A Court of Mist and Fury is the second book in Sarah J Maas’s trilogy; A Court of Thorns and Roses. This book has quickly become one of my favourite books; I have read it three times now in the week that it has been released. I reach the end, close the book and open it at the start again. I just can’t get enough; it is as though Maas has created a new drug that I crave. One of my friends, Rhye Waters, asked me if I thought that Sarah is a Maasterful writer (see what he did there? He can be quite funny at times) and all jokes aside, I believe that this book is a masterpiece.

One of the aspects of this book that I adored was that it dealt with the aftermath of the events in ACOTAR, there was no simply sweep it under the rug and move on. All of the characters were affected by the brutality that Amarantha had reaped upon them, especially Feyre. Not only had she broken her soul to free Prythian, but she had also died and been made Fey. Throughout ACOMAF Feyre has to learn to control her newfound abilities, as the 7 High Lords used magic to bring her back to life, she is made up of them and their power, as well as her new Fey senses. However Maas didn’t let that be the only aftermath that Feyre has to deal with, she showed the emotional turmoil that comes with taking an innocent life. Yes, what Feyre did under the mountain was worth it, two lives for thousands but that doesn’t negate the fact that she took an innocent life and throughout ACOMAF Feyre has to come to terms with that. She has nightmares; she is violently ill, and she wishes that she were dead. I am grateful that Maas has shown the strength that PTSD sufferers have to overcome that internal battle.

I won’t write too much about the romantic element of this book, as I said I am attempting to keep this post spoiler free, but it was refreshing to not see a love triangle. During that final scene in ACOTAR between Feyre and Rhysand I was concerned that ACOMAF would be filled with that love triangle angst that has filled too many YA fantasy books of late. Thankfully Maas chose to focus on how sometimes relationships need to change when those involved changes.

ACOMAF shows the reader more of Prythian, we see the Spring Court, Night Court, Summer Court, the Human lands and Hybern and Maas writing flourishes with the subtly and descriptions of each.

Throughout ACOMAF Maas is showing readers how there is always two sides to every story. That while Tamlin may have had a mask glued to his face for 50 years, others were also wearing one. Once you finish ACOMAF you will be compelled to reread both it and ACOTAR and discover the breadcrumbs that Maas has left. The way that they all tie together is, as Rhye would say, maasterful. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone, but be warned that tale that Maas has spun is addictive.