Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre: New Adult // Romance // Fairytale Retellings // Faieries
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Publication Date: May 5, 2015
Format: Physical
Source: Purchased (Independent Bookstore)
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever (goodreads).
A Court of Thorns and Roses effortlessly pulls you into Maas' world with this unique twist on a old classic.
Plot: Feyre's family lost everything when their father's business went under. As the sole provider, Feyre finds herself in the forest that the locals claim are crawling with the faefolk. Little does she know that by putting an arrow through a wolf's eye, she has changed her family's lives forever.
A Court of Thorns and Roses is broken up into two disernable sections, with the first section focuses on charater development and the latter intertwining elements of Beauty and the Beast into this magical adventure. I personally preferred the first half over the second because I'm a character-driven reader. The second half definitely moved faster and had more action, but I found some scenes lacking heart and emotion. I would like to brag that I called what the 'riddle' was when I first skimmed the page.
Characters: Look up the word 'practical' in a dictionary and you'll see Feyre's name. She hasn't had it easy growing up and I felt for her deprived childhood and lack of future. I loved every interaction she had with her family because it was such a strained relationship, you could feel the tension with every word and how her Feyre's family life shaped how she approached life in general.
Tamlin is our dashing faerie prince, and I was happy to see that he did not play a 'beast' in the sense of an abusive jerk. Feyre and Tamlin had some obvious chemistry and I found myself smiling at their small interactions.
There are a slew of additonal characters who are surpringly well developed.
World Building: Even though the fae live 2 days journey away from Feyre's small town, it feels like world away. I could easily feel the warmth of Tamlin's estate and picture each of the fairie kingdoms with ease.
Short N Sweet: With a sweet romance and danger around every corner, A Court of Thorns and Roses is a must-read for any fantasy lover.
Labels: 4 stars, a court of thorns and roses, bloomsbury USA Children, book review, review, sarah j. maas