My Very Spoilery Thoughts on A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

Warning: In addition to loads of spoilers, mature content, and highly inappropriate language, this review includes a whole bunch of opinions that might be offensive to people who really love this series. So read at your own risk! Don’t say I didn’t warn you.


“The black water nipping at her thrashing heels was freezing.”

A Court of Silver Flames, opening line

Well, I read it. 😅 And now my brain is officially scarred for eternity. I mean, with this being a Sarah J. Maas book, I did have certain expectations of what I was getting myself into. I was actually craving something mindless and entertaining, because on Friday, I hit an ultimate coding dead end when my program gave me the following error message:

“polredabs: Warning: MPQS: number too big to be factored with MPQS, giving up.”

You know things are bad when your computer tells you it’s giving up. 🙈 I do have an idea how to get around this, but there’s no guarantee it’s going to be successful and even if it is, it’s going to require a ton of additional work…

Anyway, my thesis frustration put me in the perfect “I’m gonna read smutty books instead of working” mood, so I decided to finally see what all the ACOSF fuss was about. And, like I said, I had expectations. But A Court of Silver Flames surpassed all of them. I didn’t even know it was possible to have so much smut and so little plot in a single book, but here you are. 🤣 🤣 🤣

This book, objectively speaking, was a mess. The story was a mixture of what I’d describe as “Beauty and the Beast meets Twilight meets porn meets The Hunger Games” and had plotholes bigger than the actual plot itself. “Feminist King” Rhysand turns into a power-hungry, control-freaky egomaniac who constantly tells everyone how much sex he is having, lies to his wife about her terminal pregnancy, and threatens to kill off Feyre’s sisters. Women use their powers to magically engorge their birth canals so they can bear their lovely mates more children. (Seriously, I am not making this up!) There’s lots of snarling, growling, and male smiling. A house that loves to read smutty romance books.

Honestly, though? As terrible as this book was, I had a blast reading it. It was absolutely hilarious! 😁😂🤣 I couldn’t stop snorting the entire time I was reading it, so I guess I’m gonna have to give it 2.5 stars. Because entertainment-wise, this book is pure gold…. And since you guys seemed to like this format when I did it for Midnight Sun, I decided to bring it back for this fae porn masterpiece – without further ado, I give you my live reactions to A Court of Silver Flames:


p. 1: First page and we already have two em-dashes, “male”, and “mate”. Why do I keep getting myself into this?

p. 9: Feyre and Rhys have five houses? Good lord, isn’t that a bit over the top? I’m not sure of what to make of this new over-consumerist lifestyle 🙄

p. 13: “the apex of her thighs” – Well, I knew this phrase was going to show up at some point, but I didn’t expect it to be quite so soon…

p. 19: Okay, Feyre and Rhys definitely went overboard with this house. And how bitchy is it to just exclude Nesta from the family portraits?

p. 25ff.: This whole conversation is just ridiculous and extremely belittling. They’re treating Nesta like a toddler! She’s her own person, for goodness’s sake! And are you seriously more worried about the money Nesta spent than her mental well-being, when you have enough wealth to afford five houses?

p. 41: SO MUCH INNUENDO 😳 Even when the book is not about Feyre and Rhys, we apparently have to keep hearing about their amazing sex…

p. 46: So Nesta likes smutty books, huh? I see what you did there, Sarah.

p. 53: The emphasis on the platonicness of Cassian and Mor’s relationship is over the top. We get it, okay?

p. 54: Ditto that.

p. 61: TMI, Rhys.

p. 62: This whole diet control thing is reminding me unfavorably of the ending of Midnight Sun 🤣

p. 68: Do these people never think about anything apart from sex?!

p. 96: 100 steps isn’t really that much, though. Are you seriously telling me Nesta can’t make that?

p. 97: Fae females get their period only twice a year? Heck yeah! I don’t care how painful it gets, I’ll take it! (But only if I don’t have to put up with any snorting/growling males, just saying).

p. 99: “‘Two hundred, counting the ones up,’ she grumbled.” – Nice comeback, Nesta, but I still agree with Cassian that that’s kind of pathetic.

p. 102: And thus, we get the first mention of “toes curling”. I’m sure there’ll be many more, though. (Edit, after reading everything: I was not wrong.)

p. 103: Wow, it took 103 pages for the word “cock” to drop for the first time, I’m proud of your restraint, Sarah. (Edit: Never mind, after reading the whole thing, I take that back. If I have to read about Cassian’s cock rubbing against the seam of his pants one more time, I’m gonna scream.)

