Week in Review (Dec 5 – 11, 2021)

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Books

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas – Ch 1-18

The follow-up to Sarah J. Maas’s excellent first book is off to an interesting start. The book picks up a little while after the events of Thorns and Roses, and Feyre is preparing for her impending wedding to Tamlin. As the future wife of a High Lord, she is receiving training on court etiquette and what will be expected of her in this role. However, it is clear that she would much rather receive training on how to use her new Fae body and the powers it seems to slowly exhibit. Tamlin and the members of his court, on the other hand, are strongly against it, saying that it sends the wrong message to the other courts. And therein lies the crux of their main conflict. 

Feyre is written as a pretty standard heroine, self-deprecating but incredibly skilled; however, now with the added abilities I do find it heartbreaking that she would put herself down so much and consider herself unworthy of being Tamlin’s wife. She is going through some intense PTSD following the events of ACOTAR and having to kill two Fae in cold blood, and it seems that not a single soul in the Spring Court seems to know or care (outside of perhaps Lucien). Add to that wedding stress and a strained relationship with Tam and it’s no wonder that Rhysand is so shocked at the toll it’s taken on her, and takes her away to the Night Court when she eventually breaks down.

I find it incredibly intriguing that Rhysand has taken such an interest in Feyre. I don’t think his intentions are as noble as we are being led to believe, but I do like that Feyre is still getting more of an education than she might have done at the Spring Court. I find it quite shocking that she also does allude to the possibility that she only fell in love with Tamlin becuase he was the first person who showed interest in her, but it seems that she may be repeating that pattern with Rhys (even though I do find Rhys fascinating as a character, I don’t really ship them).

One thing that I do wish we had in the book was other points of view. I would love to have seen Tam’s reaction to Feyre being taken, or Rhys’s take on the Bone Carver. Now that we are getting more into the history and political landscape of Prythian, Feyre sometimes feels limited in her viewpoint as an outsider of their world.

I am looking forward to the upcoming war, and seeing Feyre take steps towards her recovery. I’m also looking forward to seeing the consequences of Feyre moving to the Night Court, and how she’ll impact the impending war.