Hardcover, 240 pages
English language
Published June 2, 2020 by Bloomsbury Publishing.
A companion tale to the Court of Thorns and Roses series that picks up several months after A Court of Wings and Ruin.
This book is cute but it was anti climactic in the series. I feel like it was a good in between calmer after book 3 which took me on an insane journey of war, love and politics. But, I’m ready for the 5th knowing it is filled with more page turning moments and I grasp onto the book desperate for answers
So it’s fanfiction, right? That she wrote for her own series?
I actually can’t help but admire this, and I’d be a hypocrite to say that I hated the concept. People who know me know that 90% of my 90+ abominations on ao3 are all tagged with ‘established relationship’ and ‘post-canon’ - this kind of sappy shit is jack catnip. I (usually) can’t get enough of it. Even the plot points feel like fanfiction! A Christmas story? Really? I have written established relationship Christmas fanfiction! I’ll admit that! I’m not above it all! Far from it!
Oh, but this is just too much. Too much sugar. Not enough spice. And I get it, as someone who very frequently writes similar shit. It’s a hard balance. The problem is that Maas’ writing style is so breakneck that she doesn’t allow herself to break from a jog to the leisurely walk that …
So it’s fanfiction, right? That she wrote for her own series?
I actually can’t help but admire this, and I’d be a hypocrite to say that I hated the concept. People who know me know that 90% of my 90+ abominations on ao3 are all tagged with ‘established relationship’ and ‘post-canon’ - this kind of sappy shit is jack catnip. I (usually) can’t get enough of it. Even the plot points feel like fanfiction! A Christmas story? Really? I have written established relationship Christmas fanfiction! I’ll admit that! I’m not above it all! Far from it!
Oh, but this is just too much. Too much sugar. Not enough spice. And I get it, as someone who very frequently writes similar shit. It’s a hard balance. The problem is that Maas’ writing style is so breakneck that she doesn’t allow herself to break from a jog to the leisurely walk that this kind of story needs to have in order to work.
There’s stuff here I like. I like the whole conflict with Nesta, even if I’m not entirely sure where Maas is going with it.
What I don’t like is… god. Can someone please explain to me how Rhys is such a cool sexy badass great ruler and yet there’s SO many charities in this singular city that he just donates to? On the reg? Rather than doing anything to solve the actual underlying societal problem? Like, he’s not an eccentric rich philanthropist. He’s HIGH LORD. He has the power and means to enforce fucking UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME.
Eh!!! I still liked it better than Book 3. It felt a titch more self-aware and reflective, but not by much. I just really wish someone would tell Maas to stop using toe curling as sexual foreplay every. single. time.
3.5 stars.
It was a nice and sweet read. It was so nice to go back to our characters after the previous book and see how they were doing. On the other hand, this book doesn't add anything to the story arc, because it's more focused on relationship building. Last but not least, I am always kinda disturbed by the word 'mate' and how it is used here. I think another word to describe this magical and deep bond should be used. In the Italian translation, I liked that they used "my other half", because also in Italian the word "mate" is used in other contexts, which do not fit what the author wants to describe here.
Another note, sex and intimacy scenes could be just left hinted for our imagination, because they are badly written.
Wish I'd skipped this one. I can't begin to understand how these centuries old "people" are so childish. And don't get me started on Rhysand getting off to the image of his unborn (and not yet conceived) child - excuse me, WHAT.
I liked seeing the relationships between the characters and that we got to know some more about their backgrounds. But unlike the other books, this one didn't really keep me reading, because nothing happens.