Also, I love Azriel. He might be the only at least semi-normal person in the Inner Circle.

p. 110: I like Emerie.

p. 117: Why does the house suddenly have a personality? That’s kind of weird. Also, I can’t help but feel like this was taken directly from that Disney movie… What’s it called again, “Smart House”?

p. 120: How do you get a black eye from falling down the stairs?

p. 122: When did Nesta have the time to count the stairs while she was falling?

p. 126: I knew I liked Azriel.

p. 129: Rhysie? 🤣🤣🤣

Also, this shield he has around Feyre is like that horrible car Edward gave Bella in Breaking Dawn 🙈 Overprotective much?

p. 144: “It wasn’t until she’d vanished down the stairs that he released the breath he’d been holding.” – At least he knew he was holding that breath.

p. 154: Why do I get the feeling that Nesta is eventually going to become a Valkyrie? (Edit: Probably because the foreshadowing in this book has the subtlety of a sledgehammer…)

p. 157: Ugh, yeah, after everything that’s happened in that house, it must be a creepy pervert.

p. 159: How do people in this world know about lactic acid?

p. 183: Just get a room already, will you?

p. 185: Ah yes, post-masturbation awkwardness…

p. 186: Lololol, this conversation is priceless!

p. 188: After 500 years, shouldn’t he be able to hold a plank for more than five minutes, though?

p. 192: Obviously, Rhys, Az, and Cass were the best of the best. It’s not like we should have expected anything else.

p. 193: If I hear “change comes slowly” one more time… Just go ahead and reform your sexist society already, and stop making excuses!

p. 194: Stop speaking on behalf of these women like you understand everything about them, Cassian.

p. 202: Who compares breast sizes with their sister? That’s just plain weird…

p. 207: Why is everyone so bent on “fixing” Nesta? Honestly, I think Nesta is the only member of this family I might actually like.

p. 208: Rhys is really starting to annoy me, too. He wasn’t this awful to Feyre when she had trouble adapting, so why is he suddenly being such an asshole to Nesta? Feminist icon, indeed 🙄

p. 210: Why is Nesta so scared of fire?

p. 214: Slaughtering everyone off is a bit extreme. And here I thought I was starting to like Cassian.

p. 215: This obsessive adoration of Rhysand is not normal. It sounds like Cassian has Stockholm Syndrome.

p. 216: And thus, we get the smut we’ve all been waiting for 😁😂 Also, can I just say that Nesta didn’t tell the house not to watch this time around? Poor house.

p. 220: Ahh, Azriel 😍 And really, Cassian? You think you embarrassed yourself because you didn’t pleasure Nesta? Good lord…

p. 223: More overprotective crap 💩

p. 231: “‘You do not decide what I can and cannot do, Nesta.’” That’s rich, coming from people who literally decided what Nesta can and can’t do.

p. 233: Feyre is so freaking annoying.

p. 234: I agree with the overprotective thing, and gosh, the timing of this pregnancy announcement is awkward as hell.

p. 235: Why the heck are Rhys’s eyes gleaming with pure threat?!? He doesn’t seriously think Nesta would put her niece/nephew in danger, does he? Rhys is seriously starting to annoy me.

p. 236: Yeah, Rhys, sure. I definitely saw Nesta having loads of choices here.

p. 238: Yeah, Feyre, it does kind of seem like you’re using this as leverage to get Nesta to like you. And I’m not believing a thing about that baby’s sex until it’s born. (Edit: Okay, fine. It did actually turn out to be a boy. But they still named him after a female goddess, so my doubts were valid, okay!)

p. 244: “an apex predator” lololololol

p. 246: Ah yes, “a purely male smile”. I’m sure we’re gonna have a lot more of these, too.

p. 250: Gosh, with everyone having super-scent, you never have any privacy, do you?

p. 266: To be honest, I think I’d take the smut over war strategy for bedtime reading as well. (I mean, that’s literally what I’m doing right now, so… 😅)

p. 273: I like Gwyn.

p. 288: Is it really healthy to start having sex every time an important topic is about to come up in your conversations? Shouldn’t you also talk to each other at some point?

Also, there’s no way his cock would fit in your body, Nesta? What, is it the size of a walrus or something??

p. 293: Azriel is possibly the only sane person in this entire series.

p. 297: I’m so happy Nesta actually has friends.

p. 302: As ridiculous as it is, I do love these beginnings of a smutty book club.

p. 304: Rhys is such an asshole. Nesta was already being nicer to Gwyn than he’s probably been his entire life.

p. 311: Yeah, these guys are all huge hypocrites.

p. 317: This whole Merrill business is such unnecessary drama.

p. 318: Nesta is such a good person, compared to all those arrogant High Fae idiots.

p. 322: Poor Nesta… I’m liking her more and more as the book goes on, and getting more and more fed up with Rhys and Feyre 🙄

p. 326: Okay, why do I get the feeling that Rhys is going to be even more horrible now that he knows what Nesta’s power is? I, however, think it’s actually pretty neat.

