A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas – A Book Review
Book Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Romantasy (Fantasy/Romance)
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 out of 5)
Summary: When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.
At least, he’s not a beast all the time.
As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever (Goodreads).
Quick opinion of this book:
| One of the best books I’ve read | |
| Pure entertainment | |
| X | Guilty pleasure read |
| Not what I expected | |
| It was just okay | |
| Emotional | |
| Hysterically funny | |
| Worst book ever |
Why I chose this book: The hype… all the hype!
Date I began reading this book: November 7, 2025
Date I finished reading this book: November 10, 2025
Thoughts:
This book has been on my TBR forever, and with so many friends telling me “YOU HAVE TO READ THIS,” I’m honestly mad at myself for waiting. Why on God’s green earth did I delay it?!
I’m a major sucker for the newly booming “romantasy” genre (thank you, Zodiac Academy), so I knew this would be up my alley. The first few chapters were slow for me, but once it picked up, I was glued to the pages. I loved the lore and the world Maas built – even if she gives us the bare minimum. Honestly? I appreciate that. Some fantasy books overwhelm you with worldbuilding, and this one doesn’t.
Character-wise, most of them felt flat aside from Feyre. She hits a lot of familiar female-protagonist tropes, but I didn’t mind it. Maas’s writing is super readable and descriptive, just not extraordinary. Most of the big reveals and emotional punches come toward the end, but they kept me turning the pages. I truly did not see the ending coming!
The Romance
Is it a slow burn? Yes.
Is it a painfully slow burn? Also yes.
But it’s still good.
There were moments where I genuinely wondered:
- Is this going to be a thruple?
- Is it enemies-to-lovers?
- Is it forbidden romance?
- Who is this mysterious black-haired man?
It felt like a mini emotional roller coaster, but a fun one. If you’re in it for the spice, though… I’m sorry. This book is nowhere near as spicy as people made it out to be.
One particular aspect of the book I didn’t like was the pacing. It starts slow, the middle moves fast, and the ending feels rushed.
The relationship building between Tamlin and Feyre also felt plain. One moment, they’re awkward and barely interacting, and the next, they’re willing to die for each other? Honestly, at times, Lucien had more chemistry with Feyre than Tamlin did.
And the last several chapters? I wasn’t prepared. It felt like I was tossed from a breezy spring day straight into the depths of hell. Not badly written, just… abrupt.
I get the hype. I really do. Despite its flaws and predictable moments, I was hooked. And now that I’ve finished book two (which is so much better), I genuinely see this first book as the foundation for the series.
My advice? Push through the “plainness” of book one. The payoff is absolutely worth it.
Check out A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas on Goodreads or Amazon Canada.
Favourite Quotes:
- “There you are, I’ve been looking for you.”
- “Don’t feel bad for one moment about doing what brings you joy.”
- “Pity those who don’t feel anything at all.”
Highlights – (may contain spoilers):
- The entire Calanmai chapter
- Freyre’s paintings
- Freyre’s trials, especially the second one! She literally couldn’t read, oh, my God.
- Rhy’s cry for Freyre at the end. How heartbreaking.
Rating scale:
1 out of 5 = Hated it
2 out of 5 = Didn’t like it.
3 out of 5 = It was okay.
4 out of 5 = It was great!
5 out of 5 = Absolutely loved it!
