A review of A Court of Thorns and Roses

Many of my friends have recommended the book A Court of Thorns and Roses, which made me add it to my “To Read list” because of the magnificent things they told me about the series. One day I decided to finally read the book and I was not disappointed. A Court of Thorns And Roses is a 448 page book published in 2015 written by Sarah J. Mass. 

It is a high-fantasy, romance novel. A Court of Thorns and Roses reminds me of the classic tale of Beauty and the Beastbut with a modern take and compelling twists. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourite Disney movies of all time, therefore the association of that with A Court of Thorns and Roses heavily influenced me even more to give the book a try even (though I was already very interested!). 

The book follows a nineteen-year-old mortal girl named Feyre Archeron. She lives with her father and her two older sisters, Nesta and Elain. The world is divided by a wall to separate mortals and faeries. Feyre relies on her hunting skills to feed herself and her poor family. One winter day, she goes into the forest to hunt for food and comes across a deer being pursued by a large wolf. She decides to kill the wolf due to her belief that the wolf is a faerie. Most mortals, including Feyre, have hatred towards faeries and other mythical creatures. Feyre is brought to the menacing faerie land of Prythian by a high fae named Tamlin, that demands punishment after the murder of his faerie wolf friend in the woods. She is forced to live with her captor at his beautiful and huge manor in the Spring Court forever as punishment. 

Feyre learns that he is the High Lord of the Spring Court and meets his friend Lucien and the servants, who also live at the estate. She is shocked that she is not locked up as a prisoner or even harmed. Tamlin, Lucien, and all the servants wear strange masks. Feyre discovers that they wear them because there is a virus in the land that is affecting magic and the masks are magically attached due to a self-proclaimed queen of Prythian named Amarantha. Feyre loses her hostility and hatred towards Tamlin and faeries and her feelings for him turn into love and passion. Feyre must fight to end an ancient curse, otherwise she will lose Tamlin for eternity.

I was very impressed by how the author subtly intertwined iconic themes of the classic fairytale Beauty and the Beastwith her novel. I honestly think that Sarah J. Mass’ clever integration of the fairytale into this original story was seamless. I believe if you’re familiar with Beauty and the Beast, A Court of Thorns and Roses will be a great treat. 

This book served me with enchanting and vivid imagery which brought me entirely into a mystical and magical world. The world building in the novel was purely fantastic. There was thorough in-depth history between the mortals and the faeries and the misconceptions that each side had about the other which I enjoyed. The past of Prythian and the history of the internal wars in the kingdom were masterfully explained. The novel described excellent geography, including the clarification of regional divisions all over Prythian and how they interact with one another. The romance in the novel was very emotionally satisfying and by far one of the biggest selling points for me. Feyre and Tamlin’s relationship was very caring and affectionate which was adorable. 

Regarding the characters, I think Feyre is a very likeable character because she is a strong, independent girl who is confident with own mind and aims to save those who are dear to her. Even when being mistreated and unappreciated at times by Nesta and her father, she still strives to work in order to provide for them and to ensure that they are taken care of and safe. From my perspective, Tamlin is probably the most sincere, honest and complex male protagonist I have ever come upon. I like how I get to see his multiple sides such as being kind and quiet, but also confident, strong, and brave. Lucien is perhaps my favourite character because he is one of the sassiest male characters I have ever encountered. Even though he is a secondary main character, Lucien is necessary to the story by providing lots of witty humour. The writing style of this book is immaculate which urges you to read more and more.

Overall, I would highly recommend A Court of Thorns and Roses to readers who appreciate an original high fantasy novel intertwined with elements from Beauty and the Beast. If you appreciate themes such as fantasy, romance, family, fate, and defiance, you will love this book. Even if you’re not the type to indulge in the particular genres of fantasy and romance I still think that the novel is worth a try. A Court of Thorns and Roses is one of my top favourite books and I have no regrets reading it.