p. 328: I love how Cassian kept watch by Nesta’s bed.

p. 330: I actually think it’s really neat that the baby has wings! But ooooh – I guess that’s a huge threat to Feyre? Why am I getting Renesmee flashbacks here? 🙈

p. 331: Why shouldn’t anyone tell Feyre? If giving birth is so dangerous, shouldn’t she know about it? Last time I checked, Feyre was the one giving birth to this baby, not Rhys! And plus, I thought they didn’t keep secrets from one another? Rhys is becoming more and more like Tamlin by the second…

p. 336: Okay, this sounds even worse than I imagined. Someone had better tell Feyre ASAP! And I’m guessing it’s gonna be Nesta, who will then make “feminist icon”-and-“I’m in a relationship built on trust” Rhysand even more pissed.

p. 338: Why is everyone more interested in sex than Feyre possibly dying?!

p. 339: Why??? Someone better tell Feyre!

p. 343: At least Feyre isn’t putting up with Rhys’s overprotective nonsense.

p. 344: Now Cassian is making out with Nesta in front of everyone?

p. 345: Wow, everyone seems “so” excited that Nesta is okay…

p. 348: “Mother-henning” is the perfect description for their behavior. Though it might still be a bit too tame.

p. 362: Finally, some plot! I’m all for this kelpie excitement! Though the foreshadowing for this moment was abysmal at best.

p. 369: Now this is pretty epic! You get that kelpie, Nesta!

p. 379: Finally, a bit of concern for Nesta! But what, it took her being useful for people to care?

p. 385: I’m not gonna lie – I’m kind of enjoying this post almost-death reunion.

p. 394: Well, that certainly turned very steamy very quickly…

p. 406: I actually really like these training scenes. There’s something so satisfying about seeing characters get better through hard work.

p. 419: Nesta’s powers are hella cool.

p. 425: Are Rhys and Feyre even capable of having a conversation without tons of sexual innuendo? Even when on official business?

p. 431: Yesss, bring back the Valkyries, Nesta!

p. 445: Seriously? Nesta has this epic power to forge blades and nobody wants to tell her except Cassian and Azriel?! While you literally told Helion, a member of a different court, everything about the Trove? Rhys’s behavior towards Nesta is seriously illogical and just there to further the plot along 🙄

p. 449: Of course the idiots weren’t able to resist picking up the swords, Amren. What did you expect?

p. 450: Why do I get the feeling that Narben’s going to show up again? Good thing they have Nesta’s swords. Also, at least Rhys is still sane enough to not want to be High King! What is this colonialist rubbish??

p. 451: ARE THEY SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING THIS?!? That’s how every other power-hungry maniac justified conquest! Azriel, I would have at least expected you to be more sensible!

p. 452: Umm, I take everything back. Rhys is probably the sanest out of all of these people. Which still isn’t saying much, obviously.

p. 464: Yes, Nesta – Cassian is an old, old dude, and your relationship is plain weird, like all the other ones in these books! But it’s kinda cool Cassian actually knew the Valkyries.

p. 466: Thank god Feyre is at least semi-sensible and wants to tell Nesta about those swords.

p. 467: Ugh, why is Rhys paying Elain flirty compliments now? 🤮

p. 469: Why didn’t Nesta marry this duke guy, then?

p. 467: Yes, Nesta, get mad at these idiots!

p. 478: Uh oh…

9. 479: Why is everyone constantly walking in on each other having sex?!?

p. 482: Yes! Nesta is gonna tell Feyre about the wings, isn’t she? Finally!

p. 483: Poor Feyre. But yeah, Rhys is a douche. And it’s so sad how terrible Nesta feels about this. I mean, sure, she said in in anger to hurt Feyre, but still. Someone needed to tell her! What is wrong with you people?

p. 485: Seriously??? Rhys is considering killing Nesta?!? Yeah, he’s definitely worse than Tamlin.

p. 487: No Nesta, you did NOT do an unforgiveable thing! It’s everyone else here whose moral compass is completely messed up.

p. 488: “Rhysand overreacted. He completely and utterly overreacted.” Umm, you think? Please, Feyre, stand up for your sister! And you’d better stay furious with your oh-so-great mate for a while!

p. 489: Why is Feyre so delighted about her mate being an absolute maniac? Why am I even reading this? 🙈

p. 491: This is just cruel, plain and simple. Why do all the women in SJM’s books fall for these sadist, hyper-sexual maniacs?

p. 493: “Cassian knew that Nesta often hated herself.” Yeah, so why are you being so cruel to her, then?? I thought you were supposed to be in love with her!

p. 498: Well, maybe you shouldn’t have treated her this horribly…

p. 499: “Instinct bellowed at him to wrap himself around her, to comfort and soothe, but another voice, and ancient and wise voice, whispered to keep going.” Wise voice, indeed. This is abuse, Cassian!!

