The Huntress and the Beast

Heart-wrenching, Steamy, and Vicious

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Genre: New Adult

Book information: Paperback, 448 pages, published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens, Copyright 2015.

·         ISBN 13: 9781619635180

Trilogy Information: Book #1 A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Book #2 is titled A Court of Mist and Fury.

Book #3 is titled A Court of Wings and Ruin.

Setting: Prythian, a Faerie city. Timeline unknown, but there is a medieval feel to it.

Summary:  Since the treaty that separated the human and fairie worlds, the two worlds have rarely crossed paths. The damage caused prior to that treaty was enough for the humans to not forget how they once suffered. One day, as Feyre is out hunting for food for her starving family, close to the wall that divided their lands, she comes across a wolf that doesn’t seem to be of her world. Desperate to feed her family, she kills the wolf to sell the hide, only to later find out that the creature she killed was not a wolf, but a fairie. Feyre is then swept away to the fairie world of Prythian, to fulfill the demands of the treaty separating their worlds over 500 years ago. Feyre does her best to adapt to the new magical world, but she is worried about the family that gravely counted on her to survive. After finally accepting her fate, Feyre does her best to adjust to her new life, only to find that her new life in Prythian may be short lived. There is a blight on Prythian that seems to be affecting the magic in their lands, possibly leading to utter destruction. If Prythian falls, the human world across the wall may fall with it. Feyre, wanting to save both her old world and the new one she has come to appreciate, finds herself to be the only person in both worlds that might be able to break the curse.

Elements of New Adult

Pace: Intensifying. Typical of books with a fantasy theme, the beginning of the book is largely setting up the world in which the novel is going to take place. However, Maas carefully does that as the story builds, so the more into the story you get, the more details are revealed. This story is also full of action, getting you hooked into those sections were multiple chapters are just mere minutes of the story.

Frame: A Court of Thorns and Roses has more of the frame of a fantasy book than a new adult book. World building is a huge part of the story, but it still has the new adult themes that lie within it. Feyre still must face life altering decisions that transpire no matter what world the novel is set in.

Storyline: Maas’s novel is not your traditional fantasy where there is a clear good and bad. In this novel, the lines are constantly blurred, making the reader unsure on who the character should trust. Since Feyre is already confused about her own life, figuring out who is good and bad is just as confusing to her as trying to figure out herself.

Characterization: Feyre fits in the age group of new adult novels, being 19 at the start of the story. Feyre and a very well-developed character, where she grows as the story grows. Feyre is faced with many difficult decisions for the first time in her life, such as moving away from home, relationships, and her own personal happiness.

Tone: The tone of the book varies as Feyre deals with the new struggles she has encountered. Feyre is mostly trying to find herself, her identity, and who she wants to be in a world where she doesn’t have to be a provider for her family. She finally gets to do the things that she never had the chance to do, like love and paint. She struggles with the depression and guilt of leaving her family behind, as well as the confusion of how she wants to move forward to pursue what brings her joy. A very common theme and tone to new adult novels.   

Style: The book may have many fantasy elements to it, but it reads more like a romance than a fantasy. Romance is not the over arching theme, even though it is heavily present. The style of the book is easy to read and filled with emotional tension. Common in new adult novels.

Appeal: This book has a “Beauty and the Beast” overtone to it, which can strongly appeal to traditional fantasy readers, romance readers, and readers that like strong female leads. However, this novel strongly hits that new adult genre theme of coming to age, discovering oneself, and deciding what kind of future they want to live. Tamlin is a stunningly similar faerie version of the “Beast”, but Feyre doesn’t quite fit the character of beauty, giving it a fun spin on the traditional story. Feyre still has some qualities of the traditional “beauty”, but she is also huntress, so the lure of beauty is not of much importance to her. She relies on more basic instincts to make her decisions, which leads her down a path she can’t return from. She is bold, adventurous, and careful, everything a skilled huntress needs, but also the skills a human needs to survive in a faerie world. Lastly, this book could be a stand alone novel even though it is part of a series. The book ends on a high enough note that you can take it and leave it, or continue in the world of Prythian.    

3 Read-a-likes

1.) Tithe by Holly Black

2.) All that Glows by Ryan Graudin

3.) A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (Book #2 in the trilogy)