A Court of Mist and Fury – Book Review – The Book Review Directory

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Released May 3rd, 2016

624 pages

Rating: 5/5

Goodreads Summary:

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.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas’s masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

I have been waiting for this book since I finished ACOTAR back in May of 2015, and I will be the first to tell you that the whole year of waiting was completely worth it.

Never have I read a book by an author that was able to manipulate my emotions so successfully; everything that Feyre felt, I felt. Her pain, her despair, her fear, her joy-it truly felt like I was experiencing all of these emotions firsthand. I appreciate Maas’ dedication to exploring the emotional and mental states of her characters on such a deep level, and really allowing the reader to connect with them in this way.

One of the many reasons this book has made it to my favorites list is the obvious care that Maas puts into crafting each and every one of her characters. Every single one of the characters, right down to the minor ones, was created with intention. Also, each of the new people we are introduced to in ACOMAF has a personality and a backstory. These characters were not meant to just fade into the background; they are unique individuals, and you cannot help but fall in love with (or hate) each and every one of them. It’s fun to be able to see new characters being introduced to old characters, and old characters being introduced to each other- you can really see the potential relationships starting to form.

Aside from the characters, the setting of this book is incredible. All of the descriptions of the various places Feyre goes are so vivid and beautiful. I honestly wish that a movie of this book would be made, if only just so I can see the setting come to life. If you thought the Spring Court in ACOTAR was lovely, the Night Court in ACOMAF will have you wishing for the ability to teleport yourself into fictional places for sure.

“Maas is so skilled at world building and creating complex plots. For this reason, she is also skilled at blurring the lines between good and evil. You may hate a character in the first half of the book, only to discover that they are completely different from what you originally thought.”

This is a direct quote taken from my old ACOTAR review, and it still most definitely holds true in ACOMAF. I really felt that this book does a good job of testing your ideas of “good” and “evil”. Is someone evil if they have good intentions, but their actions cause other people pain? Is someone evil if they are willing to do evil things to protect someone they care about? Is being cruel justified if it protects lives? These are all questions that I had as I reached the end of A Court of Mist and Fury.

Feyre’s growth and the changes she undergoes throughout the course of this novel make me feel a sense of pride in her character. We as the readers are able to watch a broken young woman piece herself back together and finally create an identity for herself. In the first book, Feyre’s identity is initially tied to her family and the work she puts in to care for them. As she moved away from that, we could see her starting to shape a new identity for herself. However, by the beginning of ACOMAF, her identity has again become tied to another person: Tamlin. At it’s very heart, this novel is a journey for Feyre as she struggles to find herself again after her traumatic experiences in book 1.

Anyone who is being rude to Sarah J. Maas or other fans based on the relationship choices that Feyre makes clearly missed the entire point of this novel. Any decision that Maas made for Feyre was to allow her to grow and develop, and finally find an authentic voice for herself.

I fell in love with A Court of Thorns and Roses, and now I have fallen even more deeply in love with A Court of Mist and Fury. Pick it up. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

You can also find A Court of Mist and Fury here.

Guest review contributed by Batool’s Book Feels. This blog has a variety of posts to keep things fresh and entertaining. She is a self-proclaimed bibliophile and art lover.