A Court of Frost and Starlight

Stars flickered around us, sweet darkness sweeping in. As if we were the only souls in a galaxy.

And in the end, though, we'd saved each other. All of us had.

Welcome back to Velaris, Reader! 

This novella invites the reader back to streets and magical setting of the Faerie Courts to witness the rebuilding and strains of post-war cities and ruins. I'm going to jump straight into my magic of threes, but I recommend checking out the Goodreads synopsis (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31076583-a-court-of-frost-and-starlight) of the novel for a better understanding of the magical world created by Sarah J Maas. 

This novel is...

1. Engaging, but not phenomenal 
   

I'll admit, I had high expectations for this continuation of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, but when I read the novella, I was highly disappointed. While it offers interesting insight into the lives of our favourite characters, the plot itself is slow and many scenes feel irrelevant. Although the novel contains a few memorable moments, such as the spark between Cassian and Nesta, I could have scrapped out half of the novel and yet kept the storyline the same. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading more about the outcome of the war from the previous book. I think, if this novella had been written as a short story, with a little more action and included to the end of the third book, I would have loved it. However, as a novella marketed as a "sequel", it didn't live up to its grande hype and marketing.

2.      Intriguing, but not insane

If you've read my previous reviews for the ACOTAR series, you know I have praised this magical world and its fun and snarky characters (To quote myself: "This series is INSANE."). Yet, this novella is not granted the same praise. As mentioned, the plot is stagnant and the humour feels recycled. Even the witty spark between Feyre and Rhysand that I craved for is not to be found. Instead, both protagonists are portrayed as flawless, perfect, and righteous characters that seem unable to do no wrong. Boring. The couple does not share any conflicts or disagreements, which in theory seems great, but in practice seems unrealistic, irksome, and false.

3.      Inadequate, but not hopeless

Overall, I found this novella lacking. I could not invest in the protagonists and I continuously wished for a separate book about Azriel or Nesta, rather than the continuous focus and emphasis Feyre and Rhysand. The subplots of the novella do not seem to lead anywhere conclusive, but rather give small snippets that eventually are disinteresting, and the main plot is predictable and obvious. If you're reading this Christmas story, expect clichés. On the other hand, the introduction of different point of views is a delightful twist as the Reader explores Nesta's heartbreak and losses and Cassian's determination and power. Azriel remains a mystery, which I loved as he is one of the most interesting characters of the series and has much potential in future literature. I'm hoping Sarah J Maas will take his character and give us further insight into his temperament, goals, and ambitions. More Azriel, please!

What did you think?