Feyre, Rhys, and their friends are busy rebuilding and recovering from the war that changed everything. But the faerie land’s Winter Solstice celebration is finally upon them, and perhaps everyone can take a well-earned break.
Feyre, Rhys, and their friends are busy rebuilding and recovering from the war that changed everything. But the faerie land’s Winter Solstice celebration is finally upon them, and perhaps everyone can take a well-earned break.
Feyre, High Lady of the Night Court—one of seven courts that rule the faerie continent of Prythian—is worried.
After all, the devastation of the recently concluded Hybern war has taken a huge toll on everyone. The physical and emotional scars of the court’s citizenry are deep. And though people are trying to rebuild their lives, it’s not an easy task.
Feyre and her High Lord mate, Rhys, have been working with a fervor to draw one another close while also ministering to the frustrations and needs of those around them. But if they can’t successfully do so, who knows what contentions and conflicts might churn destructively to the surface.
There’s more to managing peace time than just well wishes.
There is, however, one possible lifeline dropping amid all this restiveness. Winter has come to the Night Court. And more importantly, the Winter Solstice celebration is right around the corner.
Perhaps the cold beauty of winter snow and the warm love of the festive holiday will provide a healing balm for all.
None.
This story is set in a fantasy faerie world filled with magic and magical creatures. The book touches on some of the land’s belief systems, including the idea that the world was born from an object of great power called the Cauldron. The Fae worship the Mother and the Cauldron and some make mention of the “Mother above.”
The Cauldron has the ability to raise someone from the dead and remake humans into High Fae. Feyre is one such person. She and her mate Rhys have god-like powers that include the ability to enter someone’s mind and “adjust” their thinking; manipulate objects in the world around them; create fire with a simple thought; and others. They also share something called the “bond” that allows them to whisper mental messages to each other.
Feyre also has an eye on each of her palms that Rhys can use to watch what she’s doing, though he swears that he doesn’t use them.
References are made to past magical acts. A woman who lost her husband and was overcome with grief creates a “void” fabric that connects to a dark dimension.
In past books, it was mentioned that humans no longer observe religions or their holidays. But the Winter Solstice is a Christmas-like Fae celebration that features family gathering and gift giving.
Feyre and Rhys are something of a king and queen in the Night Court, and they both take steps to ease the tensions around them. They talk with close friends, family members and local citizens in an attempt to ease local tensions and feelings of discontent that others are wrestling with.
The story hints that this loving pair are ready to start a family of their own.
The story includes quite a bit of crude language, including uses of f- and s-words, along with exclamations of “d–n,” “h—,” “b–tard,” “a–hole” and “pr–k.”
This being a holiday season, characters imbibe wine and other alcoholic beverages quite often. Some characters, including Feyre, get a bit tipsy from their drinking. A couple of guys drink so heavily that they pass out on a pair of couches rather than climb the stairs to their rooms.
We don’t read about any battles, but tempers certainly rise. Some people threaten others or think about unleashing heated violence. Some characters also think back on violent moments from their past. One woman remembers being nailed down to the floor.. Someone else remembers a brutal “Blood Rite” that Illyrian Fae are challenged to complete. Other bloody and painful incidents are recounted from the recently passed war.
We find quite a few torrid moments and conversations sprinkled throughout. And the story’s steamy focus is centered on Feyre and Rhys and their passionate desire for each other.
Fayre sketches charcoal drawings of her naked mate, for instance, and he talks about the detail of his body parts in her art. The passionate pair also talk or think about the intimate details of past sexual interludes. They repeatedly flirt with winking subtext via their bond. In a couple of scenes they disrobe, ardently kiss and caress one another. (One fiery lovemaking session, in particular, is very descriptive in its sexual detail and crude language.)
Several other individuals wrestle with their desire for someone else. Someone, for instance, has categorized and labled each of his love interest’s many expressions. They range from I will eat your eyes for breakfast to I don’t want Cassian to know I’m reading smut.” Another character has taken to visiting dirty taverns to drink heavily and pick up random lovers.
None.
This fourth novel in the very popular A Court of Thorns and Roses series takes a large course change from the action-packed themes of the previous three books. It revisits many of the series’ past characters through angsty interactions that wrestle intimately with the aftereffects and emotional turmoil of war.
Readers should note that there is some frosty foul language in the mix and, at the same time, the romance here is quite steamy.
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Review by Bob Hoose
