REVIEW: A Court of Thorns and Roses (Sarah J Maas)

Book: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J Maas
My rating: 4/5

Premise: Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill. Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

I worried that having read a lot of YA novels and experiencing a slight reading slump, I wouldn't be as obsessed with this book as my friends. But, I know this will end up being a comfort read of mine! A retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but with faeries and a badass female character - what's not to like. Feyre was a good protagonist. She can hunt, she's fearless, she gets stuff done. When she first enters the faerie kingdom, she's a little bit of a damsel in distress, but once she settles, she fights and holds her own. The only thing I didn't like was how some things like drugging, rape and sexual exploitation were normalised - it was only later that I realised how quickly you're expected to just accept these as horrible things faeries do. But overall, an easy and enjoyable read.

Book 2 review: A Court of Mist and Fury