By: Cait Marie
A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOMAF) is the second book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas. If you read my first review, you might remember that I said this second book is actually my favorite in the series. Before this, it had been a long time since I read a series where I liked the sequel more than the original. This review has some spoilers, especially if you haven’t read the first book. However, I tried to stay vague and leave the really big spoilers for the end, which is clearly marked.
ACOMAF starts shortly after where the first one ended. It’s been three months and Feyre is back in the Spring Court with Tamlin, where they are both trying to get through what happened Under the Mountain. Both are struggling, but not communicating about it. While they are planning their wedding, they’re drifting apart. Tamlin is overprotective and won’t let Feyre leave their home, and Feyre is losing herself to depression and PTSD.
The wedding arrives and while walking down the aisle, Feyre freezes and begins to panic. She is feeling rushed and doesn’t know what to do. It’s at this time that Rhysand, High Lord of the Night Court, appears and calls in the debt owed by Feyre. For saving her life, she is to spend one week a month with him, but he hasn’t come for her in the three months that they have been free.
The Night Court isn’t as Feyre expected. She stays in a beautiful, open palace at the top of a mountain. More than that, Rhys seems concerned with her visible weight loss and sickness from being depressed. He gives her food, a private room, and when asked what she has to do for the week, he helps her learn the alphabet and begin to read. She even meets his lively cousin, Mor.
The weeks between visits, back in the Spring Court, are still miserable. She feels out of place and it continues to take a toll on her physically and mentally. At one point, Tamlin uses his magic to put a barrier around the house, essentially locking her inside. She freaks out and her own new magic goes out of control. She ends up curled up on the floor in a cocoon if darkness.
Feyre awakens to Mor rescuing her. She takes Feyre to Rhys, just beyond the border, and he takes her back to the Night Court. Both repeatedly reassure her that she’s free and okay, and Rhys makes sure Feyre knows that she is not a prisoner and can return whenever she wants. She decides to stay for the time being, and without giving too much away, Feyre starts to work with them in stopping the impending war with the King of Hybern, who wants to attack the human realm.
This book is just incredible. From the true portrayal of mental illness, and overcoming it, to new friendships, and the beautiful scenery that’s painted with Sarah J. Maas’ words, I absolutely love this book. I genuinely believe it’s the best in the series. There’s such a rollercoaster of emotions, and it made me cry harder than any book I’d ever read at that point in my life.
I highly recommend this series. Usually I recommend it just so I can talk about this book in particular, so if you’ve read it and are just as obsessed let me know!
**SPOILERS**SPOILERS**SPOILERS**
After deciding to stay, Rhys and Mor take Feyre to Valeris, a hidden city that was protected during Amarantha’s reign. It’s a beautiful, peaceful city that is a secret from the rest of the world. Feyre stays and joins Rhys’ inner circle: Mor, Cassian, Azriel, and Amren. She begins opening up, training with Cassian, and becoming closer with all of them as they make a plan for the impending war against the King of Hybern. Including Rhys.
I love that Feyre decided to stay in the Night Court instead of returning. Being so “broken” in the beginning, she grows into such a strong character during this book. And throughout it all is Rhys. Always making sure she’s taking care of herself, making her eat, helping her learn to read, making her laugh, and it’s just wonderful. He is so feared by the rest of the world, and there are so many dark rumors surrounding him, but he’s not a bad guy. In fact, he is so good that it’s just heartbreaking to hear all that he has gone through. I could go on forever about how much I love Rhys… He’s officially now my second favorite fictional character of all-time.
This book. My heart. I didn’t know anything about Sarah J. Maas or her books at this point. I didn’t know I was going to be destroyed by reading them.
Because that’s what happened. The end destroyed me. Until that point in my life, no book had ever made me cry so hard. Ever. When she tells the king to break the bond, and Rhys yells no… it hurt my own heart. I admit, looking back on it, I didn’t fully grasp what was happening, either because I was so emotional or it was three in the morning. But I thought he really broke the bond. And then she left with Tamlin. I was sobbing hysterically, to say the least. Then the big reveal when Rhys gets everyone else back home. When he explains that not only did they secretly get married and that bond was perfectly intact, but he also made her a High Lady! Such a roller coaster of emotions.
Also, can we just take a second to appreciate all the flirty tension throughout the book that finally leads to chapter 55? In this fandom, this chapter is often mentioned and no one ever has to explain what chapter it is or which book they’re referring to. Everyone just knows, and I love it.
Team Feysand for life!!
Functionally Fictional 