p. 501: Of course you count, Nesta! And it’s time you hung out with people who made you see that!

p. 506: This speech was very nice and all, Cassian, but why did you nearly let Nesta kill herself and be extremely unkind to her before having it?

p. 513: Of course they started “fucking like animals on the shore” immediately when this conversation was over. Should I even have expected anything else?

p. 518: Also, why are these couples so into absolute dirty talk?

p. 519: This really isn’t the healthiest relationship.

p. 526: I love music in books, but of course, here it was only used as a plot device so that Nesta could figure out where the harp is. Why couldn’t her relationship with music have been explored in more depth, huh?

p. 529: Yeah, I’m shocked Rhys gave her the sword, too.

p. 542: “Based upon scent alone, I would say that you two are—“  …mates? I mean, god forbid anyone be in an intimate relationship without being mated in this series. Even though mates are supposed to be really rare and all.

p. 544: Plucking random strings on this harp sounds like a terrible idea… But I guess they’re already in tons of trouble anyway, so sure, why not?

p. 547: I want to know what ‘Ataraxia’ means! I’m guessing it’s not “Killer”, though.

p. 548: Ugh, now Nesta’s having sex visions with Lanthys? Though yeah, of course Cassian is the better lover. Thanks for reminding us.

p. 550: Of course she intuitively knows how to use the harp. That makes total sense 🙄

p. 552: I guess Feyre’s ability to mind speak had to come in useful at some point.

p. 556: So Cassian’s biggest concern with all this is that Lanthys tried to seduce Nesta? Remind me again why he has an integral position in Rhys’s government?

p. 558: WHAT?! Rhys wants Nesta to seduce Eris? WTF is wrong with him?! He of all people should know what it’s like to be used that way!

p. 559: Yeah, you wouldn’t let Feyre near him, so why should Nesta be any different? And Feyre, stop excusing Rhys’s horrible behavior! This is Tamlin all over again!

But hahahahaha, Nesta’s reason for agreeing to this is priceless 🤣

p. 563: Stop being so embarrassed of your former house! Just because Rhys has five enchanted palaces, it doesn’t mean that’s normal!

p. 568: You mark my words, Cassian is eventually going to stay and hold Nesta after the sex. It’s gonna be the big moment in this relationship.

p. 571: So I guess Mor is going to be paired up with Emerie now? I mean, some on page representation of an LGBTQ+ relationship is long overdue, but why do all these people have to be paired up with one another??

p. 573: Aww, that’s such a sweet present! Chapter 21 though? That’s so specific that I’m wondering whether there’s some kind of innuendo I’m missing here. Maybe I should go back and check SJM’s other books, just to see whether there was a particularly smutty scene in Chapter 21 in one of them…

p. 575: Nesta sitting by that fire has me so proud. Though I do think it’s kind of odd that only fires would trigger her like this. What about twigs snapping when she went on walks outside? Or other cracking noises?

p. 577: I’m so confused. What trauma could the house have? Other than having to watch tons of “hard fucking”, that is.

p. 579: These two have some serious communication issues.

p. 582: I’ll have to agree with Cassian here. If a dance is all it takes to secure and alliance, Prythian is in more trouble than I originally thought.

p. 583: “The dagger Nesta had Made. Cassian refrained from whirling on Rhys and Feyre, demanding to know what the hell they were thinking.” Yeah, seriously! Are they insane?

p. 590: Why was this so easy? These “males” seriously don’t think with their brains at all, but with a certain other body part I’m going to refrain from mentioning here. Also, Cassian is beyond dumb.

p. 593: “What?!” Yeah, what?! Please tell me Rhys isn’t really going to let Eris believe he might give Nesta to him as a wife 😳😤 And how did he fall in love with her during one dance??? This is beyond ridiculous!

p. 594: Have they even thought ahead as to what will happen with their alliance if they eventually refuse Eris’s request? This dance was the dumbest plan ever.

p. 599: Ah yes, a way for Mor to spend mor(e) time with Emerie… Also, is anyone noticing that everyone is avoiding important conversations in this book? Just talk to each other instead of constantly fucking one another for a change, will you? (Edit: And no, I’m not using bad language here – didn’t you read the chapter where Sarah thoroughly explained the difference between “fucking” and “love-making”?)

p. 602: I really like Azriel, even though yes, the High King idea was really stupid. (And, in all honesty, I think Nesta and Azriel would be much better suited for one another than Nesta and Cassian. At least they actually talk to each other. But I hate love triangles, so please don’t go down this route, Sarah!)

p. 605: Ah yes, more convenient modern technology disguised under a different name. And I bet they’re gonna end up waltzing to this at some point.

p. 606: I mean, you’re way too good for Cassian, Nesta, but if you want him, stop pushing him away and standing in your own way!

