A nightmare, I’d told Tamlin.
I was the nightmare. DISCLAIMER: MILD SPOILERS AHEAD! ADVANCE WITH CAUTION. :) Mac: It took me one all-nighter, one sick day, and a good portion of a Saturday afternoon to finish this 705-pager, and let me tell you... What. A. RIDE. (Also, I got a physical copy on the day it was released and wow. Holding that book in your hands is its own pleasure. It's so, so gorgeous.) Part of the reason why it took me so long to get through this one is that Sarah J. Maas's writing kind of exhausts me. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE her storytelling, her characters, and her brutal plot twists that will sucker-punch you out of nowhere (please refer to every ending of every book she has ever published). But there's just something about the drama of her writing that can be exciting and cinematic at first, but soon grows a little formulaic and just...tiring. Everything is so epic. So sweeping. Like rich food--normally I like to read/eat everything at once, no interruptions, but with this style, even though I enjoy it, I have to spread it out over a few days. But I loved it. I really did. Sarah J. Maas's books are the ideal escapist lit for me, so trust me, I'm not complaining. Everything she writes is ultimately a treat to read, and this one was no exception! The set-up of this book--starting with the conclusion of the last book, A Court of Mist and Fury--is delicious and exciting. So I was a little surprised that the section in Spring Court was relatively short (compared to the heft of the rest of the book). But honestly, the whole time she was in there, I was just waiting for her to FINALLY get back to Rhys and the fam, so I didn't mind too much (read: at all) when that section ended kind of quickly (because that reunion... *fans self*). A major portion of this book dealt with war—the logistics of planning and the reality of hands-on, physical fighting. I thought Sarah J. Maas did an excellent job of not romanticizing war—it was an extremely refreshing take in YA literature to read about a more realistic battle experience. She doesn't shy away from the horrors of war and the little details that make your stomach jump. I think that's what made this book both really strong and really difficult to read, but those scenes and their pacing are definitely some of Maas's best (especially when Mor and Feyre fight their way through the Summer Court city—sickening but so well-paced). And of course to balance all the sadness out there's plenty of Feyre and Rhys, which, you know. Is wonderful. And electric. I loved seeing the deeper exploration into the dynamics of their relationship—the tender side, how the whole High Lady thing works in real life vs. in theory, how they become each other's support and solace during the storm of war. Those dynamics carry through to the rest of the group, too! I loved watching the Night Court fam work through some ages-old issues. The second book was an introduction to these characters, and now we really get a closer look at the strengths and weaknesses they bring out in each other (especially Mor—her character development was fascinating!). And Lucien—WHOA. What? I thought I hated/mildly reviled this guy? Even in the first book I was kind of just bored with his flat character. But I have definitely come around, because the Feyre/Lucien friendship at the beginning of the book (even though, okay, part of it was her setting him up for Tamlin jealousy/drama in order for her to make her daring escape) was one of my favorite parts. Overall... So good, as always. These worlds and the stories Maas spins are irresistible and mind-blowing. Can't wait for the next book! (Seriously though. I can't. One year is way too long!)
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