Addictive And Compelling || Review Of A Court of Mist And Fury by Sarah J. Maas

When I read the intensely gripping A Court of Thorns and Roses, the first novel in the ACOTAR series a month ago, I had a difficult time putting it down. This book compels readers to immediately delve into the second one which I was unable to at the time. Thanks to the holidays, I read and finished this 624-page novel in two days! All I murmured in my head as I read was — fantastic!

The ACOTAR series is a high fantasy, new adult fiction set in a realm of faeries and mortals. The first novel introduces a nineteen-year-old human girl, Feyre, who hunts and kills a wolf and doe for the survival of her family in the winter. It turns out the wolf was a high fae shapeshifted into a wolf. The Treaty of the realm reads that a life must be given in exchange for the life taken.

A powerful fae lord, Tamlin, takes Feyre to Prythian, a fae realm, to pay her debt by living with him. While there, Feyre falls in love with Tamlin, discovers the land is under a curse from a wicked queen, Amarantha, and undertakes the quest to free the faeries.

Synopsis

The second book in the series, A Court Of Mist And Fury, begins from where the first book ends. Feyre frees the faeries from Queen Amarantha's curse and returns to Spring Court with Tamlin. But her life is not the same. She's plagued by nightmares and hallucinations, consequences of the trauma from the quest.

As her wedding preparations begin, Tamlin fears for her safety and restricts her freedom to shield her from the dangers of Prythian. There's news of a threat of war. Doubt and depression creep in, making Feyre question her new existence as a high fae. Her love relationship with Tamlin wobbles under these pressures.

On the wedding day, as Feyre walks hesitantly toward her groom, the unexpected happens. Rhysand, the High Lord of the Night Court appears in a cloud of shadows and steals away the bride. Where has he taken Feyre? Will Tamlin find his unwilling bride and bring her back to the court? What will Feyre's role be in the looming threat of war?

Review

Like I said earlier, this second book is better than the first, captivating and more compelling. The adventures get better and the unexpected twists in the story are jaw-dropping! It's like A Court of Mist and Fury swallows up the first book and makes it almost non-existent.

The way Sarah J Mass writes this book is like getting an understanding of the entire plot but from a different point of view. The first book is about Tamlin, his court and Feyre. The second is about Rhysand, his court and Feyre. The author fuses the two books and fills up plot holes. Many incidents in the first book are better explained in the second.

From the first chapter, readers are thrown right into the action. There's no dull moment in this book, the setting is fantastic and the pace is fast. We are familiar with the Spring Court, the home of Tamlin. Other courts didn't get much attention in the first book. In A Court of Mist and Fury, much attention is given to other courts and a major focus on the Night Court.

All I'll say is that I enjoy the Rhysand-Feyre relationship. The author paints this couple and their dynamics to be perfect. They are good together; their friendship and banter make the story more interesting and the sexual tension is sizzling.

Readers quickly realise in this book that Tamlin is not the prince charming of the series but it's been Rhysand all along, right from the first book. Rhysand is this dark character who embodies strength, confidence and an unapologetic demeanour.

…with Rhysand. And he is notoriously difficult to deal with. He gets what he wants, has plans he does not tell anyone about until after he’s completed them, and does not apologize for any of it.

As I read A Court of Mist and Fury, I see the imperfect features of a character (Tamlin) who was once perfect, and attractive but is no longer so and it's heartbreaking. I commend Sarah J Maas for this twist.

Just like the predecessor, the worldbuilding of this book is fascinating and vivid. The author skillfully builds suspense through the first-person narrative and her writing is lucid. I see the growth of many characters and the introduction of new ones. The only fault I find is the rushed ending. I wish the author had laid out the final battle fully and clearly.

Overall, this book is an entertaining read. It's addictive, fast-paced and action-packed. I'll give it 4.3 stars out of 5. If you have read this book, let me know your thoughts on it.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Check out my previous review:

Review Of A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) by Sarah J. Maas

^{Thumbnail Image: Book cover is from my e-library and edited in Canva
Image credit: Diversicat
Note: Quotes in this post are excerpts from the book}