p. 607: Oh, thank god they’re finally talking to one another! Though my hopes of this lasting long are severely slim. I’m sure the sex will start in a page at the latest.

p. 608: I was so right.

p. 609: I thought growling “you’re mine” at each other was Feyre and Rhys’s thing… But apparently not.

p. 611: It was so obvious that Cassian was going to stay this time.

p. 614: This sounds like you have a sex addiction. Which is probably true for all the people in this series.

p. 616: Okay, this is getting kind of over the top. But I’ve been feeling like I’m reading fan fiction for a while now, so I guess it’s fine.

p. 619: This friendship between Nesta, Gwyn and Emerie, and Azriel, are quite possibly the only two things about this book I don’t find utterly ridiculous.

p. 622: I do like that they’re Valkyrie now, but still think it’s kind of unbelievable that they learned the necessary skills in so little time. I mean, Nesta couldn’t even manage walking down 100 steps a few months ago…

p. 626: Again, this is pretty epic, but how did they manage this that quickly?

p. 632: Nesta Made the house? I wasn’t expecting that at all, but I kind of like it! And I guess fixes consistency issues with the original trilogy.

p. 634: It’s already spring? Sheesh, how long has Feyre been pregnant, then? Shouldn’t this baby have been born, like, half a year ago? And two months more?? How long are Fae pregnancies?

p. 639: What are they doing?? This is not how you treat allies!! These people are political doofuses.

p. 642: Of course 🙈 I knew this mate thing was coming, but I still think it’s dumb. Also, Cassian, “shackled”? Really?

p. 644: Okay, something is definitely gonna happen before “tomorrow”, there’s no way Sarah is going to resolve this drama that easily.

p. 647: It’s just the Blood Rite? Sheesh, I thought it’d be something way more dramatic than that. Also, don’t they get a say in whether they want to take it or not?

p. 654: Ah yes, let the 500-something-th Hunger Games begin…

p. 655: What an idiotic bargain 🙈🙄

p. 656: I’m glad the others agree. Seriously, are they insane! This is not romantic, but egoistic! Why not let the other person have a life after one of you is dead?

p. 658: What kind of idiotic ritual is this? Seriously, all these people are nuts!

p. 662: Of course the charms are beacons.

p. 666: Scratch that, this isn’t the Hunger Games, but “The Hunger Games – heavily sexualized, without anyone feeling any horror at the killings”. Also, can someone please explain why they are killing each other in the first place?

p. 672: At least there is one sane person among these Illyrian warriors. And dumb question, but why doesn’t everyone just work together and touch that mountaintop? It’s not like there’s a limit on how many people are allowed to do it, right?

p. 678: Aren’t there any normal, decent Illyrians?

p. 682: This is all awfully convenient. And none of them care that they just led a whole bunch of people to their deaths??

p. 685: It’s just plain recklessness to take the hardest path when there are also other ones… This just makes me think Rhys and his cronies are even more stupid than I already do.

p. 686: Why not just work together, you idiots? Also, I just find it totally unbelievable that Nesta and her companions would be so much better at fighting than Illyrian warriors who’ve trained for this their whole lives.

p. 690: Feyre letting Nesta hold a bow once is supposed to have made her an expert? Even I have shot a bow before, and trust me, I would not be able to do this.

p. 696: Gosh, poor Gwyn! And poor Emerie! Although I can’t help but feel as though parts of their life are being used for shock value, which I don’t particularly like. Couldn’t these tragic backstories have been explored with more nuance and depth?

p. 701: So Bellius and his friends made it to the mountain, too, when only twelve people in history have? Sure, sounds logical.

p. 702: Wow, how long has Eris been possessed?

p. 708: I still think it’s dumb that Nesta didn’t just go with her friends. Or try to make an alliance with Bellius and company… I mean, would they really not have made it? I do like her sacrifice, though. Although I kind of suspect SJM of finding some way of making Nesta reach the peak anyway. (Edit: Wow, she actually didn’t! This has got to be a first – I mean, how can a SJM protagonist not be the absolute best at everything and have everybody know it? 😯)

p. 709: Finally, we get to know what Ataraxia means! And I approve of this name. It’s certainly way better than any of the suggestions they made earlier.

p. 716: Of course Nesta would call Cassian her mate for the first time in some dramatic moment like this.

p. 718: Wait, what?! Oh. Oooh. Of course Briallyn would have found some way to possess Cassian.

p. 721: Eris really isn’t that bad.

p. 723: Nesta loved Cassian when she first laid eyes on him? Yeah, right. I didn’t see much evidence of that.

p. 724: I am so sure Cassian isn’t dead. SJM has yet to manage to kill of an important character. Though if he is dead, I like Azriel more anyway.

p. 726: Yeah, he’s not dead.

p. 728: Wait, but what about Emerie and Gwyn?

p. 729: Of course there’s no way SJM is gonna let Feyre, Rhys or that baby die. I’m not worried. In fact, Nesta is probably gonna use her fancy powers to save them, to make the family happy once and for all 🤮

p. 731: Yup, Nesta is going to save them. I said so, didn’t I?

p. 735: She’s giving up her powers for Feyre and the baby? I mean, I probably would, too, but this is kind of disappointing… You’d better stay a Valkyrie anyway and keep that sword, Nesta!

