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| A Court of Wings and Ruin |
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Author: Sarah J Maas
Age Group: YA
Source: Amazon (purchased)
Review
The end to a
series is always bittersweet and A Court of Wings and Ruin is no
exception. This was such a beautiful ending to a fantastic series. If you enjoy
books with strong liberated and complex women than this is a series I would definitely
recommend to you. It is also a great series if you value the importance of
family and friendship too, exploring the highs, lows and complications of these
very relationships. One of the main themes that runs through the series and
is especially prominent in A Court of Wings and Ruin is that of
acceptance of ones self and of others. This theme is especially linked to
the characters that have faced traumas and are considered LGBTQ+. Though this
series and this book in particular explore and discuss some difficult themes
and issues there are still lots of fun and light-hearted moments too especially
in relation to the friendships of the Inner Circle and the romantic
relationships as well. Maas is an incredible writer not only because she
creates strong and compelling characters and creates absorbing worlds but because
she explores themes and issues of importance through the safety of a fantasy
novel.
There
will be some spoilers below!
Throughout the
A court of Thorns and Roses series as well as in A Court of Wings and
Ruin in particular there has always been the theme of trauma, living it
and trying to overcome it. More importantly, it is not just woman that
experience trauma but the men too which for me is so important to highlight
because in real life no matter what your sex, gender, sexuality or race anyone
could be a victim of a traumatic experience. Therefore, for Maas not to
discriminate and say that it is only woman that experience and have to face
traumas is a huge positive of this book and series overall. The protagonist
Feyre is the most obvious character to undergo and face traumas as well as
having to overcome them. However, I would like to mention the other characters
Nesta and Lucian in particular who also live through painful traumas and how
they have to process it afterwards. One of the main themes is sexual assault
and lack of consent or forced consent and this relates in particular to
Lucian. Lucian is pursued relentlessly by the priestess Ianthe who tries to force
him into a non-consensual sexual relationship. Below is an extract of one of the
scenes where Ianthe tries to sexually assault Lucian. I think it highlights
that it is not just women who are sexually assaulted and are the only victims
of this kind of assault but can actually be the perpetrators of assault and that
men can actually also be the victims of sexual assault too. To say that it is
only woman who are the victims of sexual assault is a dangerous way of thinking
and that is why I believe Maas is an important author because she dispels this
harmful ideology and actually highlights that men can be the victims of sexual assault
and that women can be the ones to perform it too.
‘I heard Lucien first. “Back off.” A low female laugh. Everything in me went still and cold at that sound. […] “Do not touch me,” he growled. And then I was moving. I masked the sound of my footfalls, silent as a panther as I stalked to the little clearing where they stood. Where Lucien stood, back against a tree—twin bands of blue stone shackled around his wrists. I’d seen them before. On Rhys, to immobilize his power. Stone hewn from Hybern’s rotted land, capable of nullifying magic. And in this case … holding Lucien against that tree as Ianthe surveyed him like a snake before a meal. She slid a hand over the broad panes of his chest, his stomach. And Lucien’s eyes shot to me as I stepped between the trees, fear and humiliation reddening his golden skin.’
Although there
are some challenging themes and issues this series and A Court of Wings and
Ruin explore there are still tons of happy and uplifting moments and
relationships too. For me the most powerful friendship and family
relationships that bring enjoyment and happiness to this series and A Court
of Wings and Ruin in particular is that of the Inner Circle. Feyre
begins this book as a spy in another court and once she’s completed her task of
undermining its High Lord and breaking their military defences she is able to
return home to her own court. On trying to get home she and Lucian are attacked
but are rescued by Azriel and Cassian. I love this moment when Feyre and Cassian
are reunited after months of separation because it emphasises the strength and purity of their friendship:
‘I met those laughing, fierce hazel eyes. Cassian’s smile softened. “Hello, Feyre.” My throat tightened to the point of pain, and I threw my arms around his neck, embracing him tightly. “I missed you, too,” Cassian murmured, squeezing me.’
Feyre and Cassian’s friendship is only one example of those found amongst those in the Inner Circle and it is this groups pure love and devotion to each other that is the most beautiful and powerful part of A Court of Wings and Ruin and the series overall. In fact, it is the Inner Circle that is one of the most outstanding elements of this book and series and why I love this series as a whole. It is not only because they are devoted to each other and make me laugh at times between their interactions, but because they prove that there are always complications even when you love someone unconditionally, and it is these conflicts that can potentially strengthen a relationship and stresses the importance of accepting others for who they are, both the good and the bad.
Synopsis (From Goodreads)
Key Quotes
'He might have completed the Great Rite with Ianthe of his own free will, but he certainly hadn’t enjoyed it. Some line had been blurred—badly. And my heart shifted a bit in my chest […] The weight of that jeweled knife and belt seemed to grow. “I wish I had been there to stop it. I should have been there to stop it.” I meant every word. Lucien squeezed our linked arms as we rounded a hedge, the house rising up before us. “You are a better friend to me, Feyre,” he said quietly, “than I ever was to you.”
“I see you brought home a new pet,” she said, nose crinkling with distaste. Something like fear had entered Lucien’s eye, as if he, too, beheld the monster that lurked beneath that beautiful face. Indeed, it seemed he had heard of her already. Before I could introduce him, Lucien bowed at the waist. Deeply. Cassian let out an amused grunt, and I shot him a warning glare. Amren smiled slightly. “Already trained, I see.”
“He wanted a—gift. In exchange. The Ouroboros.” The Suriel let out a sound that might have been a gasp—delight or horror, I did not know. “The Mirror of Beginnings and Endings.” “Yes—but … I cannot retrieve it.” “You are afraid to look. To see what is within.” “Will it drive me—mad? Break me?” It was an effort not to flinch at that monstrous face, at the milky eyes and lipless mouth. All focused upon me. “Only you can decide what breaks you, Cursebreaker. Only you.”
“… My gift is truth—and yet I have been living a lie my entire existence.” I squeezed her hand once more. “You’ll tell them when you’re ready. And I’ll stand by you no matter what. Until then … Your secret is safe. I won’t tell anyone—even Rhys.” “Thank you,” she breathed. I shook my head. “No—thank you for telling me…”
