saturnpersonified'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Xenophobia, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Confinement, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Abandonment, Excrement, and Vomit
indyyxoxo'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? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Colonisation, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Sexual violence, War, Slavery, Murder, Vomit, Violence, Grief, Ableism, Sexual content, and Physical abuse
Minor: Body shaming, Death of parent, Child death, and Domestic abuse
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
nkmustdie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Bullying, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Classism, Medical trauma, Medical content, Rape, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Colonisation, Death, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, War, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Domestic abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Body horror, Grief, Stalking, and Torture
rory18'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
4.5
Graphic: Vomit, Body horror, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Gore, Sexism, Slavery, Alcohol, Colonisation, Confinement, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Torture, Sexual content, War, Kidnapping, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Chronic illness, Grief, Mental illness, Addiction, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Religious bigotry
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
teenytardigrade's review against another edition
Even though I already paid for this book, I cannot bring myself to read it.
Graphic: Colonisation
ninabest'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
2.5
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Torture, Violence, Physical abuse, Alcohol, and Colonisation
cymurray'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Kidnapping, Grief, Torture, Death of parent, Classism, Death, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, and War
Moderate: Colonisation, Sexual content, and Slavery