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A review by yazthebookish
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
5.0
First Read: 5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Second Read: 5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It feels like coming home after a long journey.
That is precisely what I feel whenever I read a Sarah J Maas book. While Throne of Glass is my favorite series but ACOTAR is special to me. It helped me during one of the most difficult periods of my life and in particular, ACOMAF.
I have no words to describe the beautiful familiarity of returning to a world you know you have always missed.
I swear I could almost feel the gentle breeze of Velaris caressing me, welcoming me back while knowing that the story will start from a very dark place.
Because this is Nesta's story.
In the beginning
And in the end
There was Darkness
And nothing more.
I will be writing two sections of the review soon:
• a non-spoiler section that will come first
• a spoiler section because I DO need to highlight some points.
---------- Non-spoiler review ----------
Nesta's healing journey was not a smooth one. I did not expect it to be. She clawed her way out of the the darkness that engulfed her ever since she had turned into a Fae.
For her to heal, Nesta had to rip her soul apart to find her self again.
I will tell you that I disliked Nesta so much in the ACOTAR books, I just kept a tight hold on the grudge against her.
But Nesta is not a person that was meant to be liked. She is vicious and her sharpest weapon has always been her tongue. She could inflict a wound so deep with a mere word. But I came to realize Nesta is the most "human" character among all of them. Humanity does not equal good morals necessarily, Nesta is heavily flawed and her flaws are what makes her human.
She is guilt-ridden to the point she allows her guilt to rot within her, poisoning most of the traits that makes her a good person. She carries such a deep disdain towards herself that she acts on it and you often see it in the form of lashing words.
Why does she allow this to happen to her? Because she holds onto one belief:
She deserves it.
When I started seeing Nesta's soul more clearly after she began to tear it open, I felt my soul resonate with hers to the point that I cried.
She was a prisoner in her own head, reliving certain deaths and nightmares that she can no longer see the light in the world. She can no longer see the goodness in her.
It was powerful. It was raw. It was ugly.
It was devastatingly beautiful in a way.
That is what Nesta's healing looked like. She was such a damaged person inside that she gave up on the hope of healing herself.
Does that mean all is forgotten about Nesta's past behavior? About the fact that she hurt and wronged many people? That she at many moments was a horrid person?
The answer is No, and this is what makes Nesta's healing journey so impactful and emotional.
Her trauma after the Cauldron and the War wrapped its adamant chains around her. The devastating war still haunts her and pulls her back from that light at the end of the tunnel where her family await her, a family that are bent on believing that she chose to remain in the darkness.
No one was willing to go deep into the darkness to her and gift her a fragment of light that will guide her steps out.
No one was willing to go as far as to shatter those chains and spare her from that misery.
No one except for Cassian.
Nesta and Cassian's romance was maddening, passionate and wild.
They were feral with each other, they were mad for one another, they were perfect for each other. I expected no less of them.
Sarah J Maas was not kidding when she mentioned that this was the filthiest book she has written so far.
I was very impressed with her writing style, I really enjoy seeing an author's journey throughout the years and how much they grow. Of course, ACOSF comes with its own set of flaws and issues but it does not ruin the overall experience for me.
If it shredded my emotions, if it made me cry, if my heart felt attached to this world after turning the very last page. It deserves a 5-star rating from me regardless of the issues and flaws that I will highlight in the spoiler section.
Not to mention now that I adore Nesta, I adore the person she had become in the end and this is coming from a person that never liked her in the previous books.
A Court of Silver Flames is sexy, emotionally gripping and powerful.
WARNING
I will go into detail about the book in the other section of this review below which will contain MAJOR SPOILERS, so please this is a heads up for those that have not read the books to not continue further unless they are willing to be spoiled.
-------- MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD --------
Spoiler-review:
The following review will be summed up in points because this is the best way to sort my thoughts and make sure I left nothing out.
Yes people I am about to let it all out.
Also, this is my own experience and my opinion should not be treated as a fact. To each of us their own unique reading experiences. I do not want to ruin anyone's experience and I do not want someone to ruin mine.
