It’s no secret that I’ve been leaning towards Horror novels more than anything lately (you can read one of my reviews here!), but my goal this year was to read books outside my comfort zone–which is how I found myself picking up Sarah J Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses. ACOTAR has been trending for some time, hitting bestselling charts and Goodreads recommendations since it’s initial release in 2020. Since then, Maas has given us another four novels, and several special editions that has fans drooling.
And yet, I keep hearing among the book community (especially those that haven’t *actually* read the ACOTAR series) that this collection is filled with fairy smut–and nothing else. Don’t get me wrong, ACOTAR certainly has it’s fair share of spicy scenes, which has kept readers, like me, engaged and entertained. In fact, Romantasy books definitely seem to be having their moment lately. Alyssa Matesic, popular Youtuber and professional editor, posted that Romance and Fantasy genres are becoming more trendy right now, with the genres reaching #2, and #3 in popularity, right after Young Adult (Which, *ahem* ACOTAR also has been marketed as).
So, I took to the books to find out for myself: Are these books are straight up smut, written entirely to become bestsellers? Or are they truly worth their critical acclaim? And I was shocked at what I discovered.
Sarah J Maas’s books are filled with interpretations of real world problems: disability rep, non-binary characters, relationship struggles. And, each book has a well thought out plot arc that is enhanced by some spicy scenes.
Here are a few of the intriguing, yet realistic, obstacles ACOTAR characters face in the books that readers might identify with (if you haven’t read the books yet, there might be some spoilers ahead):
#1: The Prince Saving The Princess Trope
Time and time again, we see this reoccurring theme (especially in fantasy books) where the princess is miraculously saved by the prince. And, yes, ACOTAR does start out this way. Feyre first must rely on Tamlin to save her from her situation (i.e. when she kills a faerie, and now has to live out her days in the faerie world without any protection from actual faeries). But then Tamlin is taken, and Feyre has no protection–she has to rely entirely on herself. Rather than sitting around and moping, she takes matters into her own hands, where some might say she is saved *again* by Rhys. But, not without sacrifice. Those who have finished the first book know what happens there.
After the first book, we see Feyre relying less and less on Rhys and instead using her resources to make herself stronger, thereby defeating the “prince saving princess” trope and giving readers hope that female characters can stand on their own two feet–which is exactly what Nesta shows us when it’s her turn to shine in A Court of Silver Flames.
#2: Tamlin and Feyre’s Relationship Draws on Real-Life Problems
Whether you’re a fan of the Tampon or not (okay, we allllll know what team I’m on), the thing I admired about Tamlin’s scenes was how well Maas illustrated both perspectives of the relationship–the emotional turmoil, Tamlin’s depression, and the true emptiness that comes at the end of a relationship when neither partner wants to end what they know is already over.
There were clearly a lot of problems in the relationship, but older readers will still empathize with Tamlin’s controlling nature and his need to protect Feyre. Though it is by no means right or okay, his love language was clearly very different than hers, and by needing to love her, he felt the need to protect her–where she felt the need for trust and independence upon their love growing. In the real world, maybe this is a couple that would try to seek couples therapy, or–maybe like Prythian–for certain couples, there aren’t enough resources available to help couples struggling to understand each other.
Ultimately, despite the terrible way that Tamlin dealt with his emotional immaturity and inability to understand Feyre, I felt bad for him. He might have been the most realistic character in these novels, honestly.
#3: Feyre’s Dad’s Handicap Divides The Family
The reader learns very early on in the ACOTAR novels that Feyre’s dad is handicapped–this is why she is out in the woods hunting, which incites the plot. We learn that Feyre’s family came from money, and the three sisters and their father are reduced to the cottage in the wood once her father lost his business and was beaten by investors (both literally and metaphorically). He’s no longer able to provide for his family, and in a patriarchal community–this is bad. The family struggles to get by, the sisters start to resent their father, and then one another, and everything gets worse from there.
