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
dreamwrapt's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexual content, War, Fatphobia, Gore, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Eating disorder, Slavery, Blood, Classism, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Colonisation, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual harassment, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Rape, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, and Drug use
iwinatcookie'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? No
1.5
Graphic: Cursing, Gaslighting, Blood, Torture, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, War, Sexual content, Gore, Death of parent, Murder, Animal death, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Slavery, Kidnapping, and Classism
Moderate: Rape
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
eviemayhem's review against another edition
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Murder, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, Body horror, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and Confinement
ralfy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Animal death, Death, Confinement, Cursing, Kidnapping, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Drug use, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Death of parent
izzysizemore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death, and Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, and Confinement
Minor: Death of parent, War, 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
wrensreadingroom's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Physical abuse, Violence, Vomit, Body horror, Bullying, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Animal death, Murder, Self harm, Slavery, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Cursing, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Torture
nebbular'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
3.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Vomit, War, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Gaslighting, and Murder