So, let's get on with it!
* ACOSF's backbone was Nesta and her found family: Gwyn and Emerie. I adore their precious bond and the fact that they are badass female characters whom are also passionate readers of smutty romances. I love that Nesta found other friends outside the IC, they all found something in each other and helped one another heal.
* The House is my new favorite character.
* Unpopular opinion but I am glad to see Rhysand playing the High Lord role. Of course we'd find him to be more broody since we are no longer seeing him from Feyre's perspective, we are seeing him in his true element. I've noticed that a few readers said they didn't like Rhys in this book, well.. Rhysand isn't the epitome of perfection many make him out to be and I appreciate that because he is heavily flawed too and yes I do like Rhysand.
* My heart bursts with so much love for Cassian! He wasn't without flaws too but I finally saw the raw version of him.
* Although I was in no rush to see Feyre's pregnancy, yet it warmed my heart because Feyre deserves that kind of happiness after everything she went through. Of course I cried when she announced that she was pregnant I already suspected it early on.
* It's refreshing to see the Inner Circle from two other perspectives especially Nesta's and their treatment of her as if she was a hopeless case. Not saying that Nesta wasn't at fault here but they too are not cutting her some slack.
* I think in regards to the romance I have a few things I want to address: there were some romantic scenes that felt repetitive from ACOMAF + the intimate scenes were sometimes spicy in a good way and sometimes sloppy with weird descriptions.
* I loved seeing Nesta's growth because it was beautiful and ugly at the same time and you can easily notice the shifting points in her healing.
* I rolled my eyes at the Nessian mating bond, sorry everyone. I let it slip because I grew fond of them both but I do not want the romance to always be attached to some invisible bond. It's supposed to be rare we already had that with Rhys and Feyre.
* The plot did not feel stable, it felt like it went to so many different directions. I was kind of hoping there would be more politics and human queens involved but it's not like I wasn't happy to where it ended up.
* I was missing the open-conversation I was looking forward to between Nesta and the Inner Circle, both acknowledging their wrongs.
* The rare Red star blasting through the sky that rattled Rhys, freaked out Cassian and the Priesstesses is none other than Aelin!.
* Can we talk about the fact that Helion wanted to enter the Night Court in a Golden Chariot led by four white horses with manes of golden fire and Rhys was like no so he settled for a Pegasus still having the best entrance of any character in the book.
* the whole High King situation is a big No No. I love the dynamic of the Seasonal and Solar Courts and that what makes Prythian unique. Making Rhys a High King would ruin that and the fact that each Court is associated with its High Lord's power. I've had it with Rhys being the most powerful high lord in history so I do not need him to be upgraded to a High King especially not with using weapons that are the products of Nesta's power. That's giving Rhys way more power.
* The scene that hit me the most was when Nesta let it all out. I cried because I am familiar with that level of self-loath.
* I cried at the scene when Feyre was giving birth, it was intense and so emotional. Deep down I knew SJM wouldn't just end it here but it did not stop my heart from breaking.
* The aftermath was so precious.
* I do not mind that Nesta lost the power she took from the Cauldron. She will lead the Valkyries whom she revived with her two other friends. She will grow even stronger without relying on powerful magic that makes her a target of other enemies. Her power has been a heavy weight lifted off her shoulders, and she gave them away in the most emotional and beautiful way.
* Unpopular opinion: I have no issues with Azriel's POV because this is the first time we are exposed to his thoughts and he definitely was not OOC. Azriel is not some dark cinnamon roll, he is a deep inner turmoil. I find his notion of love and thoughts of Elain to be unhealthy. He has no experience with love besides the 500 year old unrequited love for Mor which brings me to ask... how come Az would get over Mor, his 500 year old crush just for Elain? They have not even spoken about their feelings. Anyhow, I do believe Azriel to be at a very dark place and it saddens me that many readers disliked him after this. Azriel has always kept to himself, he was never brought into the light, he does not know what love truly is. Having an Archeron sister does not guarantee the happiness his brothers found, this is a very wrong mindset.
