The story begins with 19-year-old Fayre hunting in the woods. She lives with her father and two selfish sisters. Once a wealthy family, their mother died and the father lost their fortune. They now live in poverty in a small cottage, getting by on the meat and furs Fayre brings in thanks to her hunting skills. One day she kills a large wolf, expecting to sell its fur in the market for a handsome price. What she was not expecting was for a large beast to show up at their cottage, demanding Feyre come with him as payment for killing one of his soldiers. It was no ordinary wolf she killed. It - and the beast - are not just animals. They are faeries, powerful creatures who once ruled the human lands.
In keeping with what we know of the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale, Fayre at first resents her captivity and has no interest in being friendly with the beast (named Tamlin). Of course, the more she learns about the Fae and the curse that has been placed upon them, she begins to soften, eventually falling for the one who's taken her prisoner.
Whereas the familiar fairy tale ends with Belle falling for the beast, he becomes a prince, and they live happily ever after, Maas's story gives our heroine a second act. Fayre fails to declare her love for Tamlin aloud, and thus unwittingly condemns him into the hands of the one who cursed him, an evil woman named Amarantha. When she realizes what she's done, Fayre goes to Amarantha's lair to try and save Tamlin. She is given two options: solve Amarantha's riddle or undergo three dangerous and deadly trials.
A Court of Thorns and Roses is best suited for high school students, as it contains a few rather steamy sex scenes, as well as scenes of graphic violence. Although there are additional entries in this series still to come, and there are still some questions left unanswered (what happened to Feyre's family?), I think this entry can stand alone as Maas does a good job at bringing the narrative to a conclusion.
Review given in exchange for an ARC from NetGalley.