Also, Rhys offered her kindness?? Puhleez!

p. 737: The Cauldron let Nesta keep some of its power? I mean, of course it did. God forbid we have a protagonist who is anything close to ordinary. Your mark my words, Nesta’s going to do something of epic scope with her “faded” powers somewhere in the rest of this series.

Also, Feyre has Illyrian anatomy now? So she can have more babies in the future? Seriously, Nesta? You had time to figure out the logistics of this? 🤣🤣

p. 738: I’m still furious at Rhys for only liking Nesta now.

p. 741: They named their baby boy after the ancient Greek goddess of night? Sure, I can live with that 🤣

p. 742: Buahahahahahaha – Nesta also changed her own anatomy for childbearing? This is hilarious! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I mean, every woman’s ultimate goal in life should be motherhood and housewife-dom, right? Of course that would have been the first thing Nesta thought of while her sister was in mortal peril.

p. 743: The stale biscuit sounds like the better option.

p. 747: I like Eris. Stop being such a dick to him, Cassian.

p. 749: Rhys got upset about Nesta spending too much money on food and now he’s buying her tons of useless ornate presents?

And of course, they got the house, too.

p. 751: At least it ends with the three sisters and not Cassian pleasuring Nesta against a wall or something…


So yeah, that was it for today! I hope you had fun reading this, and if you’ve read A Court of Silver Flames, do tell me what you thought of it! Did you think it was as ridiculously funny as I did? Did you like Nesta? What are your opinions on Rhys’s new personality? I would love to know!

Other than that, I’ll see you on Friday to tell you about the rest of the rest of the books I read in May. Spoiler alert: I thought all of them were a lot better than this one 😅😂

36 thoughts on “My Very Spoilery Thoughts on A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

    • abookowlscorner says:

      I mean, I’ve never read “Fifty Shades of Grey”, but from what I’ve heard, that sounds like a very accurate description 🤣🤣🤣 And the names in this series seem to have been taken from multiple sources, so I wouldn’t put it past her to have taken inspiration from The Golden Compass…

      Like

    • Kitty says:

      Azriel is the name of an angel in certain spiritual Judaic texts. AzraEL is the angel of death in Islam, and it’s the popculture name for the Christian angel of death.
      Azriel is also the name of a man in the Bible–one who is part of the tribe of Manasseh.
      I think it’s safe to say that neither Pullman nor Maas came up with it. She made it famous, but she didn’t come up with it.

      Liked by 2 people

      • abookowlscorner says:

        Well, I wouldn’t necessarily say Sarah J. Maas made the name famous, either – there’s actually quite a few books and TV shows that use it, probably taking inspiration from those spiritual texts. But the mythology behind her books is so mixed and jumbled that I couldn’t say where she first heard the name and took her inspiration from! 🤔

        Like

  1. samfsm says:

    It was so cringe, I have read romance books with less smut than this. Also, the whole premise screams Dark Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop without any of the likeable elements. Love this reviee!

    Liked by 1 person

    • abookowlscorner says:

      I think basically everything I’ve ever read in my life had less smut than this 😅🤣🤣 And I’ve never read anything by Anne Bishop, so I couldn’t say how similar the premises are… But judging by how much this book screamed “Twilight” and “Hunger Games” at times, I wouldn’t be too surprised if it had loads of similarities to other series as well 😅 I’m glad you enjoyed my ranting, though 😁

      Liked by 1 person

    • abookowlscorner says:

      It was one of the cringiest and most hilarious things I’ve ever read in my life, so probably? 😅😂 And yeah, this book mashes together just about every type of mythology imagineable… We have Irish, Central European, and Ancient Greek and Roman influences, so why not add Norse to that melting pot as well? 🤷‍♀️😂

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Line says:

    Since I don’t plan on reading this book, I felt I could safely read this. Now I’m sort of appalled but also highly entertained 😂 Appalled by the apparent contents of the book (seriously, WHAT?!?) but entertained by your comments. I think it’s amazing you can read something like this and just laugh at it 😄

    I’m also glad I read this post so that I now know about your program “giving up” 😂😂 Gotta appreciate the honesty. Still, as funny as it is, I hope you find a solution that doesn’t require too much work.

