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screaming's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
kitkat326's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Sexism, Violence, and War
Moderate: Physical abuse
indigo_fox's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I find the writing very easy to just fall into to, it just pulls me into the books world. The sex scenes seem a bit weird sometimes, I don't get some of the wording used. Google tells me that other people have the same opinion so its not an ace thing. The writing is solid when it comes to character voices, I feel like I can see each of their distinct personalities shinning through. The characters themselves are easy to fall in love with, and I've added a few others to my list of favorites. There are so many new characters that get introduced in this book that its a bit hard to keep track of them all.
Overall, it was a fun read and I'm glad I gave the series a chance.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Alcohol
courtneykatzmeyer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Moderate: Child death, Sexism, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
bree_h_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.5
I will start out with what I liked and admit the book had some merit. I found the opening to be pretty well done. It seemed to capture very quickly the sort of environment Feyre found herself in and conveyed how she felt about it. The descriptions and narrations of Feyre’s rage and how it motivated her were also very effective early on. In the beginning the book also made it feel like the characters were very clever and I think it had the potential to be great with a bit more polishing.
As always I loved Nesta, my beloved, and her going off on Rhysand/the main group was a delight. I also didn’t mind the way Eliane’s depression and coping with events from the last book was written even if I felt the reason was a little weak and lacking in complexity. I also really appreciated and enjoyed Amrin and Nesta’s dynamic and it very quickly reminded me of why I enjoyed them both so much in the last book.
Finally, I did really like the budding dynamic and relationship between Elaine and Azriel. I HOPE in future SJM will continue that thread and explore the idea that just because two people are “mates” (gag) doesn’t mean they should be together or are good for each other. I just don’t feel like Lucien and Elaine would be any good together.
Also I did enjoy the narrator, I think she did a pretty good job with the book.
Now, I will try to keep this part brief because my previous two reviews have practically been novels and I don’t want to drag this out too much. This is also where I tend to get into SPOILERS so be warned.
Consistency, once again, is a serious problem in this book. It’s too dangerous to throw away a paintbrush BUT Feyre can light it on fire. Rhysand can’t talk to Feyre beyond day one with Tamlin, but he’s been keeping her up to date on battle plans. Feyre’s tattoo showing her commitment to Rhysand is glamoured over in the spring court, but then she has no tattoo, but then she does because Tamlin sees it, but then she doesn’t again. This could just be a problem of the narration not conveying the information in a clear way and some of my issues weren’t inconsistencies. However, that’s still a flaw that needs fixed.
I feel like I’m really starting a to see Tamlin’s character assassination in this book more too. While last book a lot of his acts felt in character, far too many in this one didn’t. And he wasn’t the only one I felt acted out of character. Mor and Cassin also stand out in my mind as having out of character moments.
As for the plot, it generally felt very all over the place. I COULD explain it all, but at the same time it just felt constructed in a very strange way. Like SJM bit off more than she could chew. I didn’t feel like any of the subplots were cohesive and I frequently forgot some existed.
There was also far too much repetition. We’re told the same information over and over and over and over again in just slightly different ways. It gets old and frustrating. Especially when the lines are almost identical. There’s also extremely repetitive word and phrase choice. “Barked”, “if I could paint the scene”, “down the mating bond”, “tugged on the mating bond”, ect. I feel like it hindered the narration and how the story could be be conveyed.
Now for Rhysand and Feyre. I do not like them and I think they’re relationship sucks. I find them to both be wildly hypocritical and it doesn’t feel like Feyre is a person outside of Rhysand anymore. Feyre was revelling in the chaos she sowed in the Spring Court and believed she was justified in what she did. But then in the last portion of the the book is all weepy as if she didn’t happily cause that. Rhysand is all about choices for victims and respecting people, but doesn’t warn Mor about her abusers or that he’ll be giving them access to her until it’s happening. Then he’s frustrated when she gets upset. (Also callback to when I said it Rhysand had to make a deal with the enemy it would he framed as a needed thing no matter how many people it hurt.) He makes a safe haven for victims of SA and then almost hookups with Feyre in it. I just couldn’t bring myself to enjoy them as characters at all.
Finally the ending. I’ll keep this part brief, unlike the book. It dragged out for FAR too long. It should have ended at MINIMUM a chapter before it did if not two. I was painfully bored during it and it was a drag.
Overall, I didn’t enjoy it much. I can see why people like it, but I personally just find it overwritten and poorly thought out. We’ll see if any of my opinions change once I get to read A Court of Silver Flames.
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Minor: Rape
ursimae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Minor: Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
butilikeit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and War
Moderate: Death, Sexism, and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit
readwithria's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
A Court of Wings and Ruin takes the threads of the previous books and weaves them together into such a good conclusion to Feyre’s story.
Do I love this book? No, not really. But I definitely had a good time with it. ACOTAR does a better job of mixing the politics with the romance, and ACOMAF does a great job with the romance with just a sprinkle of the politics, but this book struggles to balance the two well. The plot is kinda meh, and the romance has already been established so there’s not a lot of time spent on it, which makes complete sense.
I wish the war plot had been better entwined into all of the books so that it doesn’t feel so out of place. I think that SJM doesn’t fully understand the difference between “putting on a mask” and being a situationally bad person to the people you don’t like. But I also knew all of this going into the book, so it didn’t surprise me.
I know this is her most beloved series, and I really do like it, but it’s just not my favorite.
Anyway, if you go in with the expectation of fae vibes and steam you won’t be disappointed.
Graphic: Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Kidnapping, and Lesbophobia
nkmustdie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation
josiee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism