“A Court of Thorns and Roses” is sub-par smut but a solid fantasy novel

Emma Foster

She/Her

Staff Writer

3/16/24

Content Warnings

Torture, violence, captivity, SA, physical and emotional abuse, abuse, sexual

“A Court of Thorns and Roses” is the action-packed first book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, which became wildly popular on TikTok and Instagram last year.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand she make up for his loss. Dragged with him into unknown lands she’d only heard about in legend, Feyre discovers that her captor is not a terrifying beast, but one of the immortal faeries who ruled her world long ago. Lucky for her (and us), he’s not a beast all the time. 

For killing the faeries friend, Feyre is destined to live out her human life in the Spring Court alongside the immortals who captured her. As time goes on, Feyre adapts to her new surroundings and her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, turn from hatred and fear to protective and romantic. As she’s getting more comfortable, she becomes aware that something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient curse is slowly creeping toward expiration and it’s up to Feyre to save Tamlin and the other members of the Spring Court before darkness is cast across the world forever. 

This novel was widely known for its smut and romance, but what I found was just some romance and some beautiful world-building within the fantasy genre. I felt as If I was alongside Feyre on her journey. It was definitely not as much romance as advertised online, but even as an avid romance reader, I really enjoyed this book. 

I will say, I didn’t like the book as much as the people who hype it up every day, but I did really enjoy the fantasy world that I was able to escape to. If you like fantasy and young adult series this is for you. However, I think even people who don’t normally gravitate towards fantasy will enjoy this read too.

“House of Flame and Shadow”, the most recent entry to the series, was released January 30 and can be found wherever books are sold.