A review by the_chaotic_witch
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

253 pages; 2018; 4/5 stars; 7.14 CAWPILE; spoiler-free

When I first read this book, I expected another adventure. Now, having read it four times, I much more appreciate it for what it is. A novella to a series in which the stakes are relatively high in every book. A novella that is simply supposed to give us some more content on characters we love (or probably love if we go to the lengths to read this book) and their future development. 

This is a relatively short book compared to the others, and yet it has a plot. It is the first in which we get more than one general point of view (forget the few Rhys chapters before). The book gives us what we crave when a series has ended. When the big battle is won. It answers the question of "what now?" 

I will not go too deeply in-depth here, but I will say a few things as usual to the c-a-w-p-i-l-e criteria. The characters are able to develop during this short book, and we get insight into characters whose points of view we get for the first time. We learn more about their dynamic with one another, and we learn more about their own image of themselves. 

This story takes place during winter - I do not consider that a spoiler - and that is always very quickly atmospheric, but, other than that, since book two, I think the atmosphere in this books has always been handled well and also didn't let down in this one.
 
World-building-wise, there wasn't much room for development, but we got to see what happened to the people after the events of book three and that added a level that I think is furthering to the world-building. We mainly stay at one place that we have thoroughly explored before and still manage to find new nooks and crannies that still feel cohesive to the site, not like they were simply conjured up for the sake of the novella. 

As I said initially, there isn't really any action, but there is a tension between the characters that helps guide us into the following books and their focus. The plot also focusses on what everyday not-wartime life looks like for our characters and what tensions might arise from that. Logically it is very much the same as the other books; if you had specific issues there, you will very much also find them here. What I want to say, though, is that this plot and the characters, while in a different setting (remember: not-wartime), still feel connected and accurate to the central action; it doesn't feel forced or piled on or like we needed something, so we made something up. It fits. 

As for the aspect of enjoyment, I don't have much to say about this. Since I am a character-based reader and have fallen deeply in love with this series despite its flaws, I thoroughly enjoyed getting more content on their mundane lives. I would read 20 books like this one if I had the opportunity. 

All in all, I would say this book is suited and recommendable for people who love the series. If you want more of the world, and the characters, and their lives. Do not pick it up if you disliked the characters prior because this novella focuses on them. 

This is Me, signing off. Be kind, especially to yourselves, bye. ♥ 
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