A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas Book Review

Title: A Court of Silver Flames
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Year of Publication: 2021
Date of Publication: February 16, 2021
Pages: 768
ISBN-13: 978-1681196282

Our Rating of This Book

Summary of A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Silver Flames (ACOSF) is the fifth book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses Series. The book shifts the focus from Feyre Archeron to her older sister, Nesta Archeron. Nesta is dealing with trauma, guilt, a lot of rage, and self-doubt. But when she continues to decline by drinking, gambling and engaging in more questionable acts, a sort of intervention is called by Feyre and the other members of the night court.

To her disdain, Nesta is given two choices, either she moves to the House of Wind (which is far from the city and has 10,000 steps), begin training with Cassian and start working in the library in the House of wind or she would be returned to the human lands even though she is in her Fae form, meaning no acceptance there, warm welcome, and no companionship.

We learn more about Nesta’s character, what goes on in her head, her nightmares and why she chooses to push everyone away. We also learn more about what she must have taken from the Cauldron, which is ancient object the King of Hybern used in A Court of Mist and Fury to make Nesta and her other sister, Elain, fae.

Reluctantly, Nesta begins to work with Cassian and at library. She becomes really close friends with two other women—Gwyneth (Gwyn), a priestess, and Emerie, an Illyrian shopkeeper, who are also dealing with their own trauma. Together, all three of them embrace the ancient Valkyrie tradition.

Meanwhile, a new danger rises as Queen Briallyn, who voluntarily went into the Cauldron, but after Nesta in ACOMAF, but came out as an old woman because of what Nesta took from the Cauldron, begins plotting again. Briallyn is on a mission to gather deadly magical artifacts with help from the Death-Lord Koschei.

A lot of this story is about Nesta’s journey of healing and redemption, her relationship to Cassian, new friendships, and how she confronts her fears and finds her place in the fae world.

The story also touches on Feyre and Rhys’s journey. There is also a little bit on how Tamlin and Lucien are dealing with their new realities.

Main Characters

Nesta Archeron: Feyre’s sister and main character in this book.
Feyre Archeron, Rhysand (Rhys), Tamlin, and Lucien: All four return in this book.
Morrigan (Mor): Rhysand’s cousin and third-in-command in the Night Court.
Cassian: General of the Night Court’s armies.
Azriel: Rhysand’s spymaster and a Shadowsinger.
Amren: Rhysand’s second-in-command.
Elain: Feyre sister, who was also made fae.
Eris Vanserra: Lucien’s eldest brother and heir to the Autumn Court. Mor was once betrothed to Eris.
Helion: High Lord of the Day Court. Charismatic, powerful, and has tires to one of the original characters from ACOTAR.
Briallyn: One of the mortal queens. She sought power from the Cauldron but was twisted by it, becoming ancient and consumed by dark magic.
Gwyneth Berdara (Gwyn): A young priestess in the House of Wind library. Gwn is very bright, brave, and one of Nesta’s closest friends. She trains as a Valkyrie.
Clotho: The mute High Priestess who oversees the library at the House of Wind. She communicates through writing and provides safe haven to survivors.
Meryl: A scholarly priestess in the library, known for her extensive knowledge and research. She aids in magical and historical studies.
Koschei: An ancient Death-Lord and powerful dark entity. Allied with Briallyn, he poses a major threat in A Court of Silver Flames.

Writing Style

Sarah J. Maas tells the story mostly from Nesta’s perspective. This was definitely needed because Nesta’s characters in the previous books has been quite difficult to stomach. But Maas does a really good job in walking readers through Nesta’s pain. With that said, there were portions of the book especially as it relates to her relationship with Feyre, which truly tests ones patience.

Favorite Quotes

Though she had fought back against Tomas, against the Cauldron, against the King of Hybern, they had all happened to her. She had survived, but she had been helpless and afraid. Not today. Today, she would happen to him.”—Nesta‘s reflections.
”I went into the Cauldron, too, you know. And it captured me. And yet somehow all you think of is what my trauma did to you.”—Elain
“Still a bastard-born nobody.”—Cassian

Impact of A Court of Silver Flames

A Court of Silver Flames portrays trauma recovery and personal growth within a fantasy setting.

What are your thoughts on this book and Nesta’s behavior? Have you had a chance to read it? Let us know in the comments!

Authors

Nathaniel Adebayo

Nathaniel is a Media Content Specialist at Verayea, where he specializes in curating content and gathering data for the company’s extensive book library. He is also dedicated to writing insightful reviews, offering thoughtful perspectives on a range of media. His work ensures that Verayea’s library is comprehensive, well-organized, and informative, providing valuable resources for its audience.
Ufuoma Akpotaire

Ufuoma Akpotaire is a passionate book, movie and music reviewer with a love for travel and culture. She combines her enthusiasm for storytelling with her experience exploring new places and stories. Through her reviews, she celebrates creativity and inspires readers to appreciate the connections between books, movies, music, travel, and global cultures.