This was compulsively readable, and it is by far the most I’ve ever enjoyed anything Sarah J. Maas has written (previously that dubious honor went to the third Throne of Glass book, which now that I come to think of it, this book is very similar to). Her writing style continues to work much better in the first person, and I was actually super impressed at how this book basically dismantles everything you thought you knew about the first book. I find it ballsy of her to just completely write off a romantic hero she spent an entire book building up, but in hindsight, there were red flags with Tamlin, and her pointing them out is super helpful and awesome, not to mention actually getting to see Feyre recover and work through her trauma. I’m just really into it.
It’s been over a month since I read this, so this is going to be more vague than I’d like it to be.
Feyre is completely traumatized by the events of the first book, in particular being forced to kill two innocent fae. Tamlin takes her home and begins preparing for their wedding, but all the while he becomes slowly more controlling, ignoring how Feyre is getting worse, having panic attacks. When she attempts to communicate what she needs, as far as she is able (bc traumatized), he ignores her and asserts further control. Add in to this mix the prep for her wedding, which seems to be pointing her towards a life that feels more like a prison, and Rhysand finally calling in their bargain for her to spend one week a month with him, and Feyre is *on edge*. The first hundred or so pages of this book are rough. I couldn’t believe how she really went for it.
I also really dig Rhysand. I think it’s a fun idea that she managed to pull off, taking the “bad guy” and having the heroine build a healthy emotional bond with him, built on trust, respect, and open communication (well, for the most part — spoilers). And having the seemingly perfect, good guy turn out to be sort of emotionally rotten. The worldbuilding here was fun, too. I liked all the side characters, and Rhysand’s kingdom, and Feyre getting to see way more of what’s actually going on in the world than what she saw locked up in Tamlin’s house.
One thing about SJM is that she certainly isn’t afraid of sudden reversals or changing the direction of a story. In Throne of Glass, I didn’t appreciate it because it was so erratic, and even if it wasn’t, it seemed like the story would be firmly headed in one direction, and then she would change her mind and it would be something else. It was messy as hell, and not written by somebody in control of her writing. But here, the reversal felt earned, and it was clearly meant from the beginning, with hints all throughout the first book of what was really going on with Rhysand, and hints of Tamlin’s badness. (Not that he’s all bad! I really liked also that Feyre was able to see that what she and Tamlin used to have helped her at the time, and that they did at one point have a true connection that was what she needed at the time.)
Starting the last book as soon as I click “Publish” on this sucker. Wanted to make sure I got this review out first.
[4.5 stars]