A Court Of Thorns And Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Today’s review is of the first in a trilogy which perhaps needs little introduction. Originally published in 2015, A Court Of Thorns And Roses is the first in a series by bestselling author Sarah J. Maas who is also the author of the Throne Of Glass series. I had seen a lot of hype surrounding the publication of A Court Of Wings And Ruin, the final book in the trilogy, so I thought it was time for me to catch up and see what the fuss was about!

In this series the heroine is a young woman named Feyre, a huntress who lives in the mortal lands. We soon learn that Feyre and her family do not have it easy, and Feyre is relied upon to hunt to provide food for her father and siblings to ensure their survival. Then, a day arrives in which Feyre’s hunting routine is disturbed by the presence of a wolf, an animal which stands in the way of her and her prey, not to mention threatening her own safety. She has little choice but to kill to protect herself, but there is the lingering fear about what lurks beyond the forest, a wall which separates Feyre’s village from a magical land filled with danger, where the cost of taking the life of a magical creature is high. And when Feyre is captured and held in the enchanted court, this begins the start of her extraordinary journey as she is left free to roam but forbidden from escape. She begins to learn the way of life in the court, and the truth behind her mysterious captors, and her developing relationships towards them.

It didn’t take me long to get into this story and I was immediately absorbed into Feyre’s world and all the challenges she faces. I was also intrigued about the dangerous world that lurks beyond the village, and the various, fascinating characters that reside there. I liked the idea of the various different courts and the fae that lived within so I enjoyed the world building elements. I didn’t realise at first but I had heard of comparisons to Beauty in the Beast in this book and I can see why in terms of there being an attractive and skilled woman and her relationship with a mysterious man hidden beneath a mask. There were definitely romantic elements to the story as Feyre gets to know Tamlin, her captor, and an attraction builds up between them. But alongside this there is some action, as Feyre is left to unravel some mysteries, and to discover what it is she really wants, and needs. She realises she must break a spell, and do what is necessary to secure her freedom.

I really enjoyed reading A Court Of Thorns And Roses and found it to be a promising start to an intriguing series. I am intending on picking up the rest of the trilogy to discover what is next for Feyre and life in the enchanted courts.