Edit: As much as I loved the romance and smut in the book, I don’t understand how it won in the Fantasy category. It’s so unfair to the other books Edit: As much as I loved the romance and smut in the book, I don’t understand how it won in the Fantasy category. It’s so unfair to the other books :((
Quick Warning: Have an aspirin handy because what goes down in this book will mess with your heart.
Reading this book felt like having a cold breeze brush my face after being out in the hot sun; of honey-ginger tea making its way down my sore throat. It gave me an adrenaline rush I don't think even confronting a Polar Bear would've given me.
This book was definitely flawed and I wasn’t a huge fan of the plot (if there was one). Nesta and Cassian’s relationship however was like a weightless joy. Every conversation, every emotion had so much depth and every character grew in their own roundabout way.
This book highlights the ramifications of the War with Hybern- Nesta's trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. After losing her mother at a very young age, having to watch her father's neck being snapped right after he told her how much he loved her, being turned into a High Fae against her will, and the pain of almost losing her sister Elaine, broke something in her. Everybody has their own way of dealing with trauma. Nesta deals with it by building an invisible wall around herself and pushing away the people that love her the most by hurting them with her acid words.
As she embarks on a journey towards self-development, she finds that the only one who can decimate the wall around her is Cassian- A fierce Illyrian warrior and the General Commander of the Night Court.
As her wall keeps degenerating over time, a deliciously romantic and sex-drenched relationship develops between them. There's obviously LOTS of steamy, ragingly passionate scenes but what is most appealing in their relationship is the minor displays of affection and the respect they have for each other and will set your soul on fire. They each challenge the status quo and reveal themselves to be stronger than anyone imagined through rigorous training and practice.
I love how Sarah J Maas redeemed Nesta's character in tiny steps and not like how she redeemed Rhysand in ACoMaF. Nesta's journey toward self-love wasn't smooth. She kept falling down, picking herself back up only to realize she fell deeper. This falling-down-climbing-back-up-thing went on for a while and it was so raw and real that my tear glands vowed to empty every drop from my body.
For all those who hate Nesta after reading ACoFaS, let me tell you: I come from the same place. But do not let that stop you from reading this book because what's the worse that can happen, hmm? You will either hate it in which case you can always DNF it or get back to it later. But if you love it, then there's no stopping you from jumping around like a maniac. But if you don't even try, you will never know, will you?...more
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