I think Feyre’s father has some very realistic traits, despite being in a fantasy novel. First of all, he clearly has depression, which is amplified by his inability to provide for his family. We can’t see how much pain he is in or how truly bad the handicap is, but we do see that his self-motivation is clearly defeated. I think he clearly loves his daughters, and he does give them everything he can, which he shows through giving the girls the bed, while he sleeps elsewhere. But, in a world where there’s no resources for someone with a handicap, love isn’t enough.
Even in the real world, there are often little to no resources for those that are handicapped or disabled. Having a physical ailment, like Feyre’s father does, can not only affect the person dealing with it, but those around them as well. It can lead to resentment, and depression, among other things. I think Maas explored this well, and I appreciated the subplot that she explored throughout the series as Feyre struggled to understand her father.
#4: Mor Afraid to Come Out / Mor’s Sexuality
One of the topics that I really enjoyed in the ACOTAR series was Mor’s sexuality. I’m glad Maas created a character that wasn’t straight–and my lord, I hope we get more of her! Watching Feyre observe Azriel and Mor, trying to figure out what is keeping them apart was SO relatable. And then, when Mor finally does tell Feyre, Feyre is tasked with keeping this huge secret from her family.
I think the message here is: It doesn’t matter whether you have eight years, or eight hundred. Coming out is still hard. I loved watching Mor trust Feyre, but then watching Feyre grapple with the information killed me. It definitely brought the two of them closer, but isolated Feyre from other relationships because of her inability to share the information.
While I haven’t had this experience personally, I feel like it’s probably very realistic and I felt Feyre’s struggle to keep Mor’s secret, while also keeping her allegiance to Azriel–ugh and poor Azriel. The guy was head over heels and seemed to have no clue. Can Maas just give us a redemption arc for him? We need to see a good love story for Az. With Elain maybe? Just saying.
#5: Mindfulness and Dealing with Trauma
Another theme we see in the ACOTAR series–actually in A Court of Silver Flames–is dealing with trauma. Feyre deals with her challenges in her own way, but I think it’s Nesta that most impressed me. Maas did an excellent job building Nesta into a multidimensional character, and one that mirrors our own reality (which perhaps is why readers are so able to connect with her). In the last ACOTAR book, Nesta is struggling with addiction, and as part of her family’s intervention toward her recovery, Rhys has her working in the library, where Nesta encounters the priestesses. The priestesses are women that run that library, that have dealt with trauma of some form–they’ve come to the library to escape society and live in a safe harbor where they can come to terms with their trauma.
While Nesta is learning more about the priestesses, she is also tackling her own trauma by gaining physical strength and learning to defend herself. In the most recent ACOTAR book, we see Nesta share these skills with the priestesses, who draw on each other’s strength using mindfulness tactics, which are lovingly referred to in A Court of Silver Flames, as the tactics of the Valkryie, a long extinct tribe of female warriors. This was a very interesting and unusual way to bring the topic of healing and trauma into the series, but I think it closely mirrors what many readers have dealt with in their own lives.
#6: Nesta Struggling to Feel Worthy of Love
It’s no secret that there aren’t any mental health professionals in ACOTAR (though maybe there should be, right?). One of the most realistic aspects of the series–at least, in my opinion–is Nesta’s character searching to feel worthy. There’s certainly a level of a guilt, which fuels the substance abuse and…men that we see in the fifth book in the series. Nesta struggles to let herself have anything. She lives in a bare bones apartment, wears clothing that doesn’t suit her, she ignores Cassian’s advances–all because of her guilt. A Court of Silver Flames is essentially all about Nesta’s journey toward loving herself and forgiving herself. Ironically, this book might have the most depth out of the entire series, and yet I think it’s also the spiciest…which explains why it’s so many readers favorite book in the series.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about reading Sarah J Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series, it’s that the popular Fantasy series isn’t just smut–it’s chock full of real life examples that readers can relate to. These books certainly weren’t what I was expecting, and I’m hoping that we’ll get more of Prythian at some point in the future (we certainly need to know WHAT is going on with Elain and Az right?). There’s definitely rumors that a sixth book is underway, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that these rumors will come to fruition.
What are some of your favorite realistic moments in the ACOTAR series? Comment below and let me know what scenes you think are worth mentioning!
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