* Yes, I've said it before and I'll say it again: Azriel needs a ray of sunshine kind of character and we find that in Gwyn. I think she is perfect for him and there is a reason SJM gave her the spotlight in his POV. Her name literally means happiness, blessing, white, fair while Az's is God is my help and Azrael the Angel of Death. Such a stark contrast, like yin and yang.
* I hope SJM won't use Gwyn, a SA survivor, as a plot-device for Elriel and then discard her that is too cruel.
* Yes, not all Illyrian brothers should end up with every Archeron sister so I'll be rooting for Azriel and Gwyn in the next book.
* Also, many people called Rhys a hypocrite for his actions with Azriel. No, what he did makes sense and he is pulling rank because this is how Rhys asserts his role as High Lord with a responsibility toward his court. Az ignored the Mor question, Az did not express his love or feelings towards Elain only his desire to have her and I'm pretty sure there would've been a different reaction from Rhys if Az told him that he genuinely loves her. With a baby on the way, Rhys won't risk any more conflicts that targets him and his family nor will he risk alliances with the other courts because of Azriel. How many times throughout the books did Rhys ask something of Azriel like to stop spying or not engage in a battle and he refuses until Rhys pulls the High Lord act on him and tells him that's it's an order, people forget how stubborn Azriel can be.
* I appreciate the fact that this book gave us a new perspective to the Inner Circle and their flaws. I still adore them.
I may add points later on, I'm not quite sure I covered everything but I hope I did.
Another note I would add is please be careful with posting spoilers in the comments. Try to be vague about it because it will still show on Goodreads feed to other readers that haven't read the book.
Remember that this is my own personal experience of the book and my own personal opinions that in no way invalidate your own, so please do not invalidate mine if you do not agree with it.
ACOMAF remains at the top but ACOSF managed to take over the second place, I will definitely be rereading it some time in the future.
This is the longest review I have written so far, so thank you for sticking around.
Second Read: 5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It feels like coming home after a long journey.
That is precisely what I feel whenever I read a Sarah J Maas book. While Throne of Glass is my favorite series but ACOTAR is special to me. It helped me during one of the most difficult periods of my life and in particular, ACOMAF.
I have no words to describe the beautiful familiarity of returning to a world you know you have always missed.
I swear I could almost feel the gentle breeze of Velaris caressing me, welcoming me back while knowing that the story will start from a very dark place.
Because this is Nesta's story.
In the beginning
And in the end
There was Darkness
And nothing more.
I will be writing two sections of the review soon:
• a non-spoiler section that will come first
• a spoiler section because I DO need to highlight some points.
---------- Non-spoiler review ----------
Nesta's healing journey was not a smooth one. I did not expect it to be. She clawed her way out of the the darkness that engulfed her ever since she had turned into a Fae.
For her to heal, Nesta had to rip her soul apart to find her self again.
I will tell you that I disliked Nesta so much in the ACOTAR books, I just kept a tight hold on the grudge against her.
But Nesta is not a person that was meant to be liked. She is vicious and her sharpest weapon has always been her tongue. She could inflict a wound so deep with a mere word. But I came to realize Nesta is the most "human" character among all of them. Humanity does not equal good morals necessarily, Nesta is heavily flawed and her flaws are what makes her human.
She is guilt-ridden to the point she allows her guilt to rot within her, poisoning most of the traits that makes her a good person. She carries such a deep disdain towards herself that she acts on it and you often see it in the form of lashing words.
Why does she allow this to happen to her? Because she holds onto one belief:
She deserves it.
When I started seeing Nesta's soul more clearly after she began to tear it open, I felt my soul resonate with hers to the point that I cried.
She was a prisoner in her own head, reliving certain deaths and nightmares that she can no longer see the light in the world. She can no longer see the goodness in her.
It was powerful. It was raw. It was ugly.
It was devastatingly beautiful in a way.
