“To the stars who listen—and the dreams that are answered.”
If you read my review of A Court of Thorns and Roses then you won’t be surprised at all by my thoughts and feelings towards this book. In fact, you might even be surprised that I’ve even read it in the first place. Blame House of Sky and Breath for that. Without further or do, let’s get into my review of A Court of Mist and Fury:
THE PLOT, CHARACTERS AND STORY PROGRESSION
The characters in this book… just wow and not the good kind. Rhysand? I I disliked him in the first book but I am even more perturbed by the fact that somehow he has been completely resolved of any of his previous behaviour because he’s now a love interest? It all just seems to be brushed under the rug in an attempt to almost shove him into a different role in the story. The way that his abuse has been portrayed is so problematic and unhealthy, It really hit a nerve for me personally.
Tamlin, oh Tamlin. Of course the only character I liked had to turn out to be the bad guy. Fayre couldn’t wait to toss him aside and it wouldn’t be a Sarah J. Maas book if we didn’t suddenly turn one of the good characters into a traitorous monster out of nowhere for the plot!
The mental health representation is… unhealthy. The story tries to portray that relationships and love are the answer to complex PTSD… and whilst it can be true that a healthy relationship could have a positive impact on someone’s mental health. It will never completely cure it like some magic pill, relationships don’t take away all your problems. I know this is fantasy but I guess we have to remember that the readers are still living in reality and could be influenced by the blurred lines between fantasy and reality in this sense? Maybe I’m thinking too deeply into the issue but those are my feelings on that.
To add insult to injury, their relationship and them being “bonded” to eachother felt forced. It didn’t feel like a plot twist that was meant to be written into the story. It felt like Maas changed her mind half way through and decided death to Tamlin and ran with the dark edgy character. This was the truest tragedy in the A Court of Mist and Fury… not any of the actual deaths that happened.
THE VERDICT?
Unfortunately, the more I read the more I will never understand why this series is so popular. It is so problematic and unoriginal but at the same time I felt like I had to make it to the end just so my time wasn’t completely wasted? Such an odd experience.
Will I be reading the next book? Probably. At some point. I almost hope it gets better? Does it? Let me know in the comments, please!
My rating: ⭐️⭐️