stories right now (thanks to booktok and its obsessed fandom). It begins with our protagonist Feyre who kills a wolf in the woods and then must pay the price by living the rest of her life in Prythian (the faerie world). Her initial capture and the original “villain-esque” character, Tamlin, soon becomes passionately entwined with Feyre as she discovers a more dominant threat to life as she knows it.
I’ll be honest with you — I wasn’t sold when I first heard about this book. Fantasy novels usually involve a lot of world-building that can get confusing and take time to adjust to, but I was pleased with how easy and natural it was to catch onto Sarah J. Maas’s world she built. My opinion on fantasy novels has been restored thanks to my love for this faerie world of Prythian.
The strong female lead is someone to root for (who’s not emotionally vacant).
A trope I find too often in fantasy or dystopian novels is that the main female character is annoying. Most of the time, I find that authors try to make a badass, strong, female lead, but they end up becoming too strong to the point where they become emotionally detached to everything and almost unlikeable.
Ms. Maas does an excellent job creating compelling characters that you want to root for. Our protagonist, Feyre, is arguably a cliche role of a young, but warrior-like female struggling to provide for her reluctant, unhelpful family (I’m getting flashbacks to Katniss Everdeen), she maintains a softer, sensitive side that I believe is the perfect combination for a romance and fantasy mixture. The more we learn about her weaknesses, the more vulnerable Feyre becomes and the more the readers grow attached. Or at least, I did.
Part of the reason why her character works for me is that she doesn’t give off “damsel in distress” vibes but she also doesn’t give off the vibe that she’s so emotionally scarred that she could never love someone or ever have weak moments.
She’s a complex character with multiple levels to her damaged past that Tamlin, the main faerie lead, seems to help fix. She saves herself and ultimately wants to be able to fight her own battles, but she doesn’t lose her ability to love and care for others.
Tamlin, the villain-turned-lover of the novel is a dark and brooding “High Fae” (faerie royalty) that is basically everything that we smutty romance lovers crave. He’s utterly handsome, appears to have unlimited money, and sets Feyre up in an estate that would keep me surely satisfied for the rest of my life.
Although he seems perfect in every way possible (did I mention he’s also warrior material? Swoon!), there is also a lot that Feyre clearly doesn’t know about the fae, which leads her to question Tamlin and what it is he’s hiding from her.
The plot isn’t just smut.
Now, let’s be real, if you’ve heard anything about this novel, you know that there’s some spicy scenes. For those of you who aren’t a regular on booktok (a side of tiktok dedicated to book recommendations and discussions), smut seems to be the new requirement for any successful fantasy novel nowadays.
However, the romance and erotic element is also a reason for criticism of this novel. Some people find that the plot would be nothing without the sex, but I beg to differ. Although you’re rooting for the main characters to get a “happily ever after” and just be happy for once, you’re also captivated by the potential danger and looming doom that hovers over all of Prythian.
If you took out the sex, it would still be a great novel and every element of the story would still be intact. This is where I commend Sarah J. Maas; she played with her target audience well and knew exactly what to add to the plot to give her readers enough spice to satisfy.
Personally, I’m obsessed!
It did not take me long to get into this book. The world-building was also gradually woven into the novel, so it wasn’t overwhelming to try and figure out on the first readthrough. After reading the first book, I have already gone out and bought the second novel (A Court of Mist and Fury) and am already 100 pages in.
I plan on doing another review for the next book, along with the entire series, so make sure to add your email below for more up-to-date information! I’m captivated by this magical and mystical faerie realm that just seems to be accruing more and more attractive and protective High Fae men (sign me up)!
Is it worth the hype?
If you’re on the fence about reading A Court of Thorns and Roses; whether you haven’t heard of it until now or if you know the hype but have been hesitant to try it out; this is your sign!
Even if you’re unsure about the fantasy part or have never read a book about faeries and don’t know the first thing about them, this would be a great novel to start with because it gradually introduces you to Feyre’s world, but also jumps right into the plot where you’re not bored for the first five chapters. It’s a great way to jump back into reading, or if you’re an avid reader, it’s a great series to jump to!
Will you be reading A Court of Thorns and Roses? Have you already read it? Let me know in the comments!
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