A Court of Wings and Ruin
Ratings1,087
Average rating4.2
I just have to give this one 5 stars. It was so good, beginning until the end. I even sobed at the end.... the last 10 chapters where so good and emotional at the same time. It was a rollercoaster, but I loved it so much! I'm going to read the next one very very soon. Because I just can't get enough of these books!!
I am now off the ACOTAR high and I am disappointed. This book was 99% diplomacy and war and 1% of the words SJM uses in every other sentence. We get it, the eyes are violet, the single eye is russet, they are mates, her throat bobbed, her knees buckled. I was either very bored, or felt like I got whiplash by a ton of things happening at once. Like, surprise! Dad's back! Oh wait, he's dead! Oh yeah, and Elaine? Perfectly fine now. Remember when she only spoke in riddles? Also, if she's a see-er, why didn't she just see stuff that happened in the war? What happened to Lucien's ~mating bond~ with her? Also, are we gonna even say anything about Baron not being his true dad? Why was that even mentioned? Congrats, Mor is a lesbian, what's gonna be done about it?
The first book was my first high fantasy book in ages. I had to curb my grievances with the whole absurd magic thing and weirdness and just enjoy it for what it is. I was able to fall hard into Feyre's story with Tamlin, and then dive deeper once it was with Rhys instead. But anything outside of that was left bland and odd. I hope the rest of the series is not like this book.
I started with liking this series, but by this third book I pretty much wanted to throttle Rhysand, Feyre and the rest of them! Well, that and after a skim read of A Court of Frost and Starlight.
The reason? Their absolutely horrible treatment of Tamlin! I think I might be in the minority who feels really sad and awful for Tamlin.
Ps. Apologies for the long rant, but I just had to say it.
* POTENTIAL SPOILERSI get he did some really awful stuff, but by the end of the third book, I was feeling desperately sorry for him. I mean, in his own way he did help with the war. People only seem to see the bad in him, but did people forget how he provided a distraction for Feyre and Azriel to get away when they went to save Elain? Or when he gave that little bit of his power at the end to bring Rhysand back?! Considering how they all hated him, he could well have said no and said to hell with it! True, they probably would have killed him if he said no, but he did it! Do people forget that he made sure to take care of Feyre's family when he took her over the wall when he could well have left them to rot?! And what about how he must have felt when Feyre destroyed the Spring Court? Yeah, she had her reasons, but does noone think about how that must've felt for Tamlin?! Or how he might have felt when Lucien, his best friend, left him too?! Don't get me wrong, I wanted to throttle him for how he treated Feyre, which I actually don't think was helped by vile, horrible Ianthe! But people seem to forget what being Under The Mountain did to him too. It's awful that he didn't he try to help her when they were stuck there, but no one is perfect. He also put himself at risk by being so involved with Hybern, but he did it. Maybe it was for selfish reasons but he did it. I find it really sad how he became so isolated. He didn't help matters, but it's sad that literally no one bothered to try to help him. They just brushed him off like some evil villain, who wasn't worth trying to help. Reading about him in A Court of Frost and Starlight, living in that absolute mausoleum of a house, made me just want to reach into the book and give him the biggest hug! If there are anymore books in the series, then I hope Tamlin finds some happiness/redemption. Everyone deserves a second chance! Going back to Rhysand and the rest, I can't believe the hypocrisy of the lot of them! They can all make mistakes and be forgiven , but Tamlin can't?! Like Nesta? They're willing to forgive all her crappy, shitty behaviour, but can't extend the same courtesy to Tamlin?! Nesta can be a grade a b*** to everyone including her sisters no less, but they're happy to let it go?! But when it comes to Tamlin they're happy to knock him down again and again?!
After that treatment of Tamlin, they can all rot for all I care, with their bullshit holier than thou attitudes! Well, apart from Azriel and Lucien. The only two characters that I remain liking. The only reason I'll read any future books (if there are to be any) is for them.
I felt like the first half of the book was a little weak and some parts were slow paced. I was not a fan of Feyre pretending to be back with Tamlin. I was happy that it ended quickly and she was back home Rhys very quickly. The second half of the book was better paced and had all the action. I enjoyed Bryaxis, the bone carver, and the weaver. I was very happy about the injury and death of Ianthe. Jurian's character totally threw me for a loop. I was just not expecting him to actually be a good guy. I am a little mad at Sarah J. Maas for throwing all the feels in this book. I sobbed when Rhy died, I sobbed when the Suriel died, I sobbed when Amren changed into her new form, I sobbed when their dad arrived with the armada to save his daughters, and I sobbed when he died. I felt like Nesta and Elain need more substance. I am waiting to see if Nesta and Cassian's relationship develops further. Azriel needs some more attention such as a real love interest or a some major event.
OMG Re-read 2022. I can't believe I didn't leave a review the first time I read it. I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK. I think that taken to the screen the battles would be as epic as those in GOT.
*SPOILERS!!*I was scared some of my characters would d-word tho. I was holding my breath during those battles.