    Liked by 1 person

    • abookowlscorner says:

      Yeah, I wouldn’t have recommended you read it, either 😅 I now have images in my mind that I could have lived without quite contentedly for the rest of my life, and I’m not sure I would even have read it if I had known just how smutty it was going to be 🙈 But it was just so bad and ridiculous that I couldn’t help but think it was absolutely hilarious 😂 And now that I’ve posted my own review, I’ve gone on Goodreads to see what other people thought and have discovered a true treasure trove of one-star reviews and people trying to defend this book in their comments. It’s even better than the book itself! 😂

      And yes, I truly appreciate the sadistic humor of the person who took the time to write the programming language’s error notifications and make them seem so human and relatable 😂 Although I really hope the problem will be easier to solve than I currently think!

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Riddhi B. says:

    Hmm I havent read this book yet, so I didnt see the entire review, but I can see you hated it- as you did ToG. Well, I think except for HP and PJO, we have opposite book tastes😂😂😂

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Nefeli says:

    I haven’t read this book and, to be honest, I don’t plan to, but I read this whole post out of sheer curiosity as to where the story has gone. This post was a rollercoaster and I think it killed all three of my remaining brain cells 😂. It was a nice reminder why I’m not interested in picking up any Sarah J.Maas book again, though.

    I don’t know what explanation the book gave for “Ataraxia” or in what context it was used, but I hope they didn’t butcher its meaning (it’s calmness in greek). Also, please tell me they didn’t name their baby boy Nyx, I’m dying 😂😂

    Liked by 1 person

    • abookowlscorner says:

      Hahaha, I’m glad I managed to tranfer at least part of this very “unique” reading experience to you while saving you from having to read the actual book to satisfy your curiosity 😂 (Trust me, if this review killed all your remaining brain cells, then I must have a negative amount left after reading everything in its 751-page glory 😅)

      And Ataraxia is the name of Nesta’s super-powerful magical sword that she butchers quite a few things with, so I’m not sure what your reaction should be 😂 But she translated it with “inner peace”, so at least it’s kind of close, right? (Why do I have the feeling Sarah J. Maas just comes up with profoundly deep sounding phrases in English and then puts them into a random languages using google translate when naming things in her books? 🤔) And the Nyx part had me in tears, too 🤣🤣 I mean, maybe he’ll turn out to be transgender and this is foreshadowing, but seeing that it’s a Sarah J. Maas book, I highly doubt it.

      Like

  5. Mikisoq Qvist Knudsen says:

    This series is pretty tame, after having read so many spicy books.
    I relate to Nesta a lot and I have mostly been through what she went through emotionally.
    Its not that bad, just some of the logics are crazy.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Jess says:

    I absolutely LOVED reading your page by page comments and resonated with lots of them! However, the second half of the book really got me hooked, like you said- it was super entertaining. I was also snorting and cracking up at some of the insane smuttiness happening. I listened to it on audiobook which made it 10000 times more funny. The narrator WAY over dramatized those scenes and honestly made me SO uncomfortable it was hilarious. Once the blood rite started, I couldn’t stop reading until the end. I found Netsa’s arc to be really realistic in representing how PTSD can impact people in different ways. At first, I didn’t like her, but learning more about who she is makes all those past behaviors make so much sense and I really admired how she came into being herself and overcame some of the deeply rooted patterns of thinking. Not sure I love Cassian for her either… and I also agree.. Rhys and Feyre’s personalities seem VERY different in this book compared to all the others.
    AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. Rhys and his circle need to put an end to the abusive, sexist, oppressive culture of the Illyrians. He’s the high lord for god sake. What he says, GOES. No more „change is slow“. Change is fast if the only other option is being turned to mist by Rhys.
    Overall, I still recommend this book to anyone who wants the closure of finishing the series (I heard there’s to be 2 more Nesta-centric books to finish the ACOTAR storyline). Although, they’ve got to go into it with low expectations and kind of trust that Rhys and Feyre’s behavior is a result of some of their own PTSD or something…. idk I think if you go in with low expectations and anticipate some ridiculousness… it’s entertaining as hell and helps complete parts of the story as well as set up for the next 2 books.
    Question for you or anyone else in the comments: What fantasy series would you recommend if I like the general premise of ACOTAR? I enjoy the smut, but I prefer it a little more realistic and less „he could barely fit inside me/he exploded with a roar as we both shattered in pleasure“ hahaha. I love twists and the brave, powerful female hero’s journey trope.

