Review: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Mist and Fury

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publishing Date: May 3, 2016

Pages/Format: 624, Hardcover
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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 torn apart. 

Book in One Word: E V E R Y T H I N G

I'll be completely and utterly honest: I was definitely looking forward to A Court of Mist and Fury, but I wasn't exactly excited for it--at least, not in the sense that I hunger and thirst for the next Throne of Glass book. This is because I didn't love A Court of Thorns and Roses (though I did like it more after my reread), and while I wanted to know what would happen next, I wasn't all "OH MY GOSH I NEED THIS BOOK ALREADY." Sure, it's a Sarah J. Maas book. But I didn't need it. So I'll be completely and utterly honest again: I WAS SO TOTALLY WRONG.

(This paragraph contains spoilers for A Court of Thorns and Roses and the Throne of Glass series--skip to the next paragraph to avoid them.) I was worried about A Court of Mist and Fury. I was terrified that Sarah J. Maas was going to repeat what she did in Throne of Glass--take the ship I was certain was endgame (FYI, I will go down with that ship) and sink it to the deepest depths of the ocean. But I hoped she wouldn't, especially after everything Feyre went through in A Court of Thorns and Roses in order to save the man she loves. It's not just that Sarah would be doing it again--it's that so much happened between Feyre and Tamlin that I couldn't imagine them not being and staying together. Spoiler alert for A Court of Mist and Fury: I was wrong again. Mostly. I'm still bummed about it (happening again and after everything), but at least this time there was a reason and explanation behind it.

Let's just get this out of the way: A Court of Mist and Fury surprised the HELL out of me. It blew it out of the park. It exceeded way, way beyond my expectations. I am OBSESSED with this book and the Night Court and the Inner Circle and everything. Like, fuck, this book is LIFE. You know how I said I didn't need ACOMAF after I read ACOTAR? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I need the third book. I N E E D  I T. Oh my gosh. I read this book three months ago (yes, I know, way to finally write my review) and it's on my mind like Ray Charles has Georgia on his. I started rereading parts the second I finished it. My mom was like, "Are you okay? You've just been up here reading--" YES MOM I'M FINE I'M READING ACOMAF GO AWAY GO AWAY GO AWAY. This. Cauldron. Cursed. Book. I cannot. I CAN'T. Right now I'm waiting for Empire of Storms but damn if my head and heart and soul aren't stuck in the world of ACOMAF and is it really ending next year say it ain't so SAY IT AIN'T.

I'm really not sure how to review A Court of Mist and Fury without having every sentence be SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER, but I'm going to try. (Though if you've gone this long without being spoiled then you deserve a damn gold medal.) ACOMAF is my own personal brand of heroin. (Actually, I have a lot of personal brands of heroin. Whoops.) Some parts may seem crack-like and borderline ridiculous (in the sense that it's just pure addiction fuel and not...I don't even know what) but in a way that doesn't matter negatively because this book eats you up heart and soul and feels. If you have qualms about reading this (see: spoilery paragraph), I get it. Trust me, I do. But throw those qualms away and please, please read ACOMAF. It is gold. There's a reason everyone and their mother and grandmother have been flipping their shit over this book. It A+++++. And perhaps I should tell you why.

This book is super character driven. #squadgoals in ginormous flashing lights, please. (ACOTAR spoilers ahead, possible ACOMAF spoilers.) Feyre is broken. After everything she went through to save Tamlin--and all of the courts--and to die and come back Fae, it has all broken her. She's trying to move on and push forward, but she can't do so without putting herself back together--and that's not an easy thing to do. It doesn't help that Tamlin is terrified of anything happening to Feyre and would rather keep her locked in a tower than let her go outside and do. But remember what happened in ACOTAR? Feyre made a bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the Night Court, and for one week every month she has to go stay with him. And the people of the Night Court--the Inner Circle specifically--I love them. Mor, Azriel, Cassian, Amren--BE MY BEST FRIENDS, PLEASE. I can't even with these people. And RHYSAND. RHYSAND. RHYSAND. I don't want to get too spoilery here, but I love him. He is perfection, he is everything, and he is not who I thought he was. Fuck all the other courts. The Night Court is where it's at.

You know, this series is shelved in the Young Adult section, and it's classified as New Adult, but it is not YA in terms of sex. Fair warning here: this book gets graphic. (Not that anyone's complaining.) But (and here's where ACOMAF spoilers come in) sex is used in different ways. (Remember, I warned you about spoilers, so skip ahead if you don't want them.) The relationship between Feyre and Tamlin has turned precarious and toxic. In A Court of Thorns and Roses their love may have been real and strong and passionate. But in A Court of Mist and Fury their relationship is all sex and a chance for Tamlin to put a leash on Feyre. In ACOTAR their love was convenient, something they both needed and were starved of, and they had that in common, that need to survive and exist and have someone care about you. Under the Mountain, they both broke--and their new pieces no longer fit together. Now they're all sex and no talk and that doesn't work. Feyre is stronger and can't be reigned in; Tamlin, now that his strength is back, is weaker in other ways and that weakness drains Feyre. She deserves better. She's earned better. And Tamlin is no longer that. He is no longer enough.

This paragraph is just going to be spoilers. The romance in this book kills me. I live for it. ALL THE SHIPS. Mor and Azriel, I cannot. Cassian and Nesta, I cannot. (They are so totally mates fight me.) (Also, psst, that Target special content...) Nothing shocked me more than Lucien and Elain being mates--I FLIPPED MY SHIT. And Feyre and Rhysand--Feyre and Rhysand. They. Are. Everything. Mates, lovers, friends, High Lord and Lady, SAVIORS OF THE WORLD, everything. (Also: hot damn.) And I appreciated how the whole book wasn't about Feyre and Rhysand as love interests. It was subtle and an attraction, but then suddenly it was there (could've maybe used a bit more buildup) and wasn't the driving focus. Rhysand didn't take Feyre for his own because she's his mate: he let her choose. He let her make her own decisions and fall for him all on her own. ALL HAIL RHYSAND AND FEYRE AND THE INNER CIRCLE. Court of Dreams, fuck yes. And that ending. THAT ENDING. Those last few chapters were so intense SO INTENSE and that's one of the parts I read over and over. I NEED BOOK FUCKING THREE, DAMN IT. And Amren saying "Where is she?" KILLS ME. Tamlin the Tool is going to get his ass handed to him in book three, and I sincerely hope we get to see Rhys whoop him. Yes, Feyre can care for herself. But I want that fight, damn it.

I'm fairly positive I have a million other things I could say about A Court of Mist and Fury. I mean, for like two weeks after I finished it I was rereading at least a page every day. I want to reread it now. I've already been buying merch. This. Book. Is. Everything. It devoured me. If I would've written this review when I read ACOMAF three months ago it would be even more of an incoherent, flailing mess. This book makes me giddy and want to cry at the same time. I will never stop talking about it. I will forever have heart eyes toward it. Throne of Glass is no longer my only Sarah J. Maas obsession--it has climbed up to the motherfucking top just below it. This book, people. This cauldron cursed book.

Did I like it? Yes.

Did I love it? What do you think?

Would I reread it? You're joking, right?

Would I purchase it? I already have two copies, whoops.

Who would I recommend it to? E V E R Y O N E.