A Court of Wings and Ruin 5⭐️/5
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3)
5⭐️/5
** spoiler alert ** ⚠️SPOILERS!! DO NOT PASS GO UNLESS YOU WANT SPOILERS FOR ACOWAR⚠️
An ACOWAR review, but also a bit of a reflection on the first three books in the series as a whole!
✶Though I love ACOMAF more, I still rated this one five stars. I understand the comparison to ACOMAF, I really do! No shade. It just occurred to me that if I picked this book up on it’s own (I get that it’s book 3 in a series, but go with me) it would be a STAND OUT novel.
✶It has the hallmarks of the fantasy genre (and a courtly drama): battle sequences (aerial, land, sea), politics, war, betrayal, PLUS romance, inner circle banter, authentic character development, callbacks to previous books, secondary plot lines, it WORKS. It just works for very different reasons than ACOMAF. It is plot driven-rather than character-driven, so even though I also missed more Feyre/Rhysand, they weren’t the focus of this novel.
✶I was just as invested in this book, if not more than ACOMAF, because, like Feyre, I’ve settled into this world! The inner circle each had their own story to tell, the war with Hybern needed room to develop, and there were many loose ends from the previous books to tie together. I read this book in three days, racing (myself?) to the finish!
✶I do see how Maas restricted herself with POV in this novel, she toyed with Rhys’ perspective a couple of times, but this story would have benefitted from more than one POV. The choice to only use Feyre’s voice interfered with the plot, and underutilized Feyre in battle because we relied on her for narration. I understand that her job was the Cauldron in the final bid for victory, but overall her much-discussed powers were neutralized in favor of the reader getting an inside look, one that we didn’t need from her particular perspective.
✶I’ve also seen some comments on Rhys becoming so perfect that he’s boring, and I reflected on that quite a bit. Though I don’t wholly agree, and it didn’t interrupt my reading experience, there is a tradeoff that he (and Maas) make in favor of character growth. It’s true, we lost his mask and “Court of Nightmares” edge in some ways, and didn’t gain much in return. He’s still witty and seductive, still utterly charming, but his snark and power that would come out when he played High Lord of the Night Court disappeared in some ways. This choice is fine, but that meant the shared secret between the reader and our cruel, wicked High Lord went away too, and I missed it!
✶Though we shift away from the High-Lord we came to love in ACOMAF and his High-Lady in some ways, it does feels like a natural shift. Almost all beloved fantasy novels culminate in war, in battle, in strategy and slow-moving peace talks and under-the-table bargains.
✶There’s always a shift in fantasy or any action-oriented story when you come to the larger, existential threat to the characters and their world. But for some reason, because Maas did *too* good of a job establishing the love story and overall bond between Feyre and Rhysand, there was always going to be little that captivated her readers as much as these two. Their history, connection, humor, friendship, and love were really something to be beheld in books 1 & 2. I enjoyed the glimpses into their relationship in this novel nonetheless!
✶But again, even the fact that the above critiques are mentioned speak to how beloved this series is and how well Maas has crafted this expansive, rich, fictional world. The lovable characters and plot points are so well-defined that we can talk about the nitty-gritty of their characters, asking: is this true to them? Where could we have extrapolated more? Is a sign that Maas has a hold on this world, one that has captivated a wide audience of readers.
✶Though we missed out on Feyre in the battle and seeing her power in full-force, her character arc has been remarkable. She didn’t magically gain confidence overnight or find it within herself, but we watch as she slowly finds kernels of wisdom, humor, and truth that that allow her to blossom as a character. Maas put in the work to show us how Feyre has grown, and we witness how each of her friends influence her ability to overcome her past and become The High Lady of the Night Court.
Moments that still live rent-free in my head:
1. When Feyre’s father showed up at the HELM of the SHIP?! The THREE SHIPS and their names killed me😭
2. The SURIEL?! Who knew I’d be crying over a half-dead, spooky monster-face in a ratty cloak??
3. Tamlin showing up at that Meeting of the High Lords for the DraMAAAaaaaaa
4. The final battle in general was everything, the pace was incredible
5.. Rhys’ speech to the inner circle before they went into battle *cue the tears once again*
6. The absolute pendulum swing of emotions between “OMG Amren betrayed them” to “OMG AMREN WAAAAIITTT”
7. They all lived and I understand the emotional impact might have been greater if that wasn’t the case but idk I’m reading this in 2022 and the world needs some good news rn so I’m rolling with it