On my re read I solidified my love for Nesta Archeron
Wow. This book is a ton plot-wise - just reading the goodreads recap before writing this review reminded me that the whole thing started with Feyre back in the Summer Court! Hah! Feels like forever ago in the timeline of this series. Is there such a thing as too plotty? If so, perhaps this verged on that. But I liked it. It's fine! The novelty of #1 is gone, clearly, the sexy suspense of #2 is past, and this is just a good ole-fashioned battle between good and evil. I will say that the major perk of this part of this series is that roughly 1/4 in, I was talking all things Pride with a friend and sharing my two cents that the ACOTAR series would be better if it was more gay...and then Maas made things more gay! I hope the trend continues in the remainder of the series. The cast of characters is now also more diverse. I do think a weird thing that happens in fantasy is that although it's pretty clear the primary protagonists don't think this way, others in the world distinguish between High Fae and Lesser Fae. Which perhaps is an intentional choice on Maas' part to reflect hierarchical structure in that society, but like, why? Why not, if one is world-building, build a world in which that society, whatever its flaws, doesn't have that particular one, and instead sees the Fae that populate the story as neither higher nor lower than anything else? There is enough animism in Maas' world already that it would be completely consistent (maybe more so) to extend that to flattening philosophical distinctions among Fae and between Fae and other creatures. ANYWAY. I'll keep reading, but this was enough of a temporary conclusion to a bunch of plotlines that I'll be reading some other stuff before #4.
I was hesitant but curious during the first book. I was wary but determined for the second. But the culmination of all 3 at the end of this one blew me away. I found myself much more emotional than I anticipated, and found the long ride to be worth it in the end. I'm very glad I stuck with it. I wouldn't call it perfect either, hence the 4.75, but after everything is said and done, I was thoroughly entertained, which is perhaps the best test of what makes a good story.
Another book I thoroughly enjoy although slightly stressed out by it, but that is the go with war, I suppose. I believe I have the same criticism for this book as I did with A Court of Mist and Fury. Repeatative writing, etc. However, I did notice a shift in this book. Not sure entirely what it was but it was a good shift.
Way more POC and LGBT representation. It's nice to see when an author gets criticism and listens to it.
4.5 stars.
What a wild ride.
I had to put the book down around the 50% mark, as I simply couldn't continue reading. Not because the book itself was bad, but because over the span of these three books I couldn't accept that some might have to die (I've heard Maas is good at that).
From around 60% and to the end there's much more action than the beginning of the book.
So I didn't keep track, but I'm pretty sure it was close to ten times that I had to full on weep while reading this. I'm curious as to how the series will change moving forward...
1: A Court of Thorns and Roses ★★★★
#2: A Court of Mist and Fury ★★★★★
#3: A Court of Wings and Ruin ★★★★
#3.1: A Court of Frost and Starlight ???
#4: A Court of Silver Flames ???
i was going to write a lengthy review with my opinions on this but... i'm 4 years late to this book and don't feel like spending that much time justifying my thoughts. this started off a bit slow, but i read the entire second half in one sitting because i absolutely did not want to put it down. i'm apparently in a very small minority that loved the queer rep and found it nuanced in a way i hadn't seen before.
this was my least favorite of the first 3 books, but i still very much enjoyed it and am looking forward to the rest of the series!
It was entertaining, but the love for “Perfect Happy Ending” of Sarah J Maas is sadly making her stories predictable and her ends flats. Her stories always lack a bit of depth that would have make them memorable.
I still enjoy her books and I believe they are great summer reads.
the first part was enjoyable, and i loved the focus on Feyre and Lucien because i missed their friendship, but the rest of the book was a convoluted mess and the main characters started to get very annoying.
what i loved mostly is the development of Nesta's character, she and Cassian were more delightful to read about than others.
That being said, the author knows how to keep the story entertaining despite being a long book.
A solid end to this arc. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have some quarrels here and there with the world-building and some of the characters but it's a gripping and entertaining read throughout.
ACTION, syk krig, og at hun ødela Spring Court, ødela Tamlin - jeg digget det. Smaken av revenge var søt. Såå trist på slutten når Rhys ofret seg. Elsker hvor sterk Feyre har blitt, alle kreftene hennes!
To say that this book kept me up late at night reading would be an understatement. I was so entranced that I didn't even stop to update my progress here XD. I loved! I can't wait to get my hands on books 4, 5, and 6!
Ahhhh it was so good!!! I loved it! How everything happened and it's so hard not to spoiler anything
Spoiler Reading Vlog 2021
I really did enjoy this book so much, and I loved how much more political talk was in here between the different courts. I docked it half a star just because it did wrap up super neatly with almost no consequences and because I knew there was another book, every almost death or injury didn't really make me worry. Everything else I adored!
Reading Vlog: Coming Soon
Tiene un problema diciendo macho y hembra, también hay que decir que a veces parece un fanfic
Idk, felt so cheap that Rhys got to come back to life in exactly the same way Fayre did. Surely some of the other high lords would've preferred to have him dead??