A Court of Thorns and Roses/A Court of Mist and Fury: Proof that over-Hyped books can be bad books.

**This Review is in no way an endorsement of the author unless specifically stated so**

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Sexual Assault (Rape, Date Rape); Abuse (Psychological and Emotional); Violence, Confinement; Control (Physical and Mental); Domination; Death.

 

ACOTAR:

Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses Book #1

Publication date: May 5, 2015

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Genre: Young Adult; Fantasy

Page Count: 432

 

Synopsis: 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 over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin–and his world–forever.

 

ACOMAF:

Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses Book #2

Publication date: May 3, 2016

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Genre: Young Adult; Fantasy

Page Count: 626

 

Synopsis: 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.

 

(warning: this review contains spoilers and sensitive content) 

No, you’re awake at four o’clock in the morning writing a review for a book you read a month ago. Isn’t insomnia fun?

Anyway, the review. So, I read these books just out of pure boredom/lack of YA fantasy (specific genre cravings are sometimes the worst). And, I must say, they are just as bad as people said; maybe even worse. Feyre is utterly incompetent in some ways and seems to have no inherent common sense. I mean, if it were me, and the big, scary fae seemed scared of something, I would LISTEN when he told me to stay away. Feyre is always putting herself in danger because she just can’t listen. She is in a world that she does not know, and yet she just refuses to learn from the people who have lived there their entire lives. And toward the beginning of ACOTAR, she thinks that starving herself is a show of strength??

There is just so much wrong with this series.

During the “trials” with Amarantha, Rhysand is cruel and abusive and manipulative- hell, he’s just downright awful – yet Feyre falls in love with him. This is some heavy gas-lighting and Stockholm Syndrome shit. While yes, Rhysand does end up being better than Tamlin in the long run, does Feyre not realize that these two awful males aren’t her only options?  Maybe Rhysand does get better in book two, but getting better, getting kinder, does not negate the horrendous things he did to Feyre. I mean, these books are just so full of violence and abuse and possessive shit that I can barely breathe.

Quote: “Lucien had been prepared to take me against my will. Fae males were territorial, dominant, arrogant—but the ones in the Spring Court … something had festered in their training.” (A Court of Thorns and Roses)

Okay, if that isn’t some abusive shit, I don’t know what is. I really really don’t understand how this book can be praised for love and relationships.

And Maas uses the word purred- or a version of it- so frickin’ often. Like, I swear I wanted to get one of those counter things and just *click* every time I read it. It would be a high number.

Then we get onto the smut. I swear these books just exist for Feyre to have sex. And she even brings up so often the fact that she can “fuck”. I mean, she brings it up in conversations that have literally nothing to do with that. C’mon, girl. Damn. And the smut itself isn’t even good. I was able to force myself to not skip the one descriptive scene – well, YA’s version of “descriptive- and it was written so badly. I’ve never had sex and I could write smut better. The worst description in both of the books, however is “Tamlin let out a low snarl of approval, and I bit my bottom lip as he removed his pants, along with his undergarments, revealing the proud, thick length of him.” Like, seriously? How bad is that? What the hell does Tamlin’s penis have to be proud of, exactly? It just such an awkward way to word that.

 

Okay, okay. I am done now.

 

(1.5 Star Review)

 

Would I recommend?

No. No. No. No.

 

 

Until Next Time,

 

For a more in-depth (probably better) review, click Here