A Court of Wings and Ruin – Sarah J. Maas

This series literally cannot disappoint. I loved every part of this book and I am so sad to see the series end. It is definitely a series I will reread and it is a new favorite for me. 

Plot

After the events of the last book, the war is becoming serious and the Inner Circle is doing everything in their power to try and stop it. This book begins with Feyre back in the Spring Court after some bargains were made with the King of Hybern. Eventually, Feyre gets back to her new family and they are able to fight in the war that brings up a lot of Prythians’ history. We learn more about Miryam and Drakon and their story surrounding their time in the war, as well as Rhysand’s time in which he was fighting five hundred years ago. 

I think that the plot just gets better with each book. The previous book had been leading up to this one point during the war and it is so interesting to see how the history of Prythian contributes to the current war.

Writing

Sarah J. Maas constantly surprises me with how amazing her writing is. The messages in the book were conveyed perfectly and she had me emotional at many times throughout the book. 

If you’ve already read it, need I say more than page 666? I was nearly in tears and I am not usually an emotional person when it comes to books or movies. I think the writing conveyed all of these passages perfectly and I always wanted to read more. 

Characters

Feyre has grown into a character that I admire and love so much. Her strength really shows at the beginning where she is practically thrown in a place that has held so much trauma for her. She was able to get through her time at the Spring Court, while also being away from her mate which is extremely difficult for anybody, yet she does not show any sign of weakness. She is able to convince Tamlin that she is still in love with him, while also gathering information about Hybern and his armies to send back to her own court. Personally, I think she is a really strong character who deserves so much more than was given to her. There were many times throughout the books where she felt like she was not good enough, mostly due to traumatic experiences Under the Mountain, however, through her strength and power, she was able to hold her ground and become an even better character. 

Rhysand is by far my favorite character. His need to sacrifice himself makes him a selfless character that deserves the world. Rhysand has endless love for Feyre and his family which makes him such an admirable character, and the strength he shows through his trauma makes me like him even more. Throughout the book his constant need to protect is clear, but he is also able to put on a mask that shows he is a strong leader and can do just about anything. 

The Inner Circle is definitely a family I would love to be a part of. Their individual strengths are clear during the war scenes. With Cassian being a general and working hard to control his armies, he is always making sure that his friends are okay, even if it means sacrificing himself. Mor is a character I have grown to love even more throughout this book. Her past experiences from the Court of Nightmares come forward and it makes me love her even more. She was able to get past it without it affecting her usual performance of a strong female character. Azriel probably became one of the best characters in the series through this book. Although he is quiet and reserved, he is also a very capable character that always sticks up for his friends. The shadow singer is always on guard and I really like that about him. He has basically two sides to him. One which he shows with his family, where is a softer character and then the stronger more intimidating character. 

The High Lords have a bigger part in this book too. Tarquin, High Lord of Summer, had a part in A Court of Mist and Fury, and after the events took place it is clear to see that he is a good enough man to forgive Feyre and her friends and actually help them during the war. Helion is probably one of the best high lords in my opinion. His coldness to the other courts are clear during the High Lord Meeting, however, when he is alone with the Inner Circle, he becomes a fun character with a lot of banter for Mor, Cassian, and Azriel. It is fun to see how each High Lord is different in not only how they run their courts but how they decide to lead each of their armies into battle. 

“You do not fear,” Rhys breathed. “You do not falter. You do not yield. You go in, you get her, and you come out again.” I nodded again, holding his stare. “Remember that you are a wolf. And you cannot be caged.”

Setting

A Court of Wings and Ruin begins in the Spring Court. After the deal with Hybern was made in the last few chapters of the last book, Feyre is stuck in the Spring Court with Tamlin. The manor was the same as always, and it was described perfectly too. 

After the Spring Court, Feyre is back in Velaris where her family is. Velaris is definitely a city I’d love to live in. The Court of Dreams is magical and I love how it continues to be a place of peace even with a war taking place outside the walls. 

The Library in Velaris is a setting that is new to the series, and I have to say I love it. The fact that it is not only a library but a sanctuary for female priestesses who have been through some kind of trauma really makes me love the city of Velaris just that much more. It is a city of peace and the library really symbolizes it. 

“Leave this world…a better place than how you found it.” and it’s chest rose and stopped altogether, as its breath escaped in one last sigh, and I understood why the Suriel had come to help me, again and again, not just for kindness but because it was a dreamer.”

In Conclusion…

I definitely recommend this book. If you’ve read the last two, this book just makes them even better and is the perfect ending to a wonderful series full of magic, emotion, and fantasy. I loved every second of this book and it had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. 

Rating: 5/5 ⭐