A Court of Silver Flames
A Court of Thorns and Roses #4
By Sarah J. Maas
TheStory
About 14 months after the end of A Court of Wings and Ruin, Nesta is dealing with the aftermath of being thrown into the Cauldron by the King of Hybern and turned High Fae against her will. In a rather unproductive decision, Nesta moves into a rundown apartment in order to be away from everyone and drinks herself into oblivion, all while sleeping with random men she meets at night.
Since her lifestyle is funded by the Night Court, they decide they are done leaving her alone to “heal.” They send her to the House of Wind, where she will live and train with Cassian, her worst nightmare, and work helping the priestesses in the library beneath the house.
While Cassian and Nesta constantly bicker, there is an undeniable attraction pulling them together as they are forced to live in the same house… alone.
Meanwhile, the war-ending battle with Hybern did not end all the strife throughout the Continent. There are still dangerous enemies, frayed alliances, and political unrest throughout the land. The key to everything might be Nesta and Cassian facing down their demons and harnessing their strengths.
TheReview
In the beginning, we, as readers, are just getting a feel for how horrible Nesta has been and why Feyre and Rhys are deciding to boot her up to the House of Wind. It’s showing how horrible Nesta is while dealing with the stuff that haunts her. It’s very depressing but sets the stage for an epic comeback.
Not too far in, the vibe shifts to more sociability and growth on Nesta’s part. She develops as a character and it becomes more interesting as she grows, and that growth includes her relationship with Cassian.
Oh my gosh… if anyone thought A Court of Mist and Fury was spicy… this one is sooo much more. Now, I didn’t think ACOMAF was all that spicy. It only had like two major scenes, IMO, but this one has really good scenes. It’s not too much or overly done, but when it happens… it slaps.
While there are aspects of the greater world and the potential war, it is, at its core, a love story. A story about self-hatred and growth. How everyone - no matter how wretched or awful - deserves a person that never gives up on them, helps them help themselves, and stands alongside them while they do it.
The final part, Part IV, is a complete shift away from relationships and into personal trials. Once the events start to unfold here, it is a shocking twist! This is where Nesta does most of her character development.
One of my favorite aspects of this story is that Nesta was never justified for her awful behavior. She had always been atrocious and now that we are in her head and on her side, she isn’t justifying any of it. She’s just accepting that that is the type of person she is and always will be. Of course, until the healing starts.
Now… it was a great ending… BUT… it was so implausible. It was almost like the story was set and then the author thought, “wait, it can’t end like this.” So, then she created a whole slew of special circumstances that defy all the rules of reality she has built in this world.
As a side note, what is with Rhys and Feyre in this book? They are like completely different people. And it’s only been just over a year since the end of the last book so… what happened to them? Feyre is Little Miss High and Mighty and Rhys is kind of a dick. I get the reasons that they are being the way they are, but it just seemed so out of character since, in the past, they have been all about “your choice, your choice, your choice.” And now they hate Nesta’s choices, so they choose for her. Understandable, but they say and act completely out of their normal personalities.
I was completely engrossed in this story from start to finish. It was absolutely fire. My only qualm is that I would have liked to have seen more of Nesta and Cassian after the whole Part IV ordeal. I waited something like 2 or 3 years to read this one because I did not want to hear Nesta’s redemption arc, but I was wholly and pleasantly surprised. It was very well done and super well written. Highly recommend.
TheRating
Storyline: 5/5
Characters: 4/5 (minus one for Rhys and Feyre’s weird shift that made no sense)
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Overall: 📘📘📘📘📘
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
A Court of Thorns and Roses Series
A Court of Thorns and Roses
A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
A Court of Mist and Fury
A Court of Thorns and Roses #2
A Court of Wings and Ruin
A Court of Thorns and Roses #3
A Court of Frost and Starlight
A Court of Thorns and Roses #3.5
A Court of Silver Flames
A Court of Thorns and Roses #4