Sarah J. Maas has done it again – completely swept me off my feet. ACOTAR is a beautiful, compelling, and steamy retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I absolutely loved it.
If you’ve also read Throne of Glass, I’d be willing to bet that you opened this book with high expectations. I certainly did. I thought it was great that ACOTAR features Maas’ distinct storytelling style, but has a completely different tone/feel than Throne of Glass. The book delves deeper into the realm of the Fae, and Maas has carefully crafted a unique story world and plot.
First of all, I’m a sucker for fairy tale retellings. And I’m quite fond of Beauty and the Beast, simply because Belle is an avid reader. And also because it’s all about focusing on what’s on the inside rather than on outward appearance. I enjoyed following along with Feyre’s story and comparing it to Belle’s. Of course, while there are many similarities, Maas has given the beloved fairy tale a new twist and incredible depth.
And can we talk about Feyre’s absolutely steamy and swoon-y (is that a word?) romance?? There were several scenes (if you’ve read it, YOU KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT) that made my heart pound and my cheeks flush. And THAT is a testament to Maas’ skills with pacing and character development.
I care so deeply for each and every character (even Rhysand!), and so when terrible things happened to them it felt like my heart was being ripped to shreds. (Because unfortunately terrible things happen to them. And it’s painful.) What I’m saying is, this book gives you ALL the feels.
The first half of the book is definitely slower-paced than the second half, but I never found myself to be disinterested or bored. I couldn’t put it down. The ending ties things up quite nicely, but there are a few loose ends that raise interesting questions for book 2. Excellent, excellent read. I enjoyed every minute of it (when I wasn’t having an emotional breakdown, that is).
Read the book. And I’ll give a quick shout-out to Throne of Glass, too. 😉
HAVE YOU READ THE BOOK? SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS! LET’S CHAT!
Sarah J. Maas is another author that I’ve been meaning to read, I especially like the idea of a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Nice review.
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Thanks, Brenda! Yes, you should definitely read Maas’ books. She is one of my new favorite authors – I’ve fallen in love with each and every one of her characters, and her books are so incredibly compelling. We’re talking serious book hangovers 😉