That is what Nesta's healing looked like. She was such a damaged person inside that she gave up on the hope of healing herself.
Does that mean all is forgotten about Nesta's past behavior? About the fact that she hurt and wronged many people? That she at many moments was a horrid person?
The answer is No, and this is what makes Nesta's healing journey so impactful and emotional.
Her trauma after the Cauldron and the War wrapped its adamant chains around her. The devastating war still haunts her and pulls her back from that light at the end of the tunnel where her family await her, a family that are bent on believing that she chose to remain in the darkness.
No one was willing to go deep into the darkness to her and gift her a fragment of light that will guide her steps out.
No one was willing to go as far as to shatter those chains and spare her from that misery.
No one except for Cassian.
Nesta and Cassian's romance was maddening, passionate and wild.
They were feral with each other, they were mad for one another, they were perfect for each other. I expected no less of them.
Sarah J Maas was not kidding when she mentioned that this was the filthiest book she has written so far.
I was very impressed with her writing style, I really enjoy seeing an author's journey throughout the years and how much they grow. Of course, ACOSF comes with its own set of flaws and issues but it does not ruin the overall experience for me.
If it shredded my emotions, if it made me cry, if my heart felt attached to this world after turning the very last page. It deserves a 5-star rating from me regardless of the issues and flaws that I will highlight in the spoiler section.
Not to mention now that I adore Nesta, I adore the person she had become in the end and this is coming from a person that never liked her in the previous books.
A Court of Silver Flames is sexy, emotionally gripping and powerful.
WARNING
I will go into detail about the book in the other section of this review below which will contain MAJOR SPOILERS, so please this is a heads up for those that have not read the books to not continue further unless they are willing to be spoiled.
-------- MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD --------
Spoiler-review:
The following review will be summed up in points because this is the best way to sort my thoughts and make sure I left nothing out.
Yes people I am about to let it all out.
Also, this is my own experience and my opinion should not be treated as a fact. To each of us their own unique reading experiences. I do not want to ruin anyone's experience and I do not want someone to ruin mine.
So, let's get on with it!
* ACOSF's backbone was Nesta and her found family: Gwyn and Emerie. I adore their precious bond and the fact that they are badass female characters whom are also passionate readers of smutty romances. I love that Nesta found other friends outside the IC, they all found something in each other and helped one another heal.
* The House is my new favorite character.
* Unpopular opinion but I am glad to see Rhysand playing the High Lord role. Of course we'd find him to be more broody since we are no longer seeing him from Feyre's perspective, we are seeing him in his true element. I've noticed that a few readers said they didn't like Rhys in this book, well.. Rhysand isn't the epitome of perfection many make him out to be and I appreciate that because he is heavily flawed too and yes I do like Rhysand.
* My heart bursts with so much love for Cassian! He wasn't without flaws too but I finally saw the raw version of him.
* Although I was in no rush to see Feyre's pregnancy, yet it warmed my heart because Feyre deserves that kind of happiness after everything she went through. Of course I cried when she announced that she was pregnant I already suspected it early on.
* It's refreshing to see the Inner Circle from two other perspectives especially Nesta's and their treatment of her as if she was a hopeless case. Not saying that Nesta wasn't at fault here but they too are not cutting her some slack.
* I think in regards to the romance I have a few things I want to address: there were some romantic scenes that felt repetitive from ACOMAF + the intimate scenes were sometimes spicy in a good way and sometimes sloppy with weird descriptions.
* I loved seeing Nesta's growth because it was beautiful and ugly at the same time and you can easily notice the shifting points in her healing.
* I rolled my eyes at the Nessian mating bond, sorry everyone. I let it slip because I grew fond of them both but I do not want the romance to always be attached to some invisible bond. It's supposed to be rare we already had that with Rhys and Feyre.
* The plot did not feel stable, it felt like it went to so many different directions. I was kind of hoping there would be more politics and human queens involved but it's not like I wasn't happy to where it ended up.
* I was missing the open-conversation I was looking forward to between Nesta and the Inner Circle, both acknowledging their wrongs.
* The rare Red star blasting through the sky that rattled Rhys, freaked out Cassian and the Priesstesses is none other than Aelin!.
* Can we talk about the fact that Helion wanted to enter the Night Court in a Golden Chariot led by four white horses with manes of golden fire and Rhys was like no so he settled for a Pegasus still having the best entrance of any character in the book.
* the whole High King situation is a big No No. I love the dynamic of the Seasonal and Solar Courts and that what makes Prythian unique. Making Rhys a High King would ruin that and the fact that each Court is associated with its High Lord's power. I've had it with Rhys being the most powerful high lord in history so I do not need him to be upgraded to a High King especially not with using weapons that are the products of Nesta's power. That's giving Rhys way more power.
* The scene that hit me the most was when Nesta let it all out. I cried because I am familiar with that level of self-loath.
* I cried at the scene when Feyre was giving birth, it was intense and so emotional. Deep down I knew SJM wouldn't just end it here but it did not stop my heart from breaking.
* The aftermath was so precious.
* I do not mind that Nesta lost the power she took from the Cauldron. She will lead the Valkyries whom she revived with her two other friends. She will grow even stronger without relying on powerful magic that makes her a target of other enemies. Her power has been a heavy weight lifted off her shoulders, and she gave them away in the most emotional and beautiful way.
* Unpopular opinion: I have no issues with Azriel's POV because this is the first time we are exposed to his thoughts and he definitely was not OOC. Azriel is not some dark cinnamon roll, he is a deep inner turmoil. I find his notion of love and thoughts of Elain to be unhealthy. He has no experience with love besides the 500 year old unrequited love for Mor which brings me to ask... how come Az would get over Mor, his 500 year old crush just for Elain? They have not even spoken about their feelings. Anyhow, I do believe Azriel to be at a very dark place and it saddens me that many readers disliked him after this. Azriel has always kept to himself, he was never brought into the light, he does not know what love truly is. Having an Archeron sister does not guarantee the happiness his brothers found, this is a very wrong mindset.
* Yes, I've said it before and I'll say it again: Azriel needs a ray of sunshine kind of character and we find that in Gwyn. I think she is perfect for him and there is a reason SJM gave her the spotlight in his POV. Her name literally means happiness, blessing, white, fair while Az's is God is my help and Azrael the Angel of Death. Such a stark contrast, like yin and yang.
* I hope SJM won't use Gwyn, a SA survivor, as a plot-device for Elriel and then discard her that is too cruel.
* Yes, not all Illyrian brothers should end up with every Archeron sister so I'll be rooting for Azriel and Gwyn in the next book.
* Also, many people called Rhys a hypocrite for his actions with Azriel. No, what he did makes sense and he is pulling rank because this is how Rhys asserts his role as High Lord with a responsibility toward his court. Az ignored the Mor question, Az did not express his love or feelings towards Elain only his desire to have her and I'm pretty sure there would've been a different reaction from Rhys if Az told him that he genuinely loves her. With a baby on the way, Rhys won't risk any more conflicts that targets him and his family nor will he risk alliances with the other courts because of Azriel. How many times throughout the books did Rhys ask something of Azriel like to stop spying or not engage in a battle and he refuses until Rhys pulls the High Lord act on him and tells him that's it's an order, people forget how stubborn Azriel can be.
* I appreciate the fact that this book gave us a new perspective to the Inner Circle and their flaws. I still adore them.
I may add points later on, I'm not quite sure I covered everything but I hope I did.
Another note I would add is please be careful with posting spoilers in the comments. Try to be vague about it because it will still show on Goodreads feed to other readers that haven't read the book.
Remember that this is my own personal experience of the book and my own personal opinions that in no way invalidate your own, so please do not invalidate mine if you do not agree with it.
ACOMAF remains at the top but ACOSF managed to take over the second place, I will definitely be rereading it some time in the future.
This is the longest review I have written so far, so thank you for sticking around.