moanareads'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Gore, Gaslighting, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Sexual content, Vomit, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Slavery
thatswhatshanread'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? It's complicated
5.0
Yeah fantasy isn’t usually my thingggggg but people change!!!
✨ she’s a High Fae girly now!!!!! ✨ (Please read this next line in that one voice from Shrek) ANYTHING FOR YOU, MY LORD!!!
Anyway, Feyre is an awesome protagonist and I’m so looking forward to what next awaits her in Prythian…
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Classism, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Animal death, Blood, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, War, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Drug use
Minor: Cursing
lqne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Torture, Sexual content, Classism, Slavery, Body shaming, Confinement, War, Vomit, Murder, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Sexual violence, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Excrement, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity
lizzye33's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Hate crime, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, Gore, Grief, Blood, and Body horror
Moderate: Violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, War, and Vomit
Minor: Sexual content, Slavery, Cursing, Physical abuse, Sexism, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Medical trauma
quietlex's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Spoiler
I mean come on, she leaves just DAYS before the curse runs out of time, if only she had said those three little words to him at ANY point since she already knew she loved him. She wouldn’t have made it past the second trial without Rhys secret help. She happens to figure out the riddle the second before being killed, then she’s magically brought back to life by a special never seen before golden goo that all the High Lords have! Where have you been loca style, she’s all pretty and shiny like a new vampire now.Also, Feyre is an idiot. Makes it really hard to love her character when she continuously makes the worst decisions over and over.
Graphic: Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Vomit, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Blood, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Classism, Confinement, Physical abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Stalking, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Slavery, and War
thegrandmafriend's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Blood, and Torture
Moderate: Blood, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Murder, and Physical abuse
Minor: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
chococaptain'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? Yes
1.5
TW: mentions of non consensual sexual advances
long story short: I’m literally nursing a headache as I read the last few chapters. why I’m having a headache, you might ask? well… (ellipsis totally intended)
(nah jk my toothache is making my headache but damn did this book make the pain worse)
the book was a difficult read in so many different aspects. the writing style was so bad, the plot was too predictable, and the characters were extremely flat.
- writing style -
MY GOD the amount of ellipses and em-dashes in this book is so??????????? like why???? SJM has an editor but why are there… so… many… ellipses—and even more em-dashes that don’t make sense!!!!! maaaan this would NEVER pass a basic creative writing class in my uni. it’s unbearable. I swear every time I see an ellipsis or em-dash aged me. why does SJM use it so much? for emphasis? jeez everything is emphasised then. for suspense? it’s just too predictable.
also, “parameter” instead of “perimeter”? really? AND WATERY BOWELS? girl is your stomach ok?
- plot -
“it’s a modern retelling of beauty and the beast.” retelling? you mean a poorly paraphrased beauty and the beast???
Spoiler
it’s SO beauty and the beast. a curse, handsome prince, servants cursed (as furnitures or as mask-wearing faes), evil witch/queen, i love you, and the non existent rose. like, why is the title of this book A Court of Thorn and Roses? I don’t even remember any meaningful reference to thorns and roses? at least Beauty and the Beast had an actual rose.Spoiler
but wait! there’s a twist! it now becomes a retelling of Cupid and Psyche! 2 sisters, “hidden” lover, a goddess who got pissed and gave her humanly impossible tasks! *snores*another thing that annoyed me is how everything was just so easy for Feyre (more on this later).
Spoiler
rags to riches? check. family taken care of? check. all these as “punishment” for her k wording a faerie.LAST THING UNDER THIS! the plot is slower than my brain when faced by a math problem. my work friend asked me about the book when she found out I was reading it. I told her “I’m around 50% but nothing major yet.” and then I realised that dang I’m already halfway and there’s nothing cool happening yet?!
Spoiler
the story only starts moving during the last quarter. you can skip so many chapters and you’ll still understand the story because everything from Feyre killing the faerie wolf then living with Tamlin to her going back to her family are boring and won’t make sense until Alis’ monologue. honestly, just search for Alis’ monologue if you don’t wanna waste time. it’s basically the story and of course a happy ending after that.- characters -
yep, the characters are flatter than a plywood. Feyre is dumb (everyone: “Feyre, don’t do this.” Feyre: “sorry can’t hear you!”) Tamlin is manipulative and lowkey a sexual predator??? so is Rhysand.
Spoiler
taking advantage of Feyre just because she’s drugged wtfI also feel like Isaac Hale is not needed.
Spoiler
he’s like the opposite of Chekhov’s gun. I thought he’ll play a part in the love triangle but what’s the point of mentioning his sexual relationship with Feyre if it doesn’t do anything at all??? JUST REMOVE IT GAAAAAHI already scheduled the rest of the series for my august tbr but uhhh……….. idk.
wow this is the longest review I’ve ever done (not counting the papers I had to write for my lit classes lol). I didn’t like this book but would totally recommend so I can have more ppl I can rant to about this book 😆
Graphic: Violence, Body horror, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Blood, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gaslighting, Murder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
jmeier'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? It's complicated
1.5
Spoiler
3/4 of the way through this incredibly slow beauty and the beast adaptation, there's suddenly a hunger games plot? completely bizarre shift. We are also supposed to empathize with a character who threatens sexual assault, and to forgive the torture and murder of a bunch of innocents for the "greater good" . the greater good being the protagonist getting to have sex.Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Cultural appropriation, Confinement, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Blood, Kidnapping, War, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Animal death, Colonisation, Drug use, Sexism, Violence, Medical content, Murder, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Kidnapping, Rape, Mental illness, and Sexual assault
georgie_mb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Even though it took me a while to read as it was on my kindle, whenever I picked it up I was hooked!! Loved everything about Feyre, with such brilliant world building and a beautiful love story. The second half of the book had me going through so many emotions, and seriously levelled this up in my mind from your usual YA fantasy.
I did guess the riddle straight away, but I’ll let our girl off, she’s not exactly super read up.
Graphic: Death, Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Confinement, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement
brielreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Alcohol, Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Torture, and Toxic relationship