A Court of Mist and Fury (reread review/mushy rambles) — Sarah J. Maas

“To the people who look at the stars and wish, Rhys.”
Rhys clinked his glass against mine. “To the stars who listen— and the dreams that are answered.”

I’ve read this book from start to finish 4 times now, not including the many, many times I’ve randomly grabbed it from my shelf and flipped to some of my favorite scenes — which usually ends in me devouring 100 pages before it goes back on the shelf, if we’re being honest — and I feel confident now in calling this my favorite book of all time. It’s beautiful, and rich, and slow-burning, and swoon-worthy, and steamy, and suspenseful, and everything I wanted it to be plus so much more. My original review was from when I had barely begun my time as a book blogger and frankly, it was a hot mess, so I finally decided to re-write it and hopefully put my feelings into words a bit more fitting. Very minor spoilers ahead!

Death incarnate. Night triumphant.

I’m such a sucker for these damn characters. I genuinely love them all so much, and I swear, not a day has passed over the 3 years or so since I first read this that the Inner Circle hasn’t crossed my mind at least once. I’m just trash for these messy, fierce, loving, playful little souls and how much they adore one another. Honestly, if I could pick any fictional characters of all time to make real and to spend time with, it would be these (especially Cassian!). I adore the found family trope and this is easily my favorite depiction of it. The lengths these guys would go to in order to protect one another? *dreamy sigh*

No one was my master — but I might be master of everything, if I wished. If I dared.

Of course, if we’re talking characters and development here, I can’t possibly leave out Feyre, who I’ve always felt shifted from fairly obnoxious in the first book to ridiculously lovable in this installment. Her PTSD rep is something that resonated so strongly with me the first time I read this book, and has never stopped resonating with me. The guilt she feels after leaving a toxic and abusive relationship, despite knowing in her core that she deserves better? Yeah, Feyre, I’ve been there — and it’s hard to put into words, but somehow, SJM did it perfectly (for me). I just adore watching Feyre grow and come into her own, and the fact that while her support system helps her so much in recognizing her own strength, at the end of the day, she’s capable of standing on her own and she’s willing to do what it takes to protect herself and her loved ones. Whether it’s her sisters (who I tolerate more with each passing reread, which has shocked me to no end) or the Inner Circle, she’s a tiger waiting to pounce on anyone who so much as looks at them wrong, and as someone who is also immensely protective over my loved ones, I never get tired of her justified rage.

“There are different kinds of darkness. There is the darkness that frightens, the darkness that soothes, the darkness that is resentful. There is the darkness of lovers, and the darkness of assassins. It becomes what the bearer wishes it to be, needs it to be. It is not wholly bad or good.”

I know nearly every 5-star review in existence of this book gushes about Rhys, because I think nearly every major fan of this series adores him, so I won’t wax on too long, but I couldn’t leave him out. Something in him, and the way he never quite believes he deserves happiness, and the sacrifices he makes over and over again to protect his friends… sigh. I cherish him so much, and he makes me so damn emotional. I’m fully aware that he isn’t perfect and I would never say that he is, but he’s genuinely one of my favorite love interests ever written, and most of that honestly is chalked up to how in awe of Feyre he is, and how utterly capable he recognizes her as. He doesn’t try to cage her in or talk her down; every time she’s off on some near-disastrous mission, Rhys is more than content to simply watch and clap from the sidelines and let her take the spotlight. I love it. We need more of this in fictional couples, honestly.

“I am broken and healing, but every piece of my heart belongs to you.”

Finally, the world and writing in A Court of Mist and Fury is something I never tire of. I love the world of Prythian, I love the fae and the creatures and the lore and the history. I love the gossipy Suriel and the terrifying Amren and the honest Morrigan, the Illyrian war bands and the seasonal courts and just all of it. I could get lost in this world for ages and I hope I always feel that way — because this last reread reminded me that coming back to the world of the Court series still feels just like coming home.

violence, emotional/verbal/physical abuse, death, discussions of rape

Feyre and Rhysand — PTSD; Mor — bisexual; Tarquin & Summer court side characters — Black

If you haven’t read this series, or stopped after book 1, I would beg you to continue on to this installment as it is absolutely wonderful and my favorite book of all time.
WOULD I RECOMMEND IT? Yes!

— destiny ♥

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