Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she’s struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can’t seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.
The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre’s Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta’s orbit. But her temper isn’t the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.
Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.
Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance-and healing-in each other’s arms.
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
This book was just too much for me in every which way.
I read it for The Poisoned Pen Bookstore Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book-of-the-Month Club.
I suppose those already invested into the series may like it better than me, but as a newcomer to the author, series, and this type of explicit fantasy, it just wasn’t for me.
I put off finishing it since starting it 6 months ago. Tried to start again as half reread, became less invested at page 94, skimmed the rest, read the last chapter, didn’t feel like I missed out on much. The deeper sentiments were a bit muddy to me.
The Story
Boring. Stakes weren’t high enough. Nothing subtle here, a very direct approach with repetition and all the details were too much for me. I felt like I was supposed to have a keen sense of imagination with this one that just wasn’t there. I kept waiting for the good part but it never got good. I get that the main character had hesitancy and struggled but some bits were a bit belabored and there wasn’t enough to keep me interested in what was to come because it was so drawn out for a 700 page book.
I feel like I kept reading a bunch of words without really reading anything. I say that with hesitancy because there are some heavy topics, but wow was it longwinded.
Sex is a major theme, graphic sex. Erotica. Nothing about the romance is veiled so it felt obscure, less special, and lifeless, nothing visceral, nothing to enrich the scene or the characters on a deeper level with each other or with themselves, all to the point of excess with strange reproductive anatomy word substitution.
There was no emotional arc. Too many things are announced then overly justified and explained. No moral code for me to go by. I wanted to be in the world but it was just so difficult to get into. Had to really concentrate on the message but the message took forever to be delivered. There was dramatic pause effect in Nesta’s life that was realized in a peculiar way. The plot was not so satisfying to me, a rather very bumpy road to the end. I would have liked some side story or supporting context. They had no other hobbies or nothing else to talk about. Left me wondering what these characters lived for pre-dating such tragedy?
The Writing
Everything is explained as you go, no matter the POV which I felt lost charm and emphasis. Real time action followed by they’d be this or they’d be that. An over abundance of words and oh-so-detailed dialogue over every which matter from turning door handles with their hands grasped over the knob to stepping with one foot in front of the other.
There was also this reinforcement of logic behind every decision which I think was my biggest grievance and overshadowed what was actually going on. Nesta was all aware of that, Nesta knew this, Nesta knew that. What they had done, as if this, as if that. Distracted me. A lot of reminiscing, mulling over the intent of someone else’s actions, like they’d do something then it was followed by some foreknowledge or insight that they actually had all along. Continually took me out of the story.
Tone
Everyone seems to be at odds with one another. Agenda and unspoken complaints with one another. Through to the end.
Descriptions
I had a hard time gauging the room/mood, the setting, time. Pains, pangs. I don’t know how a book can be so descriptive without actually describing anything.
The Characters
I don’t think I liked reading about any of the characters. I wanted to skim over every one. No one had any charisma, redemptive qualities were difficult to find, and the bantering was so cheesy. I didn’t understand this sexual tension, it was a bit odd to me. I tried to understand it in concept, but it became the overall execution that got to me in the end because character development was so stagnant in the sense that there was no baseline or happy life or joyous times reflected to compare it to. There were mentions of memories of dad but at the same time quite absent.
Overall, I couldn’t find it to be a good one whether plot or subject, setting, or time but maybe there will be something appealing to me in the future.
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