    Liked by 1 person

    • abookowlscorner says:

      Haha, thank you! 😁 Reading ACOSF was definitely a weird mixture of entertainment and snorting for me, too! I can’t even imagine listening to this on audiobook – I would’ve been terrified of my headphones malfunctioning, someone accidentally walking in on a particularly smutty scene, and them never letting me hear the end of it! (I think I was staying at my parents’ house at the time I wrote this? 🤔 I guess I’m fine with plastering my opinions on this book for the whole world to see on the internet, but not with having to hear horrible dad jokes about Cassian pleasuring Nesta until her toes curl… 🤣)

      PREACH ON THE RHYS THING! His patriarchal “change is slow” nonsense seriously had me wanting to shake some sense into him, and I really hope you’re right that future books are at least going to show him and Feyre having some kind of arc there! Nesta was actually my favorite character right from the get go, just because she openly defied some of this rubbish and because I couldn’t help but feel what she was going through. I agree, some of the PTSD scenes really hit hard!

      HAHAHAHA, your descriptions of the ACOTAR sex scenes have me cackling all over again! 🤣 That’s EXACTLY how they’re written! And hmmm – it’s actually pretty hard to think of a book with a similar premise to ACOTAR. The only other “Beauty and the Beast”-style retelling I remember actually liking was “A Curse So Dark and Lonely”, but that series goes totally off the rails after the first book and makes ACOSF look like a literary masterpiece with superb plotting and character development 😅 If you like brave heroines with hero’s journeys, you might enjoy The Winner’s Curse trilogy by Marie Rutkoski, the Graceling series by Kristin Cashore, the Song of the Lioness Quartett by Tamora Pierce, or the Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden (All are among my own favorites and although there’s a little bit of smut, I’d say it’s way more realistic than all the fae shattering that goes on in ACOTAR…) or the Seven Realms Series by Cinda Williams Chima (This is YA, so the smut is mostly off-page, but Raisa is a really cool protagonist!) Also, the Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb has some of the best female protagonists and twists ever, but it’s part of a bigger overarching series, which means you’ll miss out on a lot of connections if you read it as a standalone… And have you read “Sorcery of Thorns” by Margaret Rogerson? I loved that one, and most ACOTAR fans seem to, too 😄 Anyway, that’s all I can currently think of, but I’ll let you know if I come up with anything better!

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      • Anonymous says:

        The Black Witch Books by Laurie Forest have a lot going for them.

        Your reactions were amusing. The draw for me in this book was the journey of trauma recovery and how we often turn to things that harm us to cope. I loved the training/friendship element that came from Nesta’s warrior arc. Her defeating the Kelpie (though I swear those are Irish monsters and quite different) was a satisfying victory.

        I don’t get how an old immortal and a 20 something girl can have a centered relationship, but I guess it’s just what is expected from what I hope is the end of Patriarchy,(though the cultural backlash is frightening).

        Maas understands that many of us thirst for female empowerment with quick resolutions over dangerous opponents. Her sex scenes appeal to the ancient part of the brain and sell 40 million copies and throw back to the narrative that women need a strong, ancient man to be satisfied. I wonder how stories will change as this (hopefully) evolves.

        Thanks for sharing your post.

        Liked by 1 person

        • abookowlscorner says:

          I’ve never even heard of those, so I’ll have to check them out! Thanks for the recommendation! 🤗

          And I’m glad you had fun with my reactions! Now that you mention it, I think Nesta overcoming her trauma was my favorite part of the book, too – which only made me more annoyed when there was so much more focus on the smut instead. Maybe my more primal ancient part of the brain needs a bit more development before I fully come to appreciate scenes like that? 😅 I just wanted more communication in addition to the smut – that was something I’d actually really appreciated about ACOMAF, so I was really disappointed that, instead of also including it here, Maas undermined her ACOMAF development by turning Rhysand into a control-freaky sex addict 🙄 So yeah, hopefully there’s some better big picture coming that I’m just not seeing yet!

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  7. Anonymous says:

    The way, I am hate reading this series, at the moment, only read to the part in at. I don’t get how people don’t see that Rhys is worse than tamlin.

    Liked by 1 person

    • abookowlscorner says:

      Haha, I wish you loads of strength as you persevere on!! 😂 Although I don’t necessarily think Rhys is worse than Tamlin – it’s more like the only male characters Sarah J. Maas can only write are growling, domineering, super-hot hunks, so it’s no wonder Rhys is basically Tamlin all over again 😬

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  8. Anonymous says:

    Going to be honest I stopped reading this book- I can’t read about Nestas bad attitude for 200-300 pages to get to a point where she’s better. 🤷🏾‍♀️ I might be in the minority here but I would have preferred Elain and Lucian even Mors story than this one with Nesta. She has been the same horrible character since the first book. I am truly disappointed but glad I read your summery and at least all of my favorites live. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    • abookowlscorner says:

      Haha, I actually thought Nesta’s character was one of the more interesting things about the book! At least there was a bit of conflict and development there, whereas the rest of the “plot” was mainly smut 😂 But I can see where you’re coming from and am sorry this didn’t live up to your expectations!

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