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| A Court of Silver Flames and Nesta print |
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Author: Sarah J Maas
Age Group: Adult
Source: Waterstones (purchased)
Review
Fans of
Sarah J Maas have waited a few delirious years for A Court of Silver Flames
to finally be published and the hype has certainly been worth it! Staying in
the world of Velaris we now finally have the chance as readers to understand
and read from Nesta’s very own perspective. Continuing in Maas’ regular fashion
Nesta is not exempt from her own traumas, in fact I would say that Maas is
one of the strongest writers out there at the moment who deals with trauma in a
strong and sensitive respectful manner.
If you are
one of the those readers who enjoys a little smut in their books then you will
not be disappointed. There is plenty of sexual tensions and thrills throughout
the entirety of A Court of Silver Flames. Personally I felt that even
though I still enjoyed these scenes there were perhaps one too many that
distracted from Nesta’s personal journey to overcome her major trauma.
“If you think this training nonsense is going to result in you climbing into my bed, you’re delusional.” She added with a slice of a smile, “I’d sooner let in a mangy street dog.” “Oh, it’s not going to result in me climbing into your bed.” Nesta snickered, victory achieved, and had reached the stairs when he crooned, “You’ll climb into mine.”
What was
the most outstanding element of A Court of Silver Flames for me was the
female friendships. One
of the most important elements of healing is support and friendship and Nesta
most certainly finds this with Emerie and Gwyn, who are both equally strong and
compelling characters in their own rights. In fact the friendship that Nesta,
Emerie, and Gwyn share was for me the most meaningful and powerful relationship
from the whole of the book. I think this friendship is what redeems the book, without
it I personally fear that it would have been a book predominantly about sex and
unresolved anguish.
‘Whether the sun beat hot on their brows or freezing rain turned their bones to ice, Nesta, Emerie, and Gwyneth arrived at practice each morning, ready to … The back of her throat ached; her eyes stung. “We’re in a book.” Gwyn’s fingers slid into hers, squeezing tight. Nesta looked up to find her holding Emerie’s free hand as well. Gwyn smiled again, her eyes bright. “Our stories are worth telling.”
What also
matters most in A Court of Silver Flames is the continuing importance of
family, those that we choose and those we cannot. Part of Nesta’s and Feyre’s
joint struggles have always been the strain created in their own family caused
by problems out of their control. Therefore, they both share the need to heal
through healing their sisterly relationship and Maas certainly delivers a satisfying
resolution for Feyre and Nesta together. In my opinion Maas could not have
written A Court of Silver Flames without including and giving some
attention still to Feyre and Rhys because they are a part of Neta’s own story.
I believe the below quote summons up for me one of Maas’ second continuing
themes and overriding messages in the world of A Court of Thorns and Roses.
Which is that family is what matters the most and though there are strains and
difficulties in the end your family will always be the last remaining ones to
stand by and help you no matter what:
“Let me make a wish for all of us,” she explained, gathering the three charms. A small gift—for the friends who had become like sisters. A chosen family. Like the one Feyre had found for herself.’
Synopsis (From Goodreads)
Key Quotes
‘Nesta watched the shadowsinger with a frankness that most people shied from. Azriel returned the look with a stillness that most people ran from. Even Feyre had been hesitant around Az initially, but Nesta considered him with the same unflinching assessment she laid upon everyone. Maybe that was why Azriel had never said a bad word about Nesta.’
‘He said with soft fury, “It took me ten years before I was able to face it. What I’d done to those people, and what I’d lost. Ten years.” He was trembling, but not with fear. “So if you want to take ten years to face whatever is eating you alive from the inside out, go ahead. You want to take twenty years, go ahead.” Silence fell, interrupted only by their uneven panting. Nesta breathed, “Do you regret what you did?” “No.” Such unflinching honesty.’
“I am not a thing to be controlled by you,” Nesta said icily. Everything in her life, from the moment she was born, had been controlled by other people. Things happened to her; anytime she tried to exert control, she’d been thwarted at every turn—and she hated that even more than the King of Hybern.’
“Az won’t be back for a little while. Let’s go flying.” “What about the humans?” They’d run screaming in terror. Cassian gave her a wicked smile, opening that half-broken door for her. Leading her into the sunlight and clean air. “It’ll add a little spice to their days.”
