A Court of Silver Flames – A riveting story of rebirth with unnecessary plot

🌸 Title: A Court of Silver Flames (Book 4 of the ACOTAR series)
🌸Author: Sarah J. Maas 
🌸Published: February 16th, 2021
🌸Genre: Adult, Romance, Fiction, Fantasy
🌸 A non-major spoilers review.

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“That’s the key, isn’t it? To know the darkness will always remain, but how you choose to face it, handle it… that’s the most important part. To not let it consume. To focus upon the good, the things that fill you with wonder. The struggle with that darkness is worth it, just to see such things.”

-Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Silver Flames

A Court of Silver Flames follows Nesta Archeron, Feyre’s sister who is quick to anger and too proud to let anyone see who she truly is. Ever since she was forced into the Cauldron and became High Fae, she can’t seem to find a place where she belongs in this new world and can’t move on from the horrors of the war. She’s forced to work with Cassian as the treacherous human queens show themselves again.

Y’all. Y’all. Nesta and her character growth in A Court of Silver Flames did not come to play. She came to conquer.

I hated Nesta (and Elain, to be honest) throughout the first three ACOTAR books. And you can’t blame me. They let the youngest sister fight for them and find them food rather than taking it upon themselves, Nesta being the oldest.

However, in A Court of Silver Flames we see into her soul and she undergoes immense character growth. From the lowest of lows, she rose, and I cried each time she fell and came back stronger than ever.

We stan this queen now.

On the other hand, while I loved Nesta’s growth, I couldn’t help but feel like her victories were overshadowed by Feyre and Rhys’s situation.

I love them to death. Seriously. But…I kind of just wanted this to be about Nesta herself without their issues coming into it.

It almost seemed like the entire queen plotline was just added to give Cassian a POV (which I skimmed through most of the time, I may add, because it was b o r i n g) and gave the story some kind of plot that came from the last book.

But it just seemed so out there for Nesta that I almost didn’t see the point. Plus it ended before it began, so I’m not sure what the next book will even be derived from anyways.

We have some amazing new characters—Emerie and Gwyn—that really stole the show.

Both have their own dark pasts. It makes it easy for Nesta to bond with them because she has her own past and her own issues that the others in the Inner Circle can’t help her with. They’re just a harsh reminder of everything she lost and failed at.

It was beautiful learning more about the priestesses in the library who also made the decision to become stronger and found the strength to do so. Female empowerment, woo!

And finally, her relationship with Cassian. Swoon.

So. Much. Sex. Guys, there’s a reason this book was listed as Adult rather than YA like the previous ones—although I question that decision, too.

Their connection is a slow burn, but it’s well worth the wait. And the fact that neither of them thought they were worthy of one another…it was heartbreaking but made me realize that Cassian struggles with himself.

Cassian himself had so much character growth alongside of Nesta. He’s always thought of himself as a “brute,” and Eris has no problem reminding him of it. He thinks he isn’t deserving of someone like Nesta who was primed to be a princess.

They both grew so much in A Court of Silver Flames, and I’m so glad that we got this installment from Maas. Was it my favorite? If it was just about Nesta, yes. But since it wasn’t…

Nesta’s entire storyline could have been it’s own. It didn’t need the frills of Feyre/Rhys or the POV of Cassian (who was a glorified frat boy, honestly). I didn’t want it, and I didn’t need it. She’s a strong enough character on her own, and she showed that when given the chance. Perfect for each other, Nesta and Cassian’s relationship shines.