The first in the Court of Thorns and Roses Series it is a Fantasy series that blends fairy tales and fantasy in twists of adventure. From Goodreads:

Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price ...

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

A Court of Thorns and Roses blends fantasy, adventure, the old fairy tales of England and Ireland, and a retelling of Beauty and the Beast into a mixture of adventure, love, and horror. I can't wait to hear what your thoughts are on it!

---

This is a discussion thread for people who have read or are reading the book in question. With that in mind, there are likely to be spoilers throughout. However, in the event of major twists or “how it ends”, please wrap content in spoiler tags.

Code:

[spoiler]Surprise!content here[/spoiler]

I admit that my view of this book is jaded by having read the rest of the series this winter (except the newest one that I just found out was published in the last few months). That being said, I am going to try and not let that change my opinion in what I say here.

I thought the first book was excellent both as a stand alone and the start of a series. Sarah J. Maas provided a well crafted world and discussed some prejudices that are explored on both sides of the Wall. I did find her a bit raunchy from time to time but it did not take away from the story. In fact I thought that book, while it could almost be divided into two parts, did a wonderful job blending fantasy and fairy tales together. I am a HUGE sucker for fairy tale retellings and I admit that I was pleasantly surprised that it was not just one story but several that were tied in. The faires that Maas provides for the story remind me much of the old fairy tales of changelings and Tam Lin that I loved when I was younger, with wicked distrustful streaks of personality that are developed both through the book and the series. That is not to say that Maas did not also explore human distrust or prejuides as well throughout the story.

Overall I thought the story was rather good and really enjoyed reading it.

  

---

Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

I couldn't get into the book as well as I would have liked , but that's almost true with all of the first books. Especially when they're trying to build a whole new world.  That has history and creatures and lore and everything. It's like an onslaughter of information because these characters know everything about the world they were born and raised in. I  also read the second and third one. But Mass must've done something right because there is two more -- and counting -- books after that are in the same world.

Show

I mean, OK so there's this bitch who's threatening their way of life okay I get it. But dude you shoulda told her that you loved her.. OR COAXED HER INTO SAYING IT and we coulda skipped all this melodrama that wasn't needed.  It just made everyone suffer through hell that much longer and you DRAGGED THE WOMAN YOU LOVE INTO IT. NICE.

  

---

MJ made Avril's set!

Ocean I agree wholeheartedly with that sentiment.

Show

I thought it was terribly unfair. But from the standpoint of Feyre's development it do a good job in forcing Feyre to develop and stand up for something she loved. But it did seem also forced that Feyre didn't say it and Tamlin kept pushing her from saying it.

  

---

Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

I'm of a similar mind as Fallin, honestly. I've read the entire series and read them all pretty rapidly one after another so I have a hard time differentiating my feelings on them as a whole. I did, however, like how Maas builds the whole world for you. She's an amazing descriptive writer so there's times where you can really see the world she'd built.

Show

I, however, was never a fan of Tamlin. I always felt it was very much a Stockholm sort of situation for Feyre and still feel like it was that way all along. He's an arrogant asshole and.. yeah. I don't like Tamlin at all.

  

---

Another Glorious MJ Set!

While I agree with you Hawke, especially after book 2, I have always loved the story of Beauty and the Beast. Which the first book was billed and read as. So I admit:

Show

I didn't pick up on it till he did absolutely nothing to help her under the mountain other than get her into trouble. I mean it gets explained away but still.... the one time you get the chance to help and you try to sleep with her! Under the mountain is really when I started to dislike Tamlin.

  

---

Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

I mean, it isn't like we're diving headfirst into a character that knows everything about the world already.

No, we're introduced as Feyre is introduced. Sure there's some bits that we have to guess at, like her history which isn't completely covered, but they're so... Small ... That it really doesn't matter. Most of what we get from her past is rather straightforward: she's had to hunt for her family the last few year's, she has two older sisters, her mother is dead, and he father has a limp. Straightforward enough.

The more Feyre finds out about life Above The Wall is when we learn about it too. Sure, there's mentions of scary creatures but they're never given a name until she learns them.

Show

I find it a little ironic that Feyre is able to catch the Suriel when everyone else... Can't? And had only been in the world for a few days? I know it was supposed to show her skill in hunting/trapping/whatever, but it felt like the scene had no use.

I wasn't really a fan of Under The Mountain, but I guess it wouldn't have been that hard to guess that's where they were going to end. What I don't think anyone who read  ACOTAR when it came out is that Feyre ends up as a Fae... It's everyone who came after ACOMAF came out that had that back knowledge -- if they happened to see book 2 before book 1.

  

---

MJ made Avril's set!

I’m two years late but better late than never, right?

I have some thoughts:

Show

1. I don’t understand how Feyre was turned into High Fae. Did I miss something important? I feel like I reread the passage a few times and still couldn’t figure out the logistics behind it. It felt a little Twilight-y... but without the angst about turning :P

2. I’m also a huge fan of the Beauty and the Beast story in general, so I liked how it  tied into the curse. I also agree that he should have just? Pushed her to say something? Anything? It was right in the tip of her tongue as she was leaving.

3. I actually liked the world building. I’m more of a historical romance fan than a fantasy fan (my experience goes very little beyond Harry Potter and Twilight.) I liked the faeries and the other side of the wall; it gave me very GoT meets Twilight meets Beauty and the Beast vibes, but make it faeries.

4. Not fishing for spoilers, but question: Is Tamlin her love interest for the entire series? I liked him, but not as much as I’d like to, and it looks like they’re setting up a love triangle. I hate love triangles.

  

---

— set by MJ <3 —

This was suggested to me by a friend who loves it and the tl;dr is: how do I politely say I couldn’t finish it because I found it silly?

It started out alright and I truly thought I would like it, but it kinda went downhill when...

Show

Feyre is taken to the fairy land. Supposedly it’s as punishment for killing that fairy, but she... receives no punishment whatsoever. She’s given a nice room and clothes and a maid. She’s not even under house arrest or something. She’s even given supplies to practice her hobbies.

And she still wants to leave and go back to her shitty family, even after she’s told that she can actually provide for them like she vowed to her dying mother. Wtf. Why leave the hot fairy sugar daddy then. xD

A part of me did wish I could have liked it, because I felt that not liking it was a sign I’ve become a bitter adult who can’t enjoy some silly fantasy. As in, teen me would have loved this and I wish I still had this innocence to enjoy this.

I understand that this is enjoyable because it’s kinda this fantasy escape where you can put yourself in her shoes and imagine this is happening to you. Maybe this is me living in recession Greece, but I wouldn’t mind being taken by a fantastical anthropomorphic being who would give me a fancy room and clothes and gourmet meals. At all. xD I mean personally I would prefer a hot alien guy so I’d get the Star Wars luxe Naboo/2nd prequel Portofino place vibe.

  